NORTH TONAWANDA — For the first time in the city’s history, a Pride flag is flying outside city hall.
Mayor Austin Tylec, city residents and business owners and representatives from the local LGBTQ community held a brief flag-raising ceremony on Friday outside city hall on Payne Avenue to commemorate what Tylec described as a “huge step forward” in the history of the Lumber City.
“Of course, the American flag comes first, but this flag is not just a cloth,” Tylec said. “It represents millions of people who have struggled and triumphed to fight for the right to live happy and open lives.”
The city’s Pride flag was hoisted to the top of a pole outside city hall, next to the main pole at the building’s entrance which features an American flag throughout the year.
Tylec said the city, with help from the North Tonawanda Merchants Association, installed the secondary flag pole to display flags honoring various organizations or awareness months, not just Pride Month which is held each year in June. He said other examples include flags recognizing child abuse prevention month, military service members month and women’s rights history.
“We look at the American flag as the No. 1 flag in our nation, but it doesn’t mean we can’t recognize different causes in different ways, just like the Pride flag does,” Tylec said.
“Every month we are raising a flag for different causes and we think it’s a very good way to engage the community,” Tylec added. “It’s an educational piece too. We’re welcoming anyone of all kinds into our city. Diversity is welcome in North Tonawanda.”
Ronald Piaseczny, president of Niagara Pride, a non-profit organization that provides educational programming and services to members of the LBGTQ community in Niagara County, participated in Friday’s flag-raising ceremony and called it an “incredible opportunity and event for North Tonawanda.”
“Over the years, Niagara Pride has had the opportunity to have flag-raising in larger cities in Niagara County, Niagara Falls being one of the first,” he said. “Over time, we have worked with community partners like Oliver Street, like the mayor’s office here, to be able to expand that and really show that diversity and promote all different races, religions, creeds, sexual orientations, identities are truly welcome in Niagara County.”
While Piasezcny said he was aware of some online chatter from “keyboard warriors” who suggested they might protest Friday’s event, he stressed that the flag-raising in North Tonawanda went off without any issues, which he said is usually the case where such activities are concerned.
“I have seen some of the negative things that were said about this,” he said. “At the end of the day, the people that really support all types of diversity are the ones who came out and showed their support. I think that’s actually the bigger message, that when we see live who actually comes out to support these events, we see
Friday’s flag-raising event was held as North Tonawanda prepares for its fourth annual Pride Fest, which will be held on June 15 at Heritage Park. The festival will feature food, live music and more.
“The Oliver Street merchants have really led the charge on Pride Fest. It’s a great event,” Tylec said.