Old Finch Avenue Bailey Bridge, Military footbridge in Scarborough, Canada.

The Old Finch Avenue Bailey Bridge is a steel truss bridge with vertical and diagonal beams joined by riveted gusset plates, painted dull grey. Its lower chord runs horizontally above a concrete and stone abutment on the right bank, which bears reddish-purple graffiti. The bridge crosses the Rouge River on timber piles set mid-stream.

The Canadian Army built this Bailey bridge in October 1954 in just three days after Hurricane Hazel destroyed the original crossing. The rapid construction project was part of infrastructure recovery following the natural disaster.

A plaque beside the bridge, erected by the City of Scarborough council, records that on October 15, 1954, Hurricane Hazel washed out several bridges and that the 2nd Field Engineer Regiment of the Canadian Military Engineers erected Bailey bridges to keep traffic moving. It notes this is the last of those still in service in Scarborough.

The bridge carries a single lane of traffic on Old Finch Avenue, with traffic lights at each end alternating directions. Cross on foot or by vehicle only when the light allows; the deck is narrow, so walkers share the lane with cars. The steel truss and the concrete abutment below are exposed to the river, so expect a wet surface after rain.

This remains the last functioning Bailey bridge in Scarborough, a rare example of military emergency engineering still in daily use. The structure shows how wartime construction methods were adapted to quickly restore connections after natural disasters.