Mountain View County's deputy reeve says an anti-smoking bylaw recently passed in Calgary could possibly be something county's council would consider in the future.
The bylaw prohibits people from smoking within five metres of a playground, skate park, sport field or spray park in Calgary. If one fails to comply with the bylaw, they will be fined $100.
“I guess if the urbans were going to do it, maybe if it was a group thing where the urbans were going to do it in the centres, it would be something we would look at in the county,” said Patricia McKean, deputy reeve of Mountain View County.
“We wouldn't have as many places that we would have to govern,” she said.
Besides the community centres throughout the county, there are few areas where the bylaw would apply, she said.
“The urbans are the ones that have the towns with the playgrounds with schools and stuff,” she said.
She is unsure of what direction county council would take, as the matter has not been discussed before.
“My thoughts are, common sense. The kids can't speak up for themselves, so hopefully parents know enough to, and people in general know enough, to keep distance away from children while smoking,” she said.
The bylaw comes into effect in Calgary on Aug. 1 and Calgary's city council made the decision on July 29. Council had planned to get the bylaw passed in June, but it was postponed due to the flood.
It was initially proposed in November by Ald. Andre Chabot, who has been smoking for most of his life and was recently diagnosed with lung problems.
Other cities such as Toronto, Edmonton and Grande Prairie have also passed similar bylaws.
Olds mayor Judy Dahl said the Town of Olds council is not discussing the matter at this time, as it has other priorities. “Would the Town of Olds do it? I certainly believe that there would be some debate and some discussion at our table. And if it would be with our Mountain View County partners, I would say would be for a lively discussion amongst all our partners and municipalities,” said Dahl.
The town's priority right now is working on having businesses provide ashtrays for people that are “forced outside to smoke”, she said.
“So one step at a time for us, but that doesn't leave us out of the discussion,” she said.
“I personally think that parents are going to bring their children up the way they're going to bring them up, and they know what's right and wrong. I'm not here to enforce anything on anybody in that area, as far as an open space goes,” she said.
“Somebody would have to give me a pretty lively debate to prove to me that their children that are playing 300 or 400 yards away from them are going to be affected by it.”
She said she has more of an issue with people throwing their cigarette butts on the ground, especially in open spaces and parks.
