Ball's Bridge was erected in 1885 to connect Goderich, the county seat, with outlying areas to the east. The structure is an excellent - and now rare - example of a two-span Pratt design through truss, pin-connected wrought iron bridge. Its construction shows attention to detail through the 'v-lacing' located at various points on the bridge. Built during the horse-and-carriage age, it continued to serve as a major crossing point on the Maitland River until 1989, when the bridge was deemed unable to support the weight of modern vehicles. In 2006, it was closed to all traffic and faced a bleak future. Due to the dedicated efforts of the Friends of Ball's Bridge, it was fully restored and upgraded, and reopened to light traffic in 2007.

Location

On Little Lakes Road, near the intersection of Base Line, about 13 km (8 miles) east of Goderich.

Themes

• Buildings and structures
• Transportation systems and communications