News Release
December 8, 2006
Partnering Up; Denver West High School And Denver Parks & Recreation Are Working Together To Stop Graffiti
The Mural Club at Denver West High School and Denver Parks and Recreation are working together to stop graffiti in Denver Parks.
In an attempt to save the money and time required to constantly paint over the tags and graffiti at the Sunken Gardens basketball court, Denver Parks and Recreation have asked West High's Mural Club to lend their artistic talents to the beautification of this frequently blemished public space.
The Mural Club at West High was started last year as an effort to increase student pride and ownership of their school and to encourage positive artistic expression while discouraging graffiti. As of now, West High has 3 completed murals by the mural club and all three (as well as the walls around them) remain untouched by graffiti.
John Varone of Denver Parks and Recreation is providing all the materials necessary to complete this mural. The West High Mural Club students are currently designing the mural and will paint the basketball court as soon as weather permits.
The Mural Club is working on a basketball related theme that will also portray cross cultural unity; the students' goal is to create a design the neighborhood will appreciate and the youth will respect while promoting a positive message.
If this basketball court mural is successful in reducing graffiti, Denver Parks and Recreation and West High School hope to continue their collaboration on other problem sites.