The West Montrose (Un)Covered Bridge Project hypothesizes the future of West Montrose and the Region had the bridge not been covered and fell into disrepair.

FACTS
The West Montrose bridge is the only surviving covered bridge in Ontario. On Dec 22, 1880 a tender was put forth to build a bridge in West Montrose. Completed in 1881 by John and Benjamin Bear, the bridge was built entirely out of wood and for reasons of economy and strutural durability, the bridge was covered to protect the dock from the ravages of the elements. The purpose of the bridge was to connect both the North and South sides of West Montrose and to provide easy access from Elmira to Guelph. The bridge itself has a long history as a focal point of the community and was used as a forum for public speakers, festivals, Christmas carollers, and as a place for postering local happenings as well as merchant advertisements. It was also known from its conception as the “Kissing Bridge”, because of its seclusion and the romance inspiring landsape in which it was located and because it was customary to be ‘charged’ a toll – a kiss - for crossing. Today the bridge has remained as a central site of community heritage.

FICTION
1880 - The tender was put forth to build a bridge.

1881 - The uncovered bridge was built.

1896 - The bridge was in disrepair and needed extensive renovations. After a few failed attempts in reinforcing the bridge, the local residents began to complain of the ailing eyestore over the Grand River.

1901  - After much deliberation, the Woolrich Council passed a motion to tear down the bridge. The Woolrich Council agreed that a new more advance bridge was needed and this could be an opportunity for West Montrose to flourish as a place for innovation and technological progression. The new tender went out  and stressed that the bridge must be mechanically advance since it will be seen as important icon for West Montrose.

1902 – After a disappointing responce from the region, the Council decided to approach S. M. Fried, an American, who reputation was growing in New York as an leader in constructing unusual bridges. His plans for West Montrose was a new bridge he had designed which was modeled after a ferris wheel.  Instead of a carriage revolving around the wheel, the carriage pivotted 180° arch over the river.

1903 – The New ‘Ferris Bridge’ as it became to be known was an immediate attraction drawing people from across the region to see it. Many enterpeneurs and business men from Waterloo and Kitchener saw the significance of the bridge on the economy and began relocating to West Montrose.
A. R. Kaufman was one of the business men who was particular interested in the developments and growing reputation of West Montrose and its economic boom. Kaufman came from a family of pioneering industrialists and was very much an innovator himself.

1907 - A. R.  began to persuaded his father, Jacob Ratz, to consider relocating Kaufman Rubber Company from Berlin (Kitchener) to West Montrose.

1910 - Kaufman Rubber Company was in about to enter its second phase of expanding its building. A. R. Kaufman convinced his father Jacob to halt construction and start a new plant in West Montrose. The new plant was designed by architect Alberta Kahn and construction was started.

1917 - Kaufman Rubber Company was complete. A. R. was also a strong believer in community planning and wanted to make a significant mark in West Montrose. He consulted with leading architects and engineers about constructing a bridge out of rubber.

1918 - After a few failed attempts, the design was perfected and construction began.

1920 - The first rubber bridge in the world was completed. Unfortunately, Jacob never saw the completed bridge passing away earlier in the year.
With the completion of the the rubber bridge, West Montrose’s population exploded.

1921 - West Montrose is elevated from a town to a city. The Woolrich Council agree that West Montrose needs a mjor and the first elections are held in November 1921. Issac Swope becomes the first mayor of West Montrose.

1924 - West Montrose became known as ‘the city with the links’ and each new bridge tired to outdo the previous bridge.

1928 - Another breakthrough bridge is constructed, the Garden Bridge which has an extensive garden was built on its top. (In the late nineties, this bridge is refered to as the first ‘green’ bridge of its time.)

1933 - Carl Doerr joins his grandfather, Charles H Doerr at his company in Kitchener. Carl Doerr, similarily to A.R. Kaufmann,  is an innovator and sees West Montrose  as the city of the future. He tries to convince his grandfather to relocate to West Montrose but Charles refuses to move the company.

1941 – With the passing of the founder, Carl takes over leadership of the company and begins talking of expanding the company to West Montrose with another plant.

1942 - A fire destroyed the plant was destroyed. Carl decides to relocate the company to West Montrose.

1943 – Construction begins on the new Doerr plant.

