Welland city council is looking for $4 million worth of help from Niagara Region to begin the replacement of the Forks Road Bridge in Dain City.

All but one councillor Tuesday voted in favour of asking the regional government to take care of the first phase of knocking down the decommissioned and aging bridge to make room for a new one.

The total cost of a new structure over the recreational canal has been pegged at $12 million and the funds the city will request from the Region will cover demolition of the current bridge, design of its replacement, as well as pier testing, if approved.

Expressing dismay with going to the Region was Ward 6 Coun. Bonnie Fokkens, who worries what the next steps would be if the ask is denied.

She said the local government should find its own solution.

"I'm disheartened by this council to take that responsibility that was ours and try to put it somewhere else," said Fokkens, who represents the Dain City area.

However, she ended up voting in favour of asking the Region for $4 million, explaining Wednesday it was an act of "solidarity."

"We're going to put our faith in our mayor and our regional councillors to put their feet to the fire," she said in an interview.

Erik Nickel, the city's manager of engineering, said ownership of the bridge is under legal review.

The bridge was completed in 1921 and was the property of the federal government until 1995 when it was deeded to the Region, and then downloaded to the city in 2000.

Ward 2 Coun. David McLeod said it is council's responsibility to protect the city's "financial integrity" when faced with a burden such as this one, an outdated bridge in great need of replacement.

Asking Region officials to pitch in should be a priority, he said.

"I would suggest they have a hand in this as much as we do, if not more," he said.

Ward 2 Coun. Leo Van Vliet voted against the request, saying he could support reaching out for $2.5 million, but not $4 million.

The bridge was closed to traffic last October and subsequently to pedestrians.

- Access to Forks Road Bridge cut off for pedestrians

- Pedestrian traffic to be banned from Forks Road Bridge

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

- A new Forks Road Bridge is not a want, it's a need

- No decision made on Forks Road Bridge demolition