As Pride Week gets underway in the city, another rainbow crosswalk has been unveiled at the BCLC Headquarters in downtown Kamloops.

BCLC’s Director of Corporate Services Ted Ockenden says it’s important to show that BCLC sends a message of inclusiveness.

“We have a PRIDE Committee here that works kind of at the grassroots level, works closely with our HR department to bring programs to us that better educate our employees about the issues that are at play these days,” he said on NL Newsday.

“On the public facing side, we have players in the public at large that we also want to illustrate that we are supportive of a diverse and supportive group.”

Katelyn Boughton, a Pride Committee Member and Senior Technical Analyst at BCLC was one of the first employees to walk across the crosswalk at the unveiling today. She was instrumental in bringing the idea to fruition.

“The BCLC PRIDE committee’s mission is to celebrate BCLC’s diversity, provide educational opportunities for employees, and support our LGBTQ2S+ community,” Boughton said. “This new rainbow crosswalk demonstrates that BCLC is committed to supporting and welcoming diversity and inclusion.”

Ockenden says BCLC wants to encourage people to seek them out as a strong employer, noting the crosswalk will help both with worker recruitment and retention.

The new rainbow crosswalk joins two at Kamloops Airport, and one each at Lansdowne Village and at TRU.

Another crosswalk is set to be installed by the city at the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Seymour Street.

(Photo via BCLC)