Anyone planning to get some rafting in on the Bow River this weekend may get a surprise.

The $25-million St. Patrick’s bridge project has begun construction with many channel closures near the west end of St. Patrick’s Island.

The bridge will be a visible mark of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation’s takeover of the island.

The bridge will connect East Village to the south and Bridgeland to the north.

Access to the wider south channel was briefly closed off Thursday and the narrower north channel will be closed off Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.