Telford Bridge

ABOUT

A 30-metre-long bridge of galvanized steel and wooden decking over the historic Shubenacadie Canal is a key link to providing direct pedestrian access to the Dartmouth Harbourwalk Trail.

BACKGROUND

A joint project between Build Nova Scotia (then Waterfront Development) and Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), the Telford bridge contains historic and aesthetic elements of the famous Buildwas Bridge in England, designed by Thomas Telford in 1796. He was a Scottish civil engineer famous for his roads, canals and more than 1,000 bridges, and his influence can be seen in the design of the bridge over Shubenacadie Canal.

The cost for the bridge phase, including the approaches, was approximately $360,000.

The Dartmouth Harbourwalk Trail is a three-kilometre trail extending from Dartmouth’s Alderney Ferry Terminal to the Woodside Ferry Terminal. Build Nova Scotia, Halifax and the Dartmouth Harbourfront Trails Association oversee the Harbourwalk. The trail connects to the Trans Canada Trail, Halifax’s park system, biking and walking trails, and complement continued development of downtown Dartmouth.

Another popular trail area includes the mural art project created on exterior walls around Dartmouth Cove. This collaborative project involves the creation of murals by local and international artists around Maitland and Canal Streets. This partnership has worked to mitigate graffiti in Dartmouth while transforming target walls into a community art project that continues to grow through the Hopscotch Urban Arts Festival.

The initial Dartmouth Harbourwalk Trail project was planned and constructed by Build Nova Scotia, in conjunction with a number of other government agencies and community groups.