Less than ten years ago work crews were in the forested ravine that exists within our urban landscape for quite a while, building new bridges. These new bridges, we were informed, conformed to highway construction standard blueprints. And we could believe that; they were sturdily built, far beyond what the previous bridges had been, which were constantly being shored up, after a few years' duration when the effects of the seasons' weather conditions and age had made them unreliable. It was clear enough that these bridges were built for permanence.

We've watched the timbers age under the influence of rainstorms and winter helpings of snow and ice, battering from high winds, and the usual ravages of age. But they have withstood those ravages, since it's a scant decade and less when they were constructed. All the users of those bridges had reason to have complete confidence in them. Periodically, surveyors representing the provincial authority come in to take measurements of environmental degradation. They find little to suggest that anything beyond the normal is taking place.

On the other hand, we have ourselves seen quite a few collapses of the banks of the creek. Perhaps unsurprising given the make-up of the soil of the forest floor the ravine sits upon; a mixture of clay and sand. Events like the ice storm of 1998 that came through one winter and cracked off countless trees, wreaking damage across the north-east portion of North America left its unusual mark. We've had mini-tornadoes rip through the area uprooting giant old trees. And this season more frequent than normal rainstorms of broad occurrence and duration.

Still, we were taken by surprise when, a week and a half ago we entered the ravine to discover signs posted warning of bridge closures. Those bridges are integral to the network of trails running throughout the ravine. Unable to access the bridges, one is rendered incapable of proceeding for any length. We looked under the bridges at the supports and everything seemed fine. So we ducked under the restraining closures either end of the bridges and proceeded on our way. Those whom we came across, constant ravine amblers like ourselves did likewise after the initial concerns were expressed.

Enquiries with the municipality yielded little information of any use, and they appeared of no inclination to proceed with remedial work, if this is what they finally would lodge upon as a remedy to their safety concerns. I had sustained one hefty crack on the top of my head on one occasion, ducking under the barricade of one of the bridges. And it was a decided nuisance to have to continue doing this; some people considerably less limber as a result of their age crawled under on all fours.

And then, yesterday, we discovered that someone had taken a wrench with them and disengaged all of the encumbrances to the bridges. No longer firmly in place, the lug bolt taken away, each was slid over to the side and unencumbered access to the bridges once more accomplished. Hurrah!