WATCH: Surrey city hall will again not be flying the rainbow flag during pride week. But as Jas Johal reports, this year councillors are offering an alternative.
Surrey City Council has voted to keep their policy on flags in place, which means the rainbow pride flag will not fly at Surrey City Hall during Pride Week this year.
Currently there are only three flagpoles that fly the Canadian, British Columbian and City of Surrey flags at the new city hall. The city says those flags symbolize diversity and inclusiveness, and instead has offered pride organizers the opportunity to put a Surrey Pride exhibit in the foyer of city hall, which can include a flag.
“We’re quite happy to fly the pride flag, we celebrate the gay pride week,” Linda Hepner, surrey city councillor says.
“In fact we are one of the gold sponsors of the celebration in Holland Park and we are thrilled to have the gay pride flag in our city hall within the entryway and at the celebration site.”
But organizers of pride week are disappointed with the decision.
“It’s time for the council to understand the reality in surrey,” Martin Rooney from the Surrey Pride Festival says.
“And if you guys want to make this an issue, we can certainly do that. My preference was never to make this an issue and for them to raise the pride flag like many other cities do without drama.”
The Surrey Pride Festival is taking place on July 6 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Holland Park.
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