Mr. PG now has his heart on display for all to see, supporting a worldwide movement that began right here in the northern capital.
Mr. PG is flying a new heart flag to show his support and appreciation for Prince George residents who are practicing physical distancing and staying home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In the early days of the pandemic, Bailey Grose decided to put a heart in the window of her house as a way of increasing community connection during a period of Public Health Orders where residents must all practice physical distancing.
“I knew we would all be spending a lot more time at home and a lot more time apart at least physically, which can be hard –especially for children and parents with kids,” says Grose in a news release, herself a mother of two young children.
“I thought this could be a way that our community could get outside and do something fun without getting too close to one another. So we started a Facebook group and a hashtag #heartsofpg, and encouraged everyone to ‘heart hunt’ by walking their neighbourhoods and seeing how many hearts they can see in the windows. I wasn’t expecting a world-wide response, but it has been really great to see!”
The members of the Hearts of PG facebook group have increased to more than 6,000 in the past month and became a global phenomenon with people posting photos of hearts from their own cities from as far as Italy and even Antarctica.
“There is no bigger symbol of Prince George than Mr. PG and there has been no better symbol of the spirit of our city during these uncertain times than the hearts of PG we now see in windows throughout the city,” says Lyn Hall, Mayor of Prince George.
“On behalf of Council, I would like to extend my heart-felt thanks to Bailey for her ingenuity, creativity, and sense of fun at a time when people desperately need it.”
Mr. PG is also turning 60 on May 8. Plans were in place for local events to mark his birthday, but provincial health orders restricting the size of public gatherings cancelled them altogether.
The city says it's working with local organizations to present activities related to Mr. PG that residents can enjoy from home or while physical distancing
