BACKERS OF A PLAN to place ‘Rainbow Walks’ at a number of Dublin city centre junctions say they hope the project gets the green light in time to mark the first anniversary of the same-sex marriage referendum next May.
Similar pedestrian walkways can be found in locations of significance to the LGBT community around the world – at junctions in the Castro District in San Francisco, for instance, and in Sydney, Australia.
The project could also help bolster the city’s image as a destination for LGBT tourists, according to campaigners.
“Following the successful passing of the Marriage Equality referendum, Ireland and especially Dublin is now seen as a beacon of hope around the world for many LGBT people who come from places less than welcoming to their gay citizens,” Dale McDermott, who’s heading up the proposal, said in a Facebook post.
“The LGBT community has been welcomed with open arms by the people of Ireland and I feel that this would further bolster the support for LGBT people across Dublin City and the world.”
The walks would be installed at locations that ”have significant meaning to the LGBT community in Dublin”. The proposed sites are at:
1. The junction of George’s Street and Dame Street – close to the city’s most famous LGBT bar ‘The George’.
2. On Capel Street – across from PantiBar
3. At the Parliament Street and Dame Street junction (close to the courtyard in Dublin Castle – where the referendum result was greeted).
“Having seen these already in the Castro District in San Francisco and how much of a tourist attraction they are, I really feel that Dublin could seriously benefit from such a simple yet important and colourful touch to our beautiful city,” McDermott wrote.
“Cities all over the world, from Tel Aviv to Sydney, have installed rainbow-coloured pedestrian crossings and given the fact that Dublin is now viewed as a prime location for gay people, this will send a further signal that Dublin is welcoming to LGBT all over the world.”
“This would be good for tourism, good for culture and good for business.”
Fine Gael councillor Noel Rock has proposed the motion to Dublin City Council and expects it to be heard early next year.
He said he hoped the walkways would be in place before 23 May next, and said a number of tech multinationals had expressed an interest in funding them. The cost, at any rate, would be “minimal,” he said tonight.
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You can read more about the proposals here.
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