Footbridge Closed for Refurbishment

The 20 year old footbridge crossing the Mangawharawhara Stream in Bridger Park in Eltham has been closed until planned refurbishment work is completed. STDC recreation and facilities manager Phil Waite says the Council has budgeted to refurbish the bridge, however an engineer’s report has recommended that the bridge is closed for public safety until the refurbishment work is completed.

Mr Waite says rather than attempting to get a crane into the park to remove the bridge, the work will be undertaken with the bridge in-situ and will include cleaning the structure, replacing steel work, the timber deck and painting. “I hope the work can start soon but unfortunately, due to the difficulty in getting tradespeople at the moment, we don’t yet have a timeframe for when the work might begin.”

The bridge refurbishment is one of a number of upgrades that have been done at the Park over recent months including the mobility access path and the Bridge Street entrance garden area.