The City of Hanover named its quarterly newsletter after the bridge. The Summer 2026 issue went out under a "HANOVER BRIDGE" masthead, and that summer the bridge itself was closed. The same issue said the Settlers Park shelter behind City Hall would close on September 1 and stay closed until spring 2027. That puts the two places Hanover's winter traditions usually center on out of service this season. December is still full. The Lions Club and the Hanover Historical Society are carrying most of it, and the plans for both landmarks are starting to overlap.
What the July Inspection Found
The bridge was built in 1885 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. HometownSource reported that Hennepin County inspectors found structural damage during a July 1 inspection and the bridge had to close. During that inspection, an inspector tapped a pin cap with a hammer and it fell off, and a second pin cap was damaged.
Carl Osberg of the engineering firm WSB explained why that mattered in a memo HometownSource quoted. "These pins hold the bridge members together vertically, while the pin caps (similar to modern day nuts and washers) hold the bridge members together laterally," he wrote. "The loss or damage to the pin caps make the bridge susceptible to lateral load failure."
On July 21 the City Council approved up to $50,000 for emergency repairs. That money was for stabilization only. Osberg wrote that emergency repairs would not reopen the bridge to pedestrians. Reopening depends on long-term work to inspect and replace the damaged pins and caps, and that work requires State Historic Preservation Office review, which he described as "typically time consuming." In a bridge update on the city's site, the mayor said the city was working with the county and state so the bridge would keep its historical designation. He added, "Trust us, we want it open just as much as you do!"
At the September 15 council meeting, City Administrator Jenny Wiley said the initial stabilization was complete and WSB was preparing a scope of work for continued maintenance. Council Member Mike Amery suggested putting the engineering for the project out as a request for proposals. Those minutes are in the October 6 council packet. The city's 2025–2026 strategic plan had already listed "Develop a plan for Historic Bridge" as a goal before any of this happened.
The Shelter Bid Came in Under Estimate
The Settlers Park pavilion is getting a rebuild of its own. In August the council authorized WSB to prepare bid documents for the shelter improvements. Four contractors picked up the plans, and two submitted bids by the September 29 deadline.
| Park Pavilion Improvements | Amount |
|---|---|
| Engineer's estimate | $200,000.00 |
| CJC Construction, LLC of Hanover | $161,000.00 |
| Gustav & Rudy Contractors, Inc. | $327,479.00 |
On October 6 the council voted unanimously to award the contract to CJC Construction, a Hanover company, for $161,000. That is $39,000 below the engineer's estimate. According to the WSB memo, the city and CJC will set the construction schedule once the contract and required documents are signed. The newsletter still says the shelter reopens in spring 2027. Until then, the shelter at Settlers Park, behind City Hall at 11250 5th Street NE, stays closed.
The Lions Club Asked About Lights
Holiday lighting for the park had already come up at the same October 6 meeting. The Hanover Lions Club brought three quotes from Innovated Home and Lawn, a small business based in Saint Michael. All three were priced at a discounted civic rate:
- Tier 1, $3,464: warm white mini lights wrapped on six ornamental trees along the west edge of the parking lot, C9 lights along the picnic pavilion roofline, and an outline of the metal archway
- Tier 2, $7,951: everything in Tier 1, plus six trees on the 5th Street side of the parking lot and eleven large trees along the main walking path in the park's southeast corner
- Tier 3, $8,637: everything in Tier 2, plus C9 lights along the upper and lower rooflines of City Hall
Under the quote, the contractor would keep ownership of the lights and handle maintenance, takedown, and storage. Seasonal park lights would come down between January 1 and March 1. The council discussed the costs and possible donations, then tabled holiday lighting until 2027.
A smaller version was back two weeks later. The October 20 work session packet listed "Settlers Park/City Hall Decorations – Lions Club" under old business. The attached $5,015 contract names the Lions Club as the client instead of the city. It covers the 5th Street trees, the park path trees, and the archway in warm white mini LEDs, with an installation window of October 15 to November 30. The Park Board had already sided with the club. At its September 22 meeting, the board reviewed the three Lions options and agreed with the plan the Lions recommended.
The Calendar Through December 15
With the shelter and the bridge both closed, most of the season's events are run by community groups and held at the Fire Hall, churches, and stores. In date order:
- Turkey Bingo, Friday, November 20, 6:30 p.m., Hanover Fire Hall. The Lions Club lists it on its 2026 calendar, and the Hanover Fire Relief Association's Turkey Bingo is on the city's calendar for the same night.
- Holiday Light Recycle Project, November 28 through January 4. The Lions put collection boxes for old strings of lights at Hanover Tom Thumb, Cub Foods in St. Michael and Buffalo, and Coborn's in Albertville and Buffalo.
- Letters to Santa, from shortly after Thanksgiving through December 15. The Hanover Historical Society sets out the mailbox. Include a full name and address to get a reply. Legacy29 sponsors it.
- Senior Holiday Lunch, Wednesday, December 2, Albertville Parish in St. Michael. Register through the Crow River Senior Center at 763-497-8900.
- Caroling at the Bridge, Friday, December 4, 6 to 8 p.m. This Historical Society event always falls on the first Friday in December. This year's listing is marked with a location change, so check the society's events page for the venue before you go. Area choirs perform, and the sponsors are ProLine Electric for food and drinks, Lisa Middagh of Edward Jones for lighting, Hassan Sand & Gravel for Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and MidCountry Bank & Insurance for the festive llamas.
All five are run by clubs, nonprofits, and local sponsors. The caroling event keeps its name, Caroling at the Bridge, in a year when its listing carries a location change.
Bridge Boards in a New Band Shelter
The Park Board's planning shows how closely the two projects are tied. At its September 22 meeting, the board discussed getting bids to move the berm at Settlers Park and to design a band shelter, and raised the idea of building the band shelter with boards from the historic bridge. Council liaison Jim Zajicek said the berm has to move first, and the band shelter and garden designs would follow in phases. Board chair Faye Schnell is revising the plans before they go to the council and out for design bids. The board's October 27 agenda had the band shelter and seasonal lighting under unfinished business, with a new item for Settlers Park design ideas.
So the Settlers Park that reopens in 2027 could have a new pavilion from a Hanover contractor and a band shelter built partly from the bridge it sits near.
Other park business is moving too. At the same September meeting, the board approved three possible names for Hanover's newest park and sent them to the council: Oak Ridge Park, Barn Owl Park, and Walnut Grove Park. On September 15, the council approved a committee requested by the city's Economic Development Authority to design the roundabouts on CSAH 19. The board also has a National Fitness Campaign proposal for an outdoor Fitness Court. Members liked the concept but asked for more information, with the city looking at decision timelines heading into 2027.
For now, the shelter stays closed until spring 2027, the long-term bridge repairs still need State Historic Preservation Office review, and Turkey Bingo is at the Fire Hall on November 20.
Our team lives and works around the Crow River towns, and we keep up with projects like these so our neighbors know what's open and what's coming. If you have questions about Hanover, whether it's this winter's park work or a bigger move down the road, Zachman Realty Group is happy to talk it through over coffee. Move Forward With Confidence.
