Media Release

Citizen, Corporate Involvement Key to New Graffiti Plan

(Thursday, November 2/06) - The Sackville Drive Proud community clean-up event today was the first of many planned as part of HRM’s new Graffiti Management Plan.

Mayor Peter Kelly, Councillors Brad Johns and Bob Harvey were joined by more than 200 Sackville area residents, business owners and corporate partners who gathered at the former Acadia School for the launch of the program and the start of the clean-up.

HRM’s Graffiti Management Plan was adopted by Regional Council in August. Its goal is to reduce the prevalence of graffiti and to encourage changes in attitudes and behaviour towards graffiti in our community. The plan takes a “whole of community” approach to reducing and preventing graffiti, both on public and private property. Citizen and business/corporate participation is necessary to mobilize the community and to effectively manage the problem.

“A band-aid approach will not work. Graffiti is an issue for the whole community,” said Mayor Kelly. “HRM is committed to taking a leadership role in engaging the business community, community organizations, individual residents, youth and graffiti bombers as partners in reducing graffiti in our community. We are asking everyone to participate to ensure HRM is a clean, welcoming, safe and vibrant community that is free of graffiti.”

Formal corporate and community partnerships; targeted community clean-ups; a community art pilot project; new reporting procedures; priority removal zones; and the launch of a new graffiti web page topped the initiatives showcased today during Sackville Drive Proud.

Nova Scotia Power, Aliant and Canada Post participated in Sackville Drive Proud through a coordinated day-long clean-up of graffiti from their street installations, while HRM staff targeted HRM-owned assets along Sackville Drive.

Mayor Kelly recognized the corporate partners’ efforts and thanked them for their commitment to reducing graffiti. “Our corporate partners are pioneers in graffiti management and exemplary community-minded corporate citizens. We sincerely thank them for their commitment to focus their efforts on our Plan’s priority areas and for their continued efforts to remove and prevent graffiti.”
The next community clean-up event and mural unveiling is scheduled to take place in Spryfield on Thursday, November 9th. For more information, visit HRM’s new graffiti management website: www.halifax.ca/graffiti

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Andrew Whittemore
Manager, Community Development
490-6394

Patricia Pegley

HRM Corporate Communications

490-1517