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Graffiti board chopped down


Did resident take law into his own hands?

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Stephen Briggs
Orton Goldhay: Controversial graffiti boards which allow youngsters a legal place to display their art have been vandalised – less than a week after they were erected.
Two double-sided boards were put up on Tuesday, in Orton Goldhay, between Stagsden and Mandeville, after calls for a place to legally display graffiti in the city.

However, the 8ft by 4ft boards caused anger among residents, who said they were an eyesore, and by the weekend someone had sawn through the supporting posts of one board and left it lying on the ground.

What do you think?
Comment below, email us: news@ peterboroughtoday.co.uk or telephone the newsdesk 01733 555111.
-------------------------------------

Did resident take law into his own hands?
Today, Peterborough City Council's cabinet member for environment and community safety councillor Graham Murphy was furious.

He said: "They were only put up on Tuesday, and now one resident has ruined it.

"Whoever the mindless individual is, the police will catch them. "The boards are only up for a trial period of one or two months, but they have already been successful.

"Would people prefer graffiti is scrawled on their homes, or on other buildings around the city?

"These boards give people the chance to show off their talents legally without any fear of repercussions.

"We will replace the posts as soon as possible, but at more cost to the taxpayer."

The boards were purchased using money from Peterborough City Council's Community Leadership Fund, after ward councillors decided to spend part of their £10,000 allocation on them.

In the few days they had been up the boards had proved to be a success, with youngsters flocking to use them every day.

Cllr Murphy said: "Some of the work on them has been fantastic. There has been some great art already, and the kids are always down there late at night to put their own work on display, or to watch other artists at work.

"They have been coming from all over the city, and we are determined that this will not stop them expressing themselves."

The day after the boards were erected residents were unhappy and Dorothy Dodds (70), of Mandeville, said: "I agree that youngsters should have somewhere to go, but why has it got to be on two boards in the middle of a park? It is such a waste of money."

Anyone with information about the damage which was caused on Friday night is asked to call police on 0845 456 4564.

The full article contains 417 words and appears in Peterborough ET newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 12 May 2008 11:37 AM
  • Source: Peterborough ET
  • Location: Peterborough
 
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Fenland Mike,

12/05/2008 11:47:52
It's pathetic really that all these people complain about youngsters hanging around doing nothing and yet when these kids are given something constructive to do these people still moan. Get these boards back up. In fact lets have a few more even bigger boards!
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lonelygoatherd,

peterborough 12/05/2008 12:22:25
I agree with Fenland Mike. I'm "middle-aged" but can see and appreciate the positive benefits of these graffiti boards. Many youngsters are full of talents which are stifled by the dead hand of the national curriculum. Provision of imaginative ways for them to express those talents might just improve all our lives both now and when they grow up as the artists, designers or entertainers of tomorrow.
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woodcote,

Werrington 12/05/2008 12:24:08
Peterborough's new motto

If you don't like it-chop it down

So much for democracy and community spirit.

One person just takes the law into his or her own hands and commits a greater crime

Selfish?

Cowardly?
4

jammond,

12/05/2008 12:48:19
If Graham Murphy is so anxious to have these boards, may be he should think about having them attached to the side of his house - then he can keep an eye on them and make sure that one set of "mindless vandals" don't ruin it for the other set. Personally I think its quite funny that the tables were turned for once and the graffiti vandals got a taste of their own medicine. It would have been a matter of time before they got fed up with the legal boards and started on other people's property again.
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Colin W,

Orton Goldhay 12/05/2008 14:21:34
I have no problem with the boards, but why oh why place them where they did, smack bang in full view of the road, so everyone can 'enjoy' the view as they pass.
Personally, i dont want it staring me in the face everytime i pass. It would have been so simple to find a more discreet location.
Just a little more thought was all that was needed..it's a shame intelligent people could'nt work that one out.
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Steeler,

12/05/2008 14:54:02
Cllr Murphy said "Whoever the mindless individual is, the police will catch them."

Fair enough it's vandalism whoever has done it but I hope that the efforts of the police in catching the individual as opposed to catching the numerous graffiti vandals is in direct proportion. If not and Cllr Murphy feels that the police should be making a greater effort to catch this vandal then one has question how all other resources available to the council are used. After all if they can be directed for one 'pet' project how much more of the council tax payers money is being directed at 'pet' projects?
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razor ,

12/05/2008 15:55:33
IF THEY WERE NEAR MY HOUSE ID CHOP THEM DOWN
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TimBlair,

Peterborough 12/05/2008 15:56:22
what a shame
schemes like this have worked very well with stunning result elsewhere in the uk.
give the kids a chance
sponsor art projects etc...
after all graffiti is as old as mankind !
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Old Peterborezzz,

12/05/2008 16:09:37
Perhaps the chopping down of the board was itself a conceptual work of art by an artist thinking outside the box.
Typically narrow-minded of the council to call the artist a vandal, next thing you know they'll be calling grafitti artists vandals as well. Oh, hang on...
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Paul33,

Peterborough 12/05/2008 18:22:04
Whoever thought the board(s) was a good idea, erect the next lot outside your house and then tell us how it is the right thing to do.

Without any hesitation, if they put one up near my house the I would cut it down without hesitation !!!
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