The early 20th century timber Bridge of Dreams across the Tulameen River in the town of Princeton was the final link in the Kettle Valley Railroad and integral in sustaining the development of the British Columbia interior.
The new two-span structure utilises the abutments and pier of the original bridge. The owners wanted to reference the historic bridge’s strong timber presence in the community, and the winner of the design-build tender presented two interpretations to honour this. They unanimously chose the double tied-arch timber scheme, which also complemented the presence of a more recent tied-arch steel highway bridge built immediately adjacent this site.
"A masterful design with contextual sensitivity. Superb realisation of a well-crafted concept. An economical and sustainable design with delightful detailing. An exemplar of community revitalisation."