By NATALIE GALLENTI
A GRIEVING Hillside family is calling on Melton City Council to reinstate a heartfelt tribute to their beloved son who tragically lost his life in October this year.
Jo and Barry Baillon lost their son Josh when the car he was a passenger in was swept away in a freak wind-storm in the Northern Territory. Drugs and alcohol were not involved in the accident. He was only 22.
To pay homage to the young man, who was a popular member of the close-knit community, Josh’s friends created a 22-metre-long artwork and affectionately dubbed it “Joshie’s Wall”.
But the artwork was removed by Melton City Council less than two weeks after it was created.
The sudden removal shocked his mourning parents and outraged the wider community.
Mrs Baillon told Star the wall was an expression of grief by her son’s friends and was a place they would visit to remember him.
“It doesn’t bring Joshie back, but it was a way of expressing their grief,” Mrs Baillon said.
“Young people don’t grieve the same way adults do. They don’t go to funerals and they don’t sit at grave sites.”
The mother-of-four questioned the council’s policy on public tributes and said there are two marked roadside memorials less than 1km from her home.
“Both of these stand as a reminder to friends and families of their loved lost ones. I would like to know why these are permitted but that done by young people is considered graffiti and removed without consideration.”
Mrs Baillon admitted she did not expect the artwork to remain a permanent fixture on the wall but had hoped it would still be in tact for the one-month anniversary of Josh’s death on 10 November.
She said she had received an outpouring of supportive emails after the tribute was removed.
“It left a huge pit in my stomach knowing that people could just destroy something that didn’t cause any harm or disruption, something that was there to make us feel better,” one letter said.
Another grieving friend wrote: “No one got to say goodbye or have any time at all to come to terms. Therefore the wall was a giant goodbye and acknowledgement to Josh.”
“Why not let these poor heartbroken people express their loss and love,” another said.
The hasty removal of the tribute comes only weeks after the council was criticised for removing a stone memorial honouring Brunswick woman Jill Meagher.
The council removed the 50-kilogram granite slab, marking the Toolern Vale site where Ms Meagher’s body was found.
Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins described the removal of the artwork as “ridiculous”.
Ms Hutchins told Star she believed the artwork was tasteful and the removal of offensive graffiti should be a priority for the council.
“Council has taken a pretty harsh step against a grieving community,” Ms Hutchins said.
Melton City Council’s general manager of community services Maurie Heaney said the council is committed to the removal of graffiti as soon as it is made aware of the situation.
“We understand this is a difficult time for the family. We will be working with the family to discuss how we can assist in an appropriate initiative in the recognition of Josh’s life,” Mr Heaney said.
