Backlash kills motion to move Metro Vancouver Pride crosswalk

A plan to move the Pride crosswalk in Fort Langley sparked backlash over the weekend, but the Township of Langley’s councillor behind it has now quietly pulled the plug on the proposal.

Since 2017, the brightly painted rainbow crosswalk at Mary Avenue and Glover Road has served as a colourful symbol of acceptance and inclusion.

It sits right in the heart of the village, where tourists snap photos, families gather, and that’s exactly why several residents want it to stay.

But last week, a surprise motion from Township Councillor Tim Baillie called for it to be replaced with a different design and moved elsewhere.

His rationale? Ongoing vandalism and the high cost of repainting, but many residents were left questioning the possible move.

“It’s one of the most visible intersections in Fort Langley. Why would you move it to a side street where no one sees it?” said Mike Parker, a local resident and co-chair of Strong Towns Langley.

Parker told Daily Hive Urbanized he stumbled across the proposed motion while scrolling through the council agenda online last Friday, just three days before it was scheduled for debate on Monday, July 21.

“There was no warning. No consultation. It was just buried in the agenda. People are shocked,” he said. “This sends the wrong message… that we’re hiding queer folks instead of standing with them.”

The motion at a glance

The now-withdrawn motion, brought forward by Councillor Baillie, requested Township staff to:

• Replace the existing Pride crosswalk with a different decorative design
• Identify a new location for a Pride crosswalk in Fort Langley after consulting the Langley Pride Society

But the motion didn’t make it to debate.

At Monday’s council meeting, Baillie formally withdrew it, and it was removed from the agenda.

“There is no motion. It doesn’t exist,” Councillor Steve Ferguson told Daily Hive Urbanized. “If someone brings it up again, it would have to be a brand-new motion.”

In other words, the original motion is officially dead. If a similar idea were to be raised again, it wouldn’t pick up where this one left off; it would need to start from scratch, as an entirely new proposal.

Baillie also admitted he hadn’t consulted Langley Pride early enough, and said some “reasonable and rational” voices gave him pause.

“It’s been an interesting journey,” he said. “I hadn’t spoken to Langley Pride early enough, and I will correct that.”

But he also took a jab at critics.

“To the people who think that they’re going to coerce or bully… that’s a real good way to make me stand,” Baillie said at the meeting. “I am not a fan of backing down.”

Parker found that troubling.

“He admitted the motion was flawed, but then basically said if people are mean to him, he’ll take it out on the queer community,” Parker said. “That’s not leadership.”

Pride Society says removal would hurt visibility

The Langley Pride Society issued a statement on Saturday, July 19, saying it was “deeply disappointed” by the proposal and highlighting the importance of queer visibility in public spaces.

“We will not be deterred by hate,” the group said. “We stand proud, united, and committed to rebuilding and enhancing what others seek to destroy.”

 

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A post shared by Langley Pride Society (@langleypridesociety)

The Society said Baillie had reached out to them ahead of the motion and promised consultation before any removal.

He also floated replacing the crosswalk with artwork reflecting Fort Langley’s “historical heritage.”

Still, they made one thing clear: the original crosswalk matters.

Why the Pride crosswalk matters

Desiree Cabecinha, co-chair of the BC Federation of Labour’s 2SLGBTQIA+ caucus and a former Langley resident, says the controversy is part of a wider pattern across the province.

“We’re seeing an uprise of transphobia, homophobia, and targeted vandalism across B.C.,” she told Daily Hive Urbanized. “Instead of cracking down on the people responsible, this motion essentially punished the symbol of inclusion.”

Cabecinha says Baillie’s rhetoric raised further red flags.

“He only pulled it because of public pressure… but made it clear he might bring it back if he feels bullied,” she said. “That’s alarming.”

For now, the crosswalk stays

At the July 21 meeting, council voted unanimously to approve the amended agenda without the motion.

“There’s no motion. There’s nothing,” Councillor Ferguson reiterated. “It’s done.”

For now, the rainbow crosswalk remains, bright, bold, and exactly where the community wants it.

“This crosswalk is more than paint on pavement,” said Parker. “It’s a message to every queer kid, every resident, and every tourist that we belong here.”

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