The ferry service, which linked the communities of Albion and Fort Langley, began operating in 1957, and offered a free trip for up to 24 cars at a time, every 15 minutes. Averaging 80 trips a day, it was not uncommon to have waits of 4, 5, even up to 8 sailings – a huge amount of time to wait, considering the ride itself was less than 7 minutes.

Enter the Golden Ears Bridge, named after the landmark mountain peaks in the Golden Ears Provincial Park north of the Fraser. Construction began in 2006 for a project that included the 1km bridge span, 12.3kms of 2, 4, and 6-lane mainline roadway, 5kms of off- and on-ramps, 12kms of municipal street upgrades, and 2kms of modifications to existing highway infrastructure. It is certainly more than ‘just a bridge’.

The Completion Celebration that occurred last Sunday was a fantastic opportunity to get a close look at the bridge, and the views it afforded. Organized by Translink, the regional transportation authority and owner of the new bridge, the event anticipated a crowd of 30,000 people. Unfortunately, 50,000 visitors later, the deck had to be closed off at the entrances until some of them left. The total estimate for the day is in the 60,000 range, showing just how excited people were to see the bridge, and enjoy the events that were scheduled for the day.

The events began at 8:30am with a foot race from one end of the bridge to the other, with a bike-pedaling George Tabert, the local pastor who suggested the Golden Ears name, leading the way. Afterwards, crews got to work finishing setting up the 3 stages and event tents. Visitors, traveling from parking areas on the north and south via free Translink shuttles, or walking up the circular pedestrian ramps, were allowed onto the deck at 11am. Concerts and performances took place throughout the day, including a Capoeira performance by Aché Brasil, routines by Blues Brothers too, and Bhangra dancing courtesy of the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration.

Volunteers were stationed across the bridge to let visitors ‘cut the ribbon’ and collect ‘i made history’ passport stamps. Classic cars from local car clubs were displayed across the bridge, and a number of vendors provided cool treats, hot dogs, and bottled water. Later in the afternoon, visitors could win collectable ‘I Made History’ buttons by doing their best dance or hula-hoop. The atmosphere was completely festive, and was comparable to a day at the PNE, or Cloverdale Rodeo.

By 1pm the crowd had assembled to witness the official ribbon cutting ceremony on the north stage. BC Premiere Gordon Campbell talked about the great things happening in BC, and representatives from each of the connected communities touched briefly on the significance of the bridge. Translink also had a few words to say, as well as the Golden Ears Project Manager. Before cutting the ribbon, the ceremony was blessed by a member of the local Katzie first nations.

At a cost of $808 Million, the bridge is the first in Western Canada to utilize electronic tolling – cameras and sensors record the type of vehicle, and front and back license plates as it drives across. For drivers who will be using the bridge on a frequent basis, a transponder can be leased, which will provide cheaper toll rates, however none of the rates match the free Albion service.

This fact is not lost on the many people who take the ferry – the final sailing is planned for July 31, 2009. Many are still against the toll, pointing out the fact that the free alternative will no longer be available, while others are against the Gateway transportation project in general. They voiced their opinions on the bridge, along with other groups rallying groups.

I personally am very happy to say ‘I Made History’ on the Golden Ears Bridge that day, and was glad to see my sister and nephew show up to have a look. Some have criticized an apparent lack of planning for the event, which were perhaps visible when the crowds became too thick during the ribbon cutting, and people were asked to wait before walking onto the bridge deck. However, for such a highly-publicized, and well-attended, historic, community event, the number of problems (crowding, a few people fainting, and a pregnant woman having contractions) were really insignificant.

Kudos to Translink for a great celebration, and a beautiful new bridge!

If you’d like to see it for yourself, follow the Golden Ears signs at the 176th or 200th street exits on the Transcanada Highway (hwy1) south of the Fraser, or take the Golden Ears Way exit off the Lougheed Highway north of the Fraser (map here). If you’re taking Transit, the new 595 route travels between Langley Centre and Haney Place, stopping at the Walnut Grove Park & Ride and the Maple Meadows WCE Station.

For more shots, be sure to check out my Golden Ears Bridge set on Flickr.