Pride Week in Nanaimo has become, more than ever, something to be proud of and it should be supported.
The Nanaimo Pride Society attended a special council meeting last week to apprise city politicians about plans for Pride Week this June. The delegation went on to make what we think is a modest, reasonable request – that the two monochrome crosswalks at the intersection of Commercial and Bastion streets be painted in rainbow colours to complete the ‘square.’
This is mainly about symbolism. The rainbows are a visual representation of the acceptance, friendship and love that exists in a Nanaimo that includes our LGBTQ community.
Some might recall an incident of vandalism last September, when the rainbow crosswalks were marred with graffiti. The municipality responded with a quick cleanup and refresh, but that wasn’t the only outcome – some anonymous supporters promptly chalked in two more rainbow crosswalks at the intersection. So for a little while, at a time when we really needed them, we had four rainbow crosswalks there. It’s an indication that we need them still.
There’s another good reason to grant the pride society’s request, beyond the symbolism: Pride Week brings more to Nanaimo than intangibles like tolerance. It brings activity, and yes, dollars, downtown. According to the society, Nanaimo’s Pride Week is already the third-largest in B.C. and has become noteworthy as the kickoff to pride celebrations on the West Coast. Last year’s parade had nearly 50 floats and the party continued afterward with thousands of people at Maffeo Sutton Park. Not every festival in the city has this kind of momentum.
Rainbow crosswalks are not a safety hazard. The initial crosswalk paint job last year cost $2,500 and the paint cans are probably stacked in the shed at the public works yard. The City of Nanaimo should move forward with another small splash of support.
Painting a couple more crosswalks is a simple way to show that we encourage pride, and feel it.