Landmark Was Monument To Man’s Callous Disregard

My reaction to news that the so-called People’s Wall would be demolished was a sigh of relief.

For the past 12 years I have been walking to and from work across the Monroe Street Bridge. I have had frequent opportunity to gaze down the hillside directly under the wall.

Thousands of large and small shards of paint litter the hillside, along with paint cans by the dozen and assorted paraphernalia. The debris extends to the bridge itself and almost to the river’s edge. I would bet that tons of paint have fallen onto that hillside over the past 20 years.

Yes, about once a year someone made a half-hearted cleanup effort. Some empty paint cans and buckets would be carted away, soon to be replaced by others. This represented a very small part of what needed to be removed.

The chemicals from the paint, with the seasonal cycles of rain and snow, undoubtedly would seep into the soil and then down into the river. A soil analysis would be enlightening.

Some of the messages on the wall have been novel, endearing and moving. But the wall was also a place where certain individuals would hang out and drink after dark. You can guess where they deposited their bottles, cans and rubbish.

For those who only viewed the wall from a vehicle, let me inform you that wildlife is trying to cling to life down there. Marmots, skunks and birds - from sparrows to visiting herons - are attempting to scratch out a humble existence as others contaminate their environment. Not to mention the occasional moron I have seen throwing stones at the wildlife.

In the past several years I have observed two marmots limping around on broken legs. Recently, some genius dumped an entire can of white paint down the rock-covered hillside that is home to this small community of marmots. I am sure some of the paint invaded the entrances to their chambers. I shudder to think what else has gone on unnoticed.

This may be one of the rare instances where development will benefit the local environment.

To those who feel compelled to announce a message, I suggest putting it on a T-shirt. Better yet, a nice handwritten note has been a popular method for centuries. The Wall’s final message was a birthday wish. An apology to the area’s wildlife and river would have been more appropriate.

MEMO: Your Turn is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a Your Turn column for consideration, contact Rebecca Nappi at 459-5496 or Doug Floyd at 459-5466 or write Your Turn, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615.