See what a new bridge slated for the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary will look like

Plans for a new bridge in a southeast Calgary wildlife reserve were inspired by the migration patterns of the animals that live there. 

Artist Tim Knowles looked at how animals migrated through the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary and created drawings that inspired the bridge design.

The resulting structure is expected to be built there this year, said Jen Thompson, manager of arts and culture for the city. 

The bridge, which will be about 17 metres long, will allow pedestrians to cross a channel at the bird sanctuary. 

Besides being a pedestrian bridge, the span will also serve as a flood control device. Hydrologists and ecologists will help design the path of a new channel flowing from the Bow River into the lagoon and out through a water meadow. This will reconnect the lagoon to the Bow.

"It's really supposed to be an integrated piece of natural infrastructure that not only complements the migratory animal patterns in the area but also is a place for the community to use and enjoy the Bow River," Thompson said.  

Thompson says the bridge will be built from natural materials — incorporating trees that had to be cleared from the path of the new water channel. 

The city hasn't released the cost for the project as it will be going for bids soon.

Construction is tentatively slated to begin later in 2022.