I was pleased but not surprised to see Andrew Pletch’s letter (Update on Gunns Bridge, Sept. 15) noting the improved health of the Trout River after the span of Gunns Bridge was extended, allowing a healthier river flow.
Too many Island rivers still suffer from the effects of the causeway building boom in the late 1950s. Causeways were cheaper to build as they reduced the bridge span but we are still paying the longer-term costs of algae build-up and odour from stagnant water and decaying plant life.
Everyone likely knows of a nearby river — North River, Cardigan, Mill River, Johnston’s River, St. Peters — where a causeway has caused degradation to the waterway by damaging the ecosystem through buildup of plant matter, algae blooms and anoxic (lack of oxygen) conditions.
As P.E.I. moves to address its aging infrastructure and prepare for more unpredictable weather, maybe we have an opportunity to also end the era of the causeway and free our rivers.
Theresa Redmond,
Corraville
