Council butts out of smoke free zones

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By RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star StaffFeb 23 2007 p://www.vernonmorningstar.com/

Plans for tobacco-free zones in Greater Vernon parks have been stomped out. A majority of Greater Vernon Services Committee members voted Thursday not to install 40 signs in certain parks limiting where people can smoke cigarettes. “Why are we wasting this money?” said director Barry Beardsell, adding that most playing fields are on school property and the province is banning smoking there. The signs would have been purchased and installed by the Interior Health Authority, but GVSC was budgeting about $2,000 for materials and staff time. IHA officials have stated such zones would discourage people from smoking around others, especially youth.

But that concept was questioned by Mary Malerby, a Coldstream councillor attending the GVSC meeting. “By providing areas, you’re still encouraging people to smoke,” she said. Others felt the thrust should be on education in schools, and enforcement of the zones could create problems,"To monitor is virtually impossible,” said chairman Gary Corner. Director Cliff Kanester was concerned about the esthetics of local parks. “If we have enough signs, it would look like the end of Swan Lake,” he said referring to billboards. But there was some support for installing signs.“They are raising awareness and putting into their brain that it’s not good to smoke,” said director Buffy Baumbrough. Al McNiven, parks and recreation administrator, pointed out that other communities have found the signs effective. “The intent is not to get people to stop smoking but to increase their knowledge,” he said.