An 85-year-old Port Coquitlam man says the city needs to do more to stop graffiti artists from spray painting the local Elks Lodge.

George Laking has tried to paint over so-called graffiti “tags” 19 times, he says.

“I’ve seen times when I painted out one day and the next day it was all over again,” he told CBC News. “And it gets a little tiresome after awhile. You know, I’m getting old.”

Graffiti is like handwriting, police say, and can be traced back to a particular graffiti artist.

RCMP in Coquitlam have arrested Justin Tolhurst, 21, and charged him with mischief under $5,000. He’s accused of “tagging” objects and buildings, including the Elks Lodge, with the word “sybe.”

But Laking says the the City of Port Coquitlam is threatening the lodge with fines if the walls aren’t painted over quickly enough. According to city bylaws, it’s up to private property owners to remove graffiti.

Tolhurst makes his next court appearance on March 28. Laking says he refuses to paint the walls of the Elk Lodge until the court case is complete.

The Elks of Canada is a fraternal organization founded in 1912. The first Elks Lodge was established in Vancouver.