Two new pedestrian bridges have opened in Umbagong District Park, replacing ageing wooden bridges that had been closed for more than two years.
A third bridge in Umbagong District Park, located between Latham and Macgregor, is expected to open in August "subject to favourable weather conditions", the government said.
City Services Minister Chris Steel said the new design and finish of the bridges would allow people to feel as though they're out in nature while using the park.
"Since 1986 when the timber bridges were first constructed, they've been important to the local community for the connectivity and recreational opportunities they provide," Mr Steel said.
"The timber bridges were closed to the public in April 2021 after a safety audit revealed the popular bridges needed replacement. The bridges allow people to stop and look at nature whether it be birds, the native grasslands or spotting lizards and other animal life.
"This is why we are so pleased to have completed and opened two of the three new bridges earlier this week. The two bridges are the smaller of the three and within close proximity of each other."
The new bridges, with designs influenced by bridges in the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, were built from steel and have a rusted finish, replacing the white timber bridges, the government said.
Mr Steel said the government had been working with the Umbagong Landcare Group and the Ginninderra Catchment Group to minimise the environmental impact of the new bridge construction project.
Belconnen Community Council chair Lachlan Butler in March said the designs for the new bridges reflected contemporary safety standards rather than what might have been acceptable in 1986.
"They're also more accessible and will be easier for wheelchairs and prams," he said.
Mr Butler said the Umbagong park was a special place for many people, so when they closed the bridges, many locals were inconvenienced by changes to their walking and running trails.
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