Graffiti - A Life Long Issue

Sits empty, invites trouble

Graffiti has been around since the world wars. It was used then as a way to send messages to the enemy or authority and often in places where corruption ruled the day. It has evolved over the years and morphed into messages from angry youth or youth with a message or even gang tagging but at the end of the day they are all a form of message.

All towns and cities experience their share of graffiti which can cheapen the look of a business or make an area appear run down. The best form of fighting it, is to quickly cover it up again as a poster will likely like to admire their work in their daily routines, getting some kind of thrill out of knowing its theirs.

Near Yonge and Finch in Toronto

Some graffiti can be quite good, even art, however some is just ugly or 'tagging" and serves no real purpose other than to piss off authorities. Newmarket gets mostly the latter and lately its been creeping back onto Main St despite a weak effort by the town to dissuade it hanging around by fining the BUSINESS owners for graffiti left on their structures.

I recall a few years back helping organize a wall mural contest to combat repeated graffiti occurring on Meyers Costumes walls. The idea being that a study showed graffitists are less likely to tag something like a wall mural and therefore acts as a deterrent. The winning design was turned town by the town's bylaw people as being too much like a sign. Egads. It had costumes on it and a parade.

Business looks for help combating graffiti

At any rate the mural never went up and the business continued to pay to have it covered, finally finishing with an all white wall that looks unappealing facing Main St and like a blank canvas to a tagger.

As I walked Main St in Newmarket on a cold-ish January afternoon, I began to notice more and more tagging, and wondered aloud to one business owner who came outside after noticing me observing the "art", if something more couldn't be done. She agreed it needs addressing, seeming frustrated by it, and was receptive to an idea I raised about painting a mural on that side of the building, as its walkway leads to Riverwalk Commons and the Community Centre which is well used and seen by Main St business goers.

Tunnel in Toronto

Perhaps a mural depicting music, skating, farmers adorning the wall and stairway leading down?....I promised I'd get back to her in this regard (The Town of Newmarket / Main once had funds available for part costs of such wall murals) and to that end will first check into the availability of these funds before meeting again with the business owner.





This of course is but one wall, another main walkway leading to the community centre also should be painted similarly, and other " opportunities for graffiti "artists" need be offered up for ongoing canvasses and to bring them disgruntled and screaming into the fold!

Maybe also get the local Main St Councilor into it too, Joe Sponga, so he can earn his dough. Perhaps strike a graffiti team or person can be brought on board who's job it is to cover up tags as quickly as they appear - which to my observations is not currently happening, putting Main in jeopardy of becoming run down looking. 

You don't want that do you?

There are a number of ways to combat it...

Icon trestle just off Main could be used as a canvas for youth graffiti art

Vacant, left decrepit looking, invites graffiti - don't allow this

Mural this and install cameras in problem spots along Main

2 years now

Black paint it immediately!

Been here over 2 years now...

Town of Newmarket pays for graffiti removal when self inflicted?

What's Happening Newmarket October

The Town of Newmarket has been hit pretty hard when it comes to road construction. Those able to survive are often doing so barely. One such business located in Newmarket's Tannery Mall has had a barrage of obstacles added to their compound mix, such as The coffee shop, Empress Cafe, tucked in the foyer of the Tannery Mall where they have recently been given the added burden of paid parking and the loss of the college which used to supply plenty of fresh, ground from beans, coffees. Still she soldiers on, fresh sandwiches, baked goods, teas, and accompaniments, and only hopes for the construction to end soon. See video.

Across the street at Main and Davis things aren't much better, with a concentration of the construction having been in that area for quite some time, final touches on a shelter now going up, a nearby longtime breakfast place now void of a tenant and up for rent. A few doors up at Cassandrah's Costumes, I would have expected a busy bustling store at Halloween season but my time there saw minimal foot traffic on a balmy day for October.

Empress Cafe @ Tannery Mall

Cassandrah's used to be Myer's Costumes, with the longtime manager, and now owner taking over for a retiring Jenny Myer, ending her reign as "Newmarket's longest running single family owned business", as the former opera star /owner used to tell me. Of course Cassandrah had been running it in the past years, with the elderly owner coming down on occasion to chat. As a kid, it was Myers Variety, and us kids would come for miles to get the goods, while in wartimes they would front people food until they were able to pay!

Design and Win!

