Bridge development expected to boost tourism.

FRENCH RIVER - A boost in snowmobile traffic between Parry Sound and Sudbury is anticipated by the winter of 2002-03. By then two specially built bridges for snowmobiles will be complete across the French and Pickerel Rivers.

Presently, anyone travelling north from Parry Sound to Sudbury must either make an 80-kilometre detour from the nearest trail to Highway 69, or wait for a shuttle service. The shuttle service takes sleds and riders on to a trailer across the highway bridges to pick up the trail on the other side of the rivers.

Both the detour and shuttle service are time consuming and frustrating for snow machine enthusiasts. There is no safe way to cross the water by snow machine. Neither the French or Pickerel River freeze over where the trails meet the water on either side. Some sledders have been known to take the risk of riding their machines across the highway bridges, which is very dangerous, trail officials say.

The first of the two bridges, across the Pickerel River, will be open this winter. The second bridge, across the French River, is slated to be ready by the following winter.

Work toward making the bridges a reality began 14 years ago within the French River Snow Voyagers snowmobile club. Funding from the provincial and federal governments, as well as the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC), was secured early this year, and construction of the structures began last August. The total tab for the two bridges topped $1 million.

"I think the bridges are wonderful," says Parry Sound District trail governor John Judd.

"I do quite a bit of surveying of traffic on the trails leading up there, and there are people on our trails from all over the world who will be pleased to see these bridges.

"The bridges will make a major difference and will have an impact on the decision of which way tourists travel in the district. Sudbury to Parry Sound, across to Bracebridge and up to North Bay, is an area that's well travelled by weekend people in big loops, and this is going to affect this (tourism) quite a bit."

Getting approval to build the bridges was not an easy process. The bridge over the French River, which will span 157 metres, including approaches, cuts through French River Provincial Park. Through Lands for Life there is a plan to extend the park to the Pickerel River, Judd says. The bridge across the Pickerel River is 117 metres long including approaches.

"In addition to park authority approval, there was also the coast guard to go through, because both rivers are navigable waters and the Ministry of Transportation had to give approval because the bridges are close to its corridor," explains Judd.

"I see this as being a major improvement in the trail system, but the major reason for this is safety..."