While the ugly kind of graffiti - the scrawls and tags on other people's property without permission - are being painted over this autumn by a team of community groups, another set of community groups is set on adding the good kind of graffiti.
Downtown Prince George, the RCMP, the Activators Society's Groundworks Program, and local businesses are subtracting the artless and illicit splashes of colour while the Community Arts Council is working with a set of partner groups to obtain permission from the affected property owners to install spray-can imagery people will appreciate.
During last week's Art Battle-Prince George event inside Groop Gallery - a building that has consensual outdoor art down its entire east-facing exterior wall - artist Andrew Mooney was standing in the back of a truck in the back alley behind the event.
With helpers holding lights and fetching materials, Mooney blasted away on wood panels. He was splattering and swirling bright, bold colours and concocting a giant graffiti picture while the Art Battle audience checked in on his progress and applauded.
"We are hoping it will be part of the back alley art project we are proposing to the city," said Community Arts Council executive director Wendy Young. "We want that to project positive, empowering social justice messaging for our community and at the same time improve the visual qualities of the back alley part of the downtown."
This idea was born of the dialogue surrounding the city's 100th birthday coming up in 2015 and the Canada Winter Games discussions going on simultaneously.
"If the back alley art project is a go, we will have this art and we hope more in time for the Games," said Young. "We love that it is being done on panels so it is portable."
