The colours of Pride will soon adorn the crosswalk in front of Saugeen District Senior School in Port Elgin. Photo by Tristan Billet on Unsplash
Hub Staff
Many municipal streets across Canada have received a colourful facelift in the form of a rainbow crosswalk in support of the 2SLGBTQ community. When Deputy Mayor and Saugeen District Senior School teacher Don Matheson introduced the idea of such a crosswalk in front of Saugeen District Senior School on social media, residents were quick to jump on board. With individuals already requesting to donate to the vibrant venture, Matheson presented the idea to council at the 2020 budget meeting.
“We've got an initial tender price of $10,000 for the paint job. Now you have to understand this isn’t a regular road, it’s a four lane, very busy road,” explained Matheson in a March 9 interview with Saugeen Shores Hub, further noting that a longer lifetime of the paint will also be reflected in the cost.
Council approved $5,000 through taxation in the 2020 budget for the crosswalk project leaving the remainder to come from donors and community sponsors.
Matheson remained optimistic that the crosswalk would be completed before Pride month in June, despite continued negotiations on the street sweep contract as indicated by the Director of Infrastructure and Development Amanda Froese at the March 9 Committee of Whole meeting.
Although this rainbow will appear underfoot rather than in the sky, it is still contingent on the appropriate weather conditions. “We can’t do the painting until the city sweeping is all done," said Matheson. “We’d like to do it for June, to have it ready for Pride month, but again it’s all going to be dependent on the weather and the conditions," he said, adding that the goal is to do it "as soon as possible."
Fundraising amounts are still being finalized, Matheson said, and staff will prepare a fundraising sheet for public donations. “We’ve had all kinds of people wanting to donate to it so as soon as we get... the paperwork ready... we’ll make it available to the public,” promised Matheson.
The decision to lay the crosswalk outside the high school was an easy one, added Matheson. “The inclusivity that goes in with the high school kids who are struggling with identity, it’s the perfect fit,” he said.
