Skid mark damages rainbow crosswalk

LYNN GIESBRECHT

REGINA Within 24 hours of being finished, the rainbow crosswalk painted by grades 6-8 students at École Harbour Landing School in Regina had tire skid marks on it.

The rainbow crosswalk was painted by students in the school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club to show support for gender diversity and to help make the school a safer space for all gender identities.

Overnight, someone left tire marks over the colours.

“We really don’t want to glorify the actions of a thoughtless, ignorant individual. We want to focus on the good news story of the kids,” said Regina Public Schools spokesman Terry Lazarou.

In an emailed statement, Lazarou said the crosswalk demonstrates the students’ “honest desire to make students, residents and visitors in the Harbour Landing community feel like they belong, like they are welcome and that they are safe.”

The statement also said vandalism to any crosswalk or other public structure “demonstrates one individual’s fundamental disrespect and disregard for that community and its residents.”