A Portage la Prairie group of residents who call themselves Friends Of The Bridge gathered last night to discuss what can be done about the City's impending plans to replace the bridge to Portage's Island Park. Bill Knott was present and shares one of the steps he suggested they take.

Bill Knott"I think there is quite a few people who have been alerted to the fact that things are moving much faster than they think it might be. And we need to do some action. It's very easy to sit around and talk, but what do you do about it? What to do, I would suggest, is to call all your councillors. Every single one of the seven of them. And tell them they're planning to spend $11.5 Million on something which a few months ago was projected to be $6.5 million."

Don PelechatyDon Pelechaty notes it's unfortunate the well-attended meeting's so late, but they have another plan in mind as well.

"The group is going to go on to basically form an online petition to encourage the City to re-examine this whole issue. But we should have done this six months ago. Portage la Prairie's notorious for being apathetic when we should actually be educating ourselves, and getting in there and questioning our elected members."

He adds, "The bridge has historic and aesthetic value to this community. And obviously our council doesn't see it. I met many people. They're (council) not interested in rethinking this issue at all. I was on council and I know we do respond to petitions. It frightens us."