It’s a sad days for the Sundowner community, as they lose what has become one the community’s landmarks.

Driving, walking, or jogging on Hardekool Street will never be the same as the beautiful and colourful graffitied wall will be painted back to plain colour. The wall has become something truly special for the joy and colour it brings in the neighbourhood. Many residents stop to take photos and admire the artwork.

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Candeece Van Eeden, who owns the property, explained that the decision to repaint is because of the logistical processes that they are going through with the business on the premises, but also to comply with the city by-laws. “It’s more of a requirement, which I need to have in order for me to carry on with the logistical processes that I’m having here.”

She said she understands the heartache this will cause in the whole community. “When I bought the property, I wanted to put fencing up. Then we thought, at the time, let’s rather keep the wall for security reasons. I thought I can’t have a boring wall. Business is hard, I wanted something that’s an absolute shock factor, that when people drive past here, they can’t miss it. I had the graffiti artist, that worked on the graffiti, inside the premises.”

The artist worked on the wall and put up the big five animals in the colours of the practice with glasses on. Van Eeden said that it was a proper statement, to say she is an optometrist and she is different. “I’m not a normal clinic. I do things very differently. I didn’t think that it would be something that people would like this much. When people come in and say, ‘I knew you were here because of your walls’. I’m like, oh people are noticing.”

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She added the community was devastated when she announced that she will have to paint it over. “They were not happy. They asked to sign a petition. They wanted it to stay. It’s part of who we are now. It’s the character of the neighbourhood and a big part of who we are. Unfortunately, legally, I have no grounding. I have to get rid of it. So, it is very, hostile. Everyone is upset about the fact that they’re going.”

The paintings were unique, and they stood out in a place where there’s a lot of buildings. Van Eeden added that she understands the frustration from the residents, but it has to be done, but they’ll think of something else. “I’m sad, obviously, but I know that, without a doubt, because I’m very creative, I’ll think of something else that will be special. I’m sad that it’s going, and happy that I had the opportunity to have it. I’m very grateful that even though it was for a short period of time, I was able to have it.”

Her glasses cases, and cloths, will still have the images, so residents will always have something to remember the wall by.

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