The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury is up for Community of the Year in this year’s Simcoe County Pride Awards.
Officially announced today, BWG is up against the City of Orillia for the award, which will be handed out during a gala in August.
BWG raised the Pride flag before Fierté Simcoe Pride even existed, said Brandon Rhéal Amyot, the organization’s president.
“They have supported Pride for a very long time over previous councils,” they said. “In smaller communities, there’s a sense of camaraderie. People are open to listening, even if they don’t understand.”
Local Coun. Raj Sandhu, who is a member of the BWG Diversity Action Group, said the town is welcoming but has room for improvement in its inclusivity.
“We still have issues. The younger generation is more welcoming (to the LGBTQ community) than the older generation,” he said. “That’s how society was in the 40s, 50s, 60s. Bradford is no different in that regard. We’re welcoming, but we still have challenges.”
The diversity group includes members of the LGBTQ community in its programming, including interactive workshops to educate people about Pride, and a candlelight vigil for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando in 2016, Sandhu said.
The BWG Public Library has also held several LGBTQ-friendly events, including Drag Queen Storytime with Miss Atmos Fierce and Erin B. in June.
Some of these types of events have not previously been well attended, but the Drag Queen Storytime was very popular with many families showing up, Sandhu said.
“That was encouraging to see. I went to show my support,” he said.
But, he added, BWG is simply being recognized for something that should be done everywhere.
“It gives me great pride that Bradford is a leader on this. We’re being recognized for being a community that’s open, (but) it’s in our charter rights,” he said. “We’re in the 21st century. Personally, to me, it feels like including everyone in the community is a given.”
Fierté Simcoe Pride runs across the county July 30 to Aug. 12.
The other Pride award nominees include:
Youth of the Year
Nelson Morgan
The Two-Spirit Youth of Chimnissing (Beausoleil First Nation)
Person of the Year
Keenan Aylwin
Dr. Marissa Rodway-Norman
Randy Davis
Steven Lewis
Organization of the Year
The Borden Pride Network
Simcoe County District School Board
Business of the Year
Apple Annie's Cafe
The Grilled Cheese Social Eatery
The Lazy Tulip Cafe
Community of the Year
Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury
City of Orillia
