History of Alexandra Bridge
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- Season 1 - Episode 10; History of Alexandra Bridge.
We visit landmarks around British Columbia and share the history and events about them.
In this episode we look at the history of Alexandra Bridge. A crossing in the Fraser Canyon that is a National Landmark.
These uploads are awesome, I have watched all of them so far please keep them comjng!!
Thank you! I have many more planned
I've been out to visit the bridge a couple of times in recent years - it remains a marvel.
Great video, thanks for posting. It's been 34 years since I walked over that bridge.
Well done video. The Bella Coola highway would be an interesting future video idea.
Thank you. Thanks for the suggestion. I will add it to my list of future projects.
My grandfather drove down the canyon across this bridge in 1928 in his Ford model t with his life possessions as he was moving from regina to Vancouver. He told it was a very scary trip with many of the parts of the road built of wood cantilevered on the side of sheer drop offs. In the
1960s as a child I rode with him up the same road and he remarked the improvement. Last year I stopped and walked across this bridge and imagined him driving across it. It is a metal today I can only imagine wat it was like when it was wooden and wet. He also talked about having to back up in the tight places on the road to a wider spot so a nother car could pass. Wow!
Great story..
Very interesting being able to walk that bridge is a thrill looking through the deck
It's definately worth a visit if you are driving through the Fraser Canyon
I stop there every chance I get when driving through that area. The walk across the bridge, watching the water race past beneath my feet, never gets boring!
When I was young we called the bridge the singing bridge, the old tires made a sound on the open metal deck, and the road leading up to the bridge was the old wood deck, very slippery when wet, and just tacked to the hillside. every car that used that road got more than one flat tire on a trip.
I love the detail in these videos
My great grandmother used to own the Alexandra Lodge
Her name was Dorine Hooper. She just celebrated her 93rd birthday. Great videos btw!
Fabulous Video. Thanks, I learned a lot. I have memories of traveling across the Bridge in my youth on the way to Paul Lake near Kamloops. The roadway just before the bridge way scary as it was like it was stapled to the canyon wall and very narrow.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it
...remember the old railway worker suspension bridge across the Thompson near the end of the twisties heading to Spences Bridge? Back int the day we used to stop and go out on the middle and jump up an down!
Great video and history !! Glad I took the time , did not know many of the details !
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great channel. Keep it up!
Thank you!
Interesting piece of history of our province, thanks for posting this video.
Thank you for this video
Great adition, we walked over the bridge last weekend. Such history
it's a beautiful bridge. a worthwhile visit, if you are in the area.
Tks for the video!
I have a vague memory of crossing that bridge when I was very young.
Finally got the chance to walk down to the old Bridge yesterday, so glad to see this video. Great stuff!
I'm glad access is back. When I was there a few weeks ago to film they were still doing reno work so I couldn't access the bridge. Thanks for watching!
When driving the canyon, we normally will stop there, it's a great place to take the dogs for a walk.
Crazy how a bridge built so long ago still stands strong.
Fascinating how B.C. evolved.
You should make a video on the Burnaby gas refinery!! And reach out to them about a sponsoring it, I saw them doing some other promotional stuff in the community and def think you have a chance given your views!
The Parkland Burnaby Refinery played a crucial role in maintaining fuel supplies during the catastrophic flooding in British Columbia in November 2021. The flooding was caused by a series of atmospheric rivers that brought unprecedented rainfall to the region, leading to widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage.
### Key Points of the Refinery's Role During the 2021 Floods:
1. **Critical Supply Amidst Disruption:**
- The floods caused significant damage to highways, railways, and pipelines, particularly the Trans Mountain Pipeline, which is a major conduit for crude oil and refined products into the Lower Mainland. With the pipeline offline, there was a risk of severe fuel shortages.
- The Burnaby Refinery ramped up its production and distribution efforts to compensate for the disruption in fuel supply from the Trans Mountain Pipeline. This local production was essential in preventing a more severe fuel shortage in the region.
2. **Fuel Rationing and Supply Management:**
- The provincial government implemented temporary fuel rationing to ensure that essential services and the general public had access to fuel. The Burnaby Refinery’s output was pivotal in supplying gasoline and diesel during this period, as it became the primary local source of refined petroleum products.
3. **Adaptability and Quick Response:**
- The refinery’s ability to quickly adjust its operations and increase supply underlined its importance as a resilient and adaptable energy infrastructure. Parkland Corporation, which operates the refinery, worked closely with the government and other stakeholders to manage the fuel supply effectively during the crisis.
4. **Prevention of Further Economic Impact:**
- By stabilizing fuel supplies, the refinery helped prevent further economic disruptions, which could have compounded the effects of the flooding on transportation, agriculture, and other critical sectors. It played a key role in the region's recovery process, providing the necessary energy to support emergency operations and the rebuilding efforts.
### Conclusion:
The Parkland Burnaby Refinery's actions during the 2021 floods demonstrated its strategic importance in British Columbia's energy infrastructure. Its ability to step up during a crisis not only helped to "save the day" by preventing a fuel crisis but also underscored the value of having local refining capacity in times of emergency.
### Video Intro Bullet Points:
- **Biggest in BC**: Discover the Parkland Burnaby Refinery, British Columbia’s largest and most critical fuel processing facility, with a legacy spanning nearly 90 years.
- **Key Role in a Crisis**: Learn how this refinery became a lifeline during the catastrophic floods of 2021, when it stepped up to keep the province moving amidst widespread infrastructure failure.
