BARRHEAD – Members of Barrhead's S2LGBTQ+ community are in "recovery mode" after Monday night's plebiscite vote that will ban decorative crosswalks, including Pride crosswalks, in the community.
On Dec. 2, Barrhead residents voted in favour of Barrhead Neutral Space Bylaw by a vote of 653 (57 per cent) to 492 (43 per cent) with 1,145 ballots being counted. The municipality, based on 2021 census data, estimates that between 3,400 and 3,500 residents were eligible to vote in the plebiscite.
Caitlyn Clarke from the OutProud group said the feeling of inclusion 2SLGBTQ+ residents were feeling may be taken away.
“It is bad news for a lot of people in town. They were hopeful that the feeling of inclusion that they're experiencing is going to continue.”
“With that being taken they continue to feel like they can't be out, they can't be proud, they can't be who they are.”
RELATED LINK: Barrhead residents vote to ban Pride and decorative crosswalks, flags
The bylaw will essentially prohibit "decorative crosswalks" on town roadways, restricting them to and banned flags other than the Canadian, provincial and Town of Barrhead flags from flying on municipally-owned facilities, property and flagpoles.
The bylaw would also prohibit decorations on town crosswalks or the display of flags supporting political, social, or religious movements or commercial entities.
“Right now, I think we are more just in recovery mode," Clarke said, noting members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community will be focused on self care and taking care of the community.
The drafting of the bylaw and the subsequent plebiscite became necessary after Barrhead Neutrality presented the municipality with a petition to pressure councillors into drafting and enacting the bylaw or to force a plebiscite on the said bylaw.
The vote comes nine months after Westlock was forced to hold a similar plebiscite, which also resulted in the outlawing of decorative crosswalks and a variety of flags.
RELATED LINK: Westlock votes to ban Pride crosswalks, other flags by 24 votes
“I had planned to attend as a scrutinizer, but the door was locked when I arrived,” shared Clarke.
“We had another scrutinizer inside and they came out after 9:30 p.m. It was not the news you’re hoping for.”
From this point forward, council has 30 days to pass the second and third reading of the bylaw.
The Town of Barrhead website outlines those next steps before the bylaw is approved.
The Town of Barrhead announced the results of the vote at about shortly after 10 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2.
“I'd suggest that they (the people who support the bylaw) sit down and talk to a person who painted the crosswalk, either crosswalk, and actually listen to what they have to say because if they did, they might have voted differently," said Clarke.
