By Vanessa Broadbent
Oliver Chronicle
With the legalization of marijuana just around the corner, tobacco smokers could see a change in smoking laws as well.
Town council discussed restricting smoking in public places at its Monday meeting.
“I would like to see us move towards having a bylaw of this sort,” said Councillor Petra Veintimilla.
“It’s kind of shocking to be at the splash park and to have someone smoking, it just seems like that shouldn’t be happening anyway. It’s kind of commonsensical.”
The conversation started in November after council received concern from a resident worried about smoking in public places such as the pool, splash park, playgrounds and parks.
Council has since requested input from the Parks and Recreation Society.
The report presented to council explained that along with reducing exposure to second hand smoke, implementing a bylaw would also reduce the amount of discarded cigarette butts in parks and lower risk of fires caused by lit cigarettes.
The report also suggests installing “butt-out” canisters near entrances of public buildings to encourage smoking more than six metres away from doors and windows, as mandated by WorkSafe regulation.
“We need designated areas,” said Councillor Maureen Doerr, who suggested that the space behind Town Hall would work as there is open space.
Oliver isn’t the first town in the South Okanagan to consider regulating smoking in public outdoor places. Penticton council is considering implementing similar bylaws and Osoyoos implemented a bylaw in 2011 that prohibits smoking in parks or on trails, except in designated smoking areas.
“It’s a coming of age thing,” Mayor Ron Hovanes said. “I don’t think there’s going to be much push back here and I think it’ll need a bit of education.”
Hovanes did note that Lion’s Park may need some enforcement initially.
A decision was not reached but council directed staff to draft a bylaw prohibiting smoking in public places for future discussion.
