Smoking ban to be revised
A proposed policy which would pave the way for a smoking ban on beaches in two years was deferred at a City of Albany committee meeting on Tues-day.
The smoke-free outdoors policy, revealed in Tuesday’s Albany Advertiser, was set to extend the City’s restrictions on smoking in line with State legislation.
Councillors unanimously voted to withdraw the item in a bid to workshop the policy further and reintroduce it at the February meeting.
The policy was set to prohibit smoking in all outdoor public spaces, access ways and entrances of all City-owned and managed facilities and events.
These spaces include Albany Town Square, Centennial Park Precinct (including Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre), Vancouver Arts Centre, Albany Heritage Park and Alison Hartman Gardens.
It was to be the first step in the City’s public health plan, which has vowed to extend smoking restrictions on all playgrounds and beaches and begin planning for a smoke-free shopping precinct by the end of 2018/19.
Councillors voiced the need to designate smokers’ areas as part of the ban.
“Smokers need to know where they can go,” Cr Sandie Smith said.
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