The city is changing its approach to graffiti at the Kiwanis Skate Park after facing criticism about removing some of it recently.
References to colonialism, residential schools and other concerns about Canada’s — and Orillia’s — history of relations with Indigenous peoples had been painted on the skate park surface. Some it was painted over, including “Orillia’s shame,” “Every child matters” and a disparaging quote by Thomas G. Anderson, made to Indigenous peoples in this area in the mid-1800s.
Some questioned why those were painted over while some other, more offensive graffiti remained.
“The City of Orillia was receiving complaints about graffiti at the Kiwanis Skateboard Park that was seen to be racist, at which point staff were directed to paint over certain sections of the graffiti at the skate park,” said Jennifer Ruff, the city’s director of business development and communications.
The city will take a different approach now.
“Upon further review and discussions pertaining to Chapter 835 of the City of Orillia Municipal Code, which states the skateboard park located at Veterans’ Memorial Park is exempt from the rules pertaining to graffiti removal, staff have been directed to not remove graffiti unless it is deemed to be lewd or indecent as stated in the bylaw,” Ruff said.
Determining what is lewd and indecent “can be a challenge,” she said, as public opinion varies.
“From the city’s perspective, we take the position that the skateboard park at Veterans’ Park is a legal venue for self-expression and street art in the form of graffiti,” she said. “Staff will continue to allow all forms of graffiti to remain but will monitor and review complaints received for items deemed to be lewd or indecent.”
Despite the removal of some of the graffiti, more has been added on an even larger area of the skate park surface, including the words, “Truth comes before reconciliation.”
Mayor Steve Clarke said the city “is committed to pursuing meaningful ways in which we can support and lead truth and reconciliation efforts at a local level.”
“As a council, we have demonstrated our commitment to truth and reconciliation and will continue to do so in partnership with our neighbours in Rama First Nation,” he said.
“An important part of truth and reconciliation efforts is learning and unlearning, and how the city deals with graffiti at the skateboard park is a good example of how we continue to listen and learn.”
