Revelstoke council is considering a proposal by the City of Revelstoke's Enhancement Committee to light up the Columbia River Bridge.
Council unanimously supported a motion to explore the possibility and costs of placing lights on the Trans-Canada Highway bridge over the river, but there was a strong feeling that once the costs come in, it won't be feasible.
"I think we’re going to see a big surprise come back with capital costs and operating costs," said councillor Linda Nixon.
Coun. Aaron Orlando agreed. "What’s going to help me make a decision is the result of part three - when the cost comes back," he said.
A staff report says the enhancement committee members are of the opinion the proposal will "make the entrance to the community more attractive and potentially encourage more visitors to stop in the community, which enhances the economic viability of the community."
The staff report, written by Alan Mason, the city's director of economic development, says the city has approached the Ministry of Transportation about installing lights on the bridge in the past, but the requests were turned down.
"Installing and maintaining decorative lighting on the bridge across the Trans-Canada Highway could potentially be an expensive proposition in terms of capital and operational costs," writes Mason.
No dollar figure is attached to the request, but the report says funding could come from the Resort Municipality Infrastructure Fund, commonly known as the tourism infrastructure fund.