Old timber breathing new life into historic bridge

Reclaimed Australian hardwood timber is breathing new life into one of Christchurch’s oldest bridges.

Helmores Lane Bridge, the city's only surviving nineteenth century timber bridge, will live on well past its 150 years with the help of timber salvaged from two Waitaki River bridges built in 1881.

SCIRT’s McConnell Dowell delivery team, who are repairing the Helmores Lane Bridge, had the job in 2014 of dismantling the two Waitaki River bridges, near Kurow, and sourced about 30 bridge piles, made of the Australian hardwood Jarrah from the Waitaki District Council for the cost of a donation.

Washdyke miller John McCarthy is turning them into hand rails, posts and cross beams for the historic bridge, built in 1866 by eccentric English barrister Joseph Cornish Helmore to cross the Avon River in Fendalton to access his property block, Millbrook.

Using reclaimed timber fits well with the conservation practice of sourcing material as close as possible to the original for the repair and restoration of heritage structures.

“It’s a challenging project because you are trying to protect an original structure and its character while providing the protection of a modern structure,” said SCIRT Executive General Manager Ian Campbell.

The original 17-metre long bridge required new access ways - land spans - which would be about five metres long at each end to replace the badly damaged abutments.

“The new land spans will help protect the bridge from soil movement. The finished result will be a more resilient structure than the original,” Mr Campbell said.

In line with conservation guidelines, the land spans, made of new timber with steel components, would complement the original bridge but look sufficiently different to be recognised as an addition.

Before the earthquakes Helmores Lane Bridge carried vehicles but once the repairs have been complete - in about five months - the bridge will only be open to pedestrians and cyclists.