Rainbow flag flap at Revelstoke City Hall
A local LGBTQ2S advocate group wants the city hall to take part in its rainbow flag sticker campaign by putting stickers on their entry doors. City staff have rejected the request as part of policy to not make any proclamations. Now, that’s being appealed.
Small rainbow-coloured stickers have been popping up in the doors of local Revelstoke businesses, but a request by the Safe Spaces advocacy group to have one placed on the front door of Revelstoke City Hall was rejected. Their appeal of that rejection will be before city council on August 11.
Safe Spaces Revelstoke Society is an advocacy group for the LGBTQ2S (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirited) community in town. They have been handing out many of their 2″x3″ rainbow stickers as part of a visual campaign to help LGBTQ2S travellers and locals feel safe in town.
“Displaying the rainbow flag indicates to the public, particularly members of the LGBTQ2S community, that this space is open, accepting, positive and safe,” Safe Spaces Revelstoke Society’s chairperson Martin Ralph wrote in a July 20 letter to city council.
City administration handled the initial request in May and stated that, while the city prides itself on maintaining a welcoming location for staff and visitors, they cannot put the stickers in their doors due to existing policy.
City staff argued the request to place the sticker on city hall was a “proclamation,” something the city doesn’t do.
“Your request is considered to be equivalent to a proclamation. Please be aware that the City adopted a policy on June 22, 1998 discontinuing the practice of issuing proclamations,” manager of legislative services Teresa LeRose wrote in a rejection letter.
At the time, city council received many request letters asking for proclamations supporting various causes, often from outside of Revelstoke, often having little to do with city business.
Ralph has appealed to city councillors to review the decision as the group believes this is an incorrect assessment.
“First and most importantly the rainbow flag represents diversity, which our community prides itself on,” Ralph wrote. “It is not in and of itself a gay pride statement or proclamation, and was never historically intended to be such, though some incorrectly believe this.”
The letters will be reviewed at the August 11 city council meeting for councillors to see and discuss.
See the whole communication here.
***
What do you think? Should city hall fly the rainbow flag stickers on its entrance doors?
What did you think of this story?
Your feedback after we publish a story helps ensure we're always improving our reporting to better serve you
Related Articles
Wastewater treatment plant upgrades set to future-proof facility for 2 decades
Plans to include Big Eddy residents and businesses into the updated facility still in the early stages, city director of engineering says.
Revelstoke granted $200,000 to rework development guidelines
Clarifying building requirements is key in speeding up development approvals, director of development services says.
More childcare spaces needed as families face estimated $35,000 income impact annually
Revelstoke Child Care Society still has over 160 families waitlisted as plans to expand into Okanagan College building take shape.