Richmond council votes to install permanent rainbow crosswalk

Richmond city council voted to install a permanent rainbow crosswalk Monday night as part of its Pride week celebrations.

Several residents attended the council meeting to express both support and disagreement with the project.

The motion passed 8-1 in the end, with the one dissenting councillor citing not enough time for public consultation.

Mayor Malcom Brodie voted in favour of the motion and told CBC News a crosswalk is just one way for the city to express inclusion.

"The LGBT community is one that has historically suffered from exclusion," he said. "I think that we value inclusion and diversity in our city and that is one expression of it."

A council agenda stated the crosswalk would cost approximately $15,000 to install.

The proposed location of the crosswalk is on Minoru Boulevard close to Richmond Centre.

Other Metro Vancouver cities that have installed permanent rainbow crosswalks includeVancouver, New Westminster, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Surrey, LangleyandWhite Rock.