Edmonton And Around

A View You Won't See Again

For those of you inclined to get up for one of Alberta's early summer sunrises tomorrow, you have one more opportunity to photograph the skyline reflecting into the North Saskatchewan from the Cloverdale Bridge. The bridge is being closed tomorrow in preparation for its demolition, necessary for constuction of the light rail trains running on the new Valley Line. The Cloverdale has been a pleasant little bridge located at an important and busy intersection in the River Valley Trail System. From the Cloverdale, you can travel south through the Mill Creek Ravine on the path of the old Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific Railway or up one of my least favorite hills towards the soccer fields and the lovely Forest Heights Park, or west towards Rafter's Landing and Queen Elizabeth Park. On the north side, cycle through the flood plains of Riverdale or east towards Louise McKinney, the staging grounds for Dragon Boat Races. 

The new rail line will create opportunities and help improve the rough, tough and downright creepy east end of downtown. Four years from now we'll have another signature bridge crossing the North Saskatchewan, the Tawatina. The suspension towers and cables give a different look from the classic truss bridges across the river, but the concrete reduces it to a fairly utilitarian look. The pedestrian bridge is under the main bridge and if it is like similar bridges constructed on the Capital Line and under the Anthony Henday, you feel very enclosed in your crossing. On dark nights, imagine Scottish hooligans approaching you in the other direction.

Anyway - here is one last chance to look through the Cloverbar's rails from the height of a three year old onto Edmonton's skyline.

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