Leeds Civic Association members have been busy this summer and early fall attending meetings and speaking with city officials about the need to restore the 1880’s bridge to a walking bridge. Ward 7 city councilor, Alisa Klein has been helpful in getting the Hotel Bridge on the agenda at these city committee meetings and the city is in support of a restoration effort.
- It serves as a crucial link in the N’ton and regional non-vehicular network
- It’s the oldest, standing bridge in N’ton (built in 1880)
- It allows us to stand still and appreciate the river’s scenic and historic qualities
- It’s a connector to conservation lands (Robert’s Hill & the Leeds Reservoirs)
- Kids can fish off it
- Pedestrians can use it in any weather for errands and exercise
- In time it might connect directly to the Leeds Rail Trail
- It’s a visual reminder of Leeds & Florence’s industrial heyday and the important role of the Mill river
Leeds Civic Association members have been busy this summer and early fall attending meetings and speaking with city officials about the need to restore the 1880’s bridge to a walking bridge. Ward 7 city councilor, Alisa Klein has been helpful in getting the Hotel Bridge on the agenda at these city committee meetings and the city is in support of a restoration effort.
Since the bridge closed this summer, three newspapers have run articles about the Hotel Bridge. After the Sept. 16th front page Gazette article came out the LCA was contacted by the director of Workin’ Bridges, an Iowa based organization committed to helping communities restore their historic iron bridges. Workin’ Bridges’ engineers are experts in iron and passionate about saving historic bridges. We hope to have the Workin’ Bridges team visit the bridge, assess the scope of work, meet with city officials, and help us layout a step-by-step plan for restoration. In the mean time we will be consulting with UMass civil engineering professor, Sanjay Arwade. An application is being prepared to have the Hotel Bridge placed on the National Register of Historic Places which will then make it eligible for certain grants. A bike ride fund raiser for the Hotel Bridge will take place this coming Spring which will be organized by Alice Baedecker and Stephy Cho. Along with securing grant funding, support from the community is needed. A few fundraising ideas being considered are Hotel Bridge mugs, calendars, cards, shirts, and of course –good old individual contributions which can be made out to: LCA-Hotel Bridge Account and mailed to Florence Savings Bank, 85 Main Street, Florence 01062.