A permanent rainbow crosswalk has been installed at the Chief Louis Centre on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc.

In a statement, Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir says the crosswalk at the intersection of Powwow Trail and Chief Eli LaRue Way will be a way to celebrate, support, and create awareness of the 2SLGBTQQIA++ community in Tk’emlúps and beyond.

“We are a community that is open, responsive, and respectful of the rights and individuality of all people,” she said. “Everyone matters and deserves to be treated with dignity. Our members and all those that visit our community will know that we are inclusive and welcoming, which are our values as Secwépemc.”

The First Nation’s Business and Economic Development Department partnered with Forward Law, Sureus-Murphy and Urban Systems to make this crosswalk a reality.

“[We are] honoured to be able to support the organization of this initiative and are grateful to our stakeholder partners that supported the crosswalk and invested back into the community,” Devin Gambler, Tk’emlúps’ Manager of Business and Economic Development said.

Casimir says there will be signs added to the crosswalk this month to highlight Tkemlups’ commitment to promoting, educating, and raising awareness to benefit the 2SLGBTQQIA++ community.