A dispute has erupted in a B.C. town over a pier that houses pride color.
This week, Qingshui Town announced that more than $2,200 had been spent to stain the portion of the Holland Lake Marina that lies within the town’s boundaries.
The district said on its website and Facebook page that it is disclosing how much it spent and why in an effort to increase transparency and combat misinformation spread online.
“The Holland Lake Pier was recently upgraded with new planks dyed rainbow colors to show support for our local pride group, Valley Pride, and to reflect our commitment to inclusivity as outlined in the Clearwater District Strategic Plan,” a page on the website states Town Website.
“Contrary to misinformation, these planks were not simply painted; rather, they were coated with an environmentally friendly, low-VOC deck stain and new hardware was installed.”
The district said the project is being funded entirely from its parks operating budget.
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In order to solve the problem of pollution at the dock, Online Petition Action was initiated to require the district to restore the pier to its previous condition.
Karen Jones, executive director of the Valley Pride Association, said he was surprised to see the pier become a topic of conversation.
“I knew there was going to be some opposition, and I’m sure the mayor and council knew that,” Jones told Global News, adding that the rainbow project had been in the works for several years.
Initially, plans were to paint a pedestrian crossing, but it became part of the lake dock.
“It means a lot because it's on the pier,” Jones said of Clearwater's decision to dye the pier. “It's a public statement of diversity. (The district) is showing that.”
Jones was aware that the controversy occurred early in the month of Pride, though he noted that the pier had been vandalized.
“That was definitely (the situation). I don’t think it was planned,” Jones said. “Crosswalks take a lot of time, you have to wait for contractors and the right weather, prep work, cleaning the road, all that stuff.
“When (the pier) came up, we were like, ‘Wow, actually, this is an easy, quick idea.’ We expected it to be vandalized because it’s so new.
“Sure enough, the next day or the day after, it was ruined by (spray paint) before it was even finished being dyed.”
Jones added that this is a good first step “because it’s much easier to re-stain or flip a board than to repair a $5,000 mural or a $6,000 crosswalk.”
The mayor of Clearwater also publicly supported the decision, saying the town had only started to develop a visible pride movement in recent years.
“City Council approved Rainbow Pier as a public symbol of inclusion and diversity. We need to make sure everyone feels safe and has a sense of belonging,” Merlin Blackwell told Global News.
The mayor added: “Since we haven’t had an organized LGBTQ2+ group for so long, I think Clearwater is finally starting to have a conversation with itself, just as has happened in many communities before us.”
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
(Tag translation) BC Interior
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