Community rallies to restore new 50-foot-long mural vandalized after SF's Great Highway closure

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It was one stroke at a time Sunday morning as the community rallied to restore a 50-foot-long mural in San Francisco's Outer Sunset.

It was vandalized just one day after a two-mile stretch of the Great Highway was permanently closed to make a way for a new park.

"I'm so grateful that the community wanted to respond and be here with me today to repair the artwork," said local artist Emily Fromm. "It means so much to have the support of so many neighbors and fellow artists."

"I think there's going to be a lot more ownership for the neighbors that are out here, because there are definitely people out here who aren't artists, and the way Emily has set this up is anyone can pitch in and help," said Kseniya Makarova.

RELATED: New 50-foot-long mural along SF's Great Highway oceanfront park vandalized

"In a lot of past projects I've done, I love to bring community volunteers in to deepen the ties between the artwork and the neighborhood it's for. Give people a chance to create memories," Fromm said, noting that more than a hundred people had reached out to help.

"When I saw yesterday that it was defaced, I was like, 'OK, let's give her all the positivity that she needs to get back out there and help make it shine again,'" said Jessica Nascimento as she carefully painted in a line.

The support comes as emotions are still running high over the city's newest park. Voters approved the park and the road closure in November with the passage of Measure K, which has caused controversy from the get-go.

MORE: SF's Great Highway is now permanently closed to cars. Here's what happens next

"While I do not know why the mural was vandalized -- because the markings were random and unspecific -- it likely had something to do with the closure of the Great Highway, a divisive issue," Fromm said. "The artwork is intended as a gift for the neighborhood; regardless of that change. Vandalizing the artwork will have no impact on that voter-approved issue."

Fromm's fellow artists described the labor that goes into a larger-scale piece such as this mural.

The goal is to get the mural completed this upcoming week with one more group effort Wednesday.

"To restore it, it's definitely a task," said local artist Rob Casonovas. "We're talking layers and layers. And then the line work along, that's especially where she shines, and that's a lot of precision. So, it's a feat, but we're crushing it."