A few months ago I noticed that someone had spray painted a giant pot leaf on the rocks at Sandy Beach. Now, I can appreciate graffiti on a bridge abutment or a highway overpass, but NOT in a national park -- especially when I see it almost every day. Sandy Beach is a river access point for boaters running both Great Falls and Mather Gorge, so we have a particular responsibility to keep it clean. I decided to organize a graffiti removal effort.
I spoke with Dan Filer, the volunteer coordinator for the C&O Canal NHP, and he enthusiastically supported the idea. Because the graffiti was so close to the river, we agreed not to use chemicals. I mean, we're trying to clean up the river, not pollute it some more, right? That meant we had to use wire brushes and elbow grease. Undeterred, twelve brave volunteers showed up on the morning of Saturday, March 21 to do battle with the graffiti.
For four hours we scrubbed, and scraped, and scratched, and shouted obscenities at the graffiti. We poured water and then sand on it, hoping it would act as an abrasive. It was slow going, but we made some progress. And it was actually pretty fun, thanks to the continuous banter of the volunteers! Finally we grew tired, and decided tha we had made as much progress as we were going to that day. It was time to step back and rethink our strategy.
The graffiti is still there. It's significantly duller, and worn away in places, but it's still there. We're looking into other ways to remove the graffiti besides wire brushes. So stay tuned... the graffiti removal effort is only just beginning!
* Thanks to Dan Filer, Dan LaFrance, Kyle Anderson, and everyone at the NPS who helped me organize the clean up and provided us with tools.
* Thanks to Craig Campbell and Maggie Snowel for taking photos.
* Thanks to Grayson Taff and Tom Veratti for providing refreshments.
*And most of all, thanks to all the volunteers who showed up on Saturday morning to help with the clean up: Craig Campbell, Nancy Fechnay, Bion Kim, Dan MacGuire, David Ritchie, Jen Sass, Jerry Stezer, Grayson Taff, Tom Veratti, and Bob (sorry, I didn't catch your last name), as well as Team Potomac Paddlesports members Jason Beakes and Maggie Snowel.
~Scott
There it is
Getting started
Washing off the residue... starting to look better
Showing off how green my brush is getting...clearly progress is being made
I know it's a chemical, but I would investigate a product called Graff-Off. Cavers have had success using this to remove graffiti from caves. Perhaps you could use it in such a way that you catch the runoff of the Graff-Off and green paint so it doesn't enter the river. Thanks for your hard work!
How a bout some battery operated drills with wire brush attachments; save your shoulders for boating : ) I can appreciate the efforts you all deserve applause!
There it is
Getting started
Washing off the residue...
Showing off how green my brush is getting...clearly progress is being made
David making great progress
2 comments:
I know it's a chemical, but I would investigate a product called Graff-Off. Cavers have had success using this to remove graffiti from caves. Perhaps you could use it in such a way that you catch the runoff of the Graff-Off and green paint so it doesn't enter the river.
Thanks for your hard work!
How a bout some battery operated drills with wire brush attachments; save your shoulders for boating : ) I can appreciate the efforts you all deserve applause!
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