Bylaw: (1998)-15786
Legal description: The Norwich Street bridge, located over the Speed River, in the City of Guelph, shown on Registered Plan 40 as a proposed bridge. Includes lands known as part of Bridge Street, Part of the Island at the foot of Norwich Street, in River Speed, Registered Plan 8 and Part of the Bed of River Speed.
Designated portions
The designation only applies to:
- The entire steel and iron structure of the bridge;
- The date plates on the bridge.
It is intended that any non-original features may be returned to documented earlier designs or their documented original form without requiring City Council permission for an alteration to the designation.
Property history
This steel and iron bridge was built in 1882 by the Hamilton Bridge Company at a cost of just over $1,000 to City Council, who commissioned the work. A bridge spanned the Speed River at this location as early as 1860 and was known first as “the Wellington Foundry Bridge” and later “the Inglis-Hunter Bridge” because of its close proximity to one of the very early industries in Guelph, established circa 1860 on the easterly bank of the river. The bridge became an important link in the movement of materials across the river, serving the needs of the many foundries and mills which occupied this area in the mid-1800’s, and the choice of iron over the more traditional and less expensive wooden bridge reflects the growing industrialization of the community. Today, this single span bridge acts as a gateway to the residential area on the east side of the speed River and serves as a connecting link between the east and west sides of that is now known as the Goldie Mill Neighbourhood. The bridge is the only surviving example of several iron and steel bridges which once existed in Guelph, and is important as a distinctive heritage feature of the riverscape in this area.
The designation applies to the entire steel and iron bridge structure, including the date plates.