Municipal Historic Resource
Canadian Pacific Railroad Bridge
Red Deer, Alberta
Also known as C.P.R. Bridge, Canadian Pacific Railway Bridge, The Rail Bridge
Southeast view showing wood trestle and steel truss construction of the Canadian Pacific Railroad Bridge (February 2004)
Photo: City of Red Deer, 2004
- Built
- 1908
- Recognized
- 1991
- By
- Local government
The register’s text, word for word
Description
Built in 1908 for rail travel across the Red Deer River, the Canadian Pacific Railroad Bridge today functions as part of the pedestrian network of the Waskasoo Park system within the city of Red Deer. It is a double span steel truss bridge, founded on concrete buttresses with a wooden trestle extension on the south end.
Heritage value
Historical Value: The historical significance of Canadian Pacific Railroad Bridge lies in its link with the creation of a Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) divisional point at Red Deer in 1907. It replaced a series of earlier bridges that failed to withstand the forces of the Red Deer River. This 1908 structure carried rail traffic continuously until 1990 when the CPR line relocated west of the city. The Canadian Pacific Railroad Bridge is an enduring landmark, which historically has served as an informal pedestrian link between North Red Deer and downtown Red Deer.
SourceRed Deer and District Archives, Archivist, City of Red Deer, PO Box 5008, 4914 - 48 Avenue, Red Deer, AB T4N 3T4 (Files: Research File MG–250–5)
Character‑defining elements
- Form and massing of the bridge
- All extant features including: wooden trestles at the south end; painted, riveted steel truss design; concrete buttresses; old wooden rail bed
- Mixed use of the bridge within the Waskasoo Park system to include pedestrians, cyclists, and inline skaters
End of the register’s text
Location
Red Deer, Alberta, T4N, Canada
52.27573° N, 113.81699° W
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From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, as last updated on December 12, 2025. The register’s text is shown word for word.