Since last week, Ross River resident Kitty Sperling says, she's been on "pins and needles” waiting to hear what would happen to the suspension bridge in her community.

Late Tuesday, she received the news she'd been hoping for.

Instead of demolishing the 70-year-old footbridge that's been closed since 2012, the government will stabilize it.

"It is very exciting. It's good news,” she said in an interview this morning.

Sperling is one of many residents of the community who have been calling for the bridge to be saved.

While the government had initially planned to repair the structure last year, after an engineering assessment and other reports declared it at risk of collapse, the government moved toward demolition.

That sparked a community movement to save the bridge which garnered national attention.

A community protest kept contractors from accessing the bridge to do the demolition work.

A letter sent to Community Services Minister Brad Cathers from Heritage Canada The National Trust called for the bridge to be saved, noting more time is needed for heritage conservation experts to look at the 70-year-old structure.

Last week, government representatives met with Ross River Dena Council Chief Brian Ladue and a number of councillors before it was announced the demolition was on hold.

Then, on Tuesday, Premier Darrell Pasloski and Ladue announced a Request For Proposal will be issued for the bridge stabilization.

"We're going to stabilize it to ensure it's not going to fall down and hurt anybody; that's what we're going to do,” Pasloski told reporters following the announcement.

Sperling acknowledged today that it was a little "anti-climatic” when the news came last night following a day of cell phone and Internet problems in the community which prevented her from learning of the announcement earlier.

It was very exciting to wake up this morning, she said, knowing the bridge will not be demolished.

Hopefully, from here, the bridge will be stabilized and restored to its rightful place as a tourist attraction with its history honoured, she said.

Throughout the ongoing debate on the preservation of the bridge, its history as a link to the local First Nation's traditional territory, connection to the Canol pipeline (which the bridge was built for in the 1940s by the U.S. Army) and its status as the longest suspension foot bridge in North America has been highlighted by those calling for the bridge to be saved.

Sperling said any one of those issues alone make the bridge a heritage site and worthy of recognition.

"It's a national treasure,” she said, voicing her hope the interest in the bridge will continue and help it get the recognition many like Sperling believes it deserves.

As supporters sat around the fire during recent protests beside and on the Pelly River, conversations turned to properly naming the structure – possibly after the tale of the Sandpiper that helps people traverse from one side of the river to the other – producing T-shirts to honour the bridge and even an interpretive centre down the road.

"We have all these ideas,” she said as she argued the Canol pipeline project of the 1940s needs better recognition similar to that of the Alaska Highway.

The recent attention has drawn interest from across the country with a number of people from Outside who have been to the Friends Of The Ross River Foot Bridge page stating their interest in visiting the site.

Kevin Barr, the NDP critic for Community Services, and Liberal Leader Sandy Silver indicated their support for the stabilization.

However, Silver was also quick to note this is another example of the government having to "flip-flop” on a decision because it didn't consult with the community in the first place.

"They do this all the time,” he said as he cited the re-tendering of the F.H. Collins Secondary School contract as another example.

He praised the community of Ross River for its "tenacity” in saving the bridge.

Similarly, Barr gave a "huge shout-out” to the community for its work to salvage the bridge.

"It's what we were hoping for,” he said of the bridge stabilization.

"It's a small step in the right direction,” Barr said of the government,.

There were many opportunities over the years for the government to fix up the bridge before it got into such an unsafe state, he added.

Pasloski said the priority for the bridge continues to be public safety.

"That is our number one priority for all citizens and people. We need to ensure that there is no risk to people as a result,” he said.

"What's changed is what we're going to look at through an RFP are options to stabilize the structure and that will allow the ferry to operate once it's stable. The ferry can then operate ensuring safety for the people that work on the ferry and anyone who wants to travel on it.

"But it also buys us time, by stabilizing the bridge, to look at what other options are available, we've heard a lot of people look at different opportunities that exist and really. We've heard very clearly from the community, it has certainly got the support of the entire community.

"I want to acknowledge the work of Chief Brian Ladue and his council.”

Ladue called the government's decision a "positive direction.”

"We feel that together, our respective governments can find solutions to secure, make safe and then restore the historic bridge,” he said.

The Star contacted government officials this morning regarding the timelines for the stabilization, when the RFP will be issued, what happens with the $171,490 contract that was issued to Klondike Welding Ltd. for the demolition and so on.

Cabinet spokeswoman Elaine Schiman said more information on those issues will likely come forward later.

"At the moment, we don't have any additional information to share,” Schiman said.