Avon to fly pride flags in town for entire month of June
The town is doubling down on its message of inclusivity
Avon Town Council directed staff at the end of its Tuesday Town Council meeting to fly the pride flag for the entire month of June — celebrated nationally as Pride Month.
“The pride flag is the promotion of love and acceptance — its inclusivity is important and we are the heart of the valley. And I think that’s so cool that we live in a community that is accepting and inclusive and encouraging of this action,” said Council member Lindsay Hardy at the May 10 meeting.
The town of Avon has hosted Mountain Pride’s Eagle County Pride in the Park for the past two summers. And last year, in celebration and support of the event, Town Council directed staff to fly a pride flag in its roundabout at Avon Road and Benchmark Road for the week leading up to the event.
While Pride in the Park went off without a hitch, the council received a few letters from Eagle County residents thanking them for taking it down. However, these letters were swiftly followed by an outpouring of support from the LGBTQ community and allies, sharing how much the flying of the pride flag meant to them.
“The volume and content of the messages thanking this council for providing a safe space for the youth of this community was overwhelming,” said Mayor Pro Tem Amy Phillips. “Many emails came from members of the LGBTQ+ community who grew up in Eagle County and had been bullied as children and young adults. Their stories were heartbreaking. Many parents and siblings also sent messages thanking this council for giving their loved ones a safe space and feeling of inclusivity that had been lacking as they grew up.”
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According to Phillips, by June 22 last year (10 days after Pride at the Park), council had received over 130 emails in support of the flag.
“Those messages that we received were so beautiful; the sense of love and personal meaning it had for so many of those people,” Hardy said. “Putting (the pride flags) out there shows that we are an accepting community and we accept all and we are here for them. And how can one not smile when watching so many people joyfully embrace the beauty of their authenticity.”
While Phillips made the initial ask for staff to fly a pride flag for the entire month of June, the request was embraced by the entire council.
“Let’s make sure it’s a really big flag — let’s do it right,” said Council member Scott Prince.
Town Manager Eric Heil noted that the town intends to fly three pride flags across town: one at the Avon Road and Benchmark Road roundabout, one at the Post Boulevard and East Beaver Creek Boulevard roundabout and one at the roundabout on Avon Road off Interstate 70.
