The owners of the Ambassador Bridge and the Walpole Island First Nation have inked a deal to begin a significant archeological dig to pave the way for possible construction of a twin span of the bridge.
The Canadian Transit Company will fund the work, pegged at over $1-million, to allow the First Nation and AECOM to do archeological mitigation work around Indian Rd., the former Villa Maria site on Riverside Dr. West and a small parcel of land between University Ave. and Riverside Dr.
"Trade just didn't start happening here in 1929 when the original bridge was built," says Bridge spokesperson Stan Korosec. "It has probably existed for thousands of years and with the work and the artifacts that were found when they did the roundabout nearby, early investigations show that this could be a really significant area."
Bridge Spokesperson Stan Korosec says the archeological work will begin immediately. May 24, 2018 (Photo by AM800's Teresinha Medeiros)
The work will begin immediately and is expected to last seven months.
It could resume in the spring of next year, depending on what they find.
First Nation Chief Dan Miskokomon says it will help reconnect the members with their rich history.
"Not only creating the opportunities but understanding what our territory means and basically how we got here type stuff. It brings ownership back to this land."
He adds another added benefit of the project is it creates opportunities for 'professional jobs' for its members.
He wouldn't say what he expects to find, but anything that is found will be blessed and valued.