Rebuilding Kissing Bridge in West Montrose to cost an extra $4.6M

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Deciding the fate of the West Montrose Kissing Bridge

Rebuilding Kissing Bridge in West Montrose to cost an extra $4.6M

Region of Waterloo councillors are moving forward with plans to rebuild the Kissing Bridge in West Montrose despite its ballooning budget.

Council unanimously voted in favour of additional spending to reconstruct the bridge.

The region originally set aside $6,270,000 for the project in the 2025-2034 capital budget.

After going through the contract tendering process, the cost rose by an additional $4,601,800.

The total to repair the covered bridge now sits at $10,871,800.

The report blamed the increasing cost on “the lack of available historical standard unit cost data for this unique, specialized and complex project, for example, the requirement for General Contractors to carry a specialized, pre-qualified timber-subcontractor on the project is not typical on most local municipal bridge projects and so standard costs are not readily available.”

A bid, submitted by Looby Builder (Dublin) Limited for $9,735,297, was also recommended in the report.

To make up for the increased budget, the report suggested amendments to the region’s 2026 capital budget.

The Kissing Bridge was built in 1881 and renown as the last remaining covered bridge in Ontario. It was even featured on a postage stamp.

Tony Dowling, co-chair of the West Montrose Residents’ Association, told council Wednesday the reconstruction of the bridge was necessary for both tourism and accessibility.

“If the bridge were closed to through traffic, we would not have any horse and buggy traffic through the village and that would really detract form the charm of the village as a tourist attraction and certainly the enjoyment of all of us who live in the village,” said Dowling.

Dowling added that if the bridge were to be closed, the village would be split by the river and become two villages and two communities, no longer connected.

The region said the repairs are necessary as the bridge represents significant heritage and tourism value.

The full financial burden of the project will not fall entirely on the region. The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program will providing more than $4 million if the project is finished by March 2027.

Council is expected to vote on this matter at the Regional Council Meeting on June 25th.