CELPIP Listening Part 4 Practice Test: A New Life for an Old Bridge

NARRATOR: An abandoned railway bridge in a small southern Alberta town will soon carry walkers and cyclists instead of trains. The wooden bridge, which crosses the river just south of downtown, has not seen a train since 1998, and two years ago the town was ready to tear it down. Officials said repairs would simply be too expensive. That changed when retired engineer Gordon Pike, whose father helped build the bridge in the 1950s, started an online petition. Within a month, more than eight thousand residents had signed it. Pike then convinced a local construction company to inspect the bridge for free. To the surprise of town councillors, the inspection found that the main supports were still in excellent condition. Only the deck and railings need replacing. The project will cost about two million dollars. Half the money will come from the provincial government, and the remainder is being raised by local businesses and families, who can buy a plank with their name carved into it for $150. Pike says nearly all of the planks have already been claimed. The path is expected to open next summer, and Pike has asked to be the first person to walk across.