‘We want to celebrate love, inclusion and acceptance”: Regina volunteers paint pride crosswalk after first was vandalized

Volunteers are embracing Regina’s queer community through another crosswalk display in the Cathedral Village. (Sierra D'Souza Butts/CTV News)

Despite its first pride crosswalk being vandalized, volunteers are continuing to embrace Regina’s queer community through another art display in the Cathedral Village.

Close to 30 people came out on Sunday to help paint the 2SLGBTQA+ flag on a crosswalk at the corner of 13th Ave. and Angus Road.

“It’s Pride month. We want to celebrate love, inclusion and acceptance,” said Riviera Bonneau, co-chair of Queen City Pride.

“Doing small things like this where we can bring visibility and remind everyone that it’s pride month is a big deal. It makes everybody feel seen and loved.”

The painting is one of two crosswalk displays volunteers contributed to this month.

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Last week, volunteers painted the pride flag at a crosswalk in downtown Regina. Although the display was vandalized, Bonneau said it will not stop the group from showing their support for the queer community.

“Pride is not going away. Queer people are not disappearing, so they can vandalize us all [they] want, and we will still show up and paint it – even if we have to do it in the middle of the night,” Bonneau said.

“We’re going to make sure that the people here that are queer are loved and accepted, and that they know that there’s a community here for them. The fact that it was vandalized just proves that pride is still needed, right?”

The group also thanked local businesses - Brown Communications Group and 1080 Architecture Planning + Interiors – for covering the costs for the supplies needed for the displays.

Queen City Pride encourages people to attend its pride parade set for June 14.