There's a gap in the flood mitigation in High River between the berm and the diversion canal at the Centre Street bridge.

Town council Tuesday decided to go with an automatic sliding gate system at the south end of the bridge which Mayor Craig Snodgrass is happy with.

"The sliding gate option I liked the most simply because when we're not using it it's hidden, it's gone," he says. "The overhead gate would always be there, and (putting) advertising on it, I think it would get kind of gaudy."

In the event of another high water event the gates would be closed to keep water from the Highwood river from making its way into the downtown and be pushed north into Wallaceville.

Councillor Don Moore was worried about spending money on the gate when a new bridge is still being considered.

However Mayor Snodgrass says Moore's a lot more optimistic about the chances of a new bridge than he is.

"You know the government has given us money to secure this intersection and we need to get on it and as for the Centre Street bridge we did not get any funding for that so it's time to move on and get protection in place like we promised the people of this town," Snodgrass says. "We will always fight for that bridge that thing has to be replaced but I'm not willing to sit here for another five years to get funding for that bridge."

The Province is paying $5.4 million for the gate and the new Lineham Canal bridge.

Work on the gate is expected to begin in September at which time the bags that are there now will be removed. The gate should be operational by May 15, 2018.