This geographical feature was named Engineer Creek as a tribute to the Canadian Military Engineers, who built the Ogilvie River Bridge (George A. Jeckle Bridge). The creek runs parallel to the Dempster Highway for about 30 km and empties into the Ogilvie River next to the Ogilvie River Bridge. It was named by the Government of Yukon on 24 September 1981, marking the 10th anniversary of the completion of the bridge.
Excerpt from “The History of the Canadian Military Engineers”, Volume 3, pages 370-371:
“The field squadrons also became involved in the construction of bridges and airfields in the North starting in the early 1970s in support of a government program of northern development. The remote locations and hostile climates offered construction challenges and hardships that were akin to training for combat missions. Construction of the first project, the Ogilvie River bridge in the Yukon, was undertaken by 3 Field Squadron and 1 CEU as a joint undertaking with the Department of Public Works….”
“Planning and reconnaissance had begun in June 1969 and the agreement between Public Works and the Department of National Defence called for the completion of the project- a 360-foot, three-span,…. (bridge) by December 1971. Construction start planned for July 1970 was delayed by a year because the civilian contractor building the Dempster Highway was unable to push the highway to the Ogilvie River until October 1970.”
“….sappers from 3 Field Squadron and support elements from 1 Service Battalion worked 14-hour days, seven days a week, from May to September (1971) to complete the structure…... Construction went smoothly and the bridge….. was opened and handed over to the Department of Public Works on 3 September 1971.”
