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What could be more cheering than bridge rebuilding? Yesterday's message on the door of the Hepburn General Store announced one such happy event.
Two years ago on a Friday August afternoon, without any community consultation, one of our local pedestrian bridges was ripped out by the Relevant Authorities in a 2 hour smash and grab.
Suspecting this might signal more of the same, the following Monday morning some of us set up an early watch at the Seventh Street pedestrian bridge over Doctors Gully.
Sure enough at 8.30 the Relevant Authorities returned to extract that footbridge too.
The word went out and more residents rushed to support the blockade.
After a while the Council backed off and within hours we held our first meeting with Parks Victoria. Over the next two years we met many times. Plans were drawn, funds were sought and received, and gradually it was done.
Thank you to all who helped to remake this historic local walkway, especially to Karen Doyle of Parks Victoria.
It was great yesterday to see so many Parks Vic personnel attend the opening, along with the bridge designer, the engineers who oversaw the construction and an impressive turnout of locals.
Next project, to get the historic Fifth Street bridge restored to pedestrian use.
