A week after council rejected the installation of a rainbow crosswalk councillors were still divided about both the need for, and the parameters of, a future crosswalk policy.
Coun. Gilbert Wall, a vocal critic of the crosswalk, was the first to speak.
“If the intention is to find a policy to support or to cover a decision I think we’re really wrongly directed because I think that on issues like this the decision should be at this table, not hidden in policy,” said Wall.
He said the discussion should focus on what the policy is trying to accomplish and whether council wants to give the decision-making authority to someone else.
Mayor Richard Ireland agreed and said he also struggled as to why they needed a policy.
“Here we are wrestling with an issue to develop a policy for things we’ve been doing for years. If it takes a policy for us to move forward I’m not necessarily opposed, but I was prepared to vote without a policy and I still am,” said Ireland.
He said any discussion about a crosswalk policy should focus on the principles of the issue, rather than the operational procedures, which can be left up to administration to figure out.
“The question is whether public space is the appropriate place to make social statements,” said Ireland.
Coun. Helen Kelleher-Empey said a policy would ensure fairness in the event other groups come forward to ask for a crosswalk.
Ireland said he understood her concerns, but said with or without a policy somebody still has to make a decision.
“I’m alert to the possibility that we may get an application to paint a crosswalk in a colour scheme or a design that we simply can’t accept, that’s why we’re here. With or without a policy, I’m prepared to be guided by my conscience.”
According to CAO Mark Fercho, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, and Edmonton all have permanent rainbow crosswalks, but do not have a policy.
In Saskatoon the city developed guidelines for painted crosswalks to ensure they were done in a safe and appropriate manner for pedestrians and motorists, such as prohibiting a painted crosswalk in high volume traffic areas. In Saskatoon the director of transportation has the authority to approve or reject proposals.
Ireland said the policy created in Saskatoon could be useful, but said the decision should not be left up to a member of administration.
Coun. Kelleher-Empey said she too liked the guidelines found in the policy from Saskatoon, however she said any new policy could stipulate that council still has to make the final decision.
“I really like the idea of not having it on a busy street,” said Kelleher-Empey. “We’ve all been downtown on Patricia Street and Connaught and we definitely don’t need people taking photographs of rainbow crosswalks.”
She said she was in full support of the rainbow crosswalk and would vote in favour of it so long as there is a policy.
Coun. Rico Damota said he would also change his vote in support of the crosswalk as long as there is a policy in place.
The rainbow crosswalk was narrowly defeated by a 3-2 vote during a council meeting on July 18.
Under council’s procedural bylaw council can not reconsider a defeated motion for 12 months or until after an election is held, except if two-thirds of councillors vote in favour of a motion to renew the discussion, but that motion must be supported in writing setting out special or exceptional circumstances that would warrant further debate.
“If we were to create a policy in the short term and approve it, we might use that as exceptional circumstances to renew the defeated motion,” Ireland said, adding that could still happen before the next election.
Coun. Wall said he would have no problem revisiting the issue through a motion of council.
“I think it’s our responsibility to deal with this before the next council takes its seat.”
During the meeting OUT Jasper president Mychol Ormandy and Lynn Wannop, a representative for the Jasper Pride Festival Society, spoke in favour of the crosswalk.
“We have to stop splitting hairs and trust this is a good decision to advocate for acceptance, love and caring,” Wannop said, adding the crosswalk won’t cost taxpayers anything.
A crosswalk policy will be brought back before council for further debate on Aug. 1.
Paul Clarke
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