Graffiti removal strategy presented

A graffiti removal strategy has been presented to City Hall.

A list of procedures and notification policies to promptly remove graffiti were presented to councillors, but also presented was a “graffiti removal service release and indemnity form.” A victim whose property was hit by graffiti will be able to fill it out and sign that waiver form, allowing the City to assist them in removing or concealing any graffiti on their property free of charge.

The idea is to provide more assistance to graffiti-hit households and businesses. Up to now, the City’s approach has been to notify homeowners and leave them to clean up the graffiti on their own.

It was felt that it was unfair that “residents are getting hit by graffiti and then almost double penalized,” said City Manager Jim Puffalt. So some provision was made in the budget to provide assistance to residences to help clean it up.  

The City is looking at getting help from interested individuals or groups who might organize “graffiti paint-outs,” where they would go to affected properties and cover the graffiti.

People seeking the assistance from these volunteers would be encouraged to place their request for graffiti removal to municipal enforcement and complete the waiver form as well.

Puffalt called the approach a way to combat “broken window” syndrome — the idea that if a broken window is allowed to remain in a neighbourhood that it would encourage people to commit more vandalism.

If graffiti is allowed to remain, Puffalt said, it “encourages more graffiti to occur.”

“We’re going to help residents that have issues or difficulty to try and address it as quickly as possible,” Puffalt told council.

Councillor Ryan Bater praised the proposal presented at council.

“I really like the proposal, and I like the philosophy behind it,” said Bater. “I’ve always thought that victims of graffiti are getting hit twice because they are already paying for protection and they have to pay for removal. I just want to commend administration for coming forward with this. This came out of questions from council and I like the speed in which it came as well. I just want to offer my gratitude.”