Cranes may be used to reopen Dingwall bridge link
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DECOMMISSIONED cranes have raised hopes in Dingwall that a popular bridge on a scenic walking route around the town can be reopened, with help from its Common Food Fund and a fundraising drive.
The bridge, which connects the town’s canal way off Ferry Road, has been closed since summer 2017 after it was deemed unsafe by Highland Council.
It has frequently featured on the Dingwall Community Council agenda since then amid "many complaints" from locals who want access.
The structure links the one bank of the River Peffery with the Ferry Point Park which has recently been rejuvenated and improved by recently commissioned public service contractors.
Now it looks like the community council, led by chairman Jack Shepherd, will try to progress matters themselves by accessing investment from the town’s Common Good Fund supplemented by crowdfunding – with one possibility being the use of recycled crane booms to replace parts of the structure.
Mr Shepherd said: "We have a number of irons in the fire regarding the bridge and we might get help from the Common Good Fund. At the moment I am in touch with an old colleague who has done work like this in the past.
"It would be good to see the bridge reinstated, as it is a worthwhile amenity and opens up the walk around the town giving access to the bird life on the mud flats.
"Every week, the question is asked by somebody, ‘when will the bridge be reopened’ and we would love to give them a date but for now all we can do is open a crowdfunding page to see if we can try and make it happen ourselves.
"Similarly, we need to raise funds for a survey on the MacDonald Monument. In order to try and open the to satisfy the Highland Council’s many conditions for safe access.
"These are both long-running issues, which if they came to fruition, would be assets to the town.
"The community council remains committed to seeing both of these projects through to completion and with the help of Highland Council and the local population we see no reason why this cannot be achieved."
According to Mr Shepherd the plans are to replace a large part of the bridge with "old recycled crane boom sections and hopefully, my contact can find some more to help out with the project to replace the old bridge over the canal."
Fellow member of Dingwall Community Council, George Murray, said: "There have been so many complaints regarding the bridge being closed that the issue has been constantly on the community council agenda.
"It’s an important feature of the ‘Round Dingwall walk’ and needs to be repaired and reopened.
"We have an area of scenic beauty that the public cannot access without walking along and crossing over the railway tracks.
He added: "Whilst I appreciate that the Highland Council seem to be having trouble funding anything outside of Inverness, this should not be a ‘bridge too far’ and we will be looking at all ways to fund the repair which could be helped by the Dingwall Common Good Fund if possible."
