SHELBURNE FALLS — The Bridge of Flowers normally opens April 1, but is remaining closed this year due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The committee that manages the bridge hopes to be able to open at some point later this year.
Although the bridge is outdoors, there are still public health considerations and legal regulations that make it difficult to open, according to Annette Szpila, chair of the Bridge of Flowers Committee.
Last year the bridge, which spans the Deerfield River, was not able to open at all, due to similar concerns. This year, Szpila said she is optimistic that it will be possible to open at some point, but it is still unclear when that may be. The bridge typically stays open through Oct. 31.
“We will open sometime, somehow,” Szpila said. “Right now is not the moment, unfortunately.”
The Bridge of Flowers, which opened in 1929, is not only an amenity for locals, but also a tourist attraction. Part of the problem in opening it is that it would draw people to Shelburne Falls, and might cause outbreaks of COVID-19, Szpila explained.
On the other hand, the tourist activity tends to benefit local businesses. Szpila said the Bridge of Flowers Committee is aware of that.
“Certainly the businesses downtown are hoping we will open,” she said. “That is a high consideration as we discuss it.”
Health code compliance is also a potential issue. Last year, the reason it was not feasible to open the bridge was that the committee would have had to organize contact tracing of all people who visited. Staffing such an effort was not possible, Szpila said.
The bridge itself is fairly narrow, making social distancing potentially difficult, Szpila continued. If the committee were legally responsible for monitoring people on the bridge and making sure they wear masks, that may make it difficult to open, she said.
For now, the Bridge of Flowers Committee is working with the local health boards to understand how federal and state rules might apply to the bridge, Szpila said. This will determine if and how it will be possible to open it.
At the very soonest, the outlook might be clearer later in April, she said.
Updates on the bridge’s status will be announced on the committee’s website, bridgeofflowersmass.org.
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.