Construction of the Broadway Bridge at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 1932

Saskatoon in the late twenties experienced a minor construction boom. Then in 1930 the Depression hit, coinciding with more than a decade of drought that decimated Saskatchewan's farm communities and urban centres. In 1931 Saskatoon proposed a relief project. It would construct a concrete arch bridge across the South Saskatchewan River connecting the downtown business district with Nutana.Acting as the City's consulting engineer, C. J. Mackenzie, Dean of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, directed the design of the bridge. The metastable south bank, much higher than the downtown side of the river, was a major factor in his design. The simple geometric lines of the structure resulted in its enduring aesthetic quality.As a relief project, the Broadway Bridge had to be constructed within a year. All labour was obtained from the ranks of unemployed married men. Often 450 men were employed at once, working three shifts around the clock. During construction of the piers, temperatures fell to −40 °C (−40°F) for several days. The river's flood stage in June made it impossible to construct the majority of the falsework in the river until July. By October, freezing temperatures were again being experienced.Yet for all the difficulties, on November 11, 1932, the bridge was officially opened. It had taken the people of Saskatoon less than 11 months to construct their bridge. Unfortunately, many years of even harder times loomed ahead. Key words: arch, bridge, concrete, construction, history.