Smiths Falls town council voted in favour earlier this week of replacing the historic Confederation Bridge in Smiths Falls with a new pedestrian bridge.
The bridge was closed in 2015 after an engineering report deemed the structure no longer safe for use.
"In the end, it's the right decision made by council," said Smiths Falls Mayor Shawn Pankow on The Sam Laprade Show on Jan. 19.
The bridge was been serving the community for 110 years noted Mayor Pankow, and many people feel a sense of attachment to the structure.
Smiths Falls council was presented with four replacement options, and went with the option that cost $1.2 million.
"The real decision was made in 2015 with the report showing that the bridge was no longer functional," added the town's mayor. "There was no reasonable path to move forward to rebuild it or preserve it."
Listen to the full interview with Mayor Shawn Pankow below:
