Sydney citizens have filed a petition against the government's decision to remove the Rainbow Walk painted on Oxford Street to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras Fete. The city officials say that the Walk is turning into a traffic hazard but the people want it to be made a permanent landmark of the city.
The Rainbow Walk is a red, orange, yellow, green, blue and indigo crossing which was installed to replace the mediocre zebra crossing on Oxford Street in February. The project cost around $67,808. Government officials had then agreed to keep it for a month on a trial-basis.
However, officials now say that the colorful walk is proving to be a major traffic hazard with people posing for photographs in the middle of the road, reports Pink News.
"This trial crossing was a gesture extended to Sydney's gay and lesbian community to honor the 35th anniversary of Mardi Gras. But behavior we have seen has set off alarm bells at the high risk of injuries and fatalities at this crossing, with more than 15 incidents in a month," Duncan Gay, Roads Minister of New South Wales, said to Pink News.
The crossing has become a major tourist attraction and a symbol of the city's inclusivity. In Los Angeles, two rainbow walks were painted in June 2012 and made permanent in October that year to market the city as a prime gay tourist location. Digging up the walk would only send out the wrong message now, according to the supporters of the Walk.
The public has been circulating a petition, which has collected around 15,000 signatures, already. "The roads minister has given no justifiable reason for removing a crossing that has been good for business, good for tourism, and good for the gay and lesbian community," Alex Greenwich, MP and member of The Independent for Sydney, said in an interview with ABC News.
"There have been no accidents over the past month, and I really think the roads minister just needs to get over his problem with rainbows," he added.
Removal of the walk will cost around $31,000. Sydney's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore is also supporting the movement to keep the Walk.
"I'm incredibly disappointed that we're going to have to spend $30,000 removing something that is a beautiful piece of public art and is very good for the local economy of the area," Moore said to The Guardian.
The crossing was to be dug up this week. However, due to bad weather, it has been moved to April 10. While the public is garnering more votes, the expiry date of the walkway is fixed for now.
