Ball's Bridge officially closes to vehicles after councils pass bylaws

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

At Central Huron Council’s Monday night meeting, council confirmed the closure to vehicular traffic of historic Ball’s Bridge, which connects Central Huron to Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (ACW).

 

There was little discussion on the topic at the meeting, but Councillors Alison Lobb did express her dismay at having to close the bridge in the first place, while acknowledging that it had to be done. Mayor Jim Ginn agreed, saying he didn’t want to have to do it, but that a pedestrian bridge in that spot is better than no bridge at all.

 

Lobb also discussed video of a vehicle causing damage to the bridge that she heard had been captured in which the car’s licence plate is visible. Ginn said that the bridge had been damaged as a result of vehicular misuse and that, to his knowledge, at least one charge had been laid, though he didn’t provide any additional details.

 

The decision comes after a recommendation from the Ball’s Bridge Board in June, followed by decisions by Central Huron and ACW Councils on June 16 and June 17, respectively, to close the bridge to vehicular traffic. At its July 15 meeting, ACW Council passed a bylaw confirming the decision, followed by Central Huron Council doing the same on Monday night.

 

Deputy-Clerk Jillian Bjelan, in her report to council, detailed the lack of impacts on Central Huron residents that the vehicular closure of the bridge will have.

 

“It should be noted that County Road 8 is on the Central Huron side (east side) of Ball’s Bridge and that there are no Central Huron residents who would be impacted by the closure,” she said in her report. “It should be further noted that the Central Huron section of road is already deemed as ‘no winter maintenance’ during the winter months. Should council support the closure of the bridge, staff have provided a draft bylaw for consideration.”

 

That aforementioned bylaw was then passed by council near the end of its Monday night meeting.