To show solidarity for the local LGBTQ+ community after Pride-themed bollards at North Kawartha Public Library in Apsley were vandalized last week, the library is holding a repainting party in the parking lot at 11 a.m. on Friday (June 20).
Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call from the library last Wednesday (June 11), reporting that two of six Pride-themed bollards around the library had been deliberately defaced with black paint sometime during the night before.
Four of the bollards that were not defaced are in close proximity of the building, and library staff believe the perpetrators of the vandalism may have correctly assumed there were cameras recording around the building.
The library had originally painted all six bollards with red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet stripes — the colours of the Pride flag — in celebration of Pride Month in June.
According to library CEO Debbie Hall, the bollards are painted every June because library staff “want people in the community to know that the library is a safe space” and that the library is accessible to everybody. The vandalism, she says, was “very hurtful” to many of their staff and community members.
In a statement, North Kawartha mayor Carolyn Amyotte expressed her dismay with the incident.
“I was shocked and disgusted to learn that our North Kawartha Public Library Pride poles were damaged last week,” Mayor Amyotte said. “This is more than just vandalizing public property. Defacing Pride symbols is a hate crime.”
“North Kawartha council and staff fully supports our library’s efforts to provide inclusive programming and a welcoming space for everyone. Our community seeks to build connections with all people, not exclude them because of how they look, dress, self-identify, or who or how they love.”
The vandalism followed another incident earlier this month when adults checked out many of the books that were included in the library’s limited Pride Month display. In recent years, this has been a widely used tactic across North America to censor and prevent the circulation of LGBTQ+ books.
“The recent vandalism to the posts outside our Apsley Library which were painted for June Pride month and the attempt to make our Pride book collection inaccessible to the community have made it clear to us that our work to foster and support diversity, equity and inclusion is necessary and significant in our community,” reads a statement from the North Kawartha Public Library Board.
The statement goes on to outline that every four years, the board develops a strategic plan to guide the institutional work of the community libraries in both Apsley and Woodview. In the 2022 core values, the second value on the list is diversity and inclusion, and staff and board members annually develop goals to meet these values. In 2025, these goals included “a promise to explore opportunities for diversity and inclusion” with definitions outlined for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“The library is committed to fostering an environment which makes equity, diversity, and inclusion a priority in planning and decision making for staffing, collections, services, and spaces,” the declaration on the statement reads. “Our staff training will include accessibility, anti-racism, and cultural awareness training.”
By hosting a repainting party on Friday to restore the original colours to the defaced bollards, the library is hoping to turn hate into a celebration of love and unity.
The positive response from the community, Hall says, was best shown when a community member made a donation of upwards of a dozen books to restore the Pride Month book display.
“When something like this happens it’s so hurtful, but then it does galvanize the community into action,” Hall says. “If we can just show that support more widespread and if more people in the community would be willing to put up flags or something, so that people that are currently doing it don’t feel isolated, it galvanizes the rest of the community to speak up and speak out and be present.”
For her part, Amyotte adds, “We know that diversity and equity is vital for a community to thrive, and our municipality is committed to standing up for all human rights and social inclusion. I look forward to attending the library’s Pride paint party and I can’t wait to spread love and rainbows all over town!”
According to a media release from the Peterborough County OPP, officers will also be attending Friday’s repainting party.
“Representation from the Peterborough County OPP will be on hand to show our support and to stand in solidarity against hate-motivated actions.”
“Acts of hate or intolerance are taken very seriously by the Peterborough County OPP and will not be tolerated in our community,” the media release adds.
Peterborough County OPP are asking for the public’s help in identifying those responsible for the vandalism. Anyone with information is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122. If you want to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at stopcrimehere.ca.
