As an inner city suburban council, the City of Stirling in Western Australia knows the significant effect vandalism has on the feeling of safety and the perceived
fear of crime within the community.
As such, Council is committed to fighting random acts of vandalism, such as graffiti.
Having received a $7,000 grant from the Western Australian Office of Crime Prevention, Council recently planted trees and shrubs in three hot spot locations to help break up the ‘blank canvas’ that attracts graffiti vandals.
Director of Community Development Trevor Holland said planting out graffiti is one of a number of anti-graffiti initiatives the City has adopted in its campaign to respond to the baby scribble that can blight the suburbs.
“The planting of trees and shrubs breaks up the blank canvas that draws graffiti vandals to a location, making it less attractive for them to tag,” he said.
The three locations identified by the City’s Security Service were determined according to:
- the high incidence of graffiti in the past
- whether there was suitable ground to
plant trees - whether the land was owned by the
City.
Council is also encouraging residents to plant out graffiti themselves along their own boundaries and walls.
Advice regarding suitable shrubs and trees can be found on the Office of Crime Prevention Goodbye Graffiti website at www.goodbyegraffiti.wa.gov.au
