Cyclists and walkers flock to newly-opened Chief William Commanda Bridge

This is the first weekend that the Chief William Commanda Bridge has been open, providing a new link between Quebec and Ottawa.

The bridge was packed on Sunday as cyclists and walkers checked out the new multi-use pathway.

The bridge was closed for decades to undergo a $22.6 million dollar renovation. It's not only a link between the two provinces, but also provides a chance to cut down on commute times for so many who travel between Ottawa and Gatineau.

"It's a real treat, I've been watching it for years being renovated so it's been deeply anticipated for me," said Peter Henderson, an Ottawa resident. "It sort of connects Ottawa to Quebec and another link in the bike paths, which is another nice feature of Ottawa."

The bridge was originally built in 1880 as a railway link that ran between Gatineau and Ottawa, but hasn't been in service since 2001. The construction project faced multiple delays due to labour shortages and supply chain issues.

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"Before it opened, I always came here to check on it daily," said Xixi Guo, who will use the path to commute to work. "I'm so excited to see it opening."

The city of Ottawa bought the bridge from Canadian Pacific Railway in 2005.

"It's so lovely and it actually made me really happy just to walk across," said Meredith Quaile, an Ottawa resident. "It's really nicely done and we were saying it's one of the nicest projects that's been done in the last few years, that maybe it should win an award."

The bridge is giving pedestrians a new view of the skyline and a chance to cut down on commute times for those who travel between the two provinces.

"I wanted to try it out yesterday so I took my bicycle," said Laura Belle. "I'm in Hull and I went all the way over to Ottawa about six times."

In light of the opening, some councillors are calling for an increased focus on pedestrianization across the city.

"If we can have all of these nice pedestrianized efforts in other parts of the city, why we are not also thinking about King Edward," said Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stephanie Plante. "It has been a downtown truck route for far too long."

Originally called the Prince of Wales Bridge, council voted in 2021 to rename it the Chief William Commanda Bridge, after the Algonquin elder and spiritual leader.

An official opening ceremony for the new path will take place in September.