Atherley Narrows Swing Bridge, Railway swing bridge in Orillia, Canada
The Atherley Narrows Swing Bridge is a railway bridge connecting two lakes and built from nine steel girder sections. The structure rests on eight steel pile foundations that anchor it to the lake bed below.
The current bridge dates to 1970 and represents the fourth structure at this crossing since rail travel first arrived here in 1843. Earlier versions were built and replaced over the decades as rail operations expanded and engineering improved.
The bridge sits at a location long important to the Mnjikaning First Nation, whose members have fished these waters for generations. The construction and operation of this structure shaped the traditional waterways and cultural practices of this community.
The bridge remains in a locked open position and is no longer operational after the railway line was abandoned. You can view the structure from the surrounding shorelines where it spans between the two lakes.
Two of the support piers come from different construction eras, with one built in 1919 on wooden piles beneath the water. This mix of materials and building methods shows how the crossing was repeatedly reinforced over time.
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