Known locally as “The Rainbow Bridge,” this 50-foot concrete bowstring arch bridge over the La Salle River in the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie, near Newton (SE27-11-5W) and the former railway siding of Gervais, was built by William Newman & Company using Plan 367. Construction was completed in October 1919 at a total cost of slightly over $7,000, borne equally by the municipal and provincial governments.
Concrete bowstring arch bridge no. 367 over La Salle River (circa 1947)
Source: Portage Collegiate Archives, Caddy Halliday Collection.
Concrete bowstring arch bridge no. 367 over La Salle River (October 2013)
Source: Neil Christoffersen
Concrete bowstring arch bridge no. 367 over La Salle River (July 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Aerial view of concrete bowstring arch bridge no. 367 over La Salle River (September 2020)
Source: George PennerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.94613, W98.05573
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: William Newman (1866-1952)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Abandoned Manitoba
Good Roads Board Records, GR0016, Schedule A0215, G10706, Folio 29, RM of Portage la Prairie, Archives of Manitoba.
This page was prepared by Neil Christoffersen, Gordon Goldsborough, Rose Kuzina, James Kostuchuk, and George Penner.
Page revised: 6 November 2020
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