The Town of High River's planned flood gates only managed to attract one bidder.

The bidding process ended just before Christmas, but the bidder says they can't make the Deadline of May 18, 2018.

High River Town Councillor Jamie Kinghorn says he was curious why the process only attracted the one bid.

"I think maybe it was put on the Alberta Purchasing website, and maybe people didn't see it, maybe it wasn't clear enough. I don't know what all the reasons are, but we're going to go back and get a better response this time."

Kinghorn says it's something the Town simply can't live without.

"I don't think there is any options. It just has to get done. And we'll reach out and find somebody that'll come and do it for us. It just has to happen to protect the downtown and the rest of High River. That's the whole reason we took out Wallaceville, that's the reason we took out Beachwood, is to protect the community and without those protection measures in place, we're not protected."

He says going through a new tendering process means the Town won't make the May 18 deadline to have the flood gates in place.

The Town plans to install the flood gates on the south end of the Centre Street Bridge and on 12th Avenue just West of Baker Creek Drive.