The crosswalk at Fourth and Main in Lytton is looking a lot more colourful these days.
Sgt. Curtis Davis—commander of the Lytton RCMP detachment—wanted to show the detachment’s support of the 2SLGBTQ+ community during Pride Month, so several weeks ago he approached Lytton CAO Rebecca Anderson and pitched the idea of a rainbow crosswalk. The proposal was met with the immediate support of Cllr. Gordon Murray, and the motion passed at Lytton’s council meeting on June 12.
“I have family, friends, and colleagues in the 2SLGBTQ+ community,” says Davis. “They are our neighbours. This is a small thing to do in support and to create awareness.”
Davis reached out to Kumsheen High School and obtained the support of the school’s principal, Natalie Dickson. The school agreed to pay for the paint.
Though Davis did the prep work on the chosen site for the crosswalk by power washing and readying it for painting, students from Kumsheen High School did much of the painting on June 17 and 18, with officers from the Lytton detachment helping the students paint the rainbow crosswalk.
A statement from 2 Rivers Remix—which is holding its second annual two-day musical feast showcasing Indigenous artists in Lytton July 6–7, and of which Murray is a part—notes that the new rainbow crosswalk is at the main entrance to the event. “Community in Lytton has worked to create a welcoming environment for Two-Spirit artists performing at the 2019 musical feast, as well as local LGTBQ2+ residents.”
Davis says that support for the crosswalk has been overwhelming, and that it’s a very positive experience for the community.
“This act of standing together on behalf of the 2SLGBTQ+ shows the compassion that exists in the Village of Lytton.”
editorial@accjournal.ca
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