While the Town will need to notify the District of Muskoka as Main Street is a District road, Huntsville Council voted in favour of a motion brought forward by Councillor Helena Renwick asking that the municipality paint a rainbow at the new crosswalk by the Local Kitchen restaurant.
Council’s resolution included a request that staff investigate the cost, consult Pride Muskoka and the Downtown Huntsville BIA, and return to council with a report.
Renwick said it would be a great opportunity to add a little colour to the downtown and make the town as inclusive as possible. “For myself, it’s a very personal thing. I think for a lot of people in our community to be recognized and to be acknowledged is a really important thing,” she said. “I think that it’s really important to extend to our community that we are inclusive, and as a tourist community I think it bodes very well for us to speak of it.”
Councillor Scott Morrison said he had been approached by Renwick, asking if he’d endorse it, “and of course, I jumped all over it.” He also said there are likely grants available.
“If you’ve ever been to Key West. If you’ve ever been to Provincetown. If you’ve ever been to communities like that— the LGBT[ community flocks to places like that because they feel safe and welcome. If you come to this town and you see something like this downtown, you’re going to come back and you’re going to tell your friends. So I think from the tourism play, inclusivity is number one. And also, kids at high school see a flag being burned but then they walk downtown and see something like that—it’s the mental health impact as well,” he said.
Councillor Bob Stone said he supports the idea as well. He noted that council did look at installing such a crosswalk last term but the cost was outrageous. “I don’t know what the cost will be but I will support it until I hear those numbers, and maybe there will be some grants. I would love that.”
Huntsville Mayor Nancy Alcock said there probably are grants. She said money may also be available through Huntsville’s Municipal Accommodation Tax because the rainbow sidewalk could be considered a tourism initiative. “I fully believe that we will find a way without having to touch the levy,” she added.
Councillor Jason FitzGerald said he too would fully support it and said that the cost of the materials may have come down since the last time something similar was considered by Huntsville High School.
Morrison said before he took a Facebook break, there were a lot of comments about the crosswalk looking shabby. There were also complaints about the need to paint the lines at Centre and Main, even though they’re going to be painted.
Tarmo Uukkivi, Huntsville Director of Operations and Protective Services, said sand removal should be completed by the end of May and then the painting will begin.
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Thomas R Spivak says
I think that before a decision is made on this the public should have a full accounting of the cost.
Other communities have experienced repeated vandalism and this could incur ongoing costs.
It seems our council is eager to cut services in maintenance to roads and totally ignores property standards because “the cost to enforce would be too high” yet believes this could be a good expenditure?
I totally support the LGBT community so don’t get me wrong on my intentions, I just don’t think we need to keep throwing money at every group that steps up.
Our council seems to have no restraint in this regard.
Floyd Lawson says
Town council is a microcosm of Canadian politics. Patting each other on the back for the idea of painting a rainbow on the street. Meanwhile developers run roughshod over the community as massive urban migration has put tremendous pressure on this towns services and affordability. We can paint a rainbow from town hall to hwy 60 but Huntsville is becoming more “exclusive” by the day.
Paul Grant says
Really? With all the controversy going on all over regarding this exact topic, the expense, and every one cutting back on spending are you telling e that you couldn’t find a better use for tax payers funds than to paint a rainbow on a road? It sounds like city council isn’t responsible enough to be deciding how to manage our tax dollars. I would think common sense would prevail.
Wendy Brown says
Speaking of shabby…. I think the gateway to Huntsville sign needs a repaint, Facelift, asap!
Doug Peck says
I agree completely with Paul Grant. This is ridiculous!
Brenda Begg says
I recognize that the council’s idea is no doubt coming from a place of inclusivity. That is commendable. But all the rainbow crosswalks and rainbow flags in the world won’t solve the hatred problem. Stereotyping of, and hatred of ‘the other’ is a complex problem. Education is needed – not just symbols. Also, a rainbow does not represent inclusivity; for example, it doesn’t take into account Indigenous peoples, people of colour, and so on.
Re “…a tourism initiative.” Really? That shouldn’t even be a consideration.
Let’s put on our thinking caps and find a more skillful and beneficial use of the money to address Inclusivity.
Kris Boddicker says
I disagree with the plan to paint a rainbow in the crosswalk. I’m sure I will get flack for this, but are we also going to paint a picture of a man and woman together somewhere, or an all Asian family? If you choose one group to stand out, it leaves everyone else behind.
