Roos Island bridge closed again

Roos Island at Victoria Park in Kitchener on July 8, 2024. (Dave Pettitt/CTV News)

A bridge connecting Roos Island to the rest of Victoria Park has been closed to pedestrians again.

In an email to CTV News on Thursday afternoon, the city confirmed Heritage Bridge has been blocked off for rehabilitation work.

Some of the upcoming repair work includes removing an existing coating and repainting the bridge.

The work was suspended over the summer to allow for programming and events on the island.

The new rehabilitation work is expected to be completed by early 2025.

History of Roos Island closure

Roos Island was inaccessible to most visitors since 2022 after protesters set up an encampment in support of people experiencing homelessness. The tents stayed on the island for more than a year.

When the tents were finally removed, the city closed the island in April 2023 for cleanup and remediation work. Repairs were also done to Heritage Bridge at that time.

The island reopened in July of this year as the city introduced a concert series dubbed the “Roos Island Music Series.”