The RM of Dauphin is looking to replace Dauphin’s swinging bridge.

They had initially hoped to save the wooden structure. So they got an engineer to look at it and he said the old material was beyond salvation.

Jack Bremner, a councilor with the RM, hopes to turn the bridge into a tourist site for Dauphin and preserve the history of the area.

“I know a lot of kids partied on the bridge. One guy carved his name into the wood with him and his girlfriend, you know it held a special place for them. So hopefully we can salvage and make something out of it.”

The project qualifies under the provincial Transitional Municipal Road and Bridge Program. They applied and are now waiting on a response from the government.

The RM hopes to have a 50 percent cost share of the $135,896.25 project between the province and through fundraising.

“To take public tax money and fund a small bridge like that, I don’t know if we can do it. But if the public is willing to help, maybe raise part of the funds then the council would look into it and see if we can go ahead with the project.”

If it’s approved Bremner hopes to get the public behind the project and raise enough funds to complete the project.

“We had one meeting and we had some interest in salvaging it. There were some people willing to donate stuff for a fundraiser and hopefully those feelings are still there.”