Bank Street Bridge
Written by Bytown Museum
on
03/Dec/2009
The Bank Street Bridge spans the Rideau Canal and carries Bank Street south from the Glebe into Old Ottawa South. A wooden bridge was first constructed at this location in 1866. A few years later it was replaced by a steel swing bridge, to better allow boats to pass underneath.
The distinctive bridge that we know today was built in 1912. Inevitably, the bridge deteriorated over time and debate ensued on replacing or restoring the historic structure. Thankfully, restoration was chosen, and the rehabilitation project was completed in 1993.
Each winter, the water below the Bank Street Bridge becomes one of the clearest pieces of ice along the frozen Rideau Canal – the world's largest skating rink. The bridge provides the protection needed to reduce the number of cracks and bumps in the outdoor ice surface.
Do you have a story to share about skating on the Rideau Canal?
Neighbourhood
Like the rest of Ottawa, the area that would become known as the Glebe was originally a hunting territory for Anishnabe (Algonquin) tribes, principally the Odawa, whose name is commemorated ... read more
