Source: Tribune of June 21, 1997, Cahier 1

Author: Pierre-Yvon BÉGIN

Sherbrooke

Photo credit: Imacom Daguerre by Claude Poutin

The Magog River footbridge under construction

Construction work on the future footbridge that will span the Magog River in downtown Sherbrooke is progressing well. This footbridge, using revolutionary construction materials and erected at a cost of $683,000, will be accessible to pedestrians and cyclists starting in August. Yesterday, the employees of the firm Pomerleau Construction, in charge of the contract, poured the concrete in the main pillar on the north bank of the Magog River, just in front of the Abénaquis bowling alley. The future footbridge requires four pillars and two abutments. Already the two pillars and the abutment on the south bank of the river have been built.

Remember that this gateway will be “ intelligent ” since it will be directly linked to the Engineering Department of the Université de Sherbrooke and its Center of Excellence on high-performance concrete. Gateway. first industrial application of a new process developed at the University of Sherbrooke, should also serve as a technological showcase to interest potential customers.

Next week, workers will build a dike to the center of the river from the south bank. This dike will allow the erection of a temporary pillar in the center of the watercourse. Subsequently, it will be used to bring the six ten-meter sections, which will make up the future footbridge, once assembled.

Each section weighs fifteen tons, which is three times less than conventional concrete, while offering significantly greater strength. The six sections will be transported to Sherbrooke on Monday, July 7 from the Béton Bolduc plant in Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce where they were built last March.

They will then be hoisted to their final position using a crane.

Archeological site?

The construction work only began a fortnight ago, just as the spawning period for the fish is coming to an end, since they choose the confluence of the Magog and Saint-François rivers for their reproduction. This sector must also have been frequented by the Abenaki tribes. At the City of Sherbrooke, responsible for the archaeological sites on its territory, we could not confirm, yesterday, if the archaeological interest of the places was verified before starting the work.

Engineer from the Teknika Group who supervises the work, Pierre Blais told La Tribune that the excavation carried out did not reveal any parts worthy of interest.

Employees of the firm Pomerleau Construction proceeded yesterday to pour the concrete of the main pillar on the north shore of the Magog River. The structure will soon support the footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists which will span the river.

You have to understand that we are in the city center and that all sorts of materials have been used to make the fill, he will say. We find brick, glass. all kinds of things. We did not see any arrowheads. Instead, we came across a sewer pipe, ash from an old foundry, metal lint and scraps for making moulds.”