Community works to rub out graffiti

Residents in Edmonton's Belvedere area are trying to clean up eyesores in their neighbourhood.

About 75 volunteers got together Saturday to paint over the graffiti scrawled throughout the area.

The Edmonton Police Service, with help from several community groups, participated in the annual Graffiti Cleanup Program.

Deanna Fuhlendorf, with the Fort Road Business Association, said she has seen a huge improvement in the two years she's been helping.

"We covered approximately 55 spots last year. We have 22 this year and we've cut it right in half. Even the  businesses along here are aware of it, they've been cleaning up on their own, too, and I really believe we're making a dent out here," she said.

EPS Const. Chris Tagg spent the day patrolling the area with volunteers like Fuhlendorf.

"People come to the area and see it covered in graffiti [and] it brings down the area," Tagg said.

"I think the community's kind of organized together in the past few years to … take their community back, to let these people know that we're not going to tolerate this."