Welcome
to Outlook, Saskatchewan, home of the longest
pedestrian bridge in Canada and an integral
and spectacular part of the Trans
Canada Trail.
The
viaduct, with a span of 3000 feet and rising
over 150 feet above the South Saskatchewan River,
is a magnificent
structure, unequaled in the prairies. The view
is spectacular, and a bird watchers delight as
Outlook
is situated along the North American Central Flyway
for migrating birds.
The
Outlook bridge was used by rail traffic from
1912 until
the mid 80’s. It had stood silent until
recently when the railway donated it to be used in
a segment of the Trans Canada Trail. A program was
fortunately available in the form of CME 2003 ‘Bridges
for Canada’, the national program celebrating
the centennial of the military engineers.
Under the program, the engineers would supply
labor
to convert
the bridge, and the community would be responsible
to supply the materials. The Town of Outlook
and the RM of Rudy showed the vision to advance
the
money for
materials until fundraising could be undertaken.
A committee comprised of a broad cross-section
of the
Outlook community took on the responsibility
of overseeing the conversion from rail to
pedestrian, and facilitating
the fundraising. The community very quickly
stepped to the fore with generous donations.
Requests
for
corporate and government assistance have
had some success. The
deck and railing on the bridge are now paid
for, and fundraising is now focused on gates
and approaches
on either end, and connections to the Trans
Canada Trail.
