Help is needed to work on bridge

By Virginia Ross

The men are looking for someone to commit to donating several yards of concrete.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Paul Buck said donating his time and skills to replacing a bridge in Cascade Park is his chance to give something back.

Buck is part of a group of area men that has committed to donating labor and materials needed to the replace bridge, which extends over Big Run Creek. The groups insists replacing the 60-foot long bridge in Cascade Park won’t cost the city anything.

The men presented the idea to city officials earlier this month and now they’re hoping to get lawmakers’ OK to move forward with the project at council’s public meeting Thursday.

“We’re looking to work every weekend for at least six to eight weeks to complete everything,” he said. “This is already March, so we need to get going to get the bridge done in time.”

Buck explained he and the other members of the group are eager to get to work to ensure the bridge is completed by the annual Back to the 50s Classic Car Show in early July.

“We all participate in Back to the 50s in one way or another, and the bridge is a key part of the park,” he said. “To be without it is quite a hardship for an event like this.”

The bridge, which links two areas of the park, has been out for nearly two years. Replacing it likely would cost the city close to $100,000, officials said.

Buck, along with James Lombardo and Bob Smith, made the proposal to city council to donate their labor and some of the materials. The men, who worked together at Diamond Steel of Youngstown at one time, are looking for someone to commit to donating 241‚Ñ2 yards of concrete.

The bridge’s unsafe condition also required the city to reroute the Cascade of Lights last fall.

According to Smith, Gennaro Paving of Hillsville will demolish the bridge deck, Boardman Steel will supply the structural steel and metal deck, MS Consultants of Youngstown will provide the engineering, Diamond Steel will provide the labor to dismantle the bridge and erect a new bridge, and Lombardo, through T. Bruce Campbell, will supply the crane to pull off the old structure and set the new structure.

The men said they would like to have the bridge kept at a three-ton weight limit.

Although New Castle isn’t incurring any cost, Solicitor Michael Bonner said that he wants the city to have the ability to examine the design specifications of the bridge and make sure the city engineer is involved and that permits from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection are in place.

He said he also wants an agreement spelling out that the work and materials are being donated.

Buck said last week he met with the city engineer and park director to go over the plans.

“We’re pretty much ready and anxious, but when need the city to give us the go-ahead,” Buck said. “Once we get the OK, we’re there.”

Buck said area residents have offered to make financial contributions. But he noted the project is not a fund-raising effort.

“We don’t really need cash as long as we can get the concrete, and I really think we’ll be OK with that,” he said.

Even so, if you’re interested in learning how to help, you can reach Buck by calling (724) 656-2432.