Association receives model of bridge to Van Rensselaer Point

On Dec. 17, 2021, Fort La Presentation Association President, Barbara O’Keefe was presented with a scale model of a bridge design developed by students of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department of Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.

For the past year and a half, the Fort Association has been working with Clarkson University undergraduate students to develop plans for a bridge to cover a span from the northern point of land to a small island in the St. Lawrence River that at one time was attached to the Fort property.

Several designs were formulated by students from both the Mechanical and Civil Engineering Departments. Drawings were presented to the Association for input. Three of the Fall 2021 Semester mechanical engineering students, Derrick Fouts, Zoe Murray, and Donny Nadon built the 1/12 scale model of the bridge they had helped to design to give a more striking visualization of the bridge than the drawings. They worked under the guidance of Professor Ron Buckingham.

The Association thanks Professor Buckingham, Professor Erik Backus, the chairpersons of the two respective departments and most important all the students who have worked on this project.