City of Cambridge says rainbow crosswalk painted over ‘in error’
Posted May 17, 2023 12:54:49 PM.
Last Updated May 17, 2023 04:52:56 PM.
The rainbow crosswalk in Cambridge will undergo restoration work Wednesday night after the city said it was mistakenly painted over.
According to a city spokesperson, the error was carried out by an external contractor late Tuesday during what was described as routine road painting work.
It’s expected to be restored starting overnight Wednesday, at no cost to the city.
The rainbow crosswalk was first painted at the intersection of Dickson Street and Wellington Street in 2020.
A social media post from the City of Cambridge read, “We look forward to refreshing our rainbow crosswalk as our continued show of support and acceptance for the LGBTQIA+ community in time for Pride Month in June.”
A full statement was later released on Wednesday afternoon which said, “This situation came as a surprise to both staff and Council and is in no way reflective of how the City feels about the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Regardless of responsibility, we are deeply sorry that this has occurred.”
The statement acknowledged that the ‘timing’ of the incident was also harmful, given May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.
community in time for Pride Month in June. 2/2
— City of Cambridge (@cityofcambridge) May 17, 2023
