Byron Mural in Danger of Being Destroyed

BYRON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A beautiful piece of artwork off Interstate 75 is in danger of getting destroyed. Byron Better Hometown started a mural on the back of the Peach Shops a year ago. It’s still no where close to being finished, and the owners of the shops are threatening to paint over it.

The idea was to paint postcard like images that depicted Peach County on more than 600 feet. According to Executive Director of the Byron Convention & Visitors Bureau, Frances McDaniel, the project had a great response when it started. She says interest slowed with the blistering heat this past summer.

Local artist, Julissa Maldonado, says “We tried really hard to make it beautiful. We tried to make Byron a little bit more interesting.”

Maldonado says she hopes her hard work doesn’t get painted over. If it does she says, “I guess we just wasted a lot of time.”

Andy Walsh with Sugar Oaks Property, the company that manages the Peach Shops, says painting over the artists’ work is the last thing Sugar Oaks wants to do, but the company can’t let the walls sit they way they are.

Walsh says Sugar Oaks has not discussed a deadline for the mural to be finished. All the painting supplies involved with this project are provided for free. If you are interested in volunteering to help finish the mural call 478-956-2409.