The graffiti was quickly removed, but not before the message to “spike trees” and “cut a trash logger” caught attention on social media.
EUGENE, Ore. – On Tuesday, the main sign at Alton Baker Park in Eugene was covered in graffiti that read, among other things, “spike trees with glass” and “cut a trash logger”.
The main sign at Alton Baker Park was defaced with graffiti calling to spike trees.
A picture of the graffiti was shared to social media and caught a lot of eyes. The graffiti has been cleaned, but not before people could share their surprise and disappointment. Some did not know what it meant, but a local mill worker who wished to remain anonymous said spiking trees affects people in his profession.
“You hit these giant railroad spikes and it just rips teeth out,” he said. “And it actually– it’ll end up looking like the 4th of July, red hot teeth flying all over the place. It’s– it’s very, very dangerous.”
For him, the graffiti looked more like a threat.
“In my opinion that’s– that’s calling for, you know, harming individuals, because that– when saws blow up, when saws lose teeth and stuff, it can be– a lot of damage can be done to people, to equipment,” he said.
Danny Griffith frequents Alton Baker Park with his dog, and actually posted the picture of the graffiti on Tuesday. He was among those unsure what it meant at first, but when the comments came flooding in he was shocked.
“It’s really disturbing that people would want to harm other people just because– you know, logging is a huge industry up here. And it’s important. We all live in houses that are built out of wood. And I don’t understand why someone would want to hurt people in the logging industry. Yeah you might have a cause, but don’t harm other humans because of it.”
Other signs at the park were defaced saying to “spike trees”.
Kelly Shadwick with Eugene Parks and Open Space said she had an idea why someone would choose to write that message at the park.
“We did have a contractor in Alton Baker the day prior cutting down some limbs that were broken due to the storm. We’re still very much cleaning up from that storm and really getting out into our developed parks now and getting rid of those limbs. And so that may have, you know, stirred this kind of feeling in this person.”
She said getting rid of graffiti at the parks is a priority, especially when the message is hateful or threatening.
“Any time there is threatening speech aimed at staff or contractors working at the park, we do take that very seriously,” she said. “And our staff are all aware that this graffiti was in the park and what it said. So people are using extra precaution.”
Shadwick said the city hires someone for six months starting in mid-April whose sole job is to patrol the parks looking for and getting rid of graffiti. It can be paid for thanks to the 2018 Parks and Recreation Bond and Levy. She said she knows people do not want to find graffiti when they go to the park, so she is thankful voters chose to approve the levy that lets them have that position.
“We have made that a priority and the community helped us keep that a priority by approving the 2018 Parks and Recreation bond and levy which really helps us have a position dedicated to this work full time during our busiest season for six months out of the year,” she said.
The mill worker said spiking the trees with glass, like the graffiti said, is just as dangerous as with railroad spikes.
“Glass and porcelain, metal detector won’t go off,” he said. “And so that’ll run into a saw and just completely demolish everything.”
Griffith called the graffiti defacing and trashing the parks, and said he does not like it.
“That’s ridiculous. Just because this is what– probably the largest city park in the city, and I come here with [my dog] every day. And I don’t want to see that kind of stuff.”
Contractors will still be working in the parks clearing out debris and broken limbs left behind from January’s ice storm. Shadwick said they should take extra precaution because of the message, but no additional security measures will be put in place.