Renfrew joins other communities with its PRIDE Rainbow Crosswalk

Renfrew – Although Renfrew’s new PRIDE Rainbow crosswalk had been in place for three days, Renfrew resident and founder of the local PRIDE chapter, Chris Kyte, along with her fiancé Kay Pilon, could not stop smiling last Saturday as they walked along the newest addition to PRIDE crosswalks across the Ottawa Valley.

The crosswalk is comprised of six colours (purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red), similar to the PRIDE flag and both are a symbol of the LBGT community and LBGT social movements. For Ms. Kyte, the installation of the new crosswalk on June 19 and its symbolic link between Low Square (Town Hall) and the Renfrew Public Library in downtown Renfrew, represents years of hard work.

It was hard work mixed in with unplanned delays, joyous occasions, derogatory and hate-filled threats and a discovery of support from unexpected members within the town of Renfrew.

“This is huge,” Ms. Kyte told the Leader as she brushed away the steady rain Saturday. “I am overjoyed and thrilled that Renfrew finally has a PRIDE crosswalk. We have had a great deal of support from all parts of the community. This day would never have happened without the financial support of the Renfrew Police Services Board, the RCI (Renfrew Collegiate Institute) students, the local Renfrew County pflag Chapter, and my fiancé and I donated $1,000 after hosting a drag show recently.”

Ms. Kyte said the entire project cost approximately $3,300.

“One very important fact that we want everyone to know is that the final bill did not have one single dollar from the taxpayers of Renfrew,” she said. “This crosswalk, and any future touch-ups to keep it looking bright and attractive, will be paid by the Renfrew Pride chapter and we did all the work, all the fundraising, and we will continue to do so.”

Ms. Kyte recognizes there are loud voices opposed to the project and anything to do with homosexuality, and they have been a constant opponent to the installation of the crosswalk. They are opposed to symbols that reaffirm inclusivity and tolerance towards those of a different sexuality and in many cases, symbols against racism.

Long and Winding Road

The long road to get to this point began in 2019 when the council-of-the-day proclaimed the week of June 7-14 as Pride week. As well, former Mayor Don Eady and the six members of the previous council unanimously voted in favour of flying the Pride flag for the first time at Low Square. That symbolic action led to the creation of an ad-hoc diversity committee which consisted of Renfrew community members and elected representation during its two-year existence.

Several members of the original diversity committee moved away during its short tenure and with the onset of COVID shortly after it was formed, the committee was limited in how much influence it could muster. Then councillor Tom Sidney was one of the committee’s biggest supporters and said although it had a brief lifespan, it didn’t stop it from promoting acceptance and inclusion.

“The members were enthusiastic and wanted to showcase Renfrew as a welcoming and inclusive place to call home…it is just too bad many of them ended up moving away during the COVID pandemic,” then-councilor Sidney said.

Following the 2022 municipal election, five new councillors were elected. Unlike returning members Mayor Sidney and Reeve Peter Emon, who enthusiastically backed the progressive moves to promote inclusivity, the new members were not as eager to have municipal property used as symbols. They also resisted artwork or murals funded by a federal grant to be placed on Town of Renfrew property.

They stated any symbols, materials, artwork or murals that send direct messages that promote any individual group, no matter what their cause, should not be allowed on municipal property. They argued all municipal property must remain neutral.

During a November 2023 council meeting, a recorded vote was taken on whether or not a Pride rainbow crosswalk, or any symbols representing any group, should be placed on municipal property. In the end, the vote to reject a Pride rainbow crosswalk was defeated by a vote of 4-3.

Bullying/Hate Speech Continues

Since that November vote up until last week, Ms. Kyte said the level of bullying, hate speech, and threats of vandalism being spouted on social media platforms has lessened. However, she pointed out it is still happening and shows exactly why symbols such as the rainbow crosswalk are needed.

“It’s really sad and disappointing that a very loud minority can be filled with such hatred and intolerance to fellow ordinary people who just want to live their lives free of fear, free of worrying about our safety, and the fear of being the victim of bullying on Facebook and other social media sites,” she said. “One thing we might see as we move forward is maybe some of the councillors who were opposed may soften their stance. They might even admit that the crosswalk actually brightens up the downtown.”

Both Mayor Sidney and Reeve Emon joined Ms. Kyte because of their ongoing support of the project since the issue first came to light five years ago.

Reeve Emon, who is serving his sixth term as Warden of Renfrew County, is encouraged by what he sees happening across the county.

“Back in 2019 I was pleased that our town formed a diversity committee and raised the Pride flag for the very first time,” he said. “At that time, some of our neighbouring municipalities were having a tough time dealing with inclusivity and diversity issues. That is why our council agreed to be proactive and form the diversity committee and we were unanimous in our support of Renfrew Pride by raising the flag. We wanted a positive image of Renfrew so others could see our town as an inclusive and welcoming community.”

Mayor Sidney Supportive

Mayor Sidney echoed his comments.

"The rainbow crosswalk represents more than just paint on pavement. It symbolizes our community and council’s dedication to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone," he said. “We want everyone in Renfrew to feel safe and not be afraid of who they are. While we recognize that we still have work to do as a community, this is another great step in that direction."

The issue of vandalism was debated during the November 2023 council meeting. Some feared the crosswalk would become a target of vandalism and it might be a regular occurrence and wondered if taxpayers should shoulder the cost of repair.

Mayor Sidney encouraged residents to follow the example of Renfrew Pride and try a different approach.

“Get out there and fundraise and if you would like a crosswalk depicting Jesus or Christian life, then do what Pride Renfrew did,” he said. “Go get community support and money to cover the costs. So long as it is not hateful or promoting racism or something like that, then I think council might support it. The Legion could create a memorial walk or Remembrance Day crosswalk.”

Ms. Kyte viewed acts of vandalism a little differently than the mayor.

“If it is vandalized, then I think the crosswalk has proven the point,” she said. “This is not an ‘us versus them’ or ‘us over them.’ We are not looking for special treatment or special attention. We are drawing attention to the fact we are still facing threats. Vandalizing a colourful sidewalk proves that today we still face threats.

“We are fundraising to maintain it, even if some cowards go and vandalize it. We will just keep repairing it until one day it is my hope we won’t have to worry about vandalism because we will be at a point we are no longer living in fear.”

Bruce McIntyre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eganville Leader