BRATTLEBORO — Next summer, the Parks and Recreation department will initiate smoke-free zones in Brattleboro parks.
According to Director Carol Lolatte, the department made the decision after discussions with a concerned group of citizens worried about the impact of secondhand smoke on children. For years, says Lolatte, the town has posted signs like “caution, developing lungs at work” around play areas in town to dissuade people from smoking around children.
The citizen group, however, said Lolatte felt more needed to be done and Parks and Recreation agreed.
Lolatte said due to the time of year, the smoke-free zones won't be enacted until next summer. Parks and Recreation will use the winter months to designate smoke-free areas and order signs.
Citizens chimed in on the change on an iBrattleboro discussion thread Oct. 12. Some respondents favored the new zones while many felt the zones were just one more rule and went too far.