The Canadian Institute of Steel Construction has awarded its top prize for 2015 in sustainability to the Craigflower Bridge project.

The awards, held every two years, celebrate steel in construction and the innovation and ingenuity of those who build with it, according to Ed Whalen, president of CISC.

B次元官网网址淚 think all building materials are trying to show their sustainability,B次元官网网址� he said, B次元官网网址渁nd thatB次元官网网址檚 a good thing. ItB次元官网网址檚 really where the economy and society needs to go,B次元官网网址� adding that they need to play a role in that and continue to educate the community about how steel meets those long-term sustainability needs.

Mike Herold, president of Herold Engineering, said the 120-metre span had to be B次元官网网址渕ore than just a bridge project.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭his was something special,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭his was the Gorge waterway. ItB次元官网网址檚 a very historic site, and we needed a bridge design that did justice to (it).B次元官网网址�

Herold said they could have produced a cheaper bridge and constructed it more quickly with less disruption to the public, but heB次元官网网址檚 happy that the Vierindeel arched truss design they had in mind was the one that came out of the public consultation process. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think that would have done the site justice.B次元官网网址�

The bridge opened in May of 2014 and connects View Royal to the District of Saanich.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a tremendous success,B次元官网网址� said View Royal mayor David Screech. B次元官网网址淲e get constant feedback from cyclists and pedestrians on how much theyB次元官网网址檙e enjoying it more than the old one,B次元官网网址� adding the businesses in the area are B次元官网网址渢hrilled to have that renewed connection to Saanich.B次元官网网址�

For more on the bridge project, check out the blog that ran during the project at ., simply click off the expired domain name to access it.

mdavies@goldstreamgazette.com