Painted crosswalk program to be discontinued in Shelburne

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Shelburne will be discontinuing its painted crosswalk project following deterioration and increasing financial factors. 

During their meeting on Monday (April 8), Shelburne Town Council received a report from Denyse Morrissey, chief administrative officer (CAO), regarding the termination of the pilot project. 

“We have realized and learned through the last year and a half that what we're encountering with respect to weather is very difficult to overcome. What we don't want to do is create a repetitive need to repaint these,” said Morrissey. “As well-intentioned as the program was, we don't feel it's strategic any longer to continue with it.”

The painted crosswalk program was launched in Shelburne in 2022 and inspired by similar installations in other towns and cities. The goal of the pilot crosswalk program was to celebrate the diversity, equity and inclusion of the community, and act as an educational opportunity. 

The first painted crosswalk in Shelburne was installed for Every Child Matters and Orange Shirt Day in the fall of 2022 at the intersection of William Street and Main Street, and relocated in 2023 to the intersection of Main Street and James Street, due to construction. 

In 2023, the Town of Shelburne unveiled two additional painted crosswalks; a Pride Month crosswalk, located at the intersection of Main Street and Victoria Street; and a ‘Lest We Forget' crosswalk in honour of Remembrance Day, located at William Street and First Avenue. 

The program was initially slated to be developed over the next five to 10 years to include potentially up to 10 painted crosswalks with various themes through the Town of Shelburne. 

One of the biggest factors for discontinuing the program is the deterioration of the paint on the crosswalk as a result of weather conditions and high traffic volume. The first painted crosswalk, Every Child Matters, was originally installed in 2022 and was required to be repainted in 2023. 

“While deterioration due to high traffic volume and winter road maintenance was expected, it was much more drastic than originally anticipated,” reads the report to council. 

As a result of the deterioration of the painted designs, the Town of Shelburne was exploring the need to repaint the three existing crosswalks multiple times throughout the year. 

According to the report, the cost of painting the crosswalk is around $1,000 per location for paint, materials and staff time. 

“The probably is not an effective use of not only our staff time but also the budget, and the deterioration is certainly not an aesthetic that we want,” added Morrissey. “It's just not something we're capable of keeping on top of.” 

Morrissey noted that while the painted crosswalk project was intended to celebrate diversity in the community, the Town of Shelburne has undertaken other projects including flag raisings, proclamations, and information sharing to recognize the community's diversity. 

The cost of repainting the three existing locations was included and approved as part of the Town of Shelburne's 2024 budget. With the discontinuation of the program, the town will not be undertaking the repainting of the existing crosswalks for 2024.