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Simsbury reopens Drake Hill Flower Bridge after federally funded rehabilitation
Summary
Town officials, staff and volunteers marked the reopening of the historic Drake Hill Flower Bridge after a rehabilitation funded in part with American Rescue Plan Act dollars; volunteers planted about 1,200 flowering plants and the project preserved an 1800s-era truss bridge.
At a ceremony in Simsbury, town officials and volunteers on Saturday celebrated the reopening of the Drake Hill Flower Bridge after a rehabilitation paid in part with federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. First Selectman (name not specified) said the project was financed using two tranches of $3.5 million in federal recovery funds that the town received, enabling the renovation without directly impacting local taxpayers.
The rehabilitation restored an iron truss bridge dating to the 1800s and refreshed its flower displays. "This is a really special project, and I think it really highlights what makes Simsbury so special," Tom Roy, the town's public works director and town engineer, said at the ceremony. Roy credited field staff and the town's engineering consultant, Silva Associates, for addressing unexpected conditions discovered during work and ensuring the structure was made "as strong as the day that it was first built."
Jan Littner, a member of the Drake Hill Flower Bridge Committee who helped oversee planting and design, said the volunteer committee expanded floral elements from the original four boxes to a larger program this year. "These 4 boxes have now turned into 118 subscriber units," Littner said, adding that volunteers planted about 1,200 blooming plants and are using a new computer program to manage orders and designs.
Town Manager Mark Nelson thanked staff, volunteers and voters who approved the project at referendum. "It's your day," Nelson said. "Long after I leave the employ of the town of Simsbury, I'll be back walking on this bridge, and you've given me something to be proud of."
Speakers acknowledged the site as both a historic structure and a community gathering place for events such as duck races, weddings and town gatherings. Roy noted the bridge's original color was retained and described it as "federal green." Littner and others thanked the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance and the volunteers (recognizable in yellow T-shirts at the event) who maintained and planted the displays.
The ceremony concluded with a ribbon-cutting and a group photograph of the volunteers and town officials. Organizers provided small commemorative cards to attendees and invited the volunteer team to a post-ceremony photograph in the park.
No formal votes or ordinance actions were recorded during the event; the remarks were ceremonial and celebratory.
