A rainbow crosswalk at the Kamloops Airport (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Jill Sperling

Kamloops Pride

Kamloops Pride asks council to consider permanent rainbow crosswalk downtown

Jun 25, 2019 | 4:49 PM

KAMLOOPS — Thousands of people walk the streets of downtown Kamloops every day. Kamloops Pride feel such a high-traffic area would be ideal for the installation of a permanent rainbow crosswalk.

“To us, having a rainbow crosswalk in the downtown core would really signify a commitment to diversity long-term,” said Kamloops Pride President Sam Numsen. “LGBTQ2S+ people in Kamloops are looking for ways to see themselves reflected in their community and having a permanent downtown rainbow crosswalk would certainly do that.”

Numsen presented the idea to Kamloops City Council Tuesday (Jun. 25).

He says the discussion around the crosswalk has been going on for several years, but a specific location has not been chosen.

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“Our organization certainly isn’t tied to any specific location,” Numsen said. “We would however like to see the crosswalk in the downtown core, on a Victoria Street, a Lansdowne Street, St. Paul or Seymour Street, and somewhere in that First to Fifth Ave. would be great, really in just an effort to get as many people across that crosswalk as possible.”

The installation of a permanent rainbow crosswalk could cost the city up to $10,000 for one leg of an intersection.

It would then cost $5,000-to-$10,000 every four to five years for maintenance.

City councillors have asked staff to bring back a report on project details.

“The motivation of the motion is not to get too bogged down in details,” said Councillor Kathy Sinclair. “I think we all want to see a Pride crosswalk in Kamloops, it’s to make sure we’re doing it in the right location and with the right materials.”

City staff say it could take up to six weeks to order and install materials for the crosswalk, which means it might not be complete in time for the Pride Parade.

“We, of course, would love to see it installed prior to the third annual Pride Weekend Parade coming up on August 25, however we understand if some of the administrative requirements push it back,” Numsen said. “We’d just love to see it happen, period.”