Cape Town - The community of Green Point in the City of Cape Town is now the proud home to the city’s first rainbow pedestrian crossing, the worldwide symbol for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis accompanied by mayoral committee member for urban mobility Rob Quintas on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, officially unveiled the colourful and demonstrative walkway saying the district has always been home to many, if not the majority, of the LGBTQIA+ social amenities in the Mother City.
The newly painted crossing is also supplemented with a pink strip painted on the pavements which serves as a Pink Route to guide visitors and tourists through the LGBTQIA+ neighbourhood and beyond.
Hill-Lewis said: “Cape Town is known for its vibrant LGBTQIA+ nightlife and community.
“We want all to feel welcome in our city where we embrace diversity.
“The addition of this bold pedestrian crossing to our road network will help spread this message.
“It also speaks to innovation in public spaces and support for public art that we’d like to foster.”
The pedestrian crossing in the rainbow colours violet, indigo, green, yellow, orange, and red. It is located along the busy Somerset Road, between the intersections with Alfred Street and Dixon Street in Green Point.
While the pink lane runs along Somerset Road, from the intersection with Liddle Street, and then along Dixon, Waterkant, and Rose Streets, up to the intersection with Strand Street.
“You cannot miss the Pink Route, it is about 20cm wide, and painted on the sidewalk.
“This is a fun way for visitors to get to know the area and a great addition to our tourist offering soon before the peak holiday season.
“It is also intended to create awareness and celebrate Cape Town as an inclusive city,” Hill-Lewis said.
Quintas said: “This exciting ‘place maker’ precinct activator is the first of its kind in Cape Town and is aimed at re-invigorating the buzz of the LGBTQIA+ district using road markings.
“There are many more spaces in the city that can be looked into in future and where heritage or unique attractions can be amplified by using pavements and pedestrian crossings.
“I’m calling on visitors and residents to look out for this crossing, and to follow the Pink Route as they explore this part of our city.”