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Volunteers help mark Pride Month by repainting the rainbow crosswalk in Grande Prairie (photo by Liam Verster)
By Liam Verster
Pride Month

Rainbow crosswalk in Grande Prairie gets fresh coat of paint to launch Pride Month

Jun 1, 2021 | 12:38 PM

The Grande Prairie Pride Society have put down a fresh coat of paint on the rainbow crosswalk at the corner of 103 Avenue and 98 Street in Grande Prairie.

The tradition of repainting the crosswalk, which is done to mark Pride Month, has been running for the past five years.

Mike Desjarlais with the Pride Society says the group was only established six years ago, which makes having this crosswalk extra special.

“In the scope of things, a lot of cities usually have their Pride Societies running for multiple years before they even get a one-lane crosswalk, so for the City of Grande Prairie to provide us with four-lanes on our second year and allow us to freshen it up every year is pretty rewarding.”

Desjarlais adds the support the Pride Society has received over the past years from the City and the community as a whole has been very positive, and he feels blessed to have the support.

Meanwhile, Chancie Cook, who has been involved in repainting the crosswalk for the past three years, says it’s emotional to see the crosswalk restored once again, adding that it’s an important visual representation to have on display in the City.

“It’s so important, if this was around when I was a kid, if I would have seen this representation in my City as a kid, I feel like that would have been different for me,” said Cook.

“It’s wonderful for people to be able to see that and to see that Grande Prairie supports our LGBTQ community, and it’s just really nice to see every year. It really means a lot to a lot of people.”

Members of the Pride Society were also joined by a number of volunteers who helped paint the crosswalk, including City Councillor Kevin O’Toole and President of the Filipino Association of Grande Prairie and Area Neil Tuazon.

O’Toole says he sees it as a privileged to be able to participate in the annual crosswalk painting, adding that it does a lot to help make the LGBTQ+ community feel supported and the City more inclusive.

“I just want them to be comfortable in the City, like any nationality or any other group. We want to look after those that can help themselves and those that can’t, and this is a great way to show that the City supports programs like this and groups like this.”

Tuazon adds he’s happy to be involved in supporting the Pride Society, and that having this symbol visible in the City reflects the inclusivity in the community.

“[The LGBTQ+ community] can say that they belong in Grande Prairie, that the acceptance is there, the love is there. So I think all the things that they’re doing, like this [crosswalk] every single year, is going to be a good reminder of our diversity and how everybody can be accepted here in Grande Prairie.”

The Pride Society won’t be able to hold it’s usual big events they would normally run this year, so this initiative has special importance for the group this year.

Despite not being able to do it’s regular event, the Pride Society is planning two free drive-in movie events at Grande Sunset Theatre, with Clueless being shown on Friday, June 18 and Hairspray being shown on Saturday, June 19.

Work is also underway to have Pride rainbow benches put up outside the Montrose Cultural Centre, and the lights at Centre 2000 will be lit up in a rainbow pattern starting June 10.

The paint for the rainbow crosswalk was donated to the Pride Society from an anonymous donor and from the Rocky Mountain Mattress Company.

by Liam Verster