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Jasper鈥檚 iconic rainbow crosswalk is going to be repainted, this year in a new location.
But it is a race against time to get the painting completed as Jasper Pride starts in a week.
Jasper council agreed to move the rainbow crosswalk to Patricia Street, outside TD Bank, where they hope the colourful paint will last longer.
The crosswalk is currently at the intersection of Connaught Drive and Miette Avenue where every vehicle gives wear and tear.
Mark Fercho, chief administration officer for Jasper, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a high profile location but on an intersection where everyone will be stopping and turning.
鈥淚t gets a lot of extra wear at that point.鈥�
He said the new location will have cars just rolling over the crosswalk so the paint should stay fresher.
鈥淚t is a place with less traffic impact,鈥� he said.
Restrictions stop the council from using oil-based paints on roads so lines and colours are not lasting as long as they used to.
"Even the white and yellow will welcome the spring freshen-up,鈥� Fercho said.
The new location seemed popular with councillors.
Councillor Helen Kelleher-Empey said: 鈥淚 think the new location will be way better.
鈥淧eople will have a better opportunity to stop and take photographs rather than the busy intersection.鈥�
They voted to allow the spend of $2,500 to paint the rainbow crosswalk in its new location. The first crosswalk, fundraised by OUT Jasper, cost north of $5,000 but was the source of some disappointment as the vivid stripes began to peel away almost immediately.
OUT Jasper director Mychol Ormandy led that fundraising effort.
鈥淚 am ecstatic it is going to be where we would like it to be and very excited if it will be done before Pride, that would be awesome.
鈥淲e chose this location because it has less traffic,鈥� he said Tuesday. 鈥淲e picked the TD crosswalk because they are a major supporter of Pride and the gay community. So we just thought with it being there it鈥檚 a perfect location for everyone to see it and I don鈥檛 feel it will get as much traffic at all.鈥�
