New mural designed to fight back against Goderich, Ont. graffiti

Tova Hasiwar is putting the finishing touches on a mural in Goderich’s downtown.

“We wanted to make something bright, and something that will spread even more joy. It’s been great watching little kids walk by, and say ‘SpongeBob’” said Hasiwar.

For the past week-and-a-half, Hasiwar has been turning the back wall of the Den Juice Co. in Goderich’s downtown into SpongeBob SquarePants’ home under the sea.

Hasiwar, who is based in London, is doing the work, but the idea was Clare Sutherland’s.

The owner of the Den Juice Company was eager to combat unwanted graffiti that was popping up around the quiet shoreline town.

Artist Tova Hasiwar puts finishing touches on Goderich, Ont.'s newest mural near the Den Juice Co. on Oct. 24, 2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

“Honestly, we had some graffiti problems in Goderich over the past year. People tagging, and tags that weren’t very attractive. They weren’t for the community, anyways. So, I thought a way to deter that would be to make my own,” she said.

This will be Den Juice Co.’s second mural, while the first has become a Goderich tourist stop.

Some days there is a lineup to take a picture with the butterfly wings, Sutherland said. She hopes this latest dose of public art will have the same affect, and deter unwanted graffiti in Goderich by including some graffiti artists in the SpongeBob creation.

“There’s a place for graffiti. We’re trying to put the onus on graffiti artists that if you’re going to [do] something, make it count. You don’t need to be tagging businesses. You can go talk to them, and I’m sure they’d be more than happy to provide a wall for you,” said Hasiwar, who painted the butterfly mural, as well as one in Seaforth.

Artist Tova Hasiwar puts finishing touches on Goderich, Ont.'s newest mural near the Den Juice Co. on Oct. 24, 2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

Sutherland hopes this latest Den Juice mural inspires others to give up a wall for public art, and possibly create a mural tour in Goderich. Huron County is currently unveiling six murals across the region to attract public art enthusiasts to the area.

“Hopefully this will inspire people, and maybe we can get something bigger happening in town, to draw more people downtown,” said Sutherland.

The new SpongeBob mural is supposed to be completed on Tuesday, and is located at Courthouse Square and Montreal Street, in behind the Den Juice Co.