Thousands use the rainbow crosswalk at the University of Victoria every day. But over five years, it’s taken a beating, and students agree it needs a refresh.
“I do think that it should be repainted,” said one student. “I think it’s important to have it repainted because it does represent such a large part of our community here at UVic.”
The university administration plans to repaint it. But before new colours are applied, they want to hear from the campus community.
So, they started consultations with a non-profit consulting group, PeerNETBC, in September 2022.
According to freedom of information documents obtained by the Times Colonist, the bill to organize campus consultations on the crosswalk topped out at $24,000.
It surprised many, including the UVic Student Society‘s Cleo Philp.
“I don’t know if they would have needed to have done $24,000 worth of consulting, which could have gone to other, better things,” said Philip.
Philp says they are concerned about how much the university will pay in an era of tight budgets.
“Money could be going to so many, so many other things,” they said.
“We’re not even running like a sexualized violence awareness week that we normally run this year, and part of that is due to limited capacity in some of our more important departments.”
In June, the City of Victoria repainted its three rainbow crosswalks on Pandora Avenue for $18,000 — or $6,000 each.
Others on campus agree it still has to be repainted, but at what cost?
“Oh my god. How about volunteers? For free,” said one student.
“It needs to be repainted,” added another. “I don’t know about the consulting. I’m not too sure what they had to consult about.”
CHEK News reached out to UVic but did not receive a response in time for publication.
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