Rainbow crosswalks show off Vancouver's pride

The City of Vancouver has created some new rainbow crosswalks in the downtown's West End to mark the launch of Pride Week, the annual celebration of the city's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and queer communities.

The colourful new crosswalks were painted on the asphalt at the intersection of Davie and Bute streets as part of the city's push to become one of the most diverse and accepting places in the world.

Last year, the city created temporary rainbow sidewalks for Pride Week, but this year the new paint jobs are permanent. City engineer Scott Edwards says they cost more than a regular crosswalk, but it's money well spent.

"The rough cost of the crosswalk and the plaza is about $25,000 total, for the installation… The amount of material going into it, it's more than a regular crosswalk," said Edwards.

The city will also be closing the block of Davie Street between Bute and Jervis streets to motorists so that on-street picnic tables can be installed for the week's events. City engineers don't anticipate any trouble with traffic flows.

Pride Week runs until Sunday, Aug. 4.