A group of at-risk kids in Kamloops will be painting eight garbage bins in Kamloops this Wednesday in a bid to reduce graffiti and vandalism.

It’s after a successful pilot project earlier this summer when local street artist Landon Muzio helped turn the the garbage bin behind Memorial Arena into an urban canvas.

Social and Community Development Supervisor with the city, Natalie Serl, says the at-risk youth taking part are from A Way Home Kamloops and Interior Community Services.

“So it’s the youth that they have in their programs and they have been able to determine who would be the most interested and the most eligible for this program, who’d get the most meaning out of it,” she added. “I believe there are four artists and six youth at this time.”

Serl says the project is being funded by a $2,500 provincial grant, noting there’s a lot of positive feedback so far.

“Collaboration between departments is that this also ties into some funding that we manage on behalf of the Community Action Team. They received funding from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions and the Overdose Emergency Response Centre, that has allocated some funds to be able to help youth exiting street life.”

Once painted, Serl says these bins will be spread both Downtown and on the North Shore.

(Photo: Landon Muzio/facebook)