The Smithers Pride Society says it’s happy the rainbow crosswalk will be repainted at the intersection of Second Avenue and Main St.
Town Council voted unanimously at the February 23 council meeting for the repaving of the crosswalk.
According to Vice President of Smithers Pride Perry Rath, he understood there was maintenance and other reasons as to why the crosswalk could not be repainted.
Letters were sent to council throughout the summer with residents that were for the crosswalk and residents that were against.
Rath added that the process brought back pain for the LGBTQ community and its allies.
He said he spoke with community members that were for the crosswalk and against.
“People who supported it overwhelmingly wanted it [crosswalk] back because the means to be able to walk across, the rainbow crosswalk is actually a very important and symbolic aspect,” Rath said.
A donation of $6,000 was made to the Town to help with the funding to repave the crosswalk.
“We had so many people that they are willing to put the money forward to make the crosswalk happen so, that support is out there in the community whether we need to draw on it or not it’s there,” Rath said,
In November of 2019 the crosswalk was repaved due to the location being in need of maintenance and repairs.
Last June, Town Council decided to raise rainbow flags in lieu of the crosswalk.
Smithers Pride will also be hosting a pride event virtually on May 29.
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