Residents worry government is neglecting historic covered bridge in Quebec's Laurentians

Residents of a small regional county municipality in Quebec's Laurentians, north of Montreal, are worried sick about a century-old covered bridge that appears to be on its last legs despite the province's promise to restore it.

The Prud'homme bridge, located in Brébeuf near Mont-Tremblant, has been closed to all traffic, including pedestrians, since 2019 — essentially shutting down what had been a tourist draw for decades.

Built in 1918 over a period of six weeks for roughly $6,000, the vibrantly red-and-white structure is listed as a cultural heritage site by the province.

It was originally named the Armistice bridge to commemorate the end of the First World War, and then renamed Prud'homme bridge in 1957 in honour of Alphonse Prud'homme — a man who volunteered for 40 years, spreading snow inside the bridge in winter to facilitate the passage of sleds.

Although it underwent repairs and was repainted in 1997, it wasn't until 2017 that the municipality began pressuring Quebec's Ministry of Transportation to r restore it, according to Mayor Marc L'Heureux.

Up until 2019, cyclists were allowed to pass through the bridge freely and the bridge was included in several routes through the area. (Myriam Fimbry/Radio-Canada)

After the bridge's emergency closure four years ago, the province appeared to be making little forward progress on reviving the historical treasure, so citizens formed the SOS Prud'homme bridge committee and began leading the fight for restoration.

The initiative seemed to bear fruit within a few months when the provincial government announced stabilization work would take place in 2022 and then the restoration was slated for 2023.

Stabilization work in 2022

Stabilization work did take place in 2022. It took a week to complete. But the restoration work scheduled for the summer of 2023 never happened.

L'Heureux believes that at the current pace, the restoration may not take place before 2025.

"The preliminary plans will be ready by the end of December, but they will only be presented in the spring," he said.

"From there, they will seek funding and solicit bids, but that's preliminary. In my opinion, if we have a bid by the end of 2024, it would be ideal to start the work in the spring of 2025. But unless there is a quick turnaround, I would be surprised if it happens before 2025."

Residents of Brébeuf celebrated the 105th anniversary of the Prud'homme bridge last November, but the delay in restoration frustrates Réjeanne Prud'homme, who considers herself the bridge's neighbour and guardian.

The bridge is named after her grandfather, and she is the founder of the citizens' committee.

"When we look at the archives of covered bridges in Quebec, some have been swept away," she said.

Back in November, residents of Brébeuf celebrated the Prud'homme bridge's 105th anniversary. (SOS Prud'homme bridge/Facebook)

When the river below swelled last spring, branches and whole trees swept by the current caught on the bridge, creating a dam of sorts. It was alarming to those who are concerned about the bridge's integrity.

Marie-Josée Lebel, a municipal councillor, said the bridge can't take much more damage.

"It's fragile. Yes, 105 years, but 105 years in wood, in Quebec, means it's exceptional that it's still here," says Lebel. "We need to move quickly."

Even though she's a member of the Coalition Avenir Québec government, local MNA Chantale Jeannotte, questions the justification for such long delays.

"The ministry tells us it's a priority, well, prove it," she said, adding that the four-year delay would seem to indicate otherwise.

"But we will fight this battle to the end, and I am behind the community 100 per cent," says Jeannotte.

No sign of restoration plans

Since the bridge is on agricultural land, neighbours worry the provincial zoning authority (CPTAQ) that protects farmland will need to authorize any work that expands bridge's footprint.

However, the CPTAQ says no such request has been made. Neighbours have also not received requests from the Ministry of Transportation to purchase land for expanding the bridge's footprint.

Pascal de Bellefeuille, representing the Mont-Tremblant region's chamber of commerce, said the Prud'homme bridge has clear financial appeal because it draws tourists to the area.

"There is great economic value for all neighbouring communities, and thus, it is a bridge to protect, restore and highlight as a regional destination," said Bellefeuille.

The bridge serves as the endpoint for canoe and paddleboard descents on the Rivière du Diable, he noted, and it provides a launch point for kayakers. There are picnic tables near it and it is part of the Trans-Québec snowmobile trail, he said, along with being integrated into several cycling routes.

In an email response, the region's general directorate, which represents the ministry, said the bridge was closed preventively in 2019 due to the rise of the Rivière du Diable, which damaged the foundation and put its stability at risk.

The quick work in 2022 was a temporary solution for stabilization and preventing movement during the next spring flood, the directorate said.

The directorate said legal aspects and environmental considerations have affected the schedule and that it is still too early to specify the timeline and project costs.