f siru > Owen King Cbnstructinn Ltd. of thriving community with tw 1‘ By- ANNEDRYSDALE V‘Beca'u'se qt‘ the ever» easing, stress of today's ' he Maple Hill Bridge, . to span theSaugeen at point, is tube replaced this sum eri ' nt' ‘Tï¬wnship Council ed six bids [or con- n bf the new bridge and ‘Walkertun has the contract, 11:2"!ng tendered the lowest bid at: $288,738. "Gans‘by 'and Manneruw of Given Sound are the consulting éngim‘aers. ‘.;'_Constt',uction ot the three- span bridge will begin alter highâ€"water time, probably in mid to Jan: May. and it is scheduled for completion by November 24. The new bridge will consist of two 70 loot spans and a central 90 feet Spain It will besupported by piers in the itiater. ‘ertf you drive over the Map] ll bridge these‘days. it 'i [hard to believe that so muc histmjy has taken place in that area. Before the 1900's th village of maple Hill was stores, a hotel, a blacksmith' shop. a sawmill and a gristmill Three waterwheels oncï¬ provided a source nt‘puwer in nearby communities, ‘Before the ï¬rst bridge wa- installed._people from the souti h' d no direct access to the,mil “ ’0th side of the river. the South Line‘ recalls the tire which destroyed the mill in the late forties He also recalls the installation of the present Maple Hill bridge» which once spannedtheSaugeen in the town at Chesley, When the bridge arrived it was too short and adjustments had to be made, Ralph itletcalie. who has lived beside the bridge fur 70 years recalls the spring of 1923, when the Saugeen rose in road level and his lather and neigh- bours packed the area with sad and planks tn avoid [lending Residents to the smith or the bridge will ï¬nd it rather in- convenient when cnnstruelinn begins on the new bridge They will have In go either tu Walkerton or to Hanover to cross lheSaugcen this summer. MAPLE HILL BRIDGE TO BE REPLACED l l m r1-~::