Graffiti around electorate of Drummoyne - part II

I took around 50 photos of vandalism in the area around Concord and Breakfast Point today.  These are the first 20 or so.

We start with the Barnwell Park golf course club house - this has been like this for some months.  I rang the number listed on the website, and found myself talking to the Pro Shop.  He told me to call 9713 1162, which I did, and found that the person who knew anything about it was on leave for a few weeks.  I was then put on to a bloke that explained that this particular corner of the building belongs to Telstra, and they are responsible for cleaning it up.  Whilst he was sure Telstra were aware of it, I am not.  In matters like this, I prefer to assume nothing and check for myself.  It's quite possible that Telstra staff or contractors are visiting on a regular basis, noticing the external graffiti but doing nothing about reporting it - as they see it as not being their problem.

This is a pathway not far from the golf club house.

More graffiti along the pathway fences.

The same pathway, further along.

A bit further along Lyons Rd, around where it turns into Crane St.

The concrete road divider on this corner is constantly being repainted by the RTA to cover graffiti, as the patches of paint show.

Just up Crane St, opposite Concord High School.

Also opposite Concord High School.

A substation opposite Concord High School.  I've emailed the school asking them to keep an eye on this substation (adopting it) and to report any graffiti to Energy Australia.  

A drycleaning business a bit further along Crane St.

A pathway alongside Rothwell Park near the Concord Shops - along Majors Bay Road.  Note that the sign says "Do the right thing".  How ironic.

A business on Majors Bay Road.

The corner of Majors Bay Road and Wellbank Street.  Given that this is, or used to be, a hardware store, you'd think the owner would have something on hand to clean up this mess.

The back of the same hardware store.

The rear of shops near the corner of Wellbank St and Concord Ave.

More of the same.

I think this is Clemont Lane.

A RailCorp signal box of some sort in the foreground.  This is along Queen St, near the Concord West train station.  Note the vandalised hut in the background.  I think it is a RailCorp structure.  Someone has gone to the trouble of having it painted with spray can art, but that has not deterred the vandals from messing it up.

Minor graffiti along Queen St.

More coming in part III.

NAB - approaching a bank

There are any number of old fashioned shopping areas in the inner west - the type that are based around a strip of shops along the street, as opposed to a mall or an arcade.

Most of these shopping areas have one or more banks, and some banks are better than others at keeping their premises looking neat and tidy.  In the old days, banks used to build robust, imposing buildings out of stone in order to present an image of solidity and stability - particularly financial strength.  The bankers of old understood the importance of presenting a solid face to those that they were seeking deposits from.

Some modern bankers seem to have forgotten this idea.  In the Five Dock area, there are three bank branches, some mortgage brokers and a credit union.  The NAB is the only financial institution occupying what I would call "old fashioned" or traditional banking premises - check out those columns around the front door.  

The building might be old fashioned, but the management at this establishment don't seem to take much interest in appearances.  Graffiti tags appeared on the front and sides of the building some time ago, and nothing was done about them.

Nothing that is until I rang the general telephone enquiries number for NAB, which I found at this web site, and it happens to be 13 22 65 by the way.  I simply explained to the person that took my call that the bank had been vandalised and the facade needed cleaning up.  I suggested that they contact their building management or property management staff, or the branch manager, and get it fixed.

The front was cleaned or repainted within 2 days.  Not bad going if you ask me for a big lumbering business.  

However, since then, graffiti has re-appeared in the laneway down the side.  Keeping this area clean is a simple matter of the manager walking around the building once every few days - or even just keeping an eye out whilst going out for lunch.  It doesn't take much more than that - except that someone needs to be bothered to spend a few minutes putting in a work request via the appropriate channels, and sometimes that seems to be too much to ask.

Why is it that things like this are not cleaned up until a member of the public complains?

Presumably because those working in the bank think it is somebody else's problem.

I can see that I am going to have to hassle these guys again soon.