Puslinch councillors have rejected the idea of making the community centre patio exempt from new anti-smoking legislation, but delayed the passing of a new bylaw in order to investigate their options, including where smokers could go.
“We should not make the patio exempt,” councillor Ken Roth said on Feb. 2.
He was reacting to a letter from the township’s recreation commission, whose members support the prohibition of smoking within nine metres of municipally-owned buildings but want the patio area at the community centre in Aberfoyle exempt from the ban.
Councillors Susan Fielding and Wayne Stokley agreed with Roth, who sided with a previous recommendation from public health nurse Dora Eaglesham, who visited council last June and recommended the nine metre ban because there is “no safe level” of second hand smoke.
“I don’t think we should be catering to smokers,” Fielding said.
Added Stokley, “I’m in agreement to not exclude [the patio] at all.”
Mayor Dennis Lever agreed the township should “deter them from being in close proximity to the buildings,” but he wondered where else smokers would go. Fielding suggested the parking lot, while Lever said the township should look into all its options.
“Is this bylaw going to carry any weight?” he asked, noting if people aren’t going to heed the rules, it makes little sense to pass a bylaw.
Clerk Brenda Law pointed out “it’s not a total ban,” and said she would look into other options. She told council it is up to the municipality to enforce such a bylaw, though she would look into that as well.
Council deferred the anti-smoking bylaw until those issues are addressed.
