Today we have a very different bridge over the Rideau Canal from yesterday's Corktown Bridge. The Pretoria Bridge links the north side of the Glebe with the Ottawa East neighbourhood. It is a vertical lift bridge dating back nearly a century, bearing the name of the road above it, which was named as a nod to veterans of the South African War of 1899-1902. The middle section can rise during the summer to allow taller boats through the gap. This time of year, skaters pass beneath it.
This is the arch for one of the walking paths. I like the stonework.
There are two similar structures at the west side, on both sides of the street. It's from here that the middle section can be raised.
The view of the bridge from the north side.
And from the south.
While this shot from on top of the bridge looks southward again, skaters going back and forth along this stretch of the Canal. Throughout Winterlude, this stretch of ice will be much used. Some facts about the Canal skateway: the route is a total of 7.8 kilometres from the Ottawa Locks to the Hartwell Locks, and the total surface area adds up to over 165 000 square metres, the size of 90 Olympic sized rinks. It holds the Guinness record for the largest naturally frozen skating surface in the world.
Back to the ice sculptures tomorrow...
Love it. It looks a bit like a medieval fortress with its towers! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the views on this interesting bridge. I agree with you about the stonework... it's really nicely done.
ReplyDeleteI love the long shadows and the perspective of that last image, especially.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great bridge!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteThat is a lovely bridge...it has character.
ReplyDeleteJane x
Beautiful bridge! I still can't believe that canal gets completely frozen over. Brrr.
ReplyDeleteI love stone structures and this one is amazingly beautiful. Thanks, too, for the history and description...I wouldn't have thought it was a "lift" bridge just looking at it. That last photo of the skaters is worthy of framing and hanging. Superb!
ReplyDeleteLooks solid. Nice one.
ReplyDeleteI like the towers! Lovely stonework!
ReplyDeleteI love that wonderful arch, and the last shot of the skaters is so beautiful. Could stand there watching for a long while...with proper layers of course!:)
ReplyDelete@Ciel: it does seem to have that effect.
ReplyDelete@Stuart: old stonework appeals to me. Mind you, this being a century old, the stone's brand new by European standards.
@Revrunner: thank you!
@Jan: I somehow managed to avoid capturing the bridge right beyond it, the freeway bridge, in these shots.
@Luis: thank you!
@Jane and Chris: it certainly does.
ReplyDelete@Krisztina: oh, yes, and plenty of ice too, before they let anyone on it.
@Lowell: thank you! I hope sometime this summer to get a shot of it with that section raised.
@Inna: thanks.
@Cheryl: there's no shortage of stone for these kind of construction projects, and it's good that the bridge has been preserved.
@LondonLulu: plenty of layers, of course, this time of year!
another trip is in order to Ottawa, hopefully later this year. Not fussed about going this time of year as I don't like the cold weather.
ReplyDeleteI love the stonework on this bridge too. That is a huge ice field giving ample room to all who want to skate there.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to be able to skate on the river. Great photos! Love the old bridge.
ReplyDeleteNeat bridge, looks like part of a castle!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool bridge! It does look like a castle!
ReplyDelete@Gill: summers are better for you then.
ReplyDelete@Sharon: there's no shortage of space.
@Denise: it really draws out the crowds.
@Linda: that's what I think!
@Norma: so we've got a consensus!
It must be wonderful to skate there!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to see more photos here. Really wonderful spot and your photos do it justice, I am sure!
ReplyDeleteThat's one huge skating rink! The stone work is incredible. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you - now I know the name of this bridge. I stumbled by it on my last trip and took many photos, but neglected to get the name. I think it is a favourite.
ReplyDeleteThis is a grand old bridge. It is great seeing all of the skaters on the canal. Almost like Amsterdam.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos ! My brother and his wife went there last year for a Valentines weekend , they had a lovely time skating on the river and seeing the sights! Thanks for sharing . Have a good day !
ReplyDeleteThanks for the details William, Pretoria Bridge is a lovely old beauty.. Wonderful homage to the South African war veterans.
ReplyDeleteI think it sounds like great fun to actually skate under the bridge. It's a gorgeous bridge.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great place to ice skate. We of course have no ice and I love ice skating. Haven't done it for a long time though. MB
ReplyDeleteAlot of people are having fun here, I think!
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how much fun it would be to skate in a place like that, especially under the bridge! I love to ice skate, but don't get to do it very often living in Florida.
ReplyDelete@RedPat: many skaters do that!
ReplyDelete@Lauren: thank you.
@Mari: you're welcome.
@Hamilton: I was just there yesterday again.
@Jack: it very much does evoke Amsterdam.
@Country Gal: you're welcome.
ReplyDelete@Grace: it's a good tribute.
@EG: I definitely agree.
@MB: I have never learned, but I enjoy walking the Canal.
@Halcyon: definitely!
@Lois: I don't imagine there are nearly as many rinks there as here.