http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20111026/NEWS02/710269937
Published October 26, 2011 in the Rutland Herald
Springfield eyes smoking ban at town parks, recreation fields
By Susan Smallheer
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — Smokers may soon be a thing of the past at summer baseball games and the town pool.
The Springfield Select Board gave its tentative approval Monday to adopting a policy that would ban smoking on town recreation fields and parks.
But the board didn’t seem to favor an outright ban on all town property, saying it would be impossible to enforce and unfair to those town employees who do smoke.
Corey Cenate of the Springfield Tobacco Options and Prevention asked the board to consider such a policy, saying that second-hand smoke was unhealthy for the town’s children.
Cenate said that much of Riverside Park is town-owned land, and it would be great to get all smokers to refrain from smoking. He said he was also working with businesses in the Springfield Shopping Plaza to move their employee smoking areas to the rear of the store, thus avoiding secondhand smoke at the entrance to the store.
The Springfield School District, which owns Riverside Middle School and the town’s football field, Brown Field, has already banned smoking on school property.
But people attending football games know where to get their nicotine fix at halftime, when they seek out town property, said Andy Bladyka, the town’s recreation director, who supported a smoke-free policy.
The town seemed inclined toward a policy, rather than a more formal approach such as a town ordinance.
“It’s a no-brainer,” Bladyka said. “Right now, we have nothing in writing.”
Other Vermont cities and towns have recently adopted a similar ban, including Rutland, Hartford, Bennington and Weathersfield.
Kristi Morris, chairman of the Select Board, said that banning smoking from all town property would not only include the steps of the town hall, where town hall employees go for a smoke, but town-owned parking lots.
Morris said he wanted the town to be “careful not to restrict the rights of people who do smoke.”
The town hall is smoke-free, he said, and there is a designated area for smokers outside.
Two town employees, Jeff Mobus and Meredith Kelley, both suggested that it would be a good idea to ban smoking from all town property.
“Secondhand smoke is bad for adults, too,” Mobus said.
But Bladyka said he was hoping the policy would extend to The Commons, Freedom Park, and Hartness Park as well.
Bladyka and Cenate will return to the board with a proposed policy. Bladyka said he liked the Hartford policy, which he said was simple and straightforward, and one-page long.
“Our focus will be on child-related activities,” he said, noting Hartford didn’t ban smoking at a town-owned boat landing.
Select Board member John Swanson said he was in favor of the smoking ban, but he noted that historical re-enactors often use the town parks in the summer, and often smoke in historical fashion.
Cenate said he expected community pressure would help keep the parks and playing fields smoke-free.
“We have coaches, athletic directors, students and parents,” he said.
Many school teams play on town property, he added.
Enforcement is an issue, said Town Manager Robert Forguites, who said that Bladyka “doesn’t want to sit there with a ticket book.”
“Most of the time, people will comply,” he said.
YES!
ReplyDeletelike OMG!!!
ReplyDeleteI have a rite to smoke!!!
Where am I to bring my kids?
I can't drive out of town.
I have no car and the state doesn't give me enough $ to enrole in excercise class.. duhh.
I have a rite to smoke cigarettes. That is why they are leagal, stupid.
I also have a rite to excercise. You should buy my cigarettes for me if you want me to smoke somewhere else. or build me a smoking park. Perhaps you'd like me to sit in the back of the bus or not take your bus too.
My first born said smoking cigarettes at the park while playing basketball helped him overcome obstacles in college on his scholorship when other "yuppie flatlanders" where still going through puberty.
...will type more late I just got a call on my cell phone. BYE ;)
aaaahhhhhhhhaaaa! Town is stretching now to make their money!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteYour like so wright. AT lease let us smoke for the first few weaks of the month when I can bye them.
I was at River Side the other day and this guy says "Im not happy your smoking here, theres people trying to ate over at Mcdonals." I said I know because i just cume their. But to bad for them, they can go back to there jobs tomorrow and wine, I can't because of my injury. I can not work anymore.
So please Springfield let me smoke up while I let my kids run around at river Side.
You smoke and you want your rights, yet you can't spell the simplest of words.
ReplyDeleteI'm extremely impressed by your lack of knowledge, but yet, you're intelligent enough to have the State pay for your smoke with your disability checks.
How I love this town!
Really, you don't realize the posting was a joke? They are being sarcastic. I think it was pretty funny!! Thanks for the early morning laugh:)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your purfect miss spellings that was better than a cross word puzzle.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work.
Thank you again.
Actually I know alot of people in Springfield who are dumb enough that they cannot spell those words and supposedly graduated high school. Smoke up and lose a few more brain cells! Dood, I cant figor ot wha miy towwn has so mmany lo-lives in der! Duh.
ReplyDelete#IGTU2
ReplyDelete