A plaque commemorating Sappers' Bridge occupies a place under Plaza Bridge (Wellington Street) on the southwest side of the Rideau Canal.
Lieutenant-Colonel John By laid the cornerstone for a bridge that would go over the Rideau Canal and allow traffic between the east and west parts of Bytown, now Ottawa, that would otherwise be divided by the canal. The 15th Company of the Royal Sappers and Miners built the bridge, completing it in December of that year. The bridge, providing a span 18 feet (5.5 metres) wide and 28 feet (8.5 metres) high over the canal, was named Sappers' Bridge after its builders.
In 1870 a second bridge, the Dufferin Bridge was added to the south of Sappers' Bridge. In 1912 both bridges were demolished to allow development of Connaught Place, later renamed Confederation Square. The bridges were replaced with Plaza Bridge, under which the Sappers' Bridge plaque is located.
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| Candian Military Engineers Génie militaire canadien 1903 - 2003 |
These foundations of "Sappers' Bridge," build by Lieutenant-Colonel John By and his Royal Engineers in 1827, represent the contributions of military engineering in Canada. This plaque was erected April 29, 2004, in honour of a century of continuing service by Canadian Military engineers.
NCC, Canada
Pont des Sapeurs
Ces fondations du pont des sapeurs, construites par le lieutenant-colonel John By et ses « Royal Engineers » en 1827, représentent les contributions du génie militaire au Canada. Cette plaque a été érigée le 29 avril 2004 en hommage à un siècle de service sontinu assuré par le génie militaire canadien.
CCN, Canada
