Of the multiple bridges that now cross the North Saskatchewan River, the Low Level Bridge was the first. Originally known as the Edmonton Bridge, it opened in 1900 and a railway track was added shortly thereafter to serve the Edmonton, Yukon, and Pacific Railway. It took on its current name following the completion of the High Level Bridge in 1913. Two years later, disaster struck. On June 28, 1915, the city of 60,000 people was hit with heavy spring runoff and several days of rain, causing the North Saskatchewan River to rise more than 10 metres.

The Low Level Bridge during the 1915 flood, image via City of Edmonton Archives

One of the worst natural disasters in Edmonton history washed away a number of river valley residences, leaving scores homeless. The river surge destroyed lumber mills and brickyards and sent them on a collision course with the piers of the Low Level Bridge. Local authorities were alerted to the ongoing devastation by telegram, and they hastily crafted a clever plan to protect the bridge from collapse. The Canadian Northern Railway parked multiple train cars loaded with sand on the bridge to weigh it down, preventing the dislodging of the bridge deck. Powerful engines on each side were ready to pull the cars off the bridge at a moment's notice if the structure began to destabilize.

Debris piles up against the bridge, image via City of Edmonton Archives

The flood wiped out industry and communities in neighbourhoods like Rossdale, Walterdale, and Riverdale. Despite the human and financial toll, the tragic event did lead to some long-term good. Residents wisely relocated out of the river valley and development in these low-lying areas was subsequently restricted, allowing what has become North American's largest urban green space to flourish.

The Low Level Bridge in modern day, image by Flickr user Jeff Wallace via Creative Commons

Since the flood, the role of the Low Level Bridge has continually changed. The streetcar gauntlet tracks that were installed in 1908 were removed in 1939, paving the way for trolley bus service, which ended in 1965. A second span to the south — matching the style of the original — was built in 1948. The railway track on the original span was removed six years later, and now it solely accommodates motor vehicles and pedestrians.

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