Wednesday, August 6, 2008

How graffiti is handled in Queens vs. Staten Island

Dear Editor (Queens Chronicle):

I am appalled — to say the least — as I drive by North Conduit and Magnolia Court and see a fence with torn, dirty canvas, with graffiti scrawling. A condition that has existed for three years. Does no one in our beautiful Howard Beach care about appearance anymore? The view reminds me of East New York. Is this what our neighborhood is heading for? And what about our three politicians who represent our area? Don't they see this as they drive by? Or are they driving with their eyes closed?


Anthony SanFilippo
Howard Beach

On weekends for the past four years, Dennis McKeon, the founder of a local nonprofit group called Where to Turn, has supervised teenagers cleaning graffiti as part of their community service work. But too often, the walls they coat with fresh paint are used as blank canvases and immediately tagged again.

Then, one day in April, as Mr. McKeon was figuring out how to clean up a Little League dugout in New Springville, he thought of a local artist named Scott LoBaido and his giant American flag murals.

Bingo!


Graffiti, Meet Old Glory

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why are none of our politicians that imaginative?

See the earlier post on Vallone Sr's plan to eliminate term limits.

Remove term limits and that's a guarantee that problems like graffiti will remain forever for the next term.

Erik Baard said...

A better idea is a "living wall" or "green wall." Vines and other vertical planting designs can prevent graffiti, mute traffic noise, clean the air, reduce flooding, and beautify in a way no mural can.