Thousands of bargain hunters and balloon enthusiasts travel to Sussex each summer for the Flea Market and Atlantic Balloon Fiesta. 

Local leaders say by next year's events, a new pedestrian bridge will make it easier for visitors to access downtown businesses. 

"It's one of the most important projects that we've earmarked for over a decade here and we're looking forward to having the construction proceed," said Sussex CAO Scott Hatcher. 

The 60-metre bridge will cross Trout Creek and connect the town's recreation campus, where many events are held, with the business core. 

Hatcher said the bridge will link the town's existing nature trail from behind the 8th Hussars Sports Centre to upstream of the RBC parking lot. 

"Today we presently have about eight kilometres of trails that you can walk from one end of the community to the other," he said. "This bridge will be located right on the trail system."

It will exclusively be for people traveling by foot, bicycle, or mobility assisted devices like motorized wheelchairs. 

Hatcher said the connection is expected to help support the local economy, with upwards of 40,000 people each day coming to the area for its iconic summer events. 

"To be able to have the necessary infrastructure so that those patrons can mingle and travel in our downtown core conveniently should translate into sustainability for those businesses," he said. 

A pedestrian bridge has been in the works since 2009 but has been put on hold a number of times, for reasons including economic uncertainty. 

About 13 years ago, Potash Corporation gave the town the structure of a conveyor system that was originally at its Cassidy Lake mine. It was cut up into five sections and has been stored by the town ever since. 

"Our structural engineers have assessed that with modest changes, we can place it on the ground, reassemble the conveyor and turn it into what will at the end of construction, look something like a covered bridge," he said. 

The project is expected to cost about $500,000, according to Hatcher. It has secured $350,000 through government grants, with most of it coming through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Hatcher said the town is still exploring options around partnering with private companies in the region for additional contributions. 

"There's a lot of excitement about it," said Steve Downey, the president of the Sussex Downtown Business Association. "It's been something that was talked about for a while, but it's finally coming to fruition."

Downey said it's expected businesses will see a spike in foot traffic with the installation of the bridge. 

"Currently it's not as easy to get down to that area, you kind of have to walk around to get there," he said. "It'll definitely encourage people to walk around more and give them more access as opposed to one route."

Downey said the Atlantic Balloon Fiesta and the Flea Market are huge opportunities for local businesses. 

The project is expected to go to public tender in the coming months, according to Hatcher. He said the town's goal is to have the bridge open by June 1, 2023.

Katie Hartai is a reporter based out of Saint John. Her favourite stories to tell involve the environment and mental health. Contact her at katie.hartai@cbc.ca.

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