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Rainbow crosswalks coming to two Broadway intersections

April 9, 2020   ·   0 Comments

By Mike Baker

There will soon be some new colour sprinkled along sections of Broadway after Orangeville Council endorsed a move to install a pair of rainbow crosswalks on the town’s main strip. 

Pencilled in for Broadway intersections at Mill St. and Wellington St., the new crosswalks will cost the Town around $12,000. In a report to Council, Doug Jones, Orangeville’s General Manager of Infrastructure Services, stated coloured markings are applied to increase the conspicuity of a pedestrian crossing and increase drivers’ awareness of potential conflicts.

Coun. Lisa Post, who has been heavily involved in the town’s annual Celebrate Your Awesome pride and diversity event in recent years, was a big fan of the initiative.

“I’m really excited to have the ability and opportunity to bring rainbow crosswalks to the community. They’re a wonderful sign of inclusivity and diversity and would be an absolutely welcome addition to the downtown core,” Coun. Post said.

The project will be included in Orangeville’s 2021 capital budget. Mr. Jones indicated the rainbow colouring would be made up of an enhanced thermo-plastic, rather than paint, and does come with a shelf life. 

“We would be applying (the thermo-plastic) directly to the paving stones. Some of the contractors we deal with are familiar with these sort of things and recommended against paint,” Mr. Jones said. “They expect, depending on the amount of traffic, these sort of plastics would last between three and five years.”

Council unanimously supported the crosswalk initiative, with Coun. Post requesting they be completed in time for Celebrate Your Awesome in 2021, tentatively slated to take place in June.

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