Jeff Harris holds up a rivet from the old Champlain Bridge during a giveaway event in Montreal, Sunday, September 10, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Montreal-area residents are lining up for the chance to own a little piece of the Champlain Bridge that connected the city and its South Shore for nearly 60 years.
As of 9:30 a.m. people were lining up in the rain on foot and in vehicles to get one of a few thousand rivets from the bridge that are being given away as keepsakes.
The original Champlain Bridge was decommissioned in 2019 when it was replaced by a new $4.4-billion span.
A spokeswoman for the federal Crown corporation that manages the old bridge says the structure played a major part in the economic development of both Montreal and its suburbs, even though it was plagued with issues in its final years.
Nathalie Lessard says rivets — essentially big nails — are significant because they helped hold the bridge together and aren’t used in modern construction.
The rivets come with a disclaimer warning that they may contain traces of lead paint, which has been mitigated by a protective coat of varnish.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2023.
