A pair of rainbow crosswalks were unveiled this morning on 50th St. and “Little Gaetz” Ave. in downtown Red Deer, all part of Central Alberta Pride Week which starts this Sunday. 

Events Coordinator for Central Alberta Pride Society Joel Graham says the crosswalks are a symbol of connection and togetherness for all members of the community.

“Each colour of the rainbow represents a different part of our community. And basically, the entire crosswalk just links the community together. Not only the LGBTQ+ community, but also our community of allies.”

These rainbow sidewalks have caused some controversy across Alberta, with some being vandalized at night, and others complaining through social media that they don't want their tax dollars funding the crosswalks.

Graham says he understands not everyone is accepting of the LGBTQ+ community quite yet, which is why the society crowdsourced funds for the crosswalks.

“Often in the community of Red Deer, the LGBTQ+ community feels kind of marginalized; there are people that are less accepting than others. But by doing the crowdfunding, and having the community take initiative and ownership over this project, it really goes to show that people really do care. We got a lot of supporters, and the positive outweighs the negative.”

The paint for the crosswalk was donated by Fargeys Decorating Centre, which customized the colours this year to ensure they are the exact rainbow colours.

They also changed the type of paint used, so it shines brighter and last longer. The crowdfunding was used to pay for the labour to paint the crosswalks. They managed to raise about $3,000, over their goal of $2,700. 

The paint will naturally fade over time, and will be repainted the normal white lines once the rainbow is no longer visible.

Central Alberta Pride Week starts with Pride in the Park, down at Bower Ponds recreation Area from 11am until 6pm on Sunday, which will be hosted by Sunny 94.

For more information on Pride Week events, you can visit their website, centralablertapride.ca.

 

(Events Coordinator for Central Alberta Pride Society Joel Graham (L) and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Central Alberta Pride Society Serge Gingras (R))