Strawberry Creek Bridge

Crest Station Strawberry Creek Bridge Dona Station

The Strawberry Creek Bridge is located just south of Dona Station at Milepost 25.9/26.7/25.5. It is 105 feet long and 35 feet high.

The bridge was opened in 1919 and replaced a previous wood trestle. It is unique in that it was constructed entirely out of concrete and it is likely the only such railway structure in the Thunder Bay area. The upgrade was done while the line was operated as part of the Canadian Government Railways (CGR).

The tender for the bridge (trestle as listed in the document) was accepted from the Carter-Halls-Aldinger Company of Winnipeg on July 3, 1918 for $86,897. This amount would include not only this bridge, but the Neebing River Culvert, a concrete culvert west of the Dog River Bridge at Milepost 29.3 and a stream tunnel west of the Flett Tunnel at Milepost 41.3 (the company was also awarded a $89,299 contract for several trestles, culverts and tunnels west of Raith). The reinforced concrete structure would utilize broken stone in the mixture in lieu of gravel.

A smaller, sister structure was constructed much further west near Unaka Station by the same company over the Crystal River.

The bridge was used for vehicular traffic for many years until deterioration forced its closure. While it is reasonable shape for its age and lack of maintenance, its long-term future could be in jeopardy.