Cold Lake will no longer move forwards with a Pride or 7 Feathers crosswalk after the results of a survey came back to the city council.
Councilors put out a survey to the community to gauge feedback and community interest in the crosswalks and got 588 responses.
- 50.85 per cent of respondents say they were not in favour of having either a Pride or 7 Feathers crosswalk in the community.
- 44.73 per cent of respondents were in favour of having a 7 Feathers crosswalk.
- 38.44 per cent of respondents were in favour of both.
- 23 respondents selected other highlighting other infrastructure was a higher priority among other concerns.
Cold Lake received the request for a Pride rainbow crosswalk from Lakeland Safe Space Community and anticipated a request for an Indigenous ‘7 Feathers’ crosswalk.
At the March 21 corporate priorities meeting, council viewed the survey responses.
“We really wanted engagement from the community and I think based on that I think over 50 per cent of them have not been in favour. I definitely think that is something we should take into account,” said Councillor Adele Richardson during the meeting.
Councillor Chris Vining said he is still in support of the crosswalks and says its a great way for the community to demonstrate its inclusivity.
“There is an opportunity for the community to show its inclusivity but also a really good opportunity for education as to what these symbols mean and why.”
After the discussion, the motion was passed to defer the decision indefinitely on March 28.
The survey was available in paper copies at the City of Cold Lake’s February 8, 2023
open house and was available online from February 9 through February 27.