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Borough monument ‘disgracefully’ tagged |
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A graffiti artist struck Lennoxville over the weekend, this time defacing the cenotaph located beside the borough office on Queen Street.
A large red X was spray-painted over the names of Second World War veterans inscribed on the cenotaph, while it appears a beer bottle was also smashed against the monument. 
George Beaulieu, the vice-president of the Unit 318 Navy Army Air Force in Lennoxville which maintains the memorial, says he can’t understand what led someone to vandalize the site.
“The people that did that show very little respect for the veterans and their families,” Beaulieu said. “They obviously don’t understand what it stands for.”
While this may be only one of many different cases of graffiti found in the city, Sherbrooke city councillor Doug MacAuley is appealing to the public to report any cases of graffiti vandalism they are aware of.
“Lennoxville has really been hit hard by it and we’re asking citizens to help put a stop to it,” MacAuley said. “It’s not just happening on private property, but on our public facilities – pools, parks and signage.”
MacAuley says he and fellow councillor Chantal L’Esperance (Jacques-Cartier) have recently brought up the issue to city council. While the city of Sherbrooke has a small budget dedicated to removing graffiti from public property, MacAuley said, those efforts are put on hold during the cold winter months. That usually means an excess of defaced buildings come spring every year.
The city of Sherbrooke did not return The Record’s call before press time.
Defacing property with aerosol paint is a criminal offence, and while the municipality usually cleans up public property, private property owners are left on their own.
While graffiti has become a more mainstream art form over the past decade, efforts have been made to provide a legal canvas for artists to display their work. At Friendship Day in Lennoxville last year, for example, photographer Grant Simeon offered the back of his Conley Street building to local artists who painted a permanent colourful collage.
For full story, please pick up today's Record
By Sarah Rogers
Sherbrooke 2009-04-15 |
Montreal Canadiens
