GRINDSTONE BRIDGE - Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club - 'Here's how it was done'

reprinted from TREADWAY

Flooding at the Grindstone Bridge in Waterdown has been a reoccurring problem in spring for years. Located in a deep valley, the bridge when built by Bruce Trail volunteers years ago was engineered well enough to keep hikers high and dry while crossing Grindstone Creek, but once off the bridge and depending on spring run-off conditions, flood waters could make hiking in this area almost impossible. To correct this, volunteers from the Iroquoia Club decided to extend the bridge over the area susceptible to flooding. The project involved a 32-foot bridge extension, a 48-foot boardwalk and 3, 8-foot wood box culverts. But there was a problem - which probably explains why a solution was not forthcoming before now.

How do you get materials from the top of the escarpment down to the worksite, a drop of approximately 200 feet with no access close enough to facilitate the operation? Here's how it was done.

Through the generosity of a neighbouring landowner, volunteers and materials were allowed access to farmland 200 feet directly above the worksite. Arrangements were made to have the materials delivered to this location. The extension to the bridge was then built on this site, each board predrilled and numbered. Once the structure was put together, it was then disassembled. In the meantime, a workcrew down below was preparing the supporting footings.

Materials were delivered to the worksite below by way of a "Zip Line" - 500 feet of rope attached to nearby trees using straps and pullies. The apparatus included a carrying carriage. The system was powered by gravity and muscle - it worked like a charm.

When the foundation work was completed at the bottom worksite, the disassembled structure was lowered piece by piece. Crews below reassembled the structure following the prenumbered system.

The project is now completed. It's the product of an imaginative workplan, the approval of Conservation Halton, the generosity of a landowner, the financial  support of the TD FEF Hamilton Chapter who partnered with the Bruce Trail on the project and the dedication of volunteers who worked on the project for 10 weeks, 20 workparties, and contributed a total of 1200 volunteer hours. This stretch of trail offers the hiker everything that one could hope for in a hiking adventure.