Removing the Railroad Bridge

Our thanks to Mike Hill and his Aerosnapper YouTube Channel for sharing his amazing footage. The removal of the old train bridge, scheduled for this fall, was controversial. In fact, over 250 residents turned out for a rally earlier in the summer, and a petition was circulated, gaining an impressive number of signatures.

Those who fought long and hard know who they are. I want to thank each one of them for standing up for an issue that is and was important.

The Town of Gananoque's council voted 4-3 in June 2025 in favour of demolishing the bridge, which had been closed to the public since mid-2022 due to safety concerns.

This editor was not in favour of losing this special part of Gananoque's industrial history. Still, I must admit, I did little to persuade others until I learned that the removal may be detrimental to the turtles.

Think Turtle Conservation Initiative raised alarms about the bridge removal, citing the presence of several at-risk species, including snapping turtles, painted turtles, and northern map turtles, which we know live in the stretch of the Gananoque River beneath the bridge.

"Ha, those are my turtles", I said. Because I, like so many other boaters in the region, go up the Gananoque River almost every week. However, after others expressed their concerns, we were assured that only the bridge structure, not any water-based parts, would be removed.

So, in early December, the process started, and it has gone on. In watching the removal, you will see a date, 1927, painted on the side. What is the significance of that? Oops . . . I can see we are starting down a rabbit hole. I love that!

Aerosnapper YouTube: Two's Company

Gananoque, Ontario – Monday, December 1st, 2025. After a minor delay caused by adverse weather, the project led by Scott Bros with Demolition Plus demolishing an old rail bridge was ready to see the first 90,000 lb steel side lifted out and away to be cut up. Operators from Richard Steel / Dulepka would man the two enormous mobile cranes involved; one capable of lifting 500 tons from Liebherr, the other made by Grove with a capacity of 400 tons. A full report of the crane operations will follow, and so will the lift of the second steel side.

Aerosnapper: Seconds Out

Gananoque, Ontario – December 1st, 2025 With the first (north) side of the former rail bridge removed, it's time to cut free and lift out the south side. Once again it's a slow, controlled business – with safety the highest priority. Richard Steel / Dulepka undertake the lift whilst Demolition Plus prepare the steel – both working for Strong Bros. There's no drama – that's the last thing you want with some 90,000 lbs. of steel in the air . . .

Aerosnapper Facebook page

Watch for the new view down the Gananoque River from the regular Highway #2 bridge. And better still, watch for our turtles to return in just a few months’ time.

By Susan W. Smith. Editor, info@thousandislandslife.com