Graffiti in the skate bowl at Ballard Commons Park, which has been increasing in recent months, has cost the city $1,027 to repair in the past year.

There have been 13 work orders to clean up graffiti in the bowl in the past 12 months, said Dewey Potter, Department of Parks and Recreation spokesperson.

Six of those work orders have come since June, according to department records.

Crews have spent 30 hours in the past year removing graffiti from the bowl at a cost to the city of $34.23 per hour, Potter said.

Graffiti that included strong language and sexual images was removed from the bowl last week. It was the third removal of high-priority (obscene, hate-based or gang-related) graffiti from the bowl in the past year, Potter said.

At recent community meetings, Ballard neighbors and business-owners have expressed concerns over increasing graffiti in the area.

Graffiti on the mural at Bergen Place Park is necessitating the repainting of that mural, and $2,000 worth of damage was caused by graffiti to businesses near 17th Avenue Northwest on Market Street during July, according to police reports.

Employees at Jo-Ann Fabrics across from Ballard Commons Park said they do not sell spray paint to people under the age of 18 without an adult present.

An employee at Dollar Plus on Market Street, which stocks spray paint, said the store rarely sells any paint, and he would definitely pay attention if it was a young person looking to buy it.