Two crosswalks at the intersection of 3 Avenue and 3 Street South have been painted to raise awareness about mental health.
Wood’s Homes, with the support of the City of Lethbridge and the Downtown BRZ, painted the pair of crosswalks with “#MentalHealthMatters.”
The crosswalks are painted white with green lettering to catch the attention of those who are passing by and raise awareness about how mental health impacts everyone.
In a person’s life, they’re affected by mental health, says Kelsey Desroche, program supervisor for the Lethbridge Opportunity Hub. “Whether it’s directly or indirectly, everyone experiences it in some form. We think it’s important to get the conversation started.”
A proposal for the crosswalk was initially submitted to Lethbridge City Council for approval and Council voted unanimously in favour of the initiative. “We were fortunate we had a letter of support from the Downtown Lethbridge BRZ,” adds Desroche.
“It is important to start talking about mental health.”
The paint, Desroche notes, is supposed to last a year. “It will be an ongoing thing, to talk about mental health.”
An official unveiling of the painted crosswalks was held yesterday and so far residents are impressed with the bold “Mental Health Matters” message.
“It’s not targeting a specific population or anything like that. It’s very general, as it affects everybody,” says Desroche.
According to Desroche, by searching “#MentalHealthMatters” online, southern Albertans can seek out resources and supports. “It’s OK to ask for help and get some early intervention and prevention strategies, so we can make a difference in people’s lives when they’re affected by mental health.”
Wood’s Homes Associate Director Shauna Cohen adds it’s important to show people impacted by mental health challenges, “hope is here.” “We see them, we know they’re important and we are sharing a clear message about the need for community support.”
With files from Kassandra Patterson