SHELBURNE FALLS — One year and three weeks after it closed for significant repairs, the Bridge of Flowers has reopened.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for Monday, Aug. 18, at 2 p.m. near Buckland Town Hall, but members of the Bridge of Flowers Committee, anxious to reopen the span as soon as it was safe to do so, held a soft opening on Friday.

“I am thrilled that we are able to reopen the bridge,” said Bridge of Flowers Committee Co-Chair Annette Szpila. “It has been a Herculean task to take the Bridge of Flowers apart and reassemble it again. We could not have done this without the talented gardeners — Head Gardener Carol DeLorenzo and Assistant Gardener Elliston Bingham — that we are blessed to have making their magic happen.”

The nearly $3.2 million project saw the bridge stripped of plantings, its pathway, lighting, railings and the water line that carries potable water to Buckland residents. The last time the bridge was closed for repairs and stripped of plantings was in 1984.

The scope of work included sandblasting and repainting, demolishing the failed wall and replacing it, and installing a new water main, irrigation system, handrail, lighting and pathway. New metal arbors and memorial stands were crafted by Justin Morrell of Morrell Metalsmiths. Bob Compton and Scott Rollins refurbished the kiosks Compton had made. In addition, all the plants that were removed were cared for around the region and later replanted alongside new additions.

“We are grateful to so many people who helped us on and off the bridge, tending off-site gardens as well as those on the bridge,” Szpila said, adding that community members’ patience and words of encouragement meant a lot to committee members. “I hope when you are able to walk the bridge again, you are able to take the time to notice all the lovely new hardscape we have added as well as a blending of baby perennials and lovely annuals to show off the amazing possibilities that can inspire you in your own gardens.”

Szpila noted that when the new lighting arrives, the bridge will likely be closed for a period of time for installation. Otherwise, the bridge is now open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Getting started

The project got off with a bit of a snag when the sole bid came in higher than the nearly $2.3 million that was originally awarded for the job through MassWorks, but the Executive Office of Economic Development amended the initial award, allocating an additional $900,000. Northern Construction Service LLC of Palmer was the sole bidder and served as general contractor.

“Northern Construction was outstanding,” said Shelburne Falls Water Commission Chair Ron Dobosz “Rain, snow, sleet — they did not quit and diligently worked to stay on schedule.”

Dobosz also credits state Rep. Natalie Blais, state Sen. Paul Mark and the staff at the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) for their help, along with the Bridge of Flowers Committee.

“They worked with the state to secure the needed money for the repair,” Dobosz said. “Without their help, it would not have been possible. That kind of money — $3 million — that isn’t done by selling cookies. It takes a lot of hard work by a lot of people.”

Dobosz also commended the work by Tighe & Bond’s engineers. Overseeing engineer Zach Chornyak said his firm is “proud to have played a key role in the Bridge of Flowers project, beginning with our structural evaluation followed by our design, permitting and construction phase support services through completion of the bridge.”

“As one of the most iconic landmarks in western Massachusetts, the Bridge of Flowers is not only a treasured community asset but also a significant driver of regional tourism,” Chornyak said. “It has been an honor to contribute to the preservation and continued legacy of this remarkable structure.”

The garden centerpiece

DeLorenzo, Bingham and the Blossom Brigade of gardening volunteers, plus many other hands, were faced with a challenging task when it came to removing the plantings.

“During my 25-year tenure as the head gardener for the Bridge of Flowers, we have weathered many changes. This time of complete dismantling of the gardens for the noble purpose of bolstering the bridge structure itself has been the most far-reaching,” DeLorenzo said. “People near and far are eager to get back to the nuanced and ebullient display I crafted over this quarter-century. I invite all to join me with patience and curiosity as we move forward from the ground up to grow a new garden that will inspire and delight. I fully appreciate the fortified and upgraded elements installed by the engineers and construction team — the new canvas on which to design.”

Asked about her overall vision for the new garden, DeLorenzo said it “includes a lot of the successful, key elements from our former iteration.”

“There will be plenty of roses, flowering shrubs and vines tumbling and cascading through the railings and down the outer walls,” she added. “The best part is that this time around plants will cascade down both the downriver and the upriver sides. We will once again create shady oases with small flowering trees and large shrubs. We have always included native pollinators, but we have the space and opportunity now to layer in many, many more varieties.”

DeLorenzo noted that most of the small flowering trees are new, but by autumn, most of the shrubs from the former gardens will be back.

“Representatives from most of the perennials are either now replanted or will return in the fall or next spring,” she said. “For example, all the peonies and tree peonies we removed from the former gardens will be brought back this fall.

“We still have plants being cared for by community members across the western Massachusetts hilltowns that are awaiting their return to the bridge,” she added. “Volunteers have shown up resolutely throughout the closure to tend our perennials, shrubs and flowering trees on two properties, propagating for the plant sales, tending the enormous quantity of plants in the holding gardens, ready to do whatever it takes to replant the bridge.”

Asked how it feels to have stood on the bridge before it was reopened and the work accomplished, DeLorenzo said she is “proud of all the people involved in our artful project, the Bridge of Flowers.” She said she hopes visitors will appreciate the new hardscape elements such as the solid railings, the classic styled lamps, and the new arbors and ironwork.

An artful addition

In addition to new railings, pathway and lighting, visitors will see a new element of the newly refurbished bridge — a hand-crafted granite compass rose medallion installed at its virtual midpoint.

Stone artisan Justin Bardwell, a Buckland native and owner of CountryScape LLC, said the design, spearheaded by Shelburne Town Clerk Joe Judd, “playfully divides it into ‘Buckland’ and ‘Shelburne’ sides.”

“As a lifelong resident of Shelburne Falls, being asked to contribute to the Bridge of Flowers project was a real honor,” Bardwell said. “When Joe Judd called this winter with the idea of creating a stone centerpiece for the renovated bridge, we were immediately inspired by the challenge. We loved the idea of designing something meaningful, timeless and fun that honored both Buckland and Shelburne. It’s a nod to the geography of our sister towns and to the good-natured confusion that visitors often have in a village like ours. We hope it helps people feel more connected to our community and to the spirit that unites our two towns.”

Virginia Ray serves on the Bridge of Flowers Committee in the role of secretary and spearheading publicity.