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The Connector - Iron Workers Memorial Bridge
By: Sophia Wu
"I went down 125 feet (38 metres) and then 35 feet (10 metres) to the bottom of the ocean. It was dark on the bottom because when the bridge fell down, that mixed the mud on the bottom of the ocean and it was as black as it could be,'' said Lucien Lessard
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t is June of 1958, and the 79 ironworkers including Lucien Lessard, don't have a single idea about how 19 of them will be losing their lives that day. The Iron Workers Memorial Second Narrow Crossing is the greatest engineering disaster in BC, the bridge that shaped the Significant connection of North Van to Greater Vancouver, to our nation, to the world. The greatest engineering disaster in BC shaped the connection of North Van to Greater Vancouver.
The first Narrows Bridge, now known as the Lion’s Gate Bridge, was bridged between Stanly Park and West Vancouver on 1938, November 14. However, it was problematic for people who wanted to also have access to a more convenient drive to North Van, so the Government decided to build another bridge, the Second Narrows Bridge. When the second narrow bridge opened to road traffic in 1925, it made North Vancouver accessible to motorists, expanding the suburbs of the North Shore.
The first Narrows Bridge, now known as the Lion’s Gate Bridge, was bridged between Stanly Park and West Vancouver on 1938, November 14. However, it was problematic for people who wanted to also have access to a more convenient drive to North Van, so the Government decided to build another bridge, the Second Narrows Bridge. When the second narrow bridge opened to road traffic in 1925, it made North Vancouver accessible to motorists, expanding the suburbs of the North Shore.
Since there were lots of shipments of natural resources from North Vancouver, the Second Narrows opened to rail traffic in 1926, making it easier to move resources out of North Van.
Other than the well-known disasters which happen in June of 1958, there was one other before that. Because of The Ocean currents made navigation treacherous, this made vessels going by routinely smash into the bridge. It was 1939, a log carrier under tow knocked out one of the bridge's spans. since that day, the bridge was closed until November, 4 years later.
Other than the well-known disasters which happen in June of 1958, there was one other before that. Because of The Ocean currents made navigation treacherous, this made vessels going by routinely smash into the bridge. It was 1939, a log carrier under tow knocked out one of the bridge's spans. since that day, the bridge was closed until November, 4 years later.
June 17, 1958, was when the worst engineering disaster in BC history occurred. That day the partially-constructed Narrow Bridge collapsed into the Burrard inlet. A crane stretched from the north side of
the second narrow to join the two chords of the unfinished arch when several spans collapsed. As a result, 79 workers were plunged 30 meters (98 feet) into the water, and 18 were killed either instantly or shortly after. A diver searching for bodies drowned later bringing the total deaths to 19.
"I went down 125 feet (38 metres) and then 35 feet (10 metres) to the bottom of the ocean. It was dark on the bottom because when the bridge fell down, that mixed the mud on the bottom of the ocean and it was as black as it could be,'' said Lucien Lessard
As a result of this dreadful disaster, The bridge was renamed the “Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrow Crossing” in 1994 to honour the 18 workers who died in a collapse along with the one rescue diver and four other workers who also died during the construction process. This is significant for the people of North Vancouver because around 121,778 (as of 2021) vehicles pass through this bridge every day, way more that there are on The Lion’s Gate Bridge, without this the connection between North Vancouver and Greater Vancouver would be weak, and it would be less convenient to travel between the two lands.
Sources: “Last Living Survivor of Second Narrows Bridge Disaster Won't Let Pandemic Stop Him from Honouring Dead | CBC News.” CBC, 27 April. 2022
“Second Narrows Bridge Collapse.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 27 April. 2022
“History - North Vancouver - North Vancouver Museum and Archives.” MONOVA, 27 April. 2022
Kirkey, Jennifer, and Sahar Bani Soltan. “1958 – BC Infrastructure Disaster – Ironworkers Memorial Bridge – Vancouver 1958.” Engineering and Technology in Society Canada, 27 April. 2022
“Second Narrows Bridge Collapse.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 27 April. 2022
“History - North Vancouver - North Vancouver Museum and Archives.” MONOVA, 27 April. 2022
Kirkey, Jennifer, and Sahar Bani Soltan. “1958 – BC Infrastructure Disaster – Ironworkers Memorial Bridge – Vancouver 1958.” Engineering and Technology in Society Canada, 27 April. 2022