CANMORE – Despite being an overcast day, everyone had a sunny disposition as Canmore mayor John Borrowman raised a Pride flag for the first time ever at the Civic Centre on Tuesday (May 21) at noon.
“Canmore has always been quite inclusive even back to the mining days,” Borrowman said moments before raising the rainbow flag.
“And it’s a simple step we can take … to be all encompassing.”
A vehicle or two honked passing by the ceremony as a group of people, including councillors and city officials were in attendance, along with Canmore Collegiate High School (CCHS) students from the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA).
In comparison, Banff Pride started their annual Pride celebrations in 2014, with a variety of events over the years including a parade/walk, Pride in the Park festivals, and an 18+ party, often with funds raised going to support local programs.
“It’s for us but it’s with us,” Banff Pride spokesperson Ken Fierheller said before the inaugural event in 2013. “In my mind, this is the way the straight community and what we like to refer to as our allies can come out and show their support by being there … we just want everyone coming out and showing their support.”
Fast-forward more than half a decade later and the festival continues to grow every year with the town of Banff also installing a permanent rainbow crosswalk last fall with the red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet colours on display year-round.
For the students, the flag raising in Canmore was a great start.
GSA teacher liason Alanna Bittner explained the schools have been raising the Pride flag for three to four years now, she said the alliance was approached by council to attend the Tuesday ceremony which led the group into talks about “what we could do next.”
Later that afternoon, the alliance approached the Canmore Committee of the Whole council to request a rainbow crosswalk be painted in Canmore to showcase the Town’s inclusivity, and to be placed behind the civic centre, as to not disrupt traffic on Main Street.
Borrowman noted that Committee of the Whole meetings were not typically “decision-making” meetings but called this an “important first step” to get conversations started.
“I encourage you to speak out and speak strongly on beliefs you have whether they are popular or not,” Borrowman said.
