The municipality of North Grenville, along with Kemptville Pride, unveiled the community’s first ever rainbow crosswalk on Monday.
The crosswalk is located just outside the CIBC at the intersection of Prescott Street and Reuben Crescent.
Mayor Nancy Peckford says the crosswalk is a symbol of the community’s efforts toward inclusion, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation.
“I see this crosswalk as an extension of what North Grenville is already,” Peckford said. “We are widely known and celebrated for our caring kindness, and this crosswalk is just one of those gestures that embraces how we all deserve to belong.”
According to Peckford, the municipality was inspired by the town of Prescott, which painted a permanent Pride crosswalk in 2019, as well as other towns across the country.
After consultation with Kemptville Pride, staff at the municipality felt it was time to do something similar in North Grenville.
Peckford says the crosswalk will only stay in place through Pride month, with a possibility it may one day become a permanent fixture.
“We’re not sure it will endure past June, but we’re looking at continuing discussions with Kemptville Pride that really focus on marking Pride Month,” Peckford said.
The announcement comes as Kemptville Pride continues it’s 215-hour pause of Pride events in honour of the Indigenous victims of the residential school in B.C.