Ryan Vallentin says
Paul, because of all the controversy regarding LGBQ and Trans rights we SHOULD be promoting inclusivity. One councillor and our mayor have both already stated that they will look into grants for this. The suggestion to approach the tourism board to fund this has also been mentioned.
If it comes down to volunteers required, please contact me and I will absolutely lend my time to this. Thank you Scott and Nancy for your forward thinking
Paul Johnston says
While I have no issues with LGBQ, I dohave serious issue with this being a priority for council. Omne letter thanked Scott and Naancy for their forwarward thinking and I would question there is no forward thinking for this town. It is time this council take the time to prioritize and to engage the community. There are many that believe this town council, as prvious councils, has no vision nor plan for Huntsville.
Matt McMahon says
I usually never comment but wanted others to know the loud bigots in the comment section here are a small minority. This is awesome and little actions like this make this town feel more like home for my partner and I. Thank you Helena. Thank you for making Huntsville feel more accepting and welcoming to us.
Rod jones says
Stupid idea the town has enough to do like fix the roads that they haven’t been doing.We live on Chaffey. St. And it’s not paved it’s a mud track .Spend the money where it should be not on a pride crossing smarten up Huntsville.
Chas Clark says
Will this be an illegal road marking and confuse motorists?
SHELLEY LUPTON says
I’m curious if you will be putting a straight pride painting on the road somewhere ? If we are talking about including everyone
Chris McCaig says
We have been putting up with a serious shortfall by the Town of Huntsville who destroyed our life. They’ve blasted, dug up the street in front of our home and left a mess. We payed local landscapers out of our own pocket thousands only to be ruined.
The town council thinks painting a crosswalk will make Huntsville a better place, seriously? The town needs to fix what they have destroyed not paint rainbows and pretend everything will be ok.
Mike frank says
This is totally ridiculous. What’s next stop bending over for every group around. Try spending some money we’re it’s needed not on painting rainbows on roads what a farce.
Bev McLaren says
First I agree with another comment….shabby? the gateway Huntsville sign, is there a grant for that?
Also “shabby” the said crosswalk. Its two years old…why is it shabby already?
Since the council is citing far away wealthy places. Look to Pickering (not so fancy), who have painted a rainbow crosswalk three times to have it wear off quickly and be defaced. They finally put in an orange path with black feathers “every child matters” its still there. Special interest groups, slippery slope. Who gets councils ear?
Thomas R Spivak says
Mr. McMahon, please first look up the definition of bigot.
I see no loud or bigoted comments towards your community.
What I see is a group of of taxpayers in this community that are concerned that one particular councilor has stepped forward with her personal request and asked for endorsement by town council on a project that despite all promises will ultimately cost the town of Huntsville money.
To be clear again this is not about approval of anyone’s predictations, it’s about how this council may be spending our tax dollars which are increasing at an alarming rate.
The common thinking of our council seems to be that this is a small price to pay for whatever handout or project that takes place but Muskoka with twice the provincial rate of retirees who are on fixed incomes are struggling with property tax. We see this in comments over and over. If council keeps adding these costs on over and over we will be unsustainable. I can remember a time when this town did not carry a debt load.
It’s so darn easy to spend money when it’s not yours and this is like kids in a candy shop.
Did our local LGBT community come forward and ask for this because if they did I didn’t see that? If it is desired, then council should allow it to be done and maintained at the cost of that group.
That would show support, calm this argument, and remove the burden of cost for taxpayers.
This has nothing whatsoever to do with supporting a special interest group, it’s about getting our council’s spending habits under control.
I wish a happy summer to everyone in our community!
Kelly Anne says
Ok that’s fine a rainbow crosswalk! Of course you will than have to paint a Christian sidewalk, than a Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim one, and don’t forget to acknowledge the Straight Community, which lets face it is like 90% of the Huntsville population, you know in the Spirit of Inclusion! Not to mention the fact that it will be our tax dollars used to paint and also maintain it. I think we have more pressing matters in this town that needs to be addressed before painting a rainbow crosswalk which doesn’t include but excludes more people than you realize. I would rather see our tax dollars go toward replacing the trees you keep knocking down to house the influx of people that have moved here, or perhaps add much needed parking in the downtown core, or to spruce up Hutchinson’s beach, or something even more frivolous like fixing the roads before I drop my car in yet another pothole, I could go on with this list, but as you can see there are plenty of things we must do in this town before painting a rainbow road, and in the end its a can of worms you don’t really want to open with our hard earned tax dollars!
