It’s once again possible to cross the mudflats at the eastern end of Port Moody Inlet.
A new, temporary steel bridge has been installed at Pigeon Cove, replacing the original wooden structure that was damaged last December by a king tide and forced the closure of the section of Shoreline Trail that traverses the inlet between Rocky Point Park and Old Orchard Park.
Construction on a permanent solution is expected to begin in the fall.
The city is spending more than $3 million to install an entirely new boardwalk, following the same footprint as the current crossing that was originally erected more than 30 years ago.
The new structure will be higher and wider, to keep it dry when the water rises and make it more accessible for users with mobility challenges by eliminating steps. It will also have handrails along its entire length to improve safety.
The new boardwalk will also feature a viewing platform that will encircle the fifth of five First Nations Welcome posts that comprise Port Moody’s In the Presence of Ancestors project to recognize the region’s Indigenous roots.
The first two posts, which will be installed at various locations along Shoreline Trail beginning at Rocky Point Park and ending at Old Orchard, were recently blessed in a special ceremony as part of National Indigenous Day celebrations.
Meanwhile, walkers and cyclists using the paved section of Shoreline Trail from Murray Street and Old Orchard Park will encounter intermittent closures from mid-July until December as work continues on the final phase of a sewer upgrade project.
Detour signs will be posted to guide trail users around the construction.
