Reading, PA Bans Smoking at All City-owned Outdoor Facilities [04/26-3]

Excerpts from: City adopts smoking ban for its outdoor facilities

Reading Eagle [04/26/05]


City Council on Monday night adopted a smoking ban at all city-owned outdoor facilities, including City Park, numerous playgrounds and the Schlegel Park Pool.

However, council exempted FirstEnergy Stadium from the ban. The Reading Phillies, which lease the stadium from the city, increasingly have restricted smoking there and are expected to eventually ban all smoking. Smoking at the stadium is allowed only in three small areas but not in the stands.

The city ban includes not only smoking, but use of any tobacco products such as snuff and chewing tobacco. Violations can result in a $25 fine. Councilwoman Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz, who introduced the ban, said the primary aim was to keep children away from smoke and tobacco products. The ban was approved 6-1, with Council President Vaughn D. Spencer opposed. Spencer said too many people such as fishermen at the city-owned Antietam Lake would be affected even though most are far away from anyone else.

Council debated amending the ordinance to allow designated smoking areas at some places, but decided that would defeat the purpose of the ordinance.

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