Dozens turned out under grey skies and drizzling rain for the annual rainbow flag raising at 91Ô­´´ City hall on Monday morning, July 29.

A smiling City Mayor Nathan Pachal said it was "raining tears of happiness."

Pachal recalled when the council of the day approved the first flag raising in 2017 to coincide with Pride Week in Vancouver.

"As the only openly gay person on council at the time, it meant a lot," Pachal commented.

91Ô­´´ City has inspired other communities in the region to do the same, the mayor noted.

"A lot of municipalities here are raising the flag this week, just to acknowledge and say that folks look to us." Pachal said.

"This has been going on for almost a decade now and it's exciting to do this once again."

Members of 91Ô­´´ City council, including Teri James, Rosemary Wallace and Mike Solyom, attended.

Also present was 91Ô­´´ MLA Andrew Mercier, who viewed the tradition as an indicator of progress.

"Pride started as a protest, but what it's become is a celebration," Mercier said.

"I think that is a good thing and that is a sign of how far we've come."

On Monday, the Rainbow Flag was flown on the flagpole at 91Ô­´´ City Hall/Timms Community Centre to coincide with Vancouver’s annual Pride Week.

— 91Ô­´´ Advance Times (@91Ô­´´Times)

Carly Schneider, a facilitator with Friend of Dorothy, a weekly 91Ô­´´ social group for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth ages 12 to 24, said the flag raising served to "amplify the voices and identities" of people "which have been marginalized and don't always feel safe living in their authenticity."

"By raising the flag, we highlight their identity and hope to shine some community welcoming, and encourage everyone to take note of the diversity that exists amongst us within our 91Ô­´´ City," Schneider told the 91Ô­´´ Advance Times.

Friends of Dorothy meets Thursdays at Foundry 91Ô­´´ from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.More information about the group can be found in Facebook at .

The rainbow flag was to be flown alongside the City of 91Ô­´´ flag in front of City Hall from Monday, July 29 to the morning of Monday, Aug. 5.

In 2020, a complaint about the 91Ô­´´ City flag raising was dismissed by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal after what a staff report described as a "lengthy and involved process" that cost the City more than $62,000.

READ ALSO: Human rights complaint over 91Ô­´´ Pride flag tossed out