Council decides to build the barriers – WellandTribune.ca
26 April, 2019
Authorizes spending $4-million to end suicide contagion on downtown bridge
The votes are in, the barriers are going up, and council agrees more needs to be done.
Niagara Regional Council voted 23-4 Thursday to spend $4-million to install suicide barriers on the trouble-plagued Burgoyne Bridge and end weeks of contentious debates.
“The cost is significant, but the upside is huge,” said Niagara Falls Coun. Peter Nicholson. “It is justifiable given the upside.”
Six deaths have occurred at the structure since October, as well as at least one other serious attempt. The discussions at committee meetings in recent weeks centred on the cost of the barriers and whether there were better ways to spend the money. At a committee meeting last week, Niagara Falls Coun. Bob Gale suggested his colleagues to “shut up” about the subject because they were making matters worse by drawing attention to the structure.
