FAQs

There are three main problems with the bridge here.

• First, it is at the end of its service life. That means we have repaired and maintained the bridge as best we can, but it will soon no longer be safe or fit for use. 
• The bridge also doesn’t meet modern accessibility standards for users of all ages and abilities. 
• Finally, the bridge is frequently submerged in flood waters. No other pedestrian bridges in the city regularly have this problem. 

Because of these factors, we will need to replace or close the bridge within the next five years. We can’t continue to maintain the bridge. 

Some of the indications the bridge is at the end of its service life include: 

• Deep cracks in the bridge deck
• Open/exposed areas
• Damaged bearings (which what connects the bridge deck to the supporting structure) 

Photos from the assessments are available under the documents tab. 

The bridge began to show signs of deterioration in 2010, which led to yearly inspections. Here is some of what we’ve observed in these inspections: 

• 2010 - Signs of deck deterioration, wide cracks, and open areas on the bridge itself
• 2017 – The underside of the deck began cracking and we recorded early signs of deck failure
• 2019 – Full-depth cracking appeared
• 2021 – We observed deformed and bulging bearings; this damage prevents the bridge from functioning as intended 

We made temporary repairs to the bridge deck in 2022, but it isn't enough to keep the bridge usable. If additional cracking or other warning signs such as sagging occur, we would permanently close the existing bridge without warning.

Some of these issues are because the bridge was built using atypical materials meant for indoor construction. The bridge was made using hollow core concrete slabs on the bridge deck. Concrete slabs aren’t  meant to withstand the excessive freeze-thaw bridge conditions and repeated deicing and flooding. Bridge construction more often uses solid deck material.  

We studied the bridge in 2010.

We took five design options to the community for input. These options included:

• Three variations of a bridge
• One design that focused on upgrading the park
• One design that solely upgraded the existing bridge

The study halted without recommending a design. 

At that time, the public told us the designs would all negatively impact how community members use the park. We also heard the designs did not match the look and feel of the park.  

We have lessons learned from the 2010 approach to guide us. We’re moving forward with the knowledge that preserving park assets is a priority for the community. Before we hire a consultant to do the design study, we are coming to the community to listen. We want to confirm what we heard in the past, learn what’s changed, and determine our best steps forward. A second phase of public engagement will collect further feedback on the preferred design. 

This new study will look at the bridge itself, potential improvements to the pathways that surround it, and a future river access point.

A Pedestrian and Cyclist Traffic Count was conducted at Omand Park following our Traffic Count Program standards. Two 24-hour counts were completed; one weekday and one weekend. The counts were done on July 19 and 20, 2024 (a Friday and a Saturday). The counts show slightly more users on the Friday than the Saturday. They average just below 1,000 users per day. The mode split is approximately 60% bike and 40% pedestrian. To compare, a weekday count in August 2023 recorded 1,866 users on Assiniboine Park Bridge (mode split approximately 20% bike and 80% pedestrian) and 910 users on the Disraeli Active Transportation Bridge (mode split approximately 77% bike and 23% pedestrian).

The Omand Park traffic counts are available in the documents section.

We wanted to ensure we fully understand current park use and shortcomings, the concerns raised around the 2010 design and process, a vision for a future river access point, and what the community wants to see in evaluation criteria. This will help us shape the study and design. It will also help shape future phases of engagement.  

The design for the new bridge is south of the current bridge. It is in a higher location and closer to the Assiniboine River. 

On December 12, 2024, Winnipeg City Council approved a plan to start designing a new pedestrian bridge. The new bridge will be about 2.8 meters higher than the current one to help prevent flooding. The paths connected to the bridge will meet today’s accessibility standards.

The study builds on what the City heard from the public during early engagement in summer 2024. This feedback helped the City understand how people use the park and what matters most. The design considered:

• accessibility 
• safety
• the environment and how the project fits into the park.

Further technical work ruled out some options:

Do not rebuild the bridge. Park users would need to walk 500m to the next crossing at Portage Avenue adding extra time to their trip. This particularly affects people with disabilities who could lose full access to the park. This park should be people of all ages and abilities, not only able-bodied people.

Maintain the existing bridge. The bridge is deteriorating and will be decommissioned in 3 years due to failure risk. The current low elevation caused 600+ floods in the past decade. It also fails accessibility standards with steep paths and a narrow 2.5m width.

Build the new bridge in the current location. Rebuilding in the same spot would still flood often, causing damage and high maintenance. Nearby narrow paths would remain unsafe and continue to create pedestrian–cyclist conflicts. 

 Build a new bridge North of the current one. The bridge would need to be built at a much higher elevation to connect to Raglan Road. This would make it much larger, disrupt the park’s natural character, and impact the toboggan hill.

The design keeps the park’s natural feel by limiting tree removal, protecting waterways, and avoiding over‑development. Trees removed in the park due to construction will be reused when possible. They may turn into benches, signs, or other park features instead of going to a landfill. This allows the trees to remain part of the park in a new way. Any wood not used on site will be given to local lumber suppliers that reuse or recycle wood. In addition, more trees will be planted over time adding to the park’s tree canopy.

 Native plants will support biodiversity. Creek edges will be restored to improve water health and flood‑resistant materials will help protect the creek. The concrete pad where Omand’s Creek meets the Assiniboine River will remain because it prevents erosion during high water. Removing it would cause more harm to the creek and nearby wildlife. It would also mean adding large rocks (riprap) from the River to Portage Avenue. This would damage the creek’s natural environment and undo past restoration work.

The new bridge will be south of the current one. This is because there is a natural hill (Lookout Point) that helps connect the bridge to a path with gentler slopes. Accessible and safe paths need to be less than a 5% slope and some parts of the current bridge and paths have slopes as steep as 17% and sharp, tight turns. Because of this, people often cut across the park to avoid the steep and unsafe paths. The new bridge and paths are designed to be fully accessible, with slopes under 5% and wider, gentler curves. These smoother turns slow cyclists down and improve safety. The path design also allows clear sightlines so people can see what’s ahead and move safely along the route.

In 2022, Council reviewed a report about river access in this area. The report supported Omand Park as a location for a non-motorized river access. However, it also said this would only work if the City monitors ice conditions and winter safety.

Right now, the Parks Department is working on a citywide river access study. This study will help decide when river access will happen and when it could be built.

The proposed fishing spot will still bring people close to the water, but it is not a full river access point. Adding river access here will be reviewed again during detailed design and future construction planning.

The design is not final.

The project team has worked to reflect what we heard earlier from the community. People care deeply about Omand Park and its natural setting. Accessibility is important, but so is protecting trees, green space, and the park’s character. We also heard that flooding, which can cover the pedestrian bridge, is disruptive. There are concerns about past designs being too large or not fitting into the park.

Now, we want to know if the current design ideas still match these values. We are also asking if anything could be improved or if anything has been missed.

The exact cost of the new bridge is not known yet. Right now, the estimated cost is about $6 million. Funding will happen over several years. With money planned in the City’s regular capital programs for waterway crossings and grade separations. These programs usually have yearly budgets of about $3 to $3.5 million.

The project is still in the early stages. Early design work and studies will continue through 2026. More detailed design will start in 2027, and construction around 2028 to 2029.

More detailed cost information will be shared, as the design moves forward and the schedule becomes clearer.