Curb graffiti in your community

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My community recently put a lot of time and money into getting a new play structure for the local park. To celebrate, the whole park got a face-lift with a fresh coat of paint. Then, one day, with that "new park" feel still lingering in the air, the first slash of graffiti appeared. And once there was one, dozens more followed. "Tags" were everywhere competing for space on the slides and the benches and all over the beautiful new play structure.

This is not an uncommon story -- many communities can relate. Municipalities across Canada have implemented programs designed to curb graffiti, and the small city of London, Ont., recently made headline news for passing Canada's first bylaw banning the sale of graffiti tools to minors.

Another initiative noteworthy for its success is the City of Vancouver's Graffiti Management Program, which has seen the incidence of graffiti reduced by 85 per cent since the program started in 2002. Daniel Paquin, Vancouver's Anti-Graffiti Coordinator, says there is a series of steps community members can take in order to reduce graffiti in their neighbourhoods.

1. Report it
Paquin says the first step to cleaning up graffiti is reporting it. He points out that in addition to being an eyesore, graffiti is also a crime and recommends calling the police (using a non-emergency number) to help them stay on top of the problem.

It's equally important to notify your municipality and many Canadian cities have set up graffiti hotlines to make reporting as easy as possible. In Vancouver, Paquin says, calls to the hotline are dealt with immediately. "If it's on city property, our contractor will remove it within 24 hours," he says. "If it's something racist or sexual in nature then it needs to be removed ASAP."

2. Remove it
"Speed is of the essence," says Paquin. "The sooner you remove the graffiti, the less likely it's going to reoccur." He says most graffiti falls under the category of "tagging" -- groups of youth spreading their name or "tag" around; when their tag is removed quickly the impact is lost and they give up.

There are several ways to get rid of graffiti:
• Some cities will do it for you. Call your municipality (the graffiti hotline if there is one) to inquire.
• Hire a commercial graffiti removal company. Your municipality may provide a list of contractors.
• Do it yourself. The City of Winnipeg offers pointers online.

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