As Mayor, I am saddened and frustrated to share that the rainbow chair at Bellerose Park was vandalized this past weekend. These chairs were painted by Sturgeon County youth as an expression of public service and pride in our community.
We are disappointed by this act of ignorance, intolerance and destruction. The chair was set in that beautiful space to be enjoyed by all residents and visitors. It was a place for quiet reflection and offered a connection to our Living Well counselling services for anyone experiencing a difficult time.
Sturgeon County, my Council colleagues and I strongly condemn this act of vandalism. It is not reflective of our community and values.
We all have a role in helping bring an end to these incidents of destruction and vandalism. I urge anyone with information about this incident to contact Protective Services at 780-939-8400 or the RCMP non-emergency line at 780-458-7700.
Let’s show pride in our community and work together to keep Sturgeon County safe and welcoming for everyone.
Background: Rainbow chairs were painted by the Sturgeon County Youth Committee. The chairs were placed at four locations throughout Sturgeon County at the beginning of June in honour of Pride Week (June 11-17, 2023). The chairs are for all passersby to offer a place for quiet reflection. They also had a plaque with the contact information for Sturgeon County’s Living Well counselling services.
