A handful of artistic volunteers took to the streets, or should we say crosswalks, in Sault Ste. Marie Monday painting a few crosswalks near the Soo Locks.
Organizers want to get the crosswalks completed before Engineers Day on June 28 where thousands of people will visit the Locks and downtown stores.
This beautification project started eight years ago and continues to grow. A total of eight crosswalks are expected to be painted around the city this time around.
In the first few hours in the morning, with the heat and humidity building, the handful of volunteers were interrupted by several pedestrians.
"You can't be out here for more than five minutes without somebody walking by complimenting the work that's being done," Sault Area High School teacher Tracy Menard said.
Two recent Sault Area High School graduates, along with one still in high school, joined co-organizers Wilda Hopper and Menard in battling the tropical weather while painting.
Alana Dyament had plenty of art classes in her high school career and was excited to be a part of this project.
"It's fun to hang out with all these girls. We have got the music going. I think it is important to give something back to the community. It's bringing more people to our community to look at everything and bring more business to our little downtown area," Dyament said.
Hopper loves seeing the youth have a huge part in a beautification project like this.
"We love to have the youth here. They are sometimes so much more creative than us adults. They see things in a different light. They bring different creativity to these different pieces. It also gives them investment into the community," Hopper said.
