I feel sorry for the sporting committees who run the programs for youth at Russell Square. You do an amazing job encouraging these kids to participate in healthy activities. Yet some "stupid" kids or I shudder to think "adults" have gone crazy with tagging. The cost and time to remove this "tagging" should land heavily on the shoulders of the "taggers" and their parents. The sporting fraternities, Ballarat City Council and ratepayers should not have to waste time and money removing this tagging.

I am especially concerned with the old Damascus site in Victoria Street; it has deteriorated to the point of resembling a set from a Mad Max movie. Historic buildings in Hopetoun Street, have multiple tags; of all places the Sisters of Mercy building in Victoria Street, tagged. These buildings have stood without damage for years, and should be respected not vandalised.

As for the "Troopers Walk" along Yarrowee Creek to Eureka Street I'd be too embarrassed to tell visitors to take the walk. Every sign is vandalised and illegible, the tunnel under road at Scott Parade is horrible and the historic iron bridge at Queen Street has been repainted twice recently, however now some idiot has gone to town with yellow tagging.

For a "city" which prides and sells itself so well for tourists on heritage buildings and goldfields history, Ballarat I'm ashamed to say is resembling a "tagging" filthy, urban city.

As a member of the Ballarat community for more than 20 years I say enough of this tagging vandalism. The cost to the council, businesses, private property owners is enormous and could be directed into the community instead of cleaning up "tags". The damage done by taggers all over our lovely city is unsightly, offensive and growing. Tagging is not an expression of our youth, it's vandalism against our community. Disfiguring community and private property is an offence. When caught these vandals should be made to remove tagging as part of their punishment, along with a hefty fine and conviction.

LYN BROWN

Brown Hill