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Despite the clear advantage to the retailers, the city agreed to bear 87.5 per cent of the construction costs of the bridge. According to Robin Souchen, the city’s manager for real estate services, the city has also picked up 56.5 per cent of the bridge’s operating costs for the last 33 years. Between 2003 and 2012, the city spent $78,415 on glazing repairs, and a city report going to the finance and economic development committee on Tuesday estimates that the city would likely spend an additional $62,000 over the next three years.

In addition, the original 1982 contract holds the city responsible for the costs of taking down the bridge at the end of the 50-year term.

Agreeing to spend taxpayer money on a pedestrian bridge connecting two private, for-profit retailers does not seem like the city’s finest negotiating moment. But that’s old news — after all, what can the city do about a contract signed more than 30 years ago?

And yet, the city’s real estate staff is recommending that councillors repeat the errors of the past.

Rideau Centre owner Cadillac Fairview is pouring $360 million into the redevelopment of the shopping centre, so it makes sense the company would want a more attractive Freiman Bridge. In fact, Cadillac Fairview wants a renewed bridge so badly that it agreed to assume the risk of starting the reconstruction at its own expense, aware that the approval of council is still required.

So it’s clear that this bridge is a big deal for the Rideau Centre and The Bay. The city? Not so much. The Transitway is being largely replaced by the Confederation Line, which will have direct entrances into both the Rideau Centre and the north side of Rideau, which will provide ready access to the market. There’s no reason to put public money into the bridge today.