Swastikas, racist graffiti spray painted on popular Kanata pathway

A popular pathway through the heart of Kanata has been turned into a corridor of vandalism.

The roughly 1.5-kilometre pathway stretching from All Saints High School to Campeau Drive at Terry Fox Drive has become littered with graffiti, repeating a tag that reads, “TRIZZ.”

It’s a walkway frequented by families, cyclists, and shoppers.

Area resident Karen Ellis says she walks the pathway every days and is disturbed by the vandalism.

“It’s just been getting tagged more and more. It started out as only white paint and then it went to black paint. The red paint is very new,” she said.

The tags can be seen along the entire concrete path and on fences, benches, trashcans, and crosswalks. She says the tags recently started appearing within the last two weeks.

“It started off as just black,” adds her walking partner Jim Morrison.

“This kid is on this path every day, or kids – whoever it is, they’re using it as frequently as we are.”

More recently, swastikas as well as racist and sexist symbols have been painted.

Graffiti spray painted on a pathway in Kanata on June 22, 2024. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa)

Graffiti on a park bench in Kanata on June 22, 2024. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa)

“I was not overly fussed when the kids were writing their names or just making obnoxious symbols,” said Ellis.

“But that’s really, really disturbing. Now you’ve crossed the line.”

Area residents say they have contacted the city and Ottawa Police regarding the vandalism, but have not seen any action taken yet.

“We investigate all reports made to police. If hateful graffiti was reported then we will be looking into it,” said the Ottawa Police Service in an emailed statement.

Kanata pathway (Map/CTV News Ottawa)