Someone has already left a black mark on Salmon ArmB次元官网网址檚 week-old rainbow crosswalk.
Images of a what appears to be a motorcycle burnout on the colourful crossing at the intersection of 5th Street SW and 5th Avenue SW were quick to circulate on social media Wednesday, July 25, seven days after the rainbow crosswalk had been painted.
Salmon Arm Mayor Nancy Cooper said sheB次元官网网址檚 upset by what she referred to as an act of vandalism.
B次元官网网址淚 find this extremely disappointingB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� said Cooper. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just standing down here now looking at it. It kind of looks like somebody is not happy about it if they would do that across it, vandalize it.B次元官网网址�
Cooper said the rainbow crosswalk represents both community pride and inclusivity.
B次元官网网址淭his is a first for Salmon Arm B次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檝e come a long way forwards in having this rainbow crosswalk here,B次元官网网址� said Cooper. B次元官网网址淚t means that our community, we just want to be inclusive to everybody. This is a great community and everybody needs to feel included and thatB次元官网网址檚 what this does, it speaks loud, itB次元官网网址檚 beautifulB次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 a highly used area, very visible and it really brightens this place up.B次元官网网址�
Salmon Arm resident and radio personality Patrick Ryley, an advocate for the municipal rainbow crosswalk and the LGBTQ2 (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer [or questioning] two-spirited) community, responded to the vandalism with a calm invitation for the vandal to accept their own issues and come out.
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B次元官网网址淕od made me in his image and blessed me as part of top 10 per cent of society,B次元官网网址� said Ryley. B次元官网网址淪omeone defacing the pride crosswalk does not diminish my personal power. The LGBTQ2 community is a strong voice that will be heard.
B次元官网网址淧eople only attack physical representations of their own inner fears. If someone is going to deface the Pride sidewalk it is because it is a representation of their own issues and I encourage that person to accept themselves fully and come out.
B次元官网网址淭he Shuswap and Salmon Arm have grown immensely over the last few years and itB次元官网网址檚 incredible the acceptance and love this community generates for all people.B次元官网网址�
Salmon Arm director of engineering and public works Rob Niewenhuizen said it cost the city approximately $1,600 to paint the rainbow crosswalk. He wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure what fixing the damage would cost.
Cooper insists the crosswalk be fixed, for this and any future acts of vandalism that might occur.
B次元官网网址淚 think we just keep cleaning it up. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what we do,B次元官网网址� said Cooper. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like what they talked about in some of the bigger cities in the States, they talk about the broken-window syndrome. If youB次元官网网址檝e got a broken window and it isnB次元官网网址檛 repaired, it just encourages people to break more windows. WeB次元官网网址檒l just clean it up if we can and if we have anymore paint left.B次元官网网址�
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