It was the lead story on the front page of the Seattle Gay News last week. The final vote has been tallied for a project to create a rainbow-colored crosswalk celebrating the neighborhood’s LGBTQ core. Someday soon, you may be making a rainbow-enhanced crossing at the intersection of Broadway and E Pike:
After a recent Internet poll conducted by Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea), the location for Capitol Hill’s first Rainbow Crosswalk has been selected. More than 700 votes were cast and the people have spoken: the crosswalk will be painted at East Pike Street and Broadway.
‘Pike and Broadway is the perfect place to begin the project,’ said Shaun Knittel, SOSea’s founder and director. Pike/Pine and Broadway are iconic in Seattle. Not only do locals and visitors too, know that they are entering Capitol Hill, they also know they are entering the city’s historical and cultural center. Pike and Broadway is bustling, has history, and is recognizable.’
It was a close vote. The top three vote-getters were posted to the Social Outreach Seattle Rainbow Crosswalk page on Facebook:
- Pike & Broadway (214 votes, 54%)
- E. Olive Way & Broadway (206 votes, 52%)
- Pine & Broadway (170 votes, 43%)
SOSea volunteers photographing the intersection for an upcoming meeting (Image: SOSea)
SGN reports that the Pike/Broadway rainbow crosswalk just may be the first of many in the area.
The Pike and Broadway location is just steps from the iconic Neighbours dance club and newcomer Q and represents the cultural crossroads of Capitol Hill’s Broadway and Pike/Pine neighborhoods.
SOSea representatives say the money required to paint the new crosswalk will be raised through a combination of donations and sponsorship with a goal of having the first crossing completed by Pride 2013.
And before any of you get all upset thinking my opinion has anything to do with any political/religious/homophobic reasons, I just think this is very ugly in a purely aesthetic way.
Blech.
Great news if it happens and the perfect spot.
So much for the myth of gay people and superior taste.
I absolutely agree. I just think it’s totally unnecessary. Not to diminish the significance of Capitol Hill to the gay community, but we don’t really need to mark our territory in such a gaudy way, do we?
I can’t get past how much this is supposed to cost. I read in the news about a month ago, about 20k. That seems exceptionally high. I understand permitting, cost of materials, labor etc but really, 20k?
I agree too. The money (previously estimated at $8000….yikes!) could be much better spent, such as cleaning up these streets (litter, old tattered posters, graffiti) on a regular basis….because the City sure isn’t doing it.
Idiocy.
First off, this is offensive to pedestrians. Seattle doesn’t have anywhere close to sufficient pedestrian facilities, particularly crosswalks. This is a slap in the face, spending this money on an already existing crosswalk.
Second of all, how do the backers of this project not see this as the *selfish* gesture that it is? The “gay community” makes me sick.
Show pride by cleaning up the neighborhood. Show pride by bringing back the Q Patrol. Show pride by flying a gay flag (like the large flag in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood.) The only thing this shows is a complete lack of taste. Come on! We can do better than this.
Offensive to pedestrians? What does that even mean? Who cares if they paint the sidewalk rainbow colors with private money? If a group wants to raise the money and do it, that’s what the permitting process is for. Go raise some money and do a gay trash pick up a block and a half from this location if your heart is set on it Ryan.
How about I do a regular trash pick-up so I can pick up things that aren’t gay?
I wouldn’t want a whole street full of rainbow-colored cross-walks, but I think a single cross-walk is festive and a nice nod to the historic ties to the gay community in the area.
People really need to lighten up a bit! The whole city is grey and tan and beige and a small amount of gaudiness is just the right antidote for the “blah” affliction.