The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) has announced the 11 projects confirmed in the Canada-wide Material Reuse Competition, a unique initiative which aims at giving a new life to over 400 leftover steel components from the original Champlain Bridge.

JCCBI launched this competition in June 2021 as part of its commitment to minimize the environmental footprint of the Champlain Bridge deconstruction. The submissions were reviewed by a committee of experts from the fields of the circular economy, architecture, visual art, urban planning, and industrial design. The feasibility of the projects was then verified by the JCCBI team.

“This is a very innovative competition, and we are delighted with the variety of recreational, artistic, commemorative and community-based projects that were confirmed. They include unique works created entirely by artists as well as industrial projects that will honour the memory of this important Montreal structure. The participants have shown creativity and innovation, and we look forward to seeing these proposals come to life,” said Sandra Martel, Chief Executive Officer, JCCBI.

The 11 projects are as follows:

The Champlain Bridge WatchTHE CHAMPLAIN BRIDGE WATCH
Steve Christensen
Novo Watch

Watchmaker and entrepreneur Steve Christensen will use the steel from the original Champlain Bridge to make unique watches.  “THE CHAMPLAIN BRIDGE WATCH” is a project that aligns perfectly with his company’s mission to reuse materials in all of its products.

This watch will be marketed across the country to let all Canadians own a small piece of the Champlain Bridge.

A Bicyle - Old Champlain BridgeA BICYCLE
Jacques Gallant
Métallerie Gallant Metalworks inc.

“A BICYCLE” is a unique handcrafted project that has a recreational, artistic, commemorative and community purpose.

The artist will transform a 3-kg steel component from the original Champlain Bridge into a functional bicycle and a rack for six bicycles that will be used for a community cause.

Called “Sam”, the bicycle will serve as both a transportation method and a work of art at different events. With frame parts made from cut steel that has been heated and hammered, the bicycle’s unique shapes will make it easy to spot its origins.

MÉMOIRE - Old Champlain BridgeMÉMOIRE
James Kennedy
Jameskennedy.ca

Visual artist James Kennedy will create a public multimedia sculpture called “MÉMOIRE” with integrated audio documents to bring alive the individual and collective memory of the original Champlain Bridge.

Composed of 15 vertical steel panels made from the Champlain Bridge’s chords, the sculpture will be arranged in a staggered pattern, and its perforations will create an illustration of the original Champlain Bridge. Each panel will have a QR code that visitors can scan to listen to an audio extract from 15 stories that the artist will collect from people who had a special relationship with the Champlain Bridge.

CircaCIRCA
Zoé Lavigne and Benoit Michaud
Paramètre Designlab inc.

“CIRCA” is an art work in a glass display that represents the life cycles of the bridge, from its design, construction and service life to its deconstruction and return to the community to help people reflect on sustainable development.

The artifact will be installed in the lobby of the downtown Montreal offices of bridge engineering firm Structura to support the company’s vision and encourage people to reflect on and discuss infrastructure sustainability.

CONNECTÉ D’UN PÔLE À L’AUTRE CONNECTÉ D’UN PÔLE À L’AUTRE 
William Atkinson
Devimco Immobilier

“CONNECTÉ D’UN PONT À L’AUTRE” is an art installation that celebrates the integration of public art into the urban space while commemorating the original Champlain Bridge as a major unifying corridor that helped Brossard grow and develop. The steel components will be made into one or more outdoor art pieces at the Solar Uniquartier project in Brossard.

HABITAT MULTIFONCTIONNELHABITAT MULTIFONCTIONNEL
Christian Grenier
Ferme du Grenier Gardangeois inc.

This project will involve building a prototype for a mixed greenhouse / animal production site on a family farm in Ange-Gardien in Montérégie.

This new concept for an agricultural building will make the animals’ living environment more natural by recovering their waste heat and gases to promote plant growth. Another goal of this technology showcase is to inspire other agricultural producers to create similar projects.

NOMBREUX PROJETS MOBILIERSNOMBREUX PROJETS MOBILIERS
Danny Du Mays
Centre de services scolaire Marie-Victorin

The Centre de services scolaire Marie-Victorin (CSSMV) will be using components from the bridge for multiple furniture projects at schools in Brossard.  The CSSMV is very interested in using components from the original Champlain Bridge to preserve the heritage of this structure that helped develop its territory. Students in the Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS)  in welding-assembly will transform certain components to make furniture.

A plaque with a QR code will trace each component’s link to the old bridge and provide historical information about this structure.

RÉPARER NOTRE BLESSURERÉPARER NOTRE BLESSURE
Daniel Duranleau and Vincent Daoust
Table de concertation de Ville-Émard Côte Saint-Paul

The Table de concertation de Ville-Émard / Côte Saint-Paul is partnering with neighbourhood artist Vincent Daoust to create an art piece that will beautify and enhance this sector, which has had to put up with many nuisances from major projects, such as the construction of Hwy. 15 and work on the Turcot Interchange.

This artistic touch will repair the wounds of the past by adding beauty to the area and enhancing the sector.

STRUCTURE POLY TRI IASTRUCTURE POLY TRI IA
Paul Clas and multiple students
Polyal – Polytechnique Montréal

“STRUCTURE POLY TRIA IA” is an innovative and creative school project that will be carried out by computer, software, industrial and civil engineering students at Polytechnique Montréal.

This artistic structure made of components from the original Champlain Bridge will house the hardware for POLY TRI IA, a computer system that detects and sorts waste using artificial intelligence.  This eco-responsible structure will make the student community aware of the importance of the 4RE (reduce, reuse, recycle and recover before eliminating).

SUNSHINE BRIDGESUNSHINE BRIDGE
Cory Ovans
Dunn Memorial Scout Camp

A few pieces of steel from the original Champlain Bridge will make it possible to build a steel footbridge to connect different camps at the Dunn Memorial Scout Camp located in Elgin, Montérégie.

The footbridge will be built by volunteers from the region and the “SUNSHINE BRIDGE” project will be dedicated to Cecile Antink, a volunteer who has worked with scouts for several years.

UN PONT VERS L’AUTOSUFFISANCEUN PONT VERS L’AUTOSUFFISANCE
Samuel Pelletier, Charles Boivin and Jean-François Marceau

This residential greenhouse project will become a seamless part of its natural environment to maximize energy efficiency. The project will draw from new concepts to grow organic vegetables in the neighbourhood and reduce residents’ environmental impact.

Girders from the original Champlain Bridge will be used to create an overhead structure from which different types of fruits and vegetables can be harvested. Surplus food from the residential greenhouse will be donated to local organizations.

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