SPOKANE, Wash. — If you walk through the Garland District today, you may see businesses promote ‘Garland Pride’ or pride-themed pub crawls.
In June, the North Hill neighborhood council chair Scott Webb said the Garland District is expanding its pride month-celebrations.
In April, the neighborhood council voted in favor of putting rainbow flags on street lamps in the Garland District.
Webb said the lamps are owned by Avista.
"It’s about seven poles in total," Webb said. "From about here [Garland and Monroe] actually to about the Garland Brewery.”
At the May neighborhood meeting, Webb said some businesses owners expressed their opposition to the idea.
Webb said the conversation was reopened for further discussion.
“We did vote as a community, with the business owners in May, to pass the motion as we did in April with the amendment that if anybody didn’t want the flags in front of their business, we would honor that decision,” Webb said.
Webb said some of the businesses not in favor said they’re worried about the flags affecting foot traffic.
“They believe the idea is too divisive," Webb shared. "Some are concerned about foot traffic into their businesses that by us displaying the flags could have a negative effect on their customer base to come into the neighborhood.”
One business owner told KREM2 he would be choosing not to display a flag on the street lamp outside his workplace.
Another business owner said he doesn't mind either way.
That business owner also said he was the one who recommended the amendment clause for businesses to make their own decisions on the flags at the May neighborhood meeting. He said since the meeting, he's received several anonymous messages, calling him "a homophobe."
Both owners declined to go on camera with their statements.
Webb said he wants everyone to feel respected in the neighborhood.
“Whether what side you’re on we want to make sure everyone has a right to be supported in our neighborhood,” Webb said.
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