There is plenty of pride on display at the gateway to the City of Armstrong.
The city recently painted a rainbow pride sidewalk at the intersection of Smith Drive and Smith Road, in front of the Armstrong welcome sign and the city’s famous caboose.
It’s the culmination of efforts between the city and the Armstrong Pride Society, which formed in 2021 with a mission to acknowledge, celebrate and support the LGBTQ2S+ community.
As Mayor Chris Pieper put it, it’s a world-wide community that “represents every nationality and every religion.”
“I trust our community and by recognizing and celebrating pride we will continue to make our city vibrant and inclusive. We should all want to live in a community where LGBTQ2S+ friends and family members can feel safe, accepted and celebrated,” Pieper said.
City council and staff lauded the work of the Armstrong Pride Society in helping to bring the project to fruition.
“We hope that the addition of the rainbow sidewalk will show our efforts in remaining to be a welcoming and encouraging community for all citizens as we continue to show our pride, spirit and vision for our future together,” reads a May 20 city press release.
City council, staff and society members met on multiple occasions to discuss the project and find the most feasible option for the tribute. They initially considered a rainbow crosswalk but determined that a painted sidewalk would be cheaper to maintain long-term, as there won’t be any wear and tear from vehicle traffic.
The society is currently fundraising to cover ongoing maintenance costs.
An official unveiling of the Armstrong Pride sidewalk will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 4, and followed by a celebration at Armstrong Memorial Park from 2-6 p.m. For more information about the event, contact the Pride Society at info@armstrongpride.ca.
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