Rotary donates to make bridge happen

Hold on everyone! Lee Clement,Al Brisco, Sandra Kowalchuk, Betty Brisco, Morris Tait, Don Clark, John Kernaghan, Ryan Doidge and George DePaepe were at the bridge location for the passing of the cheque.

Year in and year out the residents of Cramahe Township reap the benefits of the work and generosity of the Colborne Rotary Club.

On September 12 the club added one more gift to its long list, with a $10,000 donation for the Suzanne Kernaghan Bridge. Colborne Rotary chose to make the bridge its 60th anniversary project. It links the Rotary Centennial Park with the walk which is being built to the Keeler Centre. The bridge will be a lasting memorial to the well-liked Cramahe Township resident who died January 13, 2009 in a motor vehicle accident.

The bridge and walk have become a community project led by long-time Colborne booster Don Clark and contractor, John Kernaghan, brother of Suzanne.

Volunteers have been working on the parkland for some time now. Don and his son, Brandon, have been at it for over three years, clearing out brush along the section of Colborne Creek and felling dead trees. Workers have cleared a 6-8 foot path from Colborne Creek subdivision to Rotary Centennial Park. Wood chips are being laid to provide a base for the final path which will be about 43 inches wide.

The biggest single cost to date has been for the engineering plans required because the bridge spans a waterway.

The bridge will be installed this fall. Already donations of gravel from John Kernaghan and Brice Cotter have been received. Roger Doidge, Suzanne's husband, is supplying the concrete.

Brandon Clark, Al Chapman, Mike Kernaghan and Andy Coe have put in sweat equity to help move the project along.

Rotary became involved when the club was approached by Don Clark with the plans. Rotary President, Betty Brisco, says it was a great way for Rotary to give back to the community and celebrate its milestone birthday.

Don sees it as a lifelong project which started as an effort to clean up the creek. With the path in place it is much easier to access the creek and keep it maintained.

The path is designed for non-motorized use. It will primarily be used by walkers.

Don says, even with the Rotary money the budget is tight. He welcomes any donations.

Ryan Doidge tries out the makeshift cedar bridge that will soon be replaced by the Suzanne Kernaghan Bridge.