When Joseph J. Vinagro and his family gathered to dedicate the footbridge at Memorial Park, around three weeks ago, everyone there to celebrate expected the bridge to last for years.
Unfortunately, the high winds brought by Wednesday night's storm toppled a tree onto the bridge, landing on top of the bridge and smashing the railings.
"We're working on what's next," said Christopher Correia, Director of Johnston's Recreational and Community Services.
The bridge was named the Nina Vinagro Memorial Bridge in memory of the late family matriarch.
In June, workers form JR Vinagro Corp., a Johnston-based construction company, used a crane to lower the new bridge into place, along the walking path around the pond at War Memorial Park.
The old bridge had fallen into disrepair, and was sorely in need of replacement.
Vinagro stepped up and volunteered to replace the bridge. His company forged it out of recycled materials, and saved the town around $100,000 Johnston Mayor Joseph M. Polisena said in June.
The tree likely fell late Tuesday night, landing in the center, its top limbs reaching the traffic lanes of Memorial Avenue. The railing was crushed under the weight of the tree, but substructure held.
"If it wasn't the new bridge, I think it would be in the water," Correia said as he picked up small pieces of wood from the bridge surface. "The railing and aesthetics will need to be addressed, but at least nobody was hurt."
Johnston Police informed Correia after they discovered the toppled tree, which had been growing on the edge of the Memorial Park pond.
Early Wednesday morning, the tree was cut into pieces and removed.
"We've been working here since early this morning," Correia said. "It might not look pretty for a while, but we'll get it open again."
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