Halloween Contest
...And so in that spirit Cassandrah's is holding a DESIGN OUR WINDOW CONTEST for Halloween and the winning entry gets it featured as their Halloween display as well as $100 voucher! See Video or send your designs to myer@bellnet.ca! 
Deadline for entries Oct 24 2015 

Meantime, looks to be another new restaurant opening up a little further south on Main serving soups and sandwiches, I imagine, to compliment the diverse restaurants selection now growing there with the newest kids on the block now serving up as well, and all seem to be doing ok thus far.

Construction

Restaurant For Rent, Main St Newmarket at Davis Dr

But don't forget those nooks and crannies of your business community folks, those affected by construction, the new businesses, the long time businesses, and any good local business striving to survive in order to offer you an alternative, selection, and variety - as opposed to the corporate, cookie cutter version a big city might offer. We may construct, build and grow, but shiny new buildings are nothing without users.

                                                                                 Entertainment Guide Video

Opening soon!

...Besides Halloween, some upcoming Newmarket entertainment includes Oct 17 with Yuk Yuks coming the the Newmarket Community Centre at Doug Duncan drive, while the same night Red Green is at the Newmarket Theatre. No brainer for me. Never liked Red Green whatsoever. Hahaha... Kiss tribute band Sat Oct 17 @ Big Daddy's!

Escape! Now Open on Main!

99 year old Killed on Scooter in Newmarket

Newmarket, Ontario, Canada - A section of Leslie St. in Newmarket was cordoned off by police tape Monday after a 99-year-old man on a mobility scooter died after being hit by a vehicle in Newmarket.York Regional Police were called to Leslie St. north of Gorham Gorham St. around 12:30 p.m.

Police said an elderly male, identified as George by a local Newmarket person, riding on a mobility scooter, was crossing the driveway at the entrance to the Sunset Grill Plaza when he was struck by a white, 2010, Chevrolet Silverado pickup. The man was rushed to hospital, but was pronounced dead. An investigation is being conducted.

York Regional Police are asking anybody who saw the incident to contact the Major Collision Investigation Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7704 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

YOURKnews captured exclusive video footage as well.

Pan Am Games Torch Bearing hits Newmarket

Photo by Glenn Rodger Photography

Anticipation had been building up in my friend Danny Philion as the date to the torch bearing ceremony approached. He was confused about what would take place at the Riverwalk Commons in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada prior to his nearby torch leg, but still, he could hardly hide his excitement with it all. Well wishers from everywhere have been greeting him since word got out, with congratulations and the like pouring in like love letters to Bobby Sherman. I think the topper for him was all the supporters that braved the rain and called his name out on the street as he "legged" his part in his wheelchair.

 Afterward, Dan soaked in the atmosphere at Riverwalk Commons, Newmarket's now unofficial town square where the O.L.G. rolled out its slick Pan Am machine, including a mobile stage emblazoned with large flat-screens showing the stage talent which had included everything from aboriginal to U2 cover to Juno Award winners, an array of interactive games depicting Pan Am Games events, and even bingo!

Then, the final torch bearer, Donald Bond, a long time Newmarket volunteer, made his way into the square, slogging his way towards lighting the ceremonial Pan Am Games torch set onstage as the crowd buzzed with excitement, surprisingly, myself included as I caught glimpse of the older gent wading his way seemingly through a sea of equally enthralled, mostly Newmarket, residents.

 I've been a volunteer in Newmarket for over 40 years. I do recommend it. Donald Bond Photo below by Glenn Rodger Photography


I'd sort of promised the OLG media people I'd remain in the media area to capture the final runner and interview him for YOURKnews & Events right after which I did. Prior, I'd also been briefly, accidentally steered into the sandwiches and goodies area for about 5 minutes ( Mmm the freakin' butter tarts were great!), then allowed to keep my food when semi sheepishly informed it was for stage talent only. Ha....After that, I "wangled" my way into the torchbearer briefing area, stating I was Dan's helper, which i did help him to get there, but his sister had arrived by then and I hadn't noticed she was sitting in until I got inside and it had begun. Gulp. Shhhh!

At any rate, it gave me an opportunity to hear first hand how each participant got to be torchbearers. A mixed bag of nominees and applicants it seemed but with one common thread, that of commitment to community, or nominated as such, each now etched in history, but each proud to be one.

Dan in his glory

Dan, I knew, had loved taking part , particularly the opportunity to make people laugh and to try out his latest "sit down comedy" routines on his largest continual audience ever.


" It was great, I'd do it again tomorrow no problem, if I could. I really enjoyed it" Dan Philion