GREEN MAP
Mobility: Trails
- A bridge as a barrier
Since the construction of the new Provencher Bridge and the Esplanade Riel in 2003, the Trail on the Red River has not extended north to pass under it. This is no coincidence. Changes and additions to the shoreline, to the caissons, and to the riverbed itself have increased the flow of the river at this location. The swift flowing water does not freeze as thickly in this area, according to the owner of Northern Soul Wilderness Adventures Dave Pancoe, making it less safe for skating and for the heavy ice-grooming machinery.
This is not only disappointing from the point of view of outdoor recreation in the city, it also severs an important connection between two key Festival du Voyageur sites, the Forks and Whittier Park. While the bridge connects two communities, Downtown and St. Boniface, it also acts as a barrier to those walking and skating on the Red River, dividing the north and south sections of the river.
Issues like these are often overlooked when designing near and on water. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted in 2001, but it is unclear whether this was anticipated. In fact, the EIA states that, “no significant long-term adverse impacts on the physical, biological and human environment, including heritage resources” were foreseen (InterGroup Consultants Ltd., 2001, iii). The report also states that, “(a)ll impacts are either mitigable or produce minor residual effects” (InterGroup Consultants Ltd., 2001, iii). Though it was expected that access under the bridge would be restricted during construction, the report did not appear to anticipate the long-term effect of the project. The report mentions that, at the time of writing, there were plans to extend the River Trail, but that the expansion was to be deferred until after completion of the bridge in the winter of 2003 (InterGroup Consultants Ltd., 2001, 136).
The new bridge required the addition of riprap along the shoreline and into the river, which led to a change in the depth profile of the river, specifically a loss of watercourse depth. The placement of riprap on the shorelines and around the piers may, however, be viewed as an improvement in fish habitat compared to the pre-existing conditions. (InterGroup Consultants Ltd., 2001, 65)
The report also anticipated changes to river flow due to changes to the size and shape of the bridge piers. It was predicted that these changes would affect freezing patterns and scour pool locations. The changes in freezing pattern were expected to have “short-term negative site-specific effects on recreational activities in the vicinity of the bridge” (InterGroup Consultants Ltd., 2001, 62). The changes in flow pattern were expected to be “small in magnitude, site-specific and long-term” (InterGroup Consultants Ltd., 2001, 65).
It seems clear from this report that an Environmental Impact Assessment, though an essential part of the approval process, is sometimes not enough on its own. In many cases, like in the case of the River Trails on the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, careful consideration of the cultural, recreational, and historical repercussions is also necessary.
