A series of Pride murals have been created in downtown Red Deer to celebrate the LGBTQ2+ community.
The murals, located outside of Junktiques Home Decor and Pride Shop at 5101 50 Ave., were revealed this past Saturday.
“I wanted to get as many groups involved as possible,” said Vicki Finlay, owner of Junktiques and vice-chair of the Trans and Non-Binary Aid Society.
“Everybody that participated was involved in a nonprofit organization, a society or club that in someway services or supports the LGBTQ2+ community.”
The following organizations and groups created murals:
- Trans and Non-Binary Aid Society
- Central Alberta Pride Society
- Red Deer Native Friendship Society
- Vantage Community Services
- Youth HQ
- Rocky Pride
- Innisfail Pride
- Red Deer Queer Community Association
- Turning Point Society
- Ubuntu Youth Council
- Red Deer Polytechnic Pride on Campus
- Queer-Straight Alliances from Notre Dame High School and Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive Campus
In 2021, Finlay successfully applied for a REconnect Grant from the Family and Community Support Services. This mural project, which stretches across 14 sections of sidewalk, wouldn’t have been possible without this grant, Finlay noted.
“The purpose of this grant was to reconnect people after the COVID-19 pandemic. I wanted to reconnect the LGBTQ2+ community and this is how I wanted to do it,” said Finlay.
“I wanted to get together as many stakeholders, supporters, volunteers and people involved in the LGBTQ2+ community to create a project where people can come and feel connected to their community.”
From start to finish, this project took hundreds of volunteer hours and about a year and a half to complete, said Finlay.
“It’s so fantastic to have it done and these murals are supposed to be as permanent as they can be – they can be removed, but they’re not just meant for one season.
“They’ll hopefully be here for at least a couple of years depending on how we maintain them.”
Finlay said the hope is to create more murals in the future.
A number of “amazing connections” have been made throughout the project’s completion, Finlay added.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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