Failed beam not among recent repairs

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This article was published 09/06/2023 (820 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Fort Gibraltar’s operators made “structural repairs” to the historic site’s palisade in 2016-17 — a half-dozen seasons before a wooden footbridge bordering its northern perimeter collapsed under the weight of a group of school children.

The popular Whittier Park destination for field trips remains closed as investigators probe the cause of the incident that sent 17 students and one teacher to hospital May 31.

“This could be an unfortunate accident that was unforeseen. That’s entirely possible,” said Ron Anthony, a wood scientist based in Fort Collins, Colo., who has investigated numerous structural failures throughout his career.

“It’s also possible that something wasn’t followed… in inspection, maintenance or repair.”

Festival du Voyageur, which manages the City of Winnipeg-owned fort, has repeatedly refused to comment on the situation. The organization declined to provide information about the palisade upgrades that are briefly discussed in its 2016-17 annual report.

“Repairs were made to the floor of the Maison du Bourgeois, a new coat of paint was added to the interior, structural repairs were made to the palisade, a new stone oven was added, the alarm system was updated, and important renovations were made to the interior of the Maison Chaboillez,” states an excerpt of the report.

The document also notes the above upgrades were funded by all three levels of government.

Documentation of Festival’s inaugural summertime fundraiser June 23, 2016, and a follow-up event June 15, 2017, show some restoration work took place between the feasts on the grounds that were inspired by those held on the eve of voyageurs’ journeys.

During that period, a handful of new cross beams were installed to support sections of the northwest side of the elevated walkway, according to photos and videos captured at Le Grand Régal Cajun and its successor, Le Grand Régal 1815.

The horizontal beam that snapped last week was not among those replaced at the time. It appears grey in event images — a stark contrast to the newly installed planks that are a yellowish-brown colour.

While noting there are numerous possibilities for the structure’s recent failure, Anthony said he’s curious about the criteria used to replace some beams and not others.

“A lot could’ve happened between 2016(-17) and now,” the wood scientist added.

Festival built the structure, a replica of two earlier forts of the same name, in 1978.

Canada’s guidelines for the conservation of historic places tout the value of developing and implementing a maintenance plan that includes a schedule for regular inspection to proactively determine the type and frequency of necessary projects.

Given the City of Winnipeg is not required to conduct periodic inspections of the integrity of structures, municipal officials indicated the last inspection was conducted 17 years ago — when a specific building permit required one in 2006.

More recently, Fort Gibraltar’s managers received $30,000 in 2014, and an additional $38,000 in 2016, via the city’s now-defunct community incentive grant program for various renovations. The restoration projects were valued at roughly $246,000 overall.

Winnipeg communications manager David Driedger said the first grant appears to be for fence-related work, and the second about “a number of other assets.”

In a 2016-17 grant application to city hall, the francophone organization indicated it was fortunate to have received government funding several years earlier to rehabilitate the wooden palisade and three cabins “in desperate need of repair.”

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“While the bulk of the renovations to the space have been done, we have identified further repairs to buildings both inside and annexed to the fort,” states an excerpt of the 36-page document, which also notes the need for a new alarm system, including new perimeter beams, because many elements were worn down or no longer in working order.

Festival’s latest social media post indicates organizers are co-operating with all authorities and will be closed for “an indeterminate period of time.”

Anthony indicated investigations of this nature typically take months to complete.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie

Maggie Macintosh
Education reporter

Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie.

Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative.

Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.