Organizers of Burnaby's first-ever Pride celebration are calling the event a success, despite an act of vandalism that required last-minute repairs.
A rainbow-coloured sidewalk was defaced, prompting officials to take extra precautions ahead of Saturday's festivities.
"We had to pay for security last night to make sure that when we got here this morning to come together and celebrate, it would be all good to go," said Kimberly Barwich of Burnaby Neighbourhood House, which hosted the event on Jubilee Avenue.
Despite the incident, the family-friendly atmosphere drew large crowds.
Burnaby is one of the last communities in the Lower Mainland to host its own, local Pride event. Organizers say the move long overdue, but the objective now is to move forward and make sure Burnaby is promoted as an inclusive city for everyone, including members of the LGBTQ2+ community.
This isn't the first time a symbol of Pride has been vandalized in Metro Vancouver.
Earlier this month, a rainbow crosswalk in White Rock was defaced just days before Pride celebrations in Vancouver.
A similar incident took place in Surrey back in June.
