Hardy welcomes ‘big day’ in Seal Cove

By Craig Westcott

It was a big day in Seal Cove April 21 when the Town of CBS announced that work would start this month on the replacement of the bridge, said Ward 4 councillor Melissa Hardy, who represents the area on council.

“Very, very happy, I got a couple of very positive comments today from residents and a couple of good suggestions from residents as well,” Hardy told her fellow councillors at their regular public meeting that night.

The bridge on Seal Cove Road closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic in both directions on May 4 to accommodate workers and equipment.

Hardy said the closure will last four months.

“So be mindful of the area,” Hardy added. “There are going to be detours. I did have a resident reach out and put forward a good suggestion to have some extra traffic calming measures put in place during that time as there will be people going out Garden Road more.”

Hardy also asked motorists and pedestrians to be respectful of the workers.

“Just be extra mindful because at the end of the day everyone wants to get home to their loved ones,” Hardy said. “But it’s an awesome, awesome day to hear that the bridge replacement is going to be happening.”

Mayor Darrin Bent welcomed the announcement as well.

“I’ve been on council 11 years and here we are, finally doing the Seal Cove Bridge,” Bent said.

“I’m just wondering, your worship, whether it will be the Richard Murphy Bridge or the Ken George Bridge,” joked councillor-at-large Rex Hiller, referring to two former councillors from the area who spent a lot of time over the years lobbying to get the structure replaced.

“We’ll let them arm wrestle over that to see who comes out on top,” said Bent.

The bridge spans one of the prettiest scenes in Conception Bay South with views of picturesque Seal Cove River to the south and the entrance to Seal Cove Pond to the north. But the link also developed a quirky personality of its own over the years as wear and tear on the structure caused parts of the steel to loosen at times resulting in loud clinks and booming claps as cars passed over it, which was a nuisance to nearby residents late at night or in the wee hours of the morning.