Email: "Maui Aims To Be Graffiti-Free"
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What was once an eyesore is now a source of pride for a group of Maui County volunteers. With assistance from the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation, Kīhei Community Association Board Member Andrew Beerer and youth volunteers have taken steps to ensure that both the Kalama Skate Park in Kīhei and Kahului’s Keōpūolani Skate Park are now graffiti-free.

Thanks to the efforts of a group of young volunteers, which included skate park users and youth from the Boys and Girls Club, the Parks Department and Beerer gathered to paint over graffiti at the skate parks on Dec. 18 in Kīhei and on Dec. 28 in Kahului.

Beerer has been cleaning up Maui’s skate parks for several years, making quarterly “sweeps” of the facilities. “I noticed that some of the parks were looking pretty run-down,” he said. “So I just grabbed some paint and got to work, so I could make the facilities more inviting for the kids.” One afternoon at Kahului’s Keōpūolani Skate Park, Beerer caught the attention of several youth sitting nearby. “I was painting by myself, but soon I was assisted by some skate park users and by a nice group of kids from the adjacent Boys and Girls Club,” he said. “The kids are so helpful… whenever you bring out the paint and the rollers, it’s inevitable that they will want to jump in and help.”

Beerer’s efforts have not gone unnoticed—especially by the skate park users who now have a graffiti-free facility.

“We are very fortunate to have Andrew Beerer’s assistance, which has included this volunteer cleanup, monitoring of the maintenance concerns and coordinating skateboarding events throughout the county,” said Director of Parks and Recreation Tamara Horcajo. “We are grateful for the many other participants who help to keep the skate parks safe and satisfying for our users.”

Graffiti is not just a visual nuisance—it can also be very costly. According to Graffiti Hurts, a national organization that seeks to educate communities about the issue, graffiti cleanup has impacted municipal budgets across the United States. For example, San Jose, Calif., shells out $3 million each year for graffiti cleanup, and Portland, Ore., spent nearly $2 million last year to remove spray paint from the city.

But with people like Beerer taking graffiti removal into their own hands—literally—recreation areas such as the skate parks may soon be graffiti-free. “For every person defacing public property, there is someone who is going to help clean it up,” said Beerer.

“I have no intention on stopping anytime soon,” he added.

While repainting the skate parks is something he plans to continue, Beerer said he hopes that the county will coordinate an effort for local youth to paint murals at these facilities, as murals are often a deterrent for acts of vandalism.

In addition to volunteering his time toward the removal of graffiti from the parks, Beerer and former YMCA Skateboard Camp Director Davey Delong created the Maui Skateboard Series. Since 2008, they have worked alongside the Department of Parks and Recreation to provide over 30 skateboarding events in Kīhei, Kahului, Lahaina, Pā‘ia, Pukalani, Hāna, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i.

Beerer, who himself is an avid skateboarder, said the events are both fun and challenging, drawing more than 100 youth. “It’s an extremely successful program,” he said, “and the county has been very supportive of the Maui Skateboard Series.”

Beerer hopes that the growing interest in skateboarding will offset graffiti at Maui County parks. He will be coordinating volunteer graffiti cleanups at both the Kīhei and Kahului skate parks on a regular basis, and encourages all Maui residents to pitch in.

“The skateboard parks are popular and well used, but like all recreation facilities they suffer from wear and tear as well as occasional graffiti and vandalism,” said Beerer. “Helping maintain the skateboard parks and painting over graffiti makes for a better experience that puts skateboarders in a positive light. We encourage the users to take ownership of their parks.”

For more information about this project, contact the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 270-7230. To learn more about the Maui Skateboard Series or to volunteer at the next graffiti cleanup, contact Beerer at (808) 283-8600 or email Andrew@alohabydesign.com.

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