Souris Swinging Bridge

Outdoors | admin | October 10, 2009 at 4:59 pm

Less then half an hour South of Brandon, there is a small town by he name of Souris. The city itself is not the most well known of places and isn’t a bustling metropolis, however it does contain one of the star attractions of Westman, the Souris Swinging Bridge.

Spanning 582ft it is the longest swinging bridge in all of Canada. It was built in 1904 by Squire Sowden and local developer who owned much of the land in the area. By building the bridge, he could connect the two sides of the city more efficiently and cut the time in half that it took to go from one side of the city to the other.

The bridge has been a staple of the community and is a well known local attraction. The longest distance between spans is over 200ft, so while you stand in the middle of the bridge over the Souris River, you feel the bounce. So take care if you have small children as even they will create large movements in the bridge.

After you cross the bridge, take a right and follow the road by the river until you reach the iron bridge. From there you can enter the bird sanctuary or maybe take a look at the museum by the bridge.

Directions: Drive South on 18th st., it will become Highway #10. Then turn right (West) on Highway 2 and continue on for about 20km.

Time Required: An afternoon.

What Else to Enjoy: Souris has a fantastic, large, open park where peacocks roam freely and many wild birds are kept in a large enclosure. Be sure to bring some bread.

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