Community Howls After San Diego Dog Park Mural is Painted Over

At a South Park dog park, the group Dog Owners of Grape Street is upset the City of San Diego shut down their artistic community project that covered graffiti tagged all over the park bathroom, tables, and trash cans. In an effort to beautify the Grape Street Dog Park, several people and park patrons volunteered to help complete what became a mural of some of the local dogs.

Dale Siscon and his dog, Boomer, have become regulars at Grape Street Dog Park. Siscon decided to paint the park’s bathroom wall after, he said, the city failed to cover up some graffiti.

“I said, 'Ah, heck, why don’t we get this bathroom looking really nice and have this park the best looking park in San Diego,?'” said Siscon.

Siscon sketched the artwork and worked with volunteers to paint it over in a couple of weeks. Two weeks ago, it all came to a head when several park rangers arrived at the park and escorted Siscon off the property while he was painting.

President of the Dog Owners of Grape Street group, Don Casey, said that the night prior to the confrontation, he had received a cease-and-desist letter in an email from city staff. He told NBC 7 he felt it was an overreach, especially because the dog owner group and park patrons frequently fill holes, patch up fences and landscape the park themselves.

"The city isn’t ignoring us. It's just one of those things where you know there’s a budget and they’re probably lean. So when we see something that needs to be done, we are proactive,” said Casey.

The City of San Diego did acknowledge the group’s good intentions but cited the policy and permitting required to paint city-owned buildings in a statement to NBC 7.

The park bathroom on Friday was back to its dull, tan color frequently tagged by graffiti. Siscon held a sketch of his first mural and showed NBC 7 the artwork he planned to continue. Casey has been in contact with the city, including the mayor’s office after he and several of the group members voice their anger over the situation.

“Within a 12-hour span, they were able to put so much taxpayer dollars to wipe out a community project basically,” said Casey, referencing the email followed by park rangers visiting the following morning.

In addition to escorting Siscon off the property, he told NBC 7 that park rangers advised him he would receive a citation if he did not leave.

“To me, it made me very upset. Very disappointed because to me, my heart was broken. I put my whole heart and soul into it,” said Siscon.

The city provided the following statement:

“The City is happy to consider proposals from the community regarding public art on City-owned buildings and has a process in place to make sure the artists and the design has been thoroughly vetted and approved by both the City and the community. Unfortunately, although the mural at Grape St. Dog Park is a great example of what creative artists can do to help create an inviting environment for patrons, the process wasn’t followed and that artwork wasn’t approved at either the city or the community level. As such, the City typically removes unauthorized artwork and/or other markings on City property and facilities. The Parks and Recreation Department is currently working with the Grape St. community to explore options for the creation of a new mural at Grape St. Dog Park.”

Casey had planned an event on Oct. 22, inviting all patrons to help paint the bathroom once more, and told NBC 7 that originally the city had approved of it. On Friday, Casey received more specific feedback that a permit would still be required first.

The city did not return comments to NBC 7.

In the end, it’s a step in the right direction for both parties motivated to keep the dog park clean and clear of graffiti. But most of all, it’s back to focusing on the dogs.

“I did it for Boomer. I did it for the dogs. That’s basically what it was,” said Siscon.