Rocky Pride will recognize its LGBTQ2S+ community on Sunday by painting a rainbow design on a local park walkway.
Rocky Mountain House councillor and Rocky Pride member Merrin Fraser said she has been researching the rainbow crosswalks that have popped up in recent years in many communities to see what was involved and what sort of maintenance could be expected.
“Then I found out about the cost of road paint. I think I fell over,” she said with a laugh. Fortunately, local business Evergreen Co-op and stepped in to cover almost the entire of cost of paint, which is in short supply and very expensive because of the pandemic.
The cost of ongoing maintenance and challenge of getting approvals to close down a main road each year started to feel a little out of reach for a small Pride group.
And that is where a little imagination kicked in. “Several people said it doesn’t need to be a crosswalk.”
A search of other locations found a little park and suitable walkway near the local library, at 4922 52 Ave., where Rocky Pride meets.
The design will feature the six-colour rainbow representing the Pride movement. The designers also added some additional features, including a series of chevrons — black, brown, blue, pink and white — representing racialized and Indigenous communities. Another feature is a two-spirit Pride flag, includes a circle with two black and white feathers, which represent male and female spirits.
“Being right across the street from the (Asokewan Friendship Centre) it was really important that we included Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ in our design.”
The painting ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. and visitors can lend a hand if they choose.
For more information go to Rocky Pride’s Facebook page.