SEGUIN TWP. – The military is coming.
In a bridge training exercise, about 800 soldiers and 500 military vehicles will move through West Parry Sound between May 7 and May 9.
During that time, the military could have two bridge building exercises in Seguin Township. The first has soldiers creating a bailey bridge at a dry stretch along Highway 518, just west of Orrville, along the old highway bed. The second will be a floating bridge over Shadow River, beside the Highway 632 bridge, on the outskirts of Rosseau.
For the exercise in Rosseau, the military would build the bridge itself at the village beach, then float it out on Lake Rosseau and up the river and place it at the abutments for the old Highway 632 bridge.
“They put the bridge in, push the troops across and take it off,” said Seguin Fire Chief Dave Thompson during an April 16 council meeting.
An entire brigade from CFB Petawawa will travel to CFB Meaford, passing through Muskoka and Parry Sound between May 2 to 17. The convoy first heads to North Bay, then down Highway 11, through West Parry Sound before heading east to Huntsville, then south to Simcoe Country before turning west to Meaford.
Where exactly that many soldiers will sleep is still up in the air, but could include setting up camp at the Bobby Orr Community Centre.
Seguin council was told the military would fix any damage done to township roads from its vehicles.
According to Parry Sound’s director of emergency services, Sharon Montgomery- Greenwood, details such as exactly where soldiers will stay and what roads the convoy will travel are still being confirmed.