Generations ago, this spindly structure was where you crossed over the Kootenay River in the area. With a sharp bend at each end, a sketchy south approach and narrow deck, it must have been no picnic for drivers. Heaven help you if it snowed. Bypassed about half a century ago and in the shadow of the replacement span, it’s now an historic site open to foot traffic. This is the Brilliant BC edition of our Bridge Hunting series, so let’s get started. Yeah!
Built in 1913, it connected the Doukhobor communities of Brilliant and Ootenshenie in the West Kootenays. The location here is a narrowing of the river and just upstream from its confluence with the mighty Columbia, where it bends south to the States. The Kootenay is a little trickle in comparison but still flows fast and hard. Looks down from the bridge and see it boil.
Bridge Hunting: Brilliant BC – Brilliant, just Brilliant! Crossing over and crossing back with Chris Doering & Connie Biggart (BIGDoer/Synd)
Let’s all send a shout out to “JLaF” for making this and many other articles at BIGDoer.com possible. Do the same…
A suspension design, the bridge deck is supported by rods attached to rock-anchored cables strung between two concrete towers.
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Volunteers from local Doukhobor communes, guided by their charismatic leader, Peter “Lordly” Verigin, constructed the bridge under supervision of an engineering firm. Completed in a short 7-8 months, financing mostly came from the local community with the rest picked up by the provincial government. It cost sixty thousand big ones which works out to 1.4 million and change adjusted for today.
“Its construction almost entirely by Doukhobor settlers was a major accomplishment for a pioneer community and demonstrated the considerable capabilities of a people acting communally.” Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, July 1995.
The decking is comprised of wood planks resting atop steel beams.
The old road down to the bridge still exists on the south end and in spite of being abandoned for so long, is not in bad shape. In fact, it’s better than some Saskatchewan highways! It bends sharply left on coming to the bridge and must have been tricky to drive if conditions were slippery. There’s a straight drop down to the fast flowing river below on one side and a rock wall on the other. The road is literally a shelf blasted out of the side of a mountain.
The bridge is just over a hundred metres long and single lane. With that said, approaching motorists had to yield to any opposing traffic before proceeding. It’s about an eighteen metre drop down to the river but to someone who doesn’t like heights, it seems like much more. Hundreds of metres, easy, or maybe even a kilometre.
With the completion of a new highway span in 1966, just downstream, the old bridge was decommissioned. It must have been a real headache by that point and long overdue for replacement. It was not removed as might be expected and simply abandoned in place. Fast forward to the 1990s and plans were put in place to restore the structure, a lengthy process that took until 2010 to complete. Once again and after so many years, it had a use.
We’ve seen photos showing the bridge just before the work started and it was not looking good. We’ve also seen images from the early days and it’s little changed from that time. Kudos to those behind it all and for that we give a slow clap.
The span forms the centrepiece for the Brilliant Bridge Regional Park that includes a viewing platform and information plaques. It’s been historically recognized too, and is known as the Doukhobor Suspension Bridge National Historic Site.
The new highway span towering overhead is nothing to look at when driving across, but quite graceful and elegant when viewed from below. There is something beautiful about a long sweeping arch, but hidden from view to motorists, it’s not something any of them see.
There’s a dam about a kilometre upstream of the two bridges, and about thrice that distance away in the opposite direction, it’s the city of Castlegar.
The trail to the bridge passes a large empty lot (site of an old farm, we think) and is home to many fruit trees. Saskatoons too. The latter were easiest to get at and while a bit shrived from dry conditions the weeks preceding our visit, they had an intense flavour.
Most people visit the Brilliant Suspension Bridge via Brilliant Road (part of the old highway) on the north side of the river, which allows one to drive right up to the structure. We liked the walk-in option that begins at the parking lot off Rosedale Road and the Three-A. This is the same highway that utilizes the newer bridge and offers easy access into Castlegar.
Doukhobors were a religious group out of Russia, Ukraine and surrounding regions, that in the early 1900s came to this part of Southern BC. Their descendants are still here and easily recognizable by their distinctive last names (often ending in -ov, -off, -ev, -in or similar). The step-dad was of Doukhobor heritage (and an -off), but came from a second group that settled in Northern Saskatchewan. There were some cultural differences between mountain and prairie Doukhobors.
Sweet mother, it was dry and scorching hot this day (peaking at 39c). Our visit was done early to beat the heat but even then we didn’t last long and weren’t our typical can’t-sit-still selves. By dragging our butts, I think we missed some good shots, but still you get an idea what it’s all about.
