The Town of Collingwood is taking a positive approach to an ongoing graffiti issue throughout the downtown district. The Great Graffiti Paint Out took place on Friday, October 22nd, to invite local high school students to help eradicate and paint out graffiti in the town's downtown core. In addition, a dedicated area around the site of the proposed Admiral Collingwood development was the open canvass for local artists to display their abilities and show off their work.

The Great Graffiti Paint Out represented the first community program initiated through the Downtown Revitalization Program. It’s a new initiative that will literally paint out the graffiti, removing it from the buildings in the downtown core. At same time a ‘graffiti art’ project involving students from Collingwood Collegiate Institute, Pretty River Academy and The Door Youth Program is underway. Currently the art students are painting several 4’X8’ graffiti art boards that will be auctioned off over the next 6 weeks through several downtown businesses with the proceeds going towards the schools art programs.

A major objective is to have the youth feel connected to the downtown core bringing with it a sense of pride and ownership and respect for private property. The goal is to showcase graffiti art rather than to have ongoing illegal tagging of downtown property.

The day also featured a Graffiti Magnet Workshop, hosted by The Nook at the Collingwood Library, and a free matinee showing of the new Warren Miller "Wintervention" movie at the Gayety Theatre. Collingwood and area received its first fall taste of snow the night before so the timing of the arrival of Warren Miller's new movie was perfect.

Town of Collingwood staff, the OPP, Crime Stoppers of Simcoe Muskoka and private citizens also took part in the day's events.