City leaders were disgusted on Monday night after vandals targeted the Shelton Riverwalk.
The clean-up has cost taxpayers thousands of dollars and now the city has come up with a plan to keep the taggers away for good.
The popular Shelton Riverwalk has become an eyesore over the last month.
“It’s discouraging,” said visitor Anthony Montellese.
Graffiti has been sprayed everywhere. The taggings and profanity keep getting plastered across the park and it has become impossible for visitors to ignore.
“It's not (a) clean wall to walk by,” Montellese said.”
It has been especially alarming for parents who bring their children here.
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“It is a turn off…absolutely,” Montellese said.
The city just spent $4,000 painting over the graffiti on the walls, benches, stairs and railings and thought they cleaned this place up, but the taggers keep coming back.
“It was actually disgusting,” said Alderman John “Jack” Finn.
The lights on the River Walk could be part of the issue, because a lot of them don’t work. That means vandals can show up at night and spray paint the park without getting caught.
“We're addressing the lighting situation out here. There’s going to be new lights installed,” Finn said.
It’s possible surveillance cameras will be installed. Police have also stepped up patrols so the culprits know to stay away.
“I want to say something to the parents. 'Don't you know where your kids are? … Don't you know what your kids are doing?” Finn said.
The message is that their so-called “artwork” isn’t a welcome sight.
The vandals also tagged a farmers market across the street.
If you have any information on who could be responsible call Shelton Police.