- **How It Saved Many**: See how the refinery’s quick response and increased fuel production averted a major energy crisis, ensuring that essential services, emergency responders, and everyday citizens had the fuel they needed.
- **Importance to the Region**: Understand why the Parkland Burnaby Refinery is not just a facility, but a cornerstone of BC’s resilience and a key player in the province's ability to weather even the toughest storms.
### Storytelling Segment:
In November 2021, British Columbia faced a disaster unlike any in its recent history. A series of powerful atmospheric rivers unleashed torrential rain, triggering floods and landslides that tore through the province’s infrastructure. Highways were submerged, railways were washed out, and most critically, the Trans Mountain Pipeline-BC’s primary artery for fuel-was forced to shut down.
As panic began to set in and fuel supplies dwindled, all eyes turned to a single facility that could hold the key to keeping the province from grinding to a halt: the Parkland Burnaby Refinery. Nestled in Burnaby, just outside Vancouver, this refinery had been quietly powering BC for decades. But now, it was about to face its biggest challenge yet.
Parkland’s team sprang into action. They ramped up production, worked around the clock, and coordinated with government officials to ensure that every drop of fuel was put to good use. Meanwhile, the provincial government imposed fuel rationing to extend the limited supply, but it was the Burnaby Refinery that ensured there was still fuel to ration.
Truck after truck rolled out of the refinery, carrying gasoline and diesel to the people who needed it most-emergency workers, healthcare providers, and everyday citizens struggling to get through the crisis. Thanks to these efforts, what could have been a disastrous fuel shortage was avoided. The Burnaby Refinery had saved the day.
This is the story of how BC’s largest refinery proved its importance, not just as a producer of fuel, but as a protector of the province’s lifeblood in times of crisis.
5:58 is my grandfathers 3.5 by 5 inch photograph that I still have. He took it on 23 March 1967 when he brought his family to Vancouver from Huntsville Ontario.
So well done !!!
Great video
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for the video
Great video.
Awesome video! Just wondering, where can I find out more on the Flood of 1894 mentioned at 3:20 ? I was looking online and didn’t see much, was wondering if you had any insight… thank you!
Thank you. I haven’t research the flood of 1894 but here is an excerpt from an article I found from the Chilliwack Progress written in 2020.
“On June 6, 1894, the flood water reached its maximum height of 25.75 feet on the Mission gauge. The entire Chilliwack community was submerged in water and there was extensive damage to crops and livestock,” reads an article from the Chilliwack Museum and Archives. “The effect on farmers was devastating, especially since most were unable to replant that year. C.P.R lines were damaged and communication was interrupted for several days. The streets of Chilliwack became streams that were only passable by boat or raft. Boys provided ferry service for those needing to cross the streets with their homemade rafts.”
Cool video
Thank you that was awesome
Glad you enjoyed it!
@4:59 Vancouver-Kamloops Freight Lines, a.k.a. Van-Kam also seen @5:52. Anyway, nice video I learned a lot about the caynon's constructions.
P.S. Gaglardi is pronounced guh-LAR-dee.
This video was not sponsored by Van-Kam :) and I've been miss-pronouncing Gaglardi Way all these years. Thanks for the correction
How many remember the saying back in the 50's and 60's, "Ginter Gaglardi, and God".
@@jamesoldman3021 AKA The tree G's. My grandmother lived beside Phil Gaglardi (flying Phil) in Kamloops before he entered politics.
I worked for Ben Ginter Construction in the mid 1970's on his last road construction job before the companies demise.
@@chucktheperson1063 Yes wasn't it flying Phil that got the speedlimits raised? If I remember correctly there was a section on the way out to hope that was even a legal 70? Had a few friends that either worked for Ginter or had sub-contracts for machinery.
Very similar to the Brilliant Suspension Bridge across the Kootenay River at Castlegar.
I remember my mom telling me how she drove across the old bridge. When she died my sister gave me the ashes to do something with them. As most of us were living up country then I decided to pour my mom's ashes through the grating into the river. When my sister found out what I had done she exclaimed "don't you know mom's afraid of heights" , oh no I said starting to panic, then I realized that she was in heaven and was no longer afraid of heights. Now when any of us three sisters and three boys pass through over the new bridge we look down at the old bridge and say "hi mom".
Remember the canyon trip from the mid 40's on. How things have changed.
What about the Alexandra Hotel? When was that built and used?
Damn. I’m not the first comment. Great video!
Next time. Thanks!
5:45 - _"capable of handling a gross load allowance of 76,000lbs"_
Yet locals, or anybody who knows the trucking business through the Canyon, can tell you that a good 1/3rd of commercial trucks that travel the Canyon and cross the Alexandra Bridge weigh in excess of 76k lbs by quite a fair bit.
Does anyone know if the park is open again? The parking lot was closed for some time but I haven't been up there in the last year or so.
Funny I was just here 3 days ago!
Is it still fenced off for reno? I was there a few weeks ago and couldn’t access the bridge.
@@HistoryOfBritishColumbia nope, everything was accessible. Someone mentioned that there used to be a plaque on the bridge that was now missing, so it might have been removed with the Reno, or maybe it’s being refurbished still or something
5:48 is interesting to me because multiple lumber Super B train trucks and heavy equipment lowbed trucks upwards to 90,000+ lbs drive through the canyon daily...
Alexander or Alexandra?
The train bridge in the photo at 3:10 looks photoshopped in, especially the far abutment.
It sort of does. That is the Cisco Bridge just south of Lytton.