ST. ANTHONY / ST. LUNAIRE-GRIQUET / BIRD COVE, N.L. – Mayors on the Great Northern Peninsula say they would have no reservations in supporting a rainbow crosswalk if it were requested.
The Northern Pen spoke with mayors in St. Anthony, St. Lunaire-Griquet and Bird Cove to gather a sample of viewpoints.
None of the communities currently have rainbow crosswalks in their towns.
Bird Cove Mayor Andre Myers points out the only place to put one, in his town of just under 200 people, would be in front of the town hall and community playground/fitness park.
And because that’s on the main road, it would first require provincial government approval.
Nevertheless, hypothetically, he says if the town were inclined to put one there, they would accept any request to make it a rainbow crosswalk.
“I think our council would support it 100 per cent,” he said. “I wouldn’t have no issue and I don’t think any of our councilors would have any issue.”
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St. Lunaire-Griquet Mayor Dale Colbourne held a similar view.
“I think it’s important to show support,” she said. “I think everybody should be supportive and I’d have no problem supporting it whatsoever, and I don’t think anybody else on our council would have a problem supporting it.”
She says she would probably have a discussion around the community a bit, to gauge support, but she doesn’t believe it would be an issue for residents.
“The reason it’s an issue is Springdale is making it an issue, that’s all,” she said.
St. Anthony Mayor Desmond McDonald says he would also like to consult the community first, if a rainbow crosswalk was proposed somewhere in town.
If it were to have community support, he says council would pass such a proposal.
“It depends on what the community wants; if the community supports it, I’d be willing to do something like that in our community no problem,” he said. “We would stand behind that and me, myself, personally, I don’t have any problem with doing those types of things to support groups.”