I am really happy with Yarra City Council right now – I know, not what you usually expect. Our house was tagged a week or so ago, and tagged some more a few days later. Extremely annoying and frustrating and we hadn’t done anything about it. Who’s got time to scrub or repaint a house wall with a 15week old bub around. We had discussed that if it happens again we’d look at actually employing a graffiti artist to cover our entire wall, but we’d want our neighbours to be happy with that as well and we could be pretty certain that at least a couple of them wouldn’t.
That’s not a problem though. Turns out that the council provide a graffiti removal service!
At the same time our wall was tagged, our neighbours who are on the other side of the lane also got tagged. This afternoon I noticed a high pressure hose going to work on their wall, and assumed they had a high pressure water spray for cleaning it off. I went outside to ask them how they are cleaning the graffiti off, and could we borrow the sprayer, only to discover it was a workman from the council. I asked him about it and he told me it was a service which our rates paid for and that we just have to call up so the appropriate paperwork can be done. He also said that he actually had the paint ready for our house as he’d taken a sample that morning, gone and got the paint, then returned and realised that our house wasn’t the house he was meant to do. He told me to call the council asap and then he could come and paint over the tagging on our wall.
I did so immediately and when Rafe and I took Zac for a walk around 5:30 this evening, all tagging was gone 🙂 He did a very neat job, basically painting a square area on our wall, and the colour matching was also very well done.
I am curious now to investigate what other services the council offer that I have no idea about!
I vote graffiti art all over the wall 🙂 But then I like graffiti art. If you find out what other services the council offers – let us know. I know that Moreland will lend the cat/possum trap and take them away.
There’s some gorgeous “professional” graffiti just around the corner from you on Lygon Street. It’s on the left as you are driving from your place towards Glenlyon Road. Just noticed it this morning on my way back from Barkly Square and was most impressed! When I have more time and maybe when the weather is nicer I’ll walk over to Lygon for some gelati and take a closer look.
Ooh…let me know when you this way wander and I shall wander too!
I think I know the graffiti of which you speak. Many months ago the little white house on the corner of Lygon St and Cemetry Rd/Alexander Pde had a gorgeous wall piece done; i totally would have asked who the graffiti artist was if we were getting our place done. Unfortunately within a week, people (who deserve horrible things) posted bll posters over the piece, completely covering it and ruining it. I suspect the piece was commissioned in the first place to stop the bill posters. Even now it makes me mad and sad whenever we pass it. Some people have no respect.