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61 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, March 6, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 8, 2004 Wimer covered bridge project gets new life By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Wimer residents might get their covered bridge back, plus a whole lot more. A local group has ambitious plans to raise not only the remaining money needed to rebuild the bridge that collapsed on July 6, 2003, but also to improve a nearby park and create an interpretive center. Gold Hill resident Dan Roberts took over as chairman of the Citizens for Rebuilding the Wimer Covered Bridge in June, pumping new energy and ideas into the organization. "Out of all the covered bridges that get old and collapse, we’re one of the few places wanting to put it back up," he said. The bridge collapsed when a lower truss support came apart because of hidden rot. A grandfather and his two grandsons were injured when the structure fell into Evans Creek. Advertisement County road engineer Dale Petrasek said a feasibility study determined it would cost $887,000 to replace the covered bridge with one almost identical to the original. The county tentatively has set June 2006 to begin construction on the bridge, which would still carry vehicle traffic and at least a 10-ton load. So far, there are $407,000 in federal funds committed to the restoration of the bridge, and the county has set aside another $146,000. "This leaves $334,000 to bridge the gap," said Petrasek. Roberts told county commissioners Tuesday that he had raised about $25,000 so far. He also unveiled long-term plans for raising more money. Roberts said 15 property owners have agreed to allow logging of some of their trees for the project, hoping to use the lumber to rebuild the structure or sell it to local timber mills. The group has sold 450 T-shirts and sweatshirts as well as other items to raise money for the bridge. The shirts sport a picture of the bridge after its collapse along with the words, "I helped rebuild the Wimer Covered Bridge." The picture on the shirts "evoked a bit of emotion from people," Roberts said. Roberts said his organization plans to sell inscribed bricks that might line the approach to the bridge. Other projects include a 2005 calendar with photos of the bridge, a cookbook featuring local recipes and coffee mugs and wine glasses. "We’re also working on getting some grant money," he said. Roberts, 42, moved to the area after the bridge collapsed, but he said his interest grew out of his wife’s association with the Wimer area, where she traces her family roots back to the 1850s. "My father-in-law (Pete Purrier) said he first went across the bridge in a horse-drawn wagon," he said. After Roberts made his presentation to the county, Commissioner Dave Gilmour said, "You’ve gone way beyond the original project." "You’re taking a negative and making a real positive out of it," said Commissioner Jack Walker. Bob Smith, spokesman for Boise Corp., said a representative from his company will meet with Roberts’ organization to discuss the marketability of donated trees. He cautioned that not all trees make good lumber, however, particularly if they have deteriorated. Smith said Boise has made no commitment to purchase timber from the organization or any other agreements. "We’re not discounting that we won’t be interested if they put some kind of package together," he said. In the meantime, Wimer resident Joyce Purrier said, "We’re just hoping to get our bridge back out there." For more information, see www.wimercoveredbridge.org . Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress Advertisement s