Image: takphoto
Residents in Queensland’s Toowoomba Regional Council area have been encouraged to report sightings of unwanted graffiti or tagging vandalism to local authorities using a new mobile app.
The council is using the free mobile app called Snap Send Solve to help clean-up crews track and detect where the graffiti hotspots and are move in quickly to mop up any areas of public property that have been defaced by vandals.
It’s a similar app that has been released by VandalTrak, which launched a GPS enabled app for Apple and Android in November 2012, and has been used by Blacktown City Council, Gosford City Council, Ku-ring-gai Council and Shellharbour City Council – all in New South Wales.
While councils have been encouraging legal street art schemes, the problem of illegal graffiti is a big one not only because it creates an unwanted impression of urban decay and degradation, it has also cost governments $1.5 billion annually to remove them, according to the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC).
The Victorian government has also been hard at work enabling councils to fight graffiti tagging by offering grants of up to $25,000.
Toowoomba Regional Council Community Development and Facilities portfolio leader Cr Geoff McDonald said once the app is downloaded, it can be used anywhere as Snap Send Solve determines the council jurisdiction a person is in by using their smartphone’s GPS location.
“Once your GPS location has been determined, the server sends back all relevant Council details, including contact information, location, and email contact.
“Snap Send Solve allows people to easily capture and report on common issues including illegal graffiti, litter, damage to roads or footpaths, street cleaning, noise and also provide a general request or general feedback,” Mr McDonald said.
He said the Snap Send Solve app gives council thousands of extra eyes in the community and is available on I-phone and Android systems.
“The app is straight-forward to use and council will attend to reports once they are lodged,” he said.
“There is no excuse for vandalising public property. This is a cost and an inconvenience to the public which must be footed by ratepayers.”
He colourfully described illegal graffiti as “unsightly and a blight on private property or other facilities which have to be cleaned by upset property owners”.
“This is senseless and mindless damage.”
However, he said that council offers chances through its Youth Connect program and the First Coat Festival for people to express their street art creativity in legal surroundings.
