Dismantling of century-old N.B. covered bridge underway

CTV Atlantic: N.B. covered bridge demolition underway It's the end of the road for one of New Brunswick’s most historic covered bridges. CTV’s Mary Cranston has more.

It's the end of the road for one of New Brunswick’s most historic covered bridges.

Dismantling work has begun on the Hammond River Bridge so that a steel modular can be installed.

French Village, N.B., resident Max Defazio says since the dismantling process began, about a week ago, dozens of people who live on Route 86 gather at the site every evening to witness the tear down.

"You don't realize how much of a heritage this bridge is in your community until they finally decide to tear it down," Defazio says.

Residents voted to save the bridge last year after an excavator plunged through its deck.

"It very much so has put a spilt in the community," says Defazio. "You have the people that want the bridge back up as something to get across, but then you also have the people that don't mind waiting an extra year or two to get this completely re-renovated."

The provincial government had been planning repairs, but recently discovered more damage and wood rot than originally expected.

Local resident Dora O'Brien thinks it should have been torn down after the damage was done.

"It's bad going out the other end of it. Very dangerous, they are. A lot of the covered bridges are."

Half of the bridge's exterior panels have been removed with the hopes of being repurposed. New Brunswick Minister of Transportation Bill Fraser says he’s working with the Department of Heritage to see how the bridge can be commemorated in the future.

"Wood that's associated with that bridge is an asset of the provincial government. Any wood that is taken would be considered theft,” Fraser told CTV News in a statement. “It's important for people to maintain a safe distance from the construction site as it's our intent to preserve that structure as much as we can."

But nearby residents say more and more wood has been disappearing.

"Many people seem to be piling the wood in the back of their trucks for some fire wood," Defazio says.

The dismantling of the bridge will continue well into the fall. Work on the new metal structure will begin after that

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Mary Cranston.