By Laurie Watt

Barrie is banning smoking within nine metres (30 feet) of entrances to city-owned and operated buildings, and is also considering banning it in parks and sports fields aimed at children.

“It’s a great extension of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act,” said Ward 9 Coun. Andrew Prince, noting the law already bans smoking near hospital, nursing home and other health-care facility entrances.

But for Ward 4 Coun. Barry Ward, the motion doesn’t go far enough; he convinced his colleagues to ask staff to investigate smoking near playground equipment and sports fields. The motion had only called for a public education campaign to discourage smoking there.

“Every school has banned smoking,” he said. “They’re doing it because it’s directed toward making us healthier and they do not want children to be exposed. They think it’s wrong to be promoting smoking (by allowing it to occur).”

He said some parks are little more than neighbourhood playgrounds and the city should come right out and ban smoking there.

“I’d love to see smoking banned at Centennial Beach,” he added. “We should be progressive and work toward the interest of health and discourage smoking.”

Barrie was one of the first local municipalities to pass a smoking ban, even before the province passed the Smoke-Free Ontario Act in 2001.

Ward 7 Coun. John Brassard, chairperson of the city’s Community Services Committee, said a few other municipalities have already implemented bans in parks where kids play, but the challenge would be to enforce it.

“New Tecumseth and Collingwood have banned it. It’s pretty much self-policing,” he said. “I think there’s an appetite to not have smoking on any city property. Most people would favour that,” he said.

“This is a good first step.”