Graffiti. The bane of the urban landscape. Had you been walking around the north core of the city only a couple of years ago, examples of vandalism in a spray can would have been easy to find. It still is easy to find. Just look down. The graffiti has now migrated from the sides of buildings to the streets and sidewalks. The latest spray vandals are city employees and contractors hired by the city. Their tags are everywhere. Some examples.
Personally, I believe this graffiti to be just as ugly as anything found on a building or newspaper box. For some reason, city workers and agents hired by the City have not found it necessary to remove the paint after the work is completed. Affected residential and business areas seem to have nothing to say as far as this marking with paint is concerned. It simply appears. Tourists see it. What kind of impression do they leave with? Its the little things that can make all the difference. Spray paint on any infrastructure is ugly.
It will eventually fade away you say. No harm, no foul. Well, some of these are at least two years old and some maybe older. The thickness of the applied paint and the location of the marking are factors that have a lot to do with the markings” longevity. At least if it is fresh, people may believe that it is still serving a purpose. Some construction work is going to happen. Yeah! If left to fade, it looks bad.
Because of the construction on Bay Street this passed summer, the sidewalk between Crown Street and Secord Street have a lot of this art work available for viewing by the pedestrian public. I get to enjoy it everyday…..for the next several years.
This type of behaviour by the City negates any work property owners do to improve the look of their neighbourhoods or business districts. I see it as a lack of respect by our City Administration towards the business owners and residents of Thunder Bay. A lack of respect for the people that pay their salaries. There has to be a better way. Thunder Bay has an image problem. Mr. Pepe and his office is working hard to change that. This stuff doesn’t make his job any easier.
