On an idyllic evening in June, an excited stakeholder group of South Rosedale and Bloor East residents took a walk with city staff and myself, to explore the Glen Road Pedestrian Bridge.

Decked out in prerequisite safety vests, we trooped from St. Simon-the-Apostle Anglican Church, along Bloor Street and made our way northward across Rosedale Valley Road. Here we stopped to learn about this structure’s past and think about its future.

Constructed in 1973, Glen Road Pedestrian Bridge was built to replace a much older motorist bridge dating back to 1929. The bridge now forms a critical link, connecting pedestrians and cyclists from Glen Road and Dale Avenue to the north, down to Bloor Street East and the Sherbourne subway station at the south end. The well-travelled wooden beams are beloved by the bridge’s daily users — in fact, the bride is a designated heritage property. Unfortunately, due to erosion, the steel frame has been compromised. The Glen Road Pedestrian Bridge has been closed twice for repairs since 2001 and is now coming to the end of its useful life.

This fall, the broader local community will have the opportunity to come together once again to discuss the fate of the bridge and plan for its future. In order to preserve and improve this serene pathway, we must consider how the bridge is utilized now, what may affect its use going forward and its esthetic design.

A public consultation will be held, as a drop-in event, on Sept. 28 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 227 Bloor St. E.