The Editorial
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Well the Hampden Bridge has finally come down and the reaction has been mixed to say the least.
While some have applauded the decision as a cost-saving measure for council, others are still distraught the old bridge has finally been felled.
Quite rightly they believe it was an important part of Wagga’s rich history.
However, the good news is the bridge will have a lasting legacy.
Council has assured that will happen in some way, shape or form.
And to be fair that is really all that is needed now.
Unfortunately the decommissioned bridge had become a millstone around council’s neck.
The ongoing maintenance cost was becoming unsustainable as there was no available funding to spend on it.
It’s a sad, but true, fact of life.
Council is now looking to the future and it’s facing a massive budget blowout just looking after the basics of our roads, garbage and sewerage.
But that said, no one is really happy the bridge has gone.
It has stood tall over the city for the past 119 years and it was a much needed lifeline to Wagga’s north.
Long-time residents will always have fond memories of the faithful old crossing that served the city so well.
As always times continue to change and we now have the Gobba, Wiradjuri and Eunony bridges which all cross the river here.
History tells us the Hampden Bridge was officially opened on November 11, 1895 by the then NSW Minister for Works, Mr JH Young.
It was named in honour of the new Governor of the colony, Sir Henry Robert Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden.
After much ongoing work, particularly late in its career, the bridge was finally closed to traffic in October 1995 but it did serve as a footbridge and cycleway until it was closed permanently due to safety concerns in August 2006.
The old timber structure might be gone now but it will certainly never be forgotten.