BARRHEAD – For the second-straight year, the Town of Barrhead will have a crosswalk painted in Pride colours.
Councillors unanimously approved the request by Caitlin Clarke, an advocate for the Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (2SLGBTQ+) community, to paint a Pride crosswalk for Pride month in June during their April 25 meeting. The crosswalk will be located on 50th Avenue at the 51st Street intersection in front of the town municipal office.
Last year, Clarke made a similar request, except that the intersection was at Main Street and 50 Avenue.
Clarke, joined by about a dozen supporters in the gallery, was about to make her request when mayor Dave McKenzie interrupted her.
"We can expedite this for you, Caitlin," he said, noting that councillors had read her comprehensive information package. "It is very inclusive, and I will make the motion to approve the location (for the Pride crosswalk)."
After the meeting, Clarke said she was pleasantly shocked that council approved her request so quickly.
"I was very impressed that council approved my request so quickly. I think I was back at home by 6:10 p.m.," she said.
Clarke started her presentation at 5:57 p.m.
Last year, councillors took two meetings to grant final approval for the crosswalk. On May 10, 2022, councillors opted to delay approving crosswalk tabling for the next meeting so the vote could be unanimous as McKenzie was absent.
During the subsequent meeting, Clarke's request got bogged down into a lengthy debate as Coun. Rod Klumph, who had received calls from residents opposed to the crosswalk, reneged much of his previous support. In the end, however, Klumph voted in favour of the crosswalk, making council's support unanimous.
Clarke said this time, she did not have a set presentation prepared, but she had planned to talk off the cuff about the support they received during the actual painting of the crosswalk and how more than 100 people from all walks of life, including families, demonstrated their support of Barrhead's 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Unfortunately, not everyone was as positive. One of the reasons they decided to change the location of the crosswalk was due to the safety of the volunteers, she said.
"During a couple of our repainting sessions (after the crosswalk was vandalized), we had some verbal bullying from patrons from nearby bars," Clarke said. "We did not want our volunteers, especially the younger ones, exposed to that."
In the agenda package, Clarke stated that there were four instances of vandalism, including one incident where someone attempted to remove one of the safety barricades and drive over the crosswalk while volunteers were still painting it.
After having some discussions with councillors and administration staff, she said they chose the intersection in front of the municipal office, partly because of safety, but also to show that the town supports the initiative.
"Eventually, we want to settle on one location that people know about and can get excited about," Clarke said. "I know the town has talked about the potential of it becoming a permanent fixture, but the first couple of years is about learning where the best spot is and where the queer community feel safe and visible."
She said that a positive about the proposed location is it shows the 2SLGBTQ+ community that the Pride crosswalk is something that "the municipality supports and wants to have".
Clarke also said the Pride crosswalk is an important step in making Barrhead's 2SLGBTQ+ community feel safe and accepted.
In the agenda package, she noted that although Barrhead Composite High School has a well-attended gay-straight-alliance club to help stop discrimination and bullying of queer youth at school, there is no similar support in the community.
Clarke noted that the United Church attempted to create a queer-friendly youth group, but it failed to get off the ground.
"Further allyship is needed to allow those community members to feel safe potentially outing themselves," she stated, noting a Pride crosswalk is a good first step. “Allyship requires action when witnessing acts of aggression, bullying or oppression against queer individuals to help build a safe space and community."
