City Expedites Graffiti, Trash Removal

In less than a day, the trash-strewn, graffiti-splattered area that La Cañada resident R.C. Drake referred to as a was painted over and cleaned out.

Workers from the City of La Cañada's public works department hit the area at 8 a.m. Wednesday, just 12 hours after Drake first complained to the city and showed photos of rubbish, abandoned furniture and vandalism to council members and city staff.

Edward Hitti, director of public works for the city, said the city shifted priority to address the "unforeseen activities'' at the pedestrian bridge nook at Indiana Avenue and Curran Street. Hitti said La Cañada takes residents' concerns very seriously, especially when it comes to unwelcomed activities such as unauthorized dumping, vandalism, and graffiti.

"The longer you keep the graffiti and unauthorized dumping, the more this site or other sites become appealing and inviting to the individuals who is/are conducting these activities,'' Hitti said.

Though the city's prompt response impressed Drake, he wonders whether the area will remain graffiti free. Still of concern to the resident is paper products and other trash he finds blowing around he and his neighbors' yards from nearby .

"As overjoyed as I was to see [the rubbish removal, I also saw a fresh batch of Lupe's morning breakfast trash in my yard and lining the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. This is a very tough situation on our little street, but...I'm sure we the neighborhood can prevail,'' he said.