KITCHENER -- A piece of Cambridge history is now just a pile of rubble.

The Mill Race Archway was destroyed Monday after a pickup truck hit the stone structure.

The area is now surrounded by caution tape and a few of the pieces of the archway.

Waterloo Regional Police say the truck went through a red light around 7 a.m. and struck another vehicle.

The impact then sent the pickup into the archway.

The driver, a 23-year-old Cambridge man, has been charged with failing to stop at a red light.

Mayor Kathryn McGarry calls the destruction “a real heartache.”

The Mill Race Archway was built in 1974 following a major flood in Galt.

“This structure was built to protect the downtown core as part of flood control,” says McGarry. “We really love our heritage here in Cambridge. That’s one of the reasons why this has been one of the most successful venues in our city for wedding photography and for other community events.”

While the archway was built in 1974, the stones actually date back to 1847.

“It’s a natural gateway into this incredible venue that’s our Mill Race Amphitheatre and we can’t wait to get it back up,” says McGarry.

Before it can be rebuilt, the stones will have to be cleaned.

“We will take the time to chisel off the mortar carefully without damaging the existing material and clean that all off,” says Justin Mills, a stone mason with Mills Masonry. “That way we are able to ideally use as much as the original material as possible because it is harder to come across that older limestone.”

That work will start once the pandemic comes to an end.

The city says it’s working with its insurance company to determine who’s responsible for rebuilding costs.