Central Newfoundland cottage residents say they still can't access homes months after bridge closure

CBC
·2 min read
The Rocky Brook Road Bridge closed in December 2023 due to safety concerns. It remains closed, forcing residents to park their cars next to the bridge and walk to their homes, says representative. (Submitted by Gary Noseworthy - image credit)
The Rocky Brook Road Bridge closed in December 2023 due to safety concerns. It remains closed, forcing residents to park their cars next to the bridge and walk to their homes, says representative. (Submitted by Gary Noseworthy - image credit)
The Rocky Brook Road Bridge closed in December 2023 due to safety concerns. It remains closed, forcing residents to park their cars next to the bridge and walk to their homes, says representative.
The Rocky Brook Road Bridge closed in December 2023 due to safety concerns. It remains closed, forcing residents to park their cars next to the bridge and walk to their homes, says representative.

The Rocky Brook Road Bridge closed in December 2023 due to safety concerns. It remains closed, forcing residents to park their cars next to the bridge and walk to their homes, says representative. (Submitted by Gary Noseworthy)

Residents and property owners on the east shores of Paul's Lake and Joe's Lake in Central Newfoundland say they still don't have access to their properties after the closure of the Rocky Brook Road Bridge in December.

The bridge, near the town of Badger, was closed to all vehicles after a committee, made up of area property owners, alerted the provincial government in September about the unsafe conditions of the bridge.

Since then, the bridge has remained closed, and the committee said in a press release, shared by Chairperson of Rocky Brook Road Bridge Committee Gary Noseworthy, that residents are upset because the government hasn't responded with a solution.

"How would you feel somebody dug up your road and blocked you from home?" Noseworthy told CBC News.

"Property values have plummeted."

Noseworthy says they sent a plan to the government to sell crown lands in the area to finance the rebuilding on the bridge months ago, but haven't heard any response back.

When the government announced the bridge closure, they said that access to the area was still possible through the Aspen Brook Resource Road. However, Noseworthy says this isn't the case as the road is not maintained and they don't have the right to plow it, making it inaccessible for vehicles.

Residents are forced to park their cars on the side of the Rocky Brook bridge and walk to their homes.

Noseworthy says he was told it's the responsibility of the residents in the area to fix the bridge

Gary Noseworthy is the chair for the Rocky Brook Bridge Committee. He says they sent out a plan to the provincial government to finance the repair of the bridge but haven't heard back in months.
Gary Noseworthy is the chair for the Rocky Brook Bridge Committee. He says they sent out a plan to the provincial government to finance the repair of the bridge but haven't heard back in months.

Gary Noseworthy is the chair for the Rocky Brook Bridge Committee. He says they sent out a plan to the provincial government to finance the repair of the bridge but haven't heard back in months. (Submitted by Gary Noseworthy)

"They asked that we form an association and take ownership and help fundraise," he said. "It's not reasonable to expect a small group of people to take on the economic responsibility."

"We're a community like anyone else. We have, you know, 300 cabins and homes on on those lakes and we pay significant taxes. We're just asking them to stand up and to support us here and help the economy in central Newfoundland."

CBC News has not been able to obtain comment from Newfoundland and Labrador government officials despite repeated requests.

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