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Province giving $3M to repair rail bridge at The Forks

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/12/23/manitoba-to-give-3...

THE Forks is celebrating new funding it says will help reopen a popular active transportation bridge.

Premier Wab Kinew has promised $3 million on behalf of the Manitoba government to support a $9.3-million project to restore The Forks Historic Rail Bridge, The Forks said.

“It was a nice early Christmas gift for The Forks and the people of Winnipeg,” said Adam Dooley, corporate communications director for the downtown site.

The rail bridge closed due to safety concerns in 2023, while a campaign now aims to raise funds to repair it.

“There was a giant counterweight built into that bridge because it was a lift bridge… to allow boat traffic to go underneath. That gigantic counterweight was starting to deteriorate and chunks of concrete were falling to the pathways below, so that’s why we had to close it,” said Dooley.

While the counterweight has been removed, new decking and repairs to the steel structure are still needed to reopen the “vital” link, said Dooley.

“More than 350,000 people used it annually before (it closed)… It connects the main (Forks) fort site to Niizhoziibean, which is the Indigenous historical site and cultural gathering place with great significance in our city’s history,” he said.

The Forks is still seeking funding for the rest of the project, so there is no set timeline on when the bridge could reopen.

“We’re hoping to have more news in the new year,” said Dooley.

The provincial government confirmed the funding Tuesday afternoon.

The bridge, which allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross the Assiniboine River from South Point Park to The Forks, closed without notice in June 2023.

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CBC coverage:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/forks-gift-manitoba-government-9.702...