Memorial bench for Matt Flitton to replace graffiti art after complaints

LETHBRIDGE- A colourful graffiti painting meant to honour the memory of a 29-year-old man who was murdered in September has been wiped clean after the City of Lethbridge received complaints.

For friends of Matt Flitton like Breanne Dobler, the graffiti was the perfect way to remember her friend.

“It was breathtaking,” she said. “As far as I’m concerned it was completely what Matt would have wanted. Even at the funeral, we had a thing where you could sign the casket and a lot of people did graffiti art on the side of the casket.”

The owner of the fence was told she would be fined if the graffiti wasn’t removed after the city received complaints.

“I think we were just so speechless that somebody went out of their way to complain about it,” said Dobler. “By no means are we upset with the bylaw officer or the city, he was just doing his job, we know that.

“I’m not normally someone to post a roast and toast online, and that’s how this went viral, but I needed to say something because I was just completely devastated.”

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Mayor Chris Spearman said the city understands the frustration, but the memorial graffiti tag started to pop up on public property around the city, forcing them to enforce the rules.

“In order to control it, we did ask that it be removed,” he said. “We did take a longer time than normal to have the graffiti removed and we suggested an alternative which would be a memorial bench in a nearby park.”

Flitton was found dead in late September. Twenty-nine-year-old Randall William Enright was later charged with second-degree murder in his death.

READ MORE: Friends mourn the loss of Matt Flitton

Flitton’s family and friends wanted to make sure the bench was put in the right place. They’ve selected the Jock Palmer park on the city’s northside because they say it’s close to their hearts.

“It’s exactly what Matt would have wanted,” said Dobler. “Jock Palmer Park is where we grew up. We had the candlelight vigil there, like that was our park. So to have the bench there, it’s going to mean a lot to a lot of people.”

The city has donated the bench, and funds raised will pay for a memorial plaque with Flitton’s name, keeping his memory alive and giving his loved ones a place to sit and reflect.