The plaques that once adorned the rail of the McCulloch Trestle bridge have all been removed, thanks to what a City of Penticton manager calls “senseless vandalism.”
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| Some of the unbroken plaques were salvaged from the McCulloh Trestle. The City of Penticton is considering options for replacing them. Submitted photo |
Works superintendent John Fenske said the city was notified a few months ago that there had been some vandalism on the trestle bridge along the KVR Trail.
“Someone went up there and it looks like they took a hammer to all the commemorative plaques that were on the railing of the trestle bridge,” said Fenske.
The plaques recognized the people and businesses that donated to building the trestle, which was completed by Greyback Construction in 2002.
Prior to the trestle being built, the KVR Trail dropped down into a draw and climbed back out.
“In recognition of all the people, the volunteers as well as the donors, they put these plaques along the railing,” said Fenske, who described the plaques as a “composite plastic,” which wouldn’t have had a monetary value for anyone stealing them for metal recycling.
“The majority of them were smashed, so we took them off. Some you couldn’t even read anymore,” said Fenske, who isn’t sure if the plaques will be replaced.
“I am working with Doug Kenyon from Greyback. He sent me what he had on file of who donated,” he said. “We may put one big plaque at the beginning of the bridge with names.”
The bridge was named for Andrew McCulloch, the chief engineer of the Kettle Valley Railway, who oversaw the construction of the railway with its series of bridges and tunnels in the early years of the 20th Century.
Steve Kidd
Senior reporter, Penticton Western News
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