Ryan Vallentin says
Kelly Anne, I disagree, the straight community is already well established and settled. Our LGBQT community are the minority that need to be propped up and supported. Religion is a choice, not a born orientation, and should not be represented under any format by public funding.
Allen Markle says
A coloured crosswalk, to represent a rainbow, the ‘standard’ for a segment of our community. How does a coloured walkway promote inclusivity? I don’t need to know your leanings or preferences. Don’t tell me yours and I’ll not bother you with mine.
This proposed ‘rainbow’ will be frozen over for five months of the year, covered with grit and sand for a further 2 or 3 weeks and soon worn away like the rest of the markings on downtown streets. Maybe we could have the lights over the crosswalk multicoloured? Up out of the way and not trod upon!
Perhaps a developer could be approached, and convinced to paint a ‘rainbow’ on the end of one of their new condos.
If you want to do something with the roads, FIX THEM. Get a workforce back on the job. Fill some pot-holes. Make it so people can arrive in town with teeth, testicles purse and spectacles all where they were, when they started out.
We need a town council that deals with the problems of the community at large. If they haven’t noticed yet, there are some large problems in our community. Let them get together and ‘jump all over’ the problems and not just stir one up.
Gestures, no matter how colourful, will do nothing to change the minds of those who will not accept others, as they are, for who they are.
Beth Cussions says
It has been mentioned once in the comments above with respect to costs of ongoing maintenance. Has council considered the required funds that will need to be included in annual budgets for maintenance and repairs of the rainbow. The yellow line painting on roads needs to be done every few years, with wear and tear, snow removal and salt. For most of the year, the rainbow will virtually be under snow! Then for the remaining part of the year, I see this being a place for accidents, perhaps with pedestrians; residents and potentially the tourists using this as a cross walk. Should not roads and grounds (City Employee) and the OPP be consulted for their expert option on potential motorists concerns. There are many groups that could be recognized 12 months a year in our community. If you start with this, are all others going to be taken with the same commitment? If it is deemed to be a priority, would it not be a more cost productive measure to have a permanent sign made and placed at City Hall – that is tasteful, respectful and long standing, not needing continued financial support for maintenance. How can this type of decision be made without considering the whole picture. This should be part of the decision making process.
Thomas R Spivak says
Allen and Beth, well said.
Again, this is not about LGBT recognition.
It’s about priorities.
Our roads are dangerous at this point.
Want to paint lines?, put down traffic lines now, not in October.
Want to spend money? Fix these darn roads.
PROPERLY!!!
Stop wasting our money!
Paul Whillans says
Am I wrong or are all these comments over 1/10th of 1 percent of the Town’s Operational Budget and 50 cents per household at a maximum (more likely subsidized by a diversity grant)?
From my standpoint, unless someone can direct me to this much wringing of hands over any other similar expenditure (e.g. new roof for the train station), these comment are based in bigotry (Yes Mr Spivak….according to the dictionary definition).
PS It is shameful that Ms Renwick would tie this to tourism!!!!!
Beth Cussions says
It hasn’t been mentioned yet, but there is a pride bench that was donated by Muskoka Pride in the newly created and landscaped park downtown Huntsville. This provides the daily viability of inclusion within our community. It is tasteful and requires no maintenance. Why do we need another area to be highlighted to represent the same visibility and awareness?
Sarah McLaughlin says
I am going to move past all of the veiled homophobia/bigotry masquerading as fiscal responsibility and ask why does the town only think about this in terms of the optics for tourists or cottagers. The Pride flag is not a gimmick to be used for you to fix your image (rainbow washing). It is a symbol meant to indicate that ‘you are safe here’. Based on my own experience as well as the concerns of vandalism in the comments above, and not related to the harm to the queer community but of how much of the roads and infrastructure budget will have to be reallocated to pay for cleaning it up, it is clear that you all agree that this is not a safe place to be openly part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Maybe we start there. Would it be nice to have a sidewalk painted in a way that makes me feel seen, sure. But what I would like even more is an acknowledgment that queer people live here, we matter, and this does not take away from the value or importance of any other group. Happy Pride!