Lighting up City Hall in purple

Local officials are getting ready to light up North Bay City Hall in purple on Saturday.

The event is a part of World Mental Health Day, with cities around the world lighting up monuments in purple to raise awareness about mental health.

Executive Director of the Nipissing branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association Georges Kristolaitis says attitudes are changing, noting that one in five people will be affected by mental illness in their lifetime.

He says what’s beginning to happen is an understanding, appreciation and a willingness to bring it out into the open and that’s what an event like lighting up City Hall in purple is all about.

There will be a brief ceremony and messages of hope and recovery tomorrow evening (Saturday) at 7pm.

(Photo courtesy or Mayor Al McDonald from the 2014 event)