Removing graffiti a ‘constant battle’

Task Force Green graffiti team leader Neil Ivory (front) 
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Task Force Green graffiti team leader Neil Ivory (front) and community volunteers Garon Whitney (left) and Robert Reid work to remove and paint over graffiti on a wall opposite Lone Star in George St. Photo by Brenda Harwood.

Keeping on top of tagging and other graffiti in Dunedin is a ‘‘constant battle'' for the volunteer workforce of Task Force Green.

A team of three workers, led by Neil Ivory, spends six hours a day, five days a week removing graffiti from walls, alleyways and buildings across the city.

The Task Force Green team's efforts are in addition to those of the commercial Graffiti Doctor and contractors brought in by the Dunedin City Council to clean up bus shelters and power boxes.

Dealing with a frustrating piece of tagging on an ageing, porous wall in George St yesterday, Mr Ivory told The Star it was difficult to ‘‘catch up, let alone keep up'' with graffiti in the city.

‘‘It's a constant battle,'' he said.

Task Force Green Dunedin co-ordinator Rick Wilson said the organisation had been working under the umbrella of Keep Dunedin Beautiful to remove graffiti for about the past eight years.

‘‘Our role is to try and cover the areas that are not being done by the contractors, and we especially try and keep things clean along the main thoroughfares of the city,'' Mr Wilson said.

Last year, the Task Force Green volunteer team did at least $40,000 worth of free graffiti removal across Dunedin. This was supported by Resene, which helped out with free paint, Mr Wilson said.

‘‘It is very important to get out there and remove graffiti as quickly as possible, because if it is left in place it attracts more graffiti and becomes an early indicator of criminal activity.''

‘‘Basically, if a place looks unloved, then people treat it like that.''

Keep Dunedin Beautiful co-ordinator Ashlea Muston said Task Force Green deserved recognition for doing an ‘‘absolutely excellent job of removing a huge amount of graffiti in places where it might not otherwise be done''.

Today marks the end of Graffiti Free Week, a nationwide campaign aimed at preventing and cleaning up graffiti, which has involved councils and Keep New Zealand Beautiful branches around the country.

As part of Graffiti Free Week, Keep New Zealand Beautiful partnered with Resene and the Ministry of Justice to develop free ‘‘Adopt A Spot Kits'' to encourage people to remove graffiti from their own properties.

Anyone who spots graffiti, especially if it is offensive, is asked to call Miss Muston at the council on 477-4000.

- Brenda Harwood 

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