Vandals Strike New Neighborhood Park Cannon’s Addition Residents Find Graffiti At Unnamed Site; Preventive Measures Explored In/Around Historic Cannon’s Addition

The small neighborhood park in Historic Cannon’s Addition is not even a year old, but already it has been victimized by graffiti and other vandalism.

“This is the worst graffiti I’ve seen in one spot in our neighborhood,” said Shirley Wilson, head of the COPS Southwest organization.

Wilson monitors and reports graffiti throughout the southwest section of the city.

The park at the west end of 14th Avenue opened last spring. It was the first new neighborhood park built in Spokane in four years and was financed in large part through community development block grants. The park has not yet been named.

Even before the park was completed, the area was a magnet for late-night parties because of its secluded location.

The area continues to draw a lot of after-hours activity, which may be the reason the park is being marred with graffiti, Wilson said.

A small restroom building, play equipment and picnic tables all have been covered with graffiti.

Wilson said the scrawlings appear to be gang-related.

Neighborhood leaders were so distressed by the problem they have asked the city to consider installing electronic surveillance cameras.

The community development steering committee included the possible purchase of surveillance equipment in its proposal for spending federal block grant money this year.

Taylor Bressler, park maintenance manager, said he doesn’t believe electronic surveillance would do any good.

He said he believes increased patrolling in the area might discourage the vandalism.

“The weather is mild enough we’ve seen the problem all winter long,” Bressler said.

Graffiti and vandalism have also occurred at Manito, Hamblen, Cannon Hill and Cliff parks on the South Side.

Bressler said the Parks Department has provided paint to one of the neighbors near the park, and the neighbor has agreed to cover up graffiti as soon as it appears.

During the summer, the Parks Department hires security patrols to keep an eye on parks at night, and that will help alleviate the problem then.

Bressler said he’s urged neighborhood leaders to report suspicious activity at the park and maybe even organize a system of patrolling the area at night.

He said he also asked police to patrol the park when they have the time.

“We’re all going to have to pull together,” Bressler said.

, DataTimes