Location of pride crosswalk changed as date for installation comes up

More than one month ago, the Town of Strathmore voted in favour of having a pride crosswalk installed in the town along Thomas Dr. where the first pride parade in Strathmore took place but as of this week, the location of the crosswalk has changed. 

The Town of Strathmore said they wanted to help maintain the crosswalk and keep it safe, so the final location of where it will be placed is yet to be determined. The painting of the crosswalk will be on September 23 at 11 A.M. 

Becca McDonald, Executive Director of the local LGBTQ2S+ skate group Skatemore Girls, explained that Prospect Now's Skills for Success program is going to be helping the Skatemore Girls in painting the crosswalk but it will be opened up to the whole community to come by and help. 

"They (Skills for Success) have done a few murals in town, actually. So they have a know-how but It's just an open invitation to the community." 

McDonald is excited to have the crosswalk painted and says it's a way of starting a conversation in the community. 

"I think it symbolizes unity for all people as individuals and I think that some people think that it is just about sexuality, it really is just not about that. It's about being individuals and everyone is unique in their own way no matter how they identify."

Pride crosswalks have seen vandalism in other communities, and McDonald acknowledges this is a possibility for Strathmore as well. She explained there are steps in place to try and prevent that from happening in our community.

"We are using anti-graffiti paint and we're hoping to put it in a location that it will be secure and we'll be able to keep a good eye on it. But worst case scenario — and we've seen it in town already in other places —maybe it does get vandalized, right, and then the community has an opportunity to get together and repaint and fix it up." 

The crosswalk will be painted on September 23 at 11:00 a.m. 

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