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Sylvan Lake Municpal Library creates rainbow crosswalk in time for Pride Month

The crosswalk is meant to show everyone is safe and welcome at the library, says Corrie Brown
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Sylvan Lake youth and volunteers came out to make the first rainbow crosswalk in Sylvan Lake a reality. The volunteers painted one colour at a time to keep each line of the rainbow neat. Photo by Megan Roth/Sylvan Lake News

There is a new permanent art fixture in Sylvan Lake.

On Tuesday afternoon a group of teenagers and volunteers came together to paint a series of stripes across the parking lot entrance at the Sylvan Lake Municipal Library.

These six stripes marking the entrance make up a rainbow, and was done as a show of support for Pride Month by the library and its group for LGBTQ+ youth, adults and allies.

“Our mandate is to serve the community, and the LGBTQ+ community is one party of the community that is looked down upon simply because of who they are,” said Corrie Brown, programming coordinator at the library.

Brown says the new crosswalk across the parking lot entrance is not only a show of support, but a message to show anyone and everyone is welcome at the library.

“So many people in our community access the library for a safe place to go, and we want to show everyone that we are a safe and welcoming place.”

The painting of the crosswalk was preceded by the raising of the trans and LGBTQ+ flags. The flag pole used for these flags is on loan from Central Alberta Pride, who is working with the library throughout Pride Month.

The library is hosting other events over the course of June for Pride Month.

Specifically, the library is screening movies which feature characters in the LGBTQ+ community, a number of which are based on a true story.

The movie screenings will all be held in the library’s program room and are free for all to attend.

The films range in rating from PG up to 18A and include films such as “Milk,” “Rent,” and “Love, Simon.”

Dates and times for each showing can be found on the library’s Facebook page.

“I’m really excited, because some of these movies are showing true stories, like ‘Milk’ which is the story of Harvey Milk,” said Brown.

June was named Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots in June, 1969.