Some of the murals, artwork and graffiti that have taken over walls in the community.
The City is considering a plan to create 1,000 new murals and street art to try and prevent an increasing amount graffiti vandalism.
A growing amount of graffiti in Toronto has doubled with the outbreak of the Israeli-Gaza war, officials said.
The proposed works of art, which decorates many walls and bridges in South Etobicoke, is being considered as a way to curb City-wide graffiti blitzes, according to Councillor Mike Colle.
His motion has been adopted by an Infrastructure and Environment Committee and will be voted upon by City Council on May 22.
Colle said instances of graffiti has spiked on the walls, public and private areas in Toronto due to the situation in Gaza and war in the Middle East.
A Long Branch sign that was sprayed with graffiti had many residents angry.
“Over the last year, there has been a marked increase in graffiti tagging throughout the City including hateful messages, on both City property and private property,” according to his motion. “In part it results from the global conflicts such as in the Middle East.”
The 1,000 murals can be created through the City partnership with local Business Improvement Areas, the arts community, private property owners and corporate partners.
“Combating graffiti is an ongoing challenge that requires a combination of public awareness and graffiti removal by the City and private property owners,” Colle told City staff.
He said well-done murals are often spared from being sprayed with graffiti.
“One cost-effective and attractive City building method of addressing graffiti is encouraging murals on private buildings and on City property as murals are seldom tagged with graffiti,” according to the motion.
The lettering is a calling card of the then neighbourhood graffiti vandal.
Whether it is litter, garbage, or property in disrepair, there is a need to remind residents that if care is taken through daily upkeep and regular cleanup, it encourages pride of place and a greater appreciation of keeping the City safe and clean, staff was told.
It “espouses the ‘broken windows theory’ which proposes that a safer and more beautiful City results when we collectively take care of the daily surroundings in our communities,” according to Colle.
Toronto Police said they are not surprised by an increase in Israeli-Gaza type graffiti attacks since hate crime and anti-semitic incidents have almost doubled since the war began.
Graffiti vandalism has hit all of Toronto and community leaders have repeatedly complained to police and City officials to crack down on the mischief.
This man was sought for defacing murals in the Long Branch area with graffiti.
Concerned Long Branch businesses in 2022 took to social media to locate a serial graffiti vandal who they claimed damaged more than $20,000 in property within hours.
Members of the Long Branch Business Improvement Association allege the unwanted graffiti artist defaced a number of businesses along Lake Shore Blvd. W.
“He tagged a bunch of buildings along Lake Shore Blvd. W., plus two billboards on the Brown’s Line overpass and Lakeshore and Thirty Sixth Street rooftops,” according to the Long Branch Business Improvement Area (BIA).. “Over $20,000 in vandalism in a few hours.”
The vandal was never caught.