TERRACE, B.C. – A celebration a century in the making is set to take place tomorrow, as the community gathers to mark the 100th anniversary of the opening of the iconic Old Skeena Bridge.
Residents are invited to join the festivities on Friday, July 11, which will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a parade of classic cars, and a community gathering in Thornhill. The event is being organized by the Terrace Regional Historical Society and the Terrace and District Museum Society.
Here is the schedule for the celebration:
- 1:00 PM: Regular vehicle traffic will be temporarily blocked from the bridge to allow people to gather safely at the lookout on the Terrace side.
- 1:30 PM: An official ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on the bridge.
- Following the ceremony: A procession of classic cars from the Skeena Valley Cruizers will make the first commemorative crossing, followed by a public walk across the bridge to Thornhill Landing Park.
- Approx. 2:00 PM: A community celebration with speeches, cake, and refreshments will be held at Thornhill Landing Park on Queensway.
Invited guests include local government representatives, federal MP Ellis Ross, provincial Skeena MLA Claire Rattée, and representatives from the Kitselas and Kitsumkalum First Nations.
A Bridge Through History
Opened on July 11, 1925, the bridge was a vital piece of infrastructure that finally provided a reliable, all-weather link between Terrace and the communities on the other side of the Skeena River, replacing an often-unreliable ferry system. For 48 years, it held the title of the longest, one-lane, curved, wooden-deck bridge in North America.
The bridge underwent a major upgrade in 1953 to add a rail line, a crucial development for transporting materials to the new aluminum smelter in Kitimat. Over the years, it has seen further rehabilitation, including a major $26 million project that was completed in 2023, ensuring this vital transportation link will continue to serve the region for decades to come.
