As the rainbow-coloured inclusive crosswalk was officially unveiled in Midland this week, some members of council wanted to expand the conversation a few steps further.
“It got me thinking not just about today,” said Coun. Bill Gordon. “It resonated the fact that there’s other ways to show off our pride and our heritage in Midland.”
Gordon proposed an informal concept he had suggested previously, of cultural corners at King Street and Elizabeth Street.
“They could be the home of four painted crosswalks that would help honour our Métis and Indigenous heritage as well as our veterans, and could also be the relocated home of our new rainbow crosswalk as it wears out and needs replacing,” said Gordon.
“Given the budget restraints, I’m not sure this is something realistically that I can pitch and have happen in 2022, but it could be a project for the next council in 2023.”
Gordon asked interested parties reach out to him through his contact information.
Coun. Jon Main touched upon another aspect of the prominent visual display of unity, which doesn’t get discussed very often in the open.
“It has been overwhelmingly positive, but for some people it has brought up past trauma,” said Main.
“If you are a person who has been a victim of hate, hate crimes, violence, and you are under the LGBTQ banner, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has put together resources for people and family members.”
Resources offered by the CMHA include:
- Rainbow Health Ontario, who have a fact sheet about LGBTQ mental health on their site.
- The It Gets Better Campaign, which responded to publicized suicides by LGBT youth through supportive messages in online videos by LGBT people and allies.
- Kids Help Phone, aimed at children and youth aged 5 to 20 to speak with trained counsellors at the Kids Health Phone (1-800-668-6868).
- The Lesbian, Gay, Bi & Trans Youthline, offering free peer support for youth aged 26 and under (1-800-268-9688).
- Parents, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), which is a resource for LGBT people and their families.
“This is the perfect opportunity to have that conversation and continue to talk about how we can end hate in our community,” Main concluded.
Council meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, and can be viewed on Rogers TV cable channel 53, or through the livestream on the Rogers TV website. Archives of council meetings are available through Rogers TV and on the Town of Midland’s YouTube channel.
