Moved by City Councillor Williams
Seconded by Mayor Patrick Brown
WHEREAS Brampton City Council unanimously passed a motion to rename Dixie 407 Sports Park to Emancipation Park in honour of the abolition of slavery, acknowledge the past and reiterate a position of solidarity with Brampton’s Black community
WHEREAS the Pan African flag (Red, Black and Green) is over 100 years old and represents everyone from the African diaspora and anyone who identifies with being of African descent
WHEREAS Brampton is home to Emancipation Park, part of a network of only 4 Emancipation Parks globally, and a permanent flag pole would represents the significance and identity of the space
WHEREAS Emancipation Park is a part of the Emancipation Month strategy to create spaces across Canada that will tell the incredible and heroic story of freedom and the constant pursuit to eliminate racism everywhere
WHEREAS August 1 is Emancipation Day and August is Emancipation Month in Brampton and during this month there are numerous occasions that the Pan African flag should be raised during celebrations and observation in the space of Emancipation Park
WHEREAS The City of Brampton hosts and has approved a number of monuments and structures recognizing the historic events impacting residents of various faiths and community groups choosing to make Brampton their home
WHEREAS the Emancipation Park Committee is planning an Emancipation Cup Soccer tournament in summer of 2022 featuring teams from across Canada, and it would be appropriate to have the flag raised during the beginning of the event to commemorate justice, freedom and equality
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
THAT staff investigate the feasibility of installing permanent a flag pole in Emancipation Park; including the potential to require additional flag poles to accommodate the Canadian, Provincial and Municipal flags according to proper flag pole etiquette
THAT the report returns to Council in a timeframe that would allow for the installation of the flag pole(s) for Emancipation Month in August 2022 and the Emancipation Cup Soccer tournament scheduled to take place in summer of 2022 (date to be confirmed)