Milnerton bridge

A little boy and his mother on the bridge in 1949.

Steph Loy, Milnerton

It was a happy coincidence as I saw Tabletalk’s front-page cover (“Big bucks needed for historic bridge,” Tabletalk November 30, 2017).

Recently, while going through a friend’s old photos, we discovered an old Cape Argus article from June 1949. It shows how the engineers of the time built it (the wooden bridge) so well – it was still standing even though it was condemned back then.

Sixty-seven years on, and this jarrah wood bridge is still a topic of conversation, making it a front-page story for Tabletalk.

I think this is one landmark we’ll miss, but considering the cost of restoration, it may be worth putting up a large plaque with pictures showing what it looked like then and now; then use the money to better serve the community for current needs.

This bridge, along with the ship’s hull lying at Lagoon Beach, can have a place in the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) museum, so we can remember where we came from or the great minds who came before us; but move forward to rekindle new beginnings.

Some things just need to rest in peace, while we marry ideas of improvement.