Connellsville posting signs banning smoking in parks
CONNELLSVILLE — New signs, backed by an ordinance, aimed at keeping cigarettes and other tobacco products away from children playing are going up in all 10 city parks.
The “Young Lungs at Play” signs the Fayette County Drug and Alcohol Commission obtained from the state Department of Health are reminders that City Council recently adopted an ordinance prohibiting tobacco products at all of the parks.
Tobacco use will be permitted if requested in designated areas in Yough Park and East Park during larger events events approved by city council. A $25 permit is required.
Mayor Greg Lincoln said the designated areas will be located away from areas where activities take place.
“It will be completely isolated, away from everything,” he said.
It is sad the ordinance is needed, but smoking in the parks has become a problem, he said.
“It’s unfortunate. You’d hope people respected others. I’ve seen people smoking in pavilions and playground with kids nearby. Smoking around these kids is not a healthy thing,” Lincoln said.
He said he has seen some negative response to the ordinance on social media, but noted that council discussed banning smoking in the parks at several meetings before adopting the ordinance in June and no one spoke against it.
The city receives a lot of complaints about smoking in the parks, he said.
“People should able to use the parks without worrying about someone blowing smoke in their face. We’ve had nothing but complaints about it,” Lincoln said.
Access to the parks is free and they should be clean, healthy places, he said.
Jacinta Ptacek, vice president of the city parks and recreation board, said she has been to many events when smoking was permitted and does not believe it is safe for children to be around second hand smoke.
“The fresh air is what they need to breathe,” Ptacek said.
She said young children play with discarded cigarette butts and sometime put them in their mouths.
Erica Usher, prevention supervisor for the commission, said watching adults smoke could lead impressionable children to smoke.
“Let’s protect them from that and keep the area nice and tidy and neat,” Usher said.
There has been a recent increase in demand from municipalities for the signs, Usher said. She plans to go to public meetings to explain how to get the free signs, which contain a toll free phone number for a smoking cessation program.
Churches, community center and other organization that have outdoor recreation areas also can get signs, Usher said.
Municipalities or organizations wanting signs must adopt rules banning smoking, she said.