”Chris and Connie delve into the nooks & crannies of the Canadian Prairies (ed: we go to the mountains too – case in point, this post). They detail interesting histories accompanied with revealing photos…and the results are fantastic.” Naomi Kikoak.
If want more information on what you see here, feel free to contact us!
Date of Adventure: July, 2021. Location(s): Brilliant, BC. Article references and thanks: USCC Doukhobor – Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ, HistoricPlaces.ca, LarrysDesk.com, Parks Canada Directory of Federal Heritage Designations plus the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
(A long read) After twelve years it's time to put a face to the name and come clean on something. That's rarely-seen Chris in the photo, one half of Team BIGDoer, my best friend for almost thirty years and orchestrator of everything you see here. For his entire adult life, he's battled a deep depression.
Mostly it's manageable, but there are extended bouts where it's crippling and his life comes to a grinding halt. Sometimes there are days or weeks where he's lost. Sleep does not come easy at this time and further aggravates the issue. As he ages, it's worsening and seems intent on destroying him from the inside.
If you see a lack of posts here, or ones poorly worded, confusing or simply off, it's from one of these periods.
Through all this, he remains as kind, thoughtful and loving as ever, but is somewhere else. To the family, it's just Chris and accepted as it should be. The kids and grandkids adore him no less. Until today, however, this has been hidden from the outside world, although closer friends and some readers were probably already suspect of his condition. I hope admitting this does not break the site.
He finds clarity when we're out and doing things, hiking or documenting something historic and it's only THE reason this page and our website exists. It's therapy. Then he's a new and passionate person, but the monster as he calls it always returns. The Beer Parlour Project has brought out a side I've never seen and when out in the field he's never been so on point and confident.
This post is not for sympathy but to inform. Just so you know where he is and here's what you can do to help (a last ditch request)...
If you see a missed comma or oddly worded sentence in a post, please be kind. You'll probably see his uncertainty when he's off and be nice there too. But if you like what you see, even if the write up could be presented better, post your encouragement. Say something and say it loud...it's important and will keep him sharing. Help Chris get better by cheering him on.
Other than some photos that are mine, everything else comes from him. All the tiring research and the writing (he admits he's NOT a writer), are his.
Chris puts every dollar he makes into this "project of a lifetime", and it's supplemented by donations from readers who enjoy the content. If you want to help...
Admittedly he was not thrilled with the idea of posting this but agrees it probably should be said, even if it makes him uneasy. He doesn't like appearing in photos either. He's so shy, thinks he looks goofy and hates his husky eyes. I love them and they're windows into a wonderful, complex and quiet, but tortured soul. It breaks my heart when he's in a bad space.
This image comes thanks to photographer Arturo Pianzola and was captured while exploring the historic Riverview Mental Hospital in Coquitlam BC. Chris thought since he was in the area last year, he'd stop by to visit with a grandfather he never really knew, who spent his last years at the facility and is buried on the grounds.
Thanks for listening and your understanding. Hopefully we'll see you next week. Johanna (Connie).
Journey of Natty Gann (Disney 1985) and the same location in the Crowsnest Pass 2014. We're visiting the Pass over the new year, as we often do, and this time we'll be staying at a house that appears (briefly) in the film. How cool, eh? Chris has decided it's time on this visit to reshoot this and other Natty Gann comparison shots we did from ten years ago. Stay tuned!
This scene was shot in historic downtown Coleman and shows the former Holyk's Grocery. It was built in the early 1900s and the store closed in the '60s. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
From 2015. Rob Pohl and his strange old-style view camera joined us in documenting the Laing House (with permission). Head down to the comments to see an amazing coincidence with something I found inside.
From the Crossley slides, it's an undated view of Towers School, out near Cluny Alberta. It was originally called Swastika School but that's before the word and symbol were ruined by negative connotations. Built 1922. Gone? _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
The same alley in downtown Calgary's west end, in the 1970s & today. You have to look hard to see the connection! The area was quite run down back then and is in stark contrast to all the shiny condo towers seen present day. Calgary Place West, an apartment block, appears in both images although it's barely a sliver in ours. Check the comments for more info.
Photo credit: James Tworow collection. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Lost highways (2022): a section of old #93 in Southeastern BC. That BIGDoer-mobile is gone now but quite famous and had a following of its own. Old mine roads, cow paths, 4x4ing across fields - no problem and people would recognize us out in remote areas just by this car. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
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