Frustrated with not being able to make what used to be a quick trip over the Harris Bridge to the post office, or a short walk to the babysitter, residents of Side Road 6 gathered on the property of Al Aucoin to help install a custom made pedestrian bridge.

"All we've gotten from the municipality so far is a hole in the ground where a bridge used to be," said resident Tracey McCrae, "Now we will be part of the community again."

For two hours on Sunday morning Murdoch, Aucoin, and a team of energetic helpers, lifted the bridge using only a 35-year-old 40 horsepower Case tractor, a four-wheel ATV, and a little creative thinking.

The bridge, with dimensions of roughly 40 feet in length and 12 feet in width, was built and donated by Jim Hawkins of Les Hawkins Welding in Harkaway near Markdale.  

Aucoin has offered to allow residents to cut across his property in order to use the bridge to access the village.

"I've been teasing the neighbours that I'm going to put up a toll sign," said Aucoin.

Scott McCrae who operated the tractor during the installation was pleased when the work was completed.

"This is very important to us.  Now our kids can go directly to their friends' houses rather than have to take the long way around," said McCrae.  

With the bridge out of commission, McCrae's wife Tracey told the Express that the alternate route into the village is a seven kilometre trip.

Scott McCrae also expressed doubt that the municipality will have the bridge reconstruction completed before the snow begins to fall.  

"It is amazing to me that they have only now put out the tender for the replacement bridge.  You would think that they would have tendered it at the same time that they were removing the old bridge," he said.

The Municipality of Meaford has received federal and provincial infrastructure funding for the bridge replacement, and has completed the first phase of the reconstruction with the removal of the old bridge.  Meaford Director of Operations Stephen Vokes has indicated in his updates at recent meetings of council that the project is slightly behind the schedule that had been established, but well ahead of what a normal time frame would be for a bridge replacement such as this.

Murdoch, who was clearly pleased with the success of the bridge installation, described the event as a true community effort.

"Now we're reconnected to the 'main-land'," joked Murdoch, "We didn't really know what we were doing.  We are just a bunch of neighbours who worked together and got it done."