Montreal-area residents are eagerly queuing up to acquire a piece of the historic Champlain Bridge, which connected the city and its South Shore for almost six decades. Despite the rain, people began lining up on foot and in vehicles at 9:30 a.m. to obtain one of the limited rivets from the bridge that are being given away as keepsakes. The original Champlain Bridge was decommissioned in 2019 when it was replaced by a new span costing $4.4 billion.
According to Nathalie Lessard, a spokeswoman for the federal Crown corporation responsible for managing the old bridge, the structure played a crucial role in the economic development of Montreal and its suburbs, despite experiencing various issues in its final years. Lessard emphasizes the significance of the rivets, as they were instrumental in holding the bridge together and are no longer used in modern construction.
However, the rivets come with a disclaimer stating that they may contain traces of lead paint. To mitigate this potential risk, a protective coat of varnish has been applied to the rivets.