Ginoogaming First Nation has declared a state of emergency after a bridge leading into the community was declared unsafe and is unusable for vehicle traffic.
Effective Nov. 6, the band council decided to close Blueberry Street to vehicles leading to the Making Ground River Bridge after an inspection by WSP Engineering recommended that the bridge be closed to traffic. The state of the bridge has been a chronic issue with the community.
Ginoogaming is immediately south of the town of Longlac on Highway 11 and about 40 kilometres east of Geraldton.
The bridge is the only direct link to essential services for this community. An alternative route in and out of the First Nation takes 50 minutes longer.
In a news release, Chief Shari Taylor said more than 70 years of “jurisdictional wrangling and inaction” has led to the deterioration of this bridge.
“WSP Engineering has recently deemed the bridge unsafe for the people and children who have to cross this bridge on a daily basis—we had no other choice.”
Eagle Logging was to have closed the bridge on Nov, 12.
Back in June, during a major provincial government funding announcement in Greenstone, attended by Premier Doug Ford, Taylor warned the bridge was in danger of collapse and needed government to step up.
Ginoogaming is also calling on all government to provide funds and support for a temporary crossing, develop detailed plans – with timelines – for “interim measures” while the street is closed to traffic, and continue the feasibility study for a new bridge, one that will be owned by First Nation, with funds attached to maintain a new span.
The community leaders said it already met with government officials on Nov. 4, emphasizing this is not a jurisdictional issue, but a public safety concern.
“This emergency has highlighted the pressing need for investment into basic infrastructure that our Nation relies on every day. We call on our Treaty partners to join our efforts to keep our Nation safe and to ensure our people have the same opportunities as everyone else in Ontario”, added Taylor.
