Re: Letter by Gordon Drysdale titled “Rezoning could ruin neighbourhood near former hospital,” which appeared in the Aug. 17 edition of Northern Life.

There was only one piece of information that I agreed with from Gordon Drydale’s letter.

It was the end paragraph which stated, “if they do not respect the official plan of our city, they should scrap it and let everyone do what they want.”

Welcome to T.A.G.S. The Angry Greater Sudbury. Can we T.A.G. (talk about graffiti)?

If Sudbury had an official plan that was designed to meet the requirements of future generations and to open the vista and enhance the quality and visual impact of our community, than let’s be T.A.G.G.E.R.S. (take action getting graffiti effectively removed Sudbury).

Why can’t we have money to campaign and enforce an anti-graffiti bylaw which penalizes all participants of graffiti, including all federal, provincial and municipal businesses, private business and property owners who do not remove graffiti once it has been reported to the T.A.G. Team.

The T.A.G. Team would be a specialized service that records, photographs and posts new and old graffiti on a public web site run by the City of Greater Sudbury.

This could also help the police in tracking aggressive taggers who are not just spraying or inking scribbles and “free” expression of art.

Some graffiti is attached to criminal activity which is usually youth gang related for the purpose of territorial boundaries with other youth gangs.

It’s time to clean up the city before any new progress for visual impact can be made. It’s also time to help youth remain safe and worry free when walking through areas that are tagged for the purpose of territory. 

T.A.G. could help our youth grow past the “ghetto” mentality that the Heritage District has, and (according to Drysdale’s comments) the city wants to ignore.

A T.A.G. team will talk about graffiti in the schools to prevent ongoing destruction of property and provide a different source of communication for youth to learn. 

This is their home, and who wants to live in a dirty home? 

Many business owners and corporations can afford to take the graffiti off (their buildings). It isn’t fair to have a handful of well-meaning youth paint it up for them. 

Seriously, these businesses who own mailboxes, newspaper boxes, stores and what have you are insured and are basically putting the problem back onto the city without penalty. 

Something needs to be done for our city, because its getting really dirty around here.  Sudbury’s Heritage District stretches much further than the neighbourhood Drysdale was worried about. 

All neighbourhoods are being ruined, and the police need to be supported and many cities are doing what they can to keep it under control.

As for the zoning issue Drydale is concerned about with Panoramic Properties, he should be talking about the graffiti on the rocks in the park around the lake he is so concerned about.

Lee-Anne Jefferson
Greater Sudbury