The trolley bridge over the Deerfield River in Shelburne Falls — known as the Bridge of Flowers — will temporarily reopen this weekend. The unexpected opening follows an over-budget repair bid, and stalled construction.
The group that tends the plantings that attract visitors from all over the world, is the Bridge of Flowers Committee. Annette Szpila chairs that group, and says many local residents requested access to the bridge, while the project remains in limbo.
“We just have to make sure that it's shovel ready. So, it's not something that we can plant up again,” Szpila says.
In the fall, the gardeners for the Bridge of Flowers committee, and the “Blossom Brigade” dug up hundreds of plants from the span, but left a number of perennials, which continue to spread. Bulbs were left in the ground as well.
Szpila says “when I walked through the last time, it looked lovely, you know? I mean, I know it's not what it was…when it's really all planted up, but it was quite lovely with the tulips and other flowers that were in bloom. So, people may say, ‘Oh, there are flowers here!’ but it certainly is not up to the caliber of the plantings that we like to display for the tourists.”
The Bridge of Flowers Committee does not want people to be disappointed, or think that the tourist attraction is less than it used to be. The unexpected re-opening is more intended as a temporary way to give access to the bridge across the river.
The bridge owner, The Shelburne Falls Fire District, says they don't know how long the bridge will remain open this year, before repairs and water main replacement commences, and that’s why no new plantings will go in.
Administrative Assistant to the District, Jan Morin, said while they continue to look for extra money to pay for the work, the bridge must remain “shovel ready” as they “hurry up and wait” for funding.
In 2022, a MassWorks Infrastructure Grant Program awarded $2.29 million to enhance resiliency and ensure the longevity of the bridge that acts as a water connection between Buckland and Shelburne Falls. The Fire District has requested an amendment to that grant, so that the funding increases to fit the single bid that was submitted for the work.
Meanwhile, many of the streets in the village have recently been repaved, and Shelburne Falls Selectboard member Andrew Baker said businesses are eager to see visitors come into town.
Baker said the trees on the Bridge of Flowers, “are looking really lovely right now. Those blossoms are really one of the real jewels of the bridge.”
Stakeholders anticipate an update with a new project timeline to come before the end of the month.
