Someone is spray-painting the words “Free Westbank.” on utility boxes, highway overpasses, and even road signs in West Kelowna.
Most of the graffiti messages are in and around the community’s business district. In some cases, the name “West Kelowna” has been blacked out on highway signage as far north as Vernon and as far south as Summerland.
While the undertone appears to be political, West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater is somewhat baffled by the message.
“It is a mystery who did it and what the issue is,” he said. “Somebody is going out of their way obviously paying for some spray paint, making a stencil and taking the time to do that in some unusual places but I don’t know what to make of it politically.”
One possibility could be that whoever is responsible is still upset with the name of the central Okanagan city.
The municipality’s name was officially changed to West Kelowna in 2008 shortly after incorporation.
The change sparked a heated debate with many people fighting passionately to keep the name Westbank.
In the end, a referendum decided the community’s future. The name West Kelowna won over the name Westbank by a slim margin.
Findlater notes that regardless of what motivated the graffiti, it is still vandalism and comes with consequences to both the culprit and the public at large.
“There is an impact on the taxpayer because the taxpayer has to clean that up,” he said.
Anyone who witnesses the graffiti vandalism is asked to contact police.