My name is Robert Belanger. I was born and raised in Selkirk and now live in the RM of St. Clements. I’m writing to express my deep concern about the Provincial Government’s plan to spend $20–$30 million refurbishing the 89-year-old Selkirk lift bridge—a structure thousands rely on every day.
The “blue bridge,” built in 1935 as a depression-era public works project, has long outlived the traffic volumes and vehicle sizes it was designed for. Anyone who drives it daily, as I do, knows how narrow, shaky and deteriorated it has become. Morning traffic from St. Clements regularly backs up to the Hydro Steam Plant, and visible damage from wide loads and collisions is obvious to all who cross it.
Concerns about the bridge are not new. By the 1970s it required major repairs, and by 1990 it was described by a Highways official as being in “disgraceful condition.” It was closed in 1992 for $2.8 million in repairs—yet even then there were calls for a new, wider bridge.
Today, in 2025, the situation is worse. When the province held public meetings this summer, there was a great amount of opposition to refurbishing the nearly century-old structure. Yet, since those meetings, there has been no organized petition or public campaign, and silence will be taken as agreement.
Residents of St. Clements, Selkirk and St. Andrews must send a clear message: we do not support spending tens of millions on temporary fixes. We support planning and building a modern, safe, long-term replacement bridge.
It’s uncertain where possible alignments for a new bridge could go coming into Selkirk, some ideas include connections to either Clandeboye Avenue or McLain Avenue—options that would allow the existing bridge to remain open during construction. Once a new bridge is built, the historic lift bridge could be preserved as a pedestrian crossing and tourism asset. (These ideas are speculative only; neither has been approved by the City of Selkirk.)
Rather than pouring money into delaying the inevitable, let’s invest properly in the future. I would rather wait five years for a new bridge than watch millions spent on a temporary patch.
Silence will be interpreted as agreement. Please share this message with others and consider joining a public campaign.
If you would like to learn about the next steps I’m proposing, please contact me at rbelanger1962@outlook.com.
Robert Belanger
RM of St. Clements