1945 – Carl legally changes the company and family name to "Dare" to ease pronunciation outside of the local community as the company starts to expand distribution to all regions of Canada.

1950 – Emory Zehr, together with his sons Lester and Clifford, began the tradition of superior customer service, value and quality that have become trademarks of Zehrs Markets in West Montrose. Over the decades, Zehrs has grown to be 50+ stores strong and continues to grow. This success is attributed to our dedicated employees and superior products that make Zehrs Markets synonymous with excellence. Zehrs now spans all of Southern Ontario and our stores can be found west to Windsor, east to Uxbridge, north to Owen Sound and south to Welland.

W.E. Thompson, a city planner, devised a strategic city planning for Kitchener, titled Kitchener 2000. However it was not supported by city council. W.E. Thompson moved to West Montrose, where his plan was fully supported. His plan envisioned a regional government system in operation in the Waterloo County. One major regional city incorporting the exisitig municipalities of West Montrose, Kitchener, Waterloo, Bridgeport, Elmira. Surrounding the regional cities would be suburban cities of high density. Subrban cities would be built up around the communities of New Hamburg, Ayr and Galt – Guelph and Stratford being close enough to ‘orbit’ within the regional concept. Interspersed between the surban cities would be subruban towns. Each centre would be large enough to support shopping , reigious, educational and services requirements. Each centre had a defined outer limits and separated by open space and agricultural area. Industry located through a region and according to need and to type. Regional council responsible for planning and the development of master plan. Each surban city and town would be connected with a heliport and monorail.

1955 – Howard Zielger, became the major of West Montrose and kept his position until he resigned in 1971. Major Zeilger was a strong supporter of public transit and under his tenture, an extensive heliport and monorail infrasture was put into place. He also expanded the subway system to become the most advance system in Canada. Mr. Zeilger’s council did cause major controvesy in 1970 when they approved a new development project that saw the demolishing of the historic Swope House which overlooked the Grand River. The New Hotel was named The Swope and was a contemporary architecture. Much of the public believed its red exterior was too austentious for the serence landscape that surrounded the hotel. Within ten years, the hotel’s reputation of a first class hotel rivaled the fairmount resort hotels and became an international destignation.

1965 – The first Heliport, MacKenzie King Heliport was built. 

1968 – The second Heliport, Elmira Station, was built. Smaller heliports were built in New Hamburg (1971), Ayr (1972), Kitchener (1974) and Waterloo (1975).

1962 – An extensive plan was conceived for connecting West Montrose and eventually Waterloo County by a monorail. The West Montrose Transportaion  Authority (WMTA) considered four different monorails for West Montrose.G. E. Skyway Express (1); Suspended Matra Interflo (2); Von Roll Urban Type III (3); Aerorail Cityflow People Porter(4). The latter was chosen because of it easy intergration with the exisiting railways. By 1965, there was two lines: the Grand River Corridor (West Montrose)and the Conestoga Line (Elmira-Waterloo. The Monorail existed within West Montrose boundries. In 1968, the Golden Horseshoe line was added. The intention of this line was to eventually connect Wellesly with Guelph. By 1975, with the success of the ‘People Porter”, the monorail was expanded through the county. The Grand River Corridor was expanded south to reach Preston and Galt. The Conestoga Line was also expanded south to reach Waterloo, Kitchener and Ayr. Between 1975- 1985 little was added to the lines, during this time, major renovations were completed to increase the speed of the rails. But during this time, the Golden Horsehoe was extended east to extend West Montrose and the Grand River line was extended north. This was the first phase of extending the line to Elora which would be complete in 1996.

The West Montrose Transportaion  Authority (WMTA) was responsible for building Canada’s first subway system in 1932. By 2000, West Montrose had an extensive subway system that was on the same scale as other metropolians city like New York and Paris. The West Montrose Subway (WMS) has 11 lines: Indigo A, B C-Lines, Emerald A and B-Lines, Violet Line, Scarlet Line, Sienna Line, Crimson Line, Orange Line, Umber Line.

1994 – The amalgamation of several municipals Elmira, Waterloo, Kitchener and West Montrose merging to form the City of West Montrose. This became the first mega city in Canada, shortly followed by Toronto in 1998.