Fish Lake Trail mural vandalized

Less that two weeks after it was virtually completed, the colorful mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall has been ruined by vandalism. Eastern Washington University art students had worked for weeks to design and outline the farm-and-railroad-themed mural. Volunteers ranging from kids to retired helpers showed up on May 14-15 to add color to the outline. The original photos in this gallery were shot by Outdoors editor Rich Landers as a celebration of the volunteer effort to enhance a wildly popular paved railroad right of way that starts near Sunset Boulevard and Government Way and runs 7.4 miles to Scribner Road near Marshall. Instead, the photo series concludes with a grim glimpse of the senselessness good people must overcome. The vandalism apparently occurred around Friday night. Email tips that might lead to the perpetrator to the Fish Lake Trail friends group at traildan@comcast.net.

Section:Gallery

Mon., May 30, 2011

Intramural aesthetics: Joel Armstrong, right, and Jim Bingham paint the high spots Saturday on a mural outlined by Eastern Washington University art students in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall. Avery Steer, below left, and Morgan Armstrong worked at the lower levels on the feature along the popular paved bike route.

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As cyclists pass through on Saturday, Adam Membrey, left, and Julie Schaffer volunteer to paint a mural outlined by EWU art students in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
A wide range of helpers showed up to paint the mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
A volunteer details a portion of the mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Bicyclists ease their way past the volunteers who were painting a mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
It was a family affair for some of the volunteers painting the mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Beth Karper, left, was one of four EWU students who did the initial illustrating before volunteers showed up for painting the mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Among the volunteer painters, Jim Bingham works on the high portions of the mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Bikers applauded the volunteers who were painting the mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Some volunteers applied themsevles to the detail work while painting the mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Some volunteers applied themselves to the detail work while volunteers were painting the mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
The mural started taking shape by the afternoon as volunteers were painting in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Dan Schaffer, a citicen volunteer who's led the effort to develop The Fish Lake Trail, helped organize the painting of the mural in the rail-trail's tunnel near Marshall on May 13-14, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Michael Anne Mace surveys the paint options as she joins the volunteers painting the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 14-15, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
A small signature was left by one of the younger volunteers who helped with painting the mural on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on May 14-15, 2011.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
In less than two weeks after volunteers work for days painting the mural on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall in April and May, 2011, vandals desecrated the rural farming and railroad scene in a single night.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
In less than two weeks after volunteers work for days painting the mural on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall in April and May, 2011, vandals desecrated the rural farming and railroad scene in a single night.
In less than two weeks after volunteers work for days painting the mural on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall in April and May, 2011, vandals desecrated the rural farming and railroad scene in a single night.
In less than two weeks after Avery Steer, left, and Morgan Armstrong worked with other volunteers painting the mural on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall in April and May, 2011, vandals desecrated the rural farming and railroad scene in a single night.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
In less than two weeks after volunteers work for days painting the mural on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall in April and May, 2011, vandals desecrated the rural farming and railroad scene in a single night.
Michael Anne Mace, left, helps EWU art student Tina Johnson paint a mural in the tunnel on the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall on Saturday. Johnson and three other EWU students painted the farm and railroad scene's outline in recent weeks so volunteer could add the color.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Vandalism mars the mural in the Fish Lake Rail Trail near Marshall. The dirty work was done around Friday May 27, less than two weeks after volunteers used colorful paint to fill in the outline Eastern Washington University art students devoted weeks to outline.