A public discussion about installing a rainbow coloured crosswalk in town turned emotional during a committee-of-the-whole meeting, July 11.
Coun. Gilbert Wall asked why OUT Jasper, the organization spearheading the initiative, wanted to install the crosswalk.
鈥淲hen this first came to council I went and looked at all the issues and all the conversations around crosswalks being painted in any number of communities in the country from Victoria to Kelowna to Ottawa and the question that keeps coming to my mind is why 鈥� why do we need a crosswalk?鈥� asked Wall.
鈥淚f it鈥檚 meant to be inclusive and diverse why does it end up often being a descriptor for being divisive when you put these crosswalks in?鈥�
In response Nancy Taylor, treasurer for OUT Jasper, read off a series of quotes from the LGBTQ community explaining why it was important to them, however it was Lynn Wannop鈥檚 emotional response that had everyone in the room listening.
鈥淛ust listening to you talk is the exact reason why it has to happen,鈥� said Wannop as she fought back tears.
She said Jasper has come a long way to become a safe and inclusive community and adding a rainbow crosswalk would act as a permanent visual to let visitors know Jasper is a welcoming community regardless of your sex, gender or sexual orientation.
鈥淭here is absolutely no reason to not have the crosswalk,鈥� said Wannop.
鈥淚 want my kids to be raised in a community that they know it doesn鈥檛 matter who their friends are, what they look like, what they wear or what their sexual preference is, they are welcome here.鈥�
Mayor Richard Ireland expressed his support for the LGBTQ community and said he has no issues with the rainbow coloured crosswalk, however he said he also saw Coun. Wall鈥檚 point of view.
鈥淲hat if somebody wanted to paint at their expense a crosswalk with white swastikas? What would we say and how would we manage our response? What is the principle that allows us to say yes to you, but no to somebody else?鈥�
Mychol Ormandy, executive director for OUT Jasper, said the difference is the rainbow crosswalk represents love and kindness, whereas the example provided by the mayor would be promoting hatred.
At this point no location for the crosswalk has been selected, however the non-profit group has stated its first choice would be the crosswalk across Connaught Drive from the train station to Whistler鈥檚 Inn.
Other options include installing smaller crosswalks throughout town on a 鈥渢rial鈥� basis, including the crosswalk on Patricia Street between the post office and the Visitor Information Centre and another between Jasper Elementary School and the library. It also suggested the crosswalk in front of the TD Bank branch on Patricia Street would be a prime location.
OUT Jasper has fundraised more than $5,000 over the past few months to pay for the crosswalk and said it will also cover any maintenance costs. It is estimated to cost $2,500.
Council will make a final decision on the crosswalk and its location on July 18.
Paul Clarke
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