Donald Teuma-Castelletti
MANSFIELD ET PONTEFRACT
Jan. 15, 2018
The contract has gone to tender and work is set to get started on the beloved Félix-Gabriel-Marchand Bridge in Mansfield, as announced by Pontiac MNA and Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification André Fortin on Jan. 15.
The $5.1 million contract was awarded to Pavages Chenail, with preparatory work expected to start as early as the day after the announcement and continue for around two years.

“Today we’re moving onto the next step,” said Fortin, at the press conference. “We’re here to announce that following your interventions, following your petition which I presented in your name at the National Assembly in Quebec City, following your numerous questions, following the preparations of the plans, that the contract for the bridge has now been awarded and that the entrepreneur that was selected can start their preparatory work towards the reconstruction of the bridge.”
Joining Fortin at the announcement was MRC Pontiac Warden Jane Toller, and Mayor of Mansfield et Pontefract, Gilles Dionne. While thanking Fortin for his dedication to the project, Toller had brought along a photo of the bridge’s namesake, sharing the importance of Félix-Gabriel Marchand to Quebec, saying that he brought hydro-electricity, foreign investment and acted as a champion to the forestry industry.
However, it was a long road to get to this starting point, as THE EQUITY has followed the promises made to restore the bridge since the beginning.
More recent updates came last spring, when the project was supposed to go to tender so that renovations could begin in the fall. An engineers’ strike delayed this procedure, with Fortin hopeful to get the final tender process done in October.
“It’s a long road because the project involves a number of different players,” said Fortin. “We want to bring back the bridge to an important road link, but we want to make sure that it maintains the heritage status and that it can live in all the glory that it deserves.”
Fortin said that much work had to be done maintaining the cultural status of the bridge, while also working to respect the environment of the river it crosses.
Extensive work is needed on the bridge and it’s not as easy as a simple paint job. The restoration project is set to include reinforcement and stabilization of the bridge, replacing the roof, siding and other damaged areas, as well as deck reconstruction.
“There’s not a lot of covered bridges left in Quebec and certainly this one is the longest one that’s still part of the road network,” said Fortin, of the work needed to preserve the cultural status. “We want to make sure that it looks exactly the same but that it has a fresh look as well, in that the materials are new, that the paint isn’t chipped like it is right now and that the structure is sound.”
The winner of the contract, Pavages Chenail, is a paving company with their headquarters in Saint-Rémi. Fortin said that the company is expected to meet with local contractors in the days following the announcement to subcontract out work.
“They’re not a Pontiac company but I think part of the reason they’re in the region as early as tomorrow is to meet some local subcontractors,” said Fortin. “Just awarding a $5 million contract in the region will have significant economic impact for the area.”