Some of the colourful rocks in Peterborough GreenUP's Rainbow Rock Garden celebrating Pride Month. The garden is located in the DePave Paradise boulevard right in front of the GreenUP Store & Resource Centre at 378 Aylmer Street North in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Natalie Stephenson / GreenUP)
June is Pride Month, and Peterborough GreenUP is celebrating with a Rainbow Rock Garden.
The garden, filled with colourful painted stones, is located in the DePave Paradise boulevard right in front of the GreenUP Store & Resource Centre at 378 Aylmer Street North in downtown Peterborough.
The idea for the Rainbow Rock Garden began on a sunny day this pandemic spring when the GreenUP water department team was weeding and planting the boulevard (while maintaining physical distancing).
The Rainbow Rock Garden is installed in the DePave Paradise boulevard right in front of the GreenUP Store & Resource Centre at 378 Aylmer Street North in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Dawn Pond / GreenUP)Spreading the message of love in the Rainbow Rock Garden. (Photo: Dawn Pond / GreenUP)
While they were planting, they were discussing Pride Month (and Peterborough Pride, which is celebrated in September). They were also talking about how they could use river stones to spruce up areas of the boulevard that don’t have plants.
The two ideas soon came together when they realized they could paint rocks with rainbow colours for Pride Month and place them in the space.
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“The entire GreenUP team loved the idea and thought we could also encourage all of Peterborough to paint and place rainbow rocks in their own gardens or yards,” GreenUP communication and marketing specialist Leif Einarson tells kawarthaNOW.
“We’re using the hashtag #RainbowRockGarden and asking everyone to spread the message that, however you identify and whoever you love, you belong here.”
GreenUP communication and marketing specialist Leif Einarson involved his kids in a family activity to paint rocks for Peterborough GreenUP’s Rainbow Rock Garden. The painted rocks are intended to spread a message of belonging and acceptance. (Photo: Leif Einarson / GreenUP)A collection of rocks for Peterborough GreenUP’s Rainbow Rock Garden painted by GreenUP communication and marketing specialist Leif Einarson and his kids. (Photo: Leif Einarson / GreenUP)
GreenUP is encouraging Peterborough residents to place painted rocks in a publicly visible area of their homes or in shared green spaces.
Take photos of the rocks, post them on social media with the hashtag #RainbowRockGarden, and tag @PtboGreenUP.
Of course, as an environmental organization, GreenUP is asking that people respect pathways, lawns, growing plants, sidewalks, and habitats when placing rocks.
June is Pride Month in Canada, when we celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit (LGBTQI2S) communities and promote acceptance and belonging. (Photo: Hayley Goodchild / GreenUP)Members of the water department team at Peterborough GreenUP, including water education programs coordinator Karen O’Krafka, came up with the idea of the Rainbow Rock Garden this spring while they were weeding and planting the DePave Paradise boulevard in front of the GreenUP Store & Resource Centre. (Photo: Karen O’Krafka / GreenUP)The message behind the Rainbow Rock Garden is that, no matter how you identify and who you love, you belong to the community. (Photo: Karen O’Krafka / GreenUP)
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