From left, Co-Chair Grey Bruce Pride and co-owner of Femmes Fêtes-als Rachel Patterson, Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau, Kincardine Pride President and Co-Founder Fort Papalia, SDSS teacher and Saugeen Shores Deputy Mayor Don Matheson, Bruce Power Director of Community and Media Relations and Economic Development John Peevers, Saugeen Shore Police Services Acting Chief Kevin Zettel, SDSS Principal Erin Paylor.

Hub Staff

In June of 2018, the Town of Saugeen Shores held its inaugural Pride event, hoisting the Pride flag for the first time outside the then police headquarters in Port Elgin. Two years later, the community took another step in paving a path to equality.

On September 3, a ribbon cutting ceremony marked the official opening of the vibrant rainbow crosswalk leading to the entrance of the Saugeen District Senior School (SDSS) on Gustavus Street in Port Elgin.

SDSS teacher and Deputy Mayor of Saugeen Shores Don Matheson brought the idea forward in early 2020 and the response from the community was overwhelmingly positive. Members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, town officials, council members and Bruce Power representatives gathered to commemorate the official opening of the crosswalk.

After expressing his gratitude toward all parties involved with the project, Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau confessed his love for the Pride flag for its boldness and its symbolism of hope. “We’re a hopeful and optimistic community and we want to say to the LGBTQ2+ community that live here in the Town of Saugeen Shores, that they’re accepted, that they’re loved and that no matter who they love, they’re valued members of this community,” declared Charbonneau.

“I’m very hopeful that everyone who sees this will see the rainbow and realize that they have everything to live for when they live in the Town of Saugeen Shores," he concluded.

Bruce Power Director of Community and Media Relations and Economic Development John Peevers agreed with the mayor's sentiment and conveyed the company’s delight in supporting the project. “I think having a symbol is great,” concurred Peevers, “but I think we all need to be part of taking that next step too and not just having symbols but acting and calling out exclusion when we see it and going out and sort of walking the walk as well,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Don Matheson shared the support from SDSS students and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) as well as their readiness and enthusiasm to raise funds for the project. Their efforts were thwarted by the current pandemic but the team was fortunate to receive a boost from Bruce Power that helped cement their vision. “Crossing the rainbow into school, after the year that the kids have had, is very important," said Matheson. "We want everybody to feel wanted, welcome and that they mean something to somebody," he said.

Fort Papalia, President and Co-Founder of Kincardine Pride and a former teacher of St Joseph’s Catholic School in Port Elgin was proud to witness the event. “Having taught here for almost 30 years at St Joseph’s School, never would I have imagined myself in this position or that this would be happening in my lifetime,” Papilia said and shared a hope that this will set an example for other communities to follow and "realize love is love and everyone is human, we’re all in this together."

Bruce Power Director of Community and Media Relations and Economic Development John Peevers spoke at the official opening of the rainbow crosswalk September 3 on Gustavus in Port Elgin and reminded guests that equality is more than a symbol, that we also need to walk the walk.

Saugeen District Senior School teacher and Saugeen Shores Deputy Mayor Don Matheson emphasized the importance of the rainbow crosswalk to the students at SDSS at the official opening of the rainbow crosswalk September 3.