Finlay Bridge

Finlay Bridge is a vehicle and foot bridge that crosses the South Saskatchewan River, connecting the north (Riverside) and south sides (downtown) of Medicine Hat. It officially opened in May 14, 1908/, Finlay Bridge is named for William T. Finlay: Mayor of Medicine Hat from 1900-1902, representative for Medicine Hat in the Territorial Government 1902-1905, and Medicine Hat's first representative in the Alberta Legislature 1905-1910. As MLA and Minister of Agriculture, he advocated for many improvements in the region, perhaps most notably this bridge., Constructed of steel, concrete, and wood, this 274 m span consists of abutments on each bank, four concrete piers and five steel arches. The bridge as originally constructed was 4.88 m wide, with a wooden deck and a wooden sidewalk running along the west side of traffic. At the time of construction, Finlay Bridge was the longest steel bridge in Alberta and the second longest across the South Saskatchewan River. Until the Trans-Canada Bridge was opened in 1955, Finlay Bridge was part of the original Trans-Canada Highway, the only place for traffic to cross the river for 145 km in either direction. Joseph Carbert was the City of Medicine Hat Superintending Engineer. John Chalmers was the Chief Engineer, and Mr. McIntyre the Engineer. The contractor was the Canadian Bridge Company Limited of Walkerville, Ontario., Although Medicine Hat's two banks had been connected by a rail bridge since 1883 and a small ferry service originally operated by the North West Mounted Police, Finlay Bridge truly linked Medicine Hat to the rest of the new province of Alberta., Designated December 19, 2011, by the City of Medicine Hat as a Municipal Historic Resource.