Region of Queens will spend $5,000 to clean graffiti in Port Mouton.

For the last year and a half residents have complained about offensive graffiti being posted on a breakwater and surrounding rocks at the end of Burgess Rd.

The complaint landed on the council floor at the last meeting where Mayor Darlene Norman shared photos she had taken with the rest of council.

Norman says council agreed with the representative for that area, Councillor Kevin Muise, who said that graffiti wouldn’t be tolerated in more populated parts of the Region and his residents should expect the same service.

“Even though that area may not receive as much traffic and eyeballs as land in around Liverpool, Milton, Brooklyn area, or any community, it is an area known by locals who like to go there and look out to sea and it’s our land,” said Norman. “So, we need to be responsible for our land and we need to keep unsavoury comments off our land.”

The abandoned breakwater at the end of Burgess Rd was transferred from the Federal Government to the Region of Queens about 20 years ago because it provides access to water.

At one point in the discussion council contemplated removing the breakwater but Norman says that idea was quickly dismissed as the structure is important in maintaining the integrity of the surrounding land.

“If you were to remove that then you are changing the dynamics of those ocean currents and you would, in effect, be causing significant change to the land on the other side, so, the breakwater stays,” said Norman.

Council has requested that either staff remove the graffiti, in-house, or hire a contractor to complete the work.

To listen to the full interview with Mayor Darlene Norman, press play below.