Rainbow crossing unveiled in Cape Town’s LGBTQIA+ district

Green Point in Cape Town is now the proud host of a pedestrian crossing in the Pride rainbow colours, the worldwide symbol for the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Green Point district has long been home to many of the LGBTQIA+ social amenities in the Mother City. The rainbow crossing is located along the busy Somerset Road, between the intersections with Alfred Street and Dixon Street in Green Point.

The crossing, which has been launched during South Africa’s Pride Month, is supplemented with a pink strip painted on the sidewalks. This will serve as a “Pink Route” to guide visitors and tourists through this iconic LGBTQIA+ neighbourhood and beyond.

“Cape Town is known for its vibrant LGBTQIA+ nightlife and community,” said the city’s Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, who officially launched the crossing on Wednesday.

“We want all to feel welcome in our city where we embrace diversity and 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.”

Hill-Lewis was joined by Councillor Rob Quintas, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, in walking the rainbow pedestrian crossing. Afterwards, they followed the Pink Route through the neighbourhood.

The rainbow crossing and Pink Route aim to re-invigorate the buzz of the LGBTQIA+ district

The pink lane runs along Somerset Road, all the way from the intersection with Liddle Sreet, and then along Dixon, Waterkant, and Rose Streets, up to the intersection with Strand Street. The lane 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,” said Hill-Lewis.

Councillor Quintas noted that the initiative 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 sidewalks and pedestrian crossings,” he added.

This is only the second rainbow crossing to be unveiled in South Africa. The first was painted in Church Square in Pretoria last week.