Smoking Ban at Haddad

Smokers wanting to fire up at Haddad Riverfront Park during public events will now have to move up to Kanawha Boulevard before doing so. Charleston City Council members unanimously approved a resolution that prohibits smoking a pipe, cigarette or cigar during public events at the park. The park is defined as the publicly owned area from the north shore of the Kanawha River to Kanawha Boulevard. Smoking will also be prohibited from Court Street to Capitol Street, according to the ordinance. This also includes the Court Street overlook and pavilion. The ban will go into effect immediately, Councilwoman Susie Salisbury said. Salisbury, a Republican representing the Fort Hill area, was one of the bill's nine sponsors. Salisbury is also the chairwoman of the city's Parks and Recreation Committee, which passed the resolution onto full council during a meeting on April 17. "We want a nice clean atmosphere down there," Salisbury said. Salisbury said the resolution was drafted after she and others received complaints of smoke during public events. The canopy above Haddad caught the smoke and held it above the park, she said. "We have a lot of family events there," she said. Council passed a resolution instead of an ordinance because parks and recreation employees can enforce a resolution because it is based on a non-smoking policy, Salisbury said. Police officers are the only city employees allowed to enforce an ordinance, which has the weight of law, she said. Refusing to put out a cigarette, cigar or pipe is a violation of the ordinance. "Any person violating this policy may be subject to immediate ejection from the public event," the ordinance reads. Mayor Danny Jones supported the policy. He said he was pleased with the unanimous support the resolution received during Monday's council meeting. "This is a good thing because it includes cigars," he said. "We had some people smoking cigars at the park last year." Jones said people who want to smoke in public should be permitted to do so, but they will now have to walk up to Kanawha Boulevard before firing up. Kanawha Boulevard is typically closed during public events at the park. Proper signage will be placed at the park to inform the public of the change, Salisbury said. Council members also unanimously passed the Mayor's Office of Community and Economic Development budget that does not include funding for the Bob Burdette Center. The office passed a budget that included massive cuts from U.S. Housing and Urban Development, Director Brian King said. The city received $1.6 million for projects last year. This year, the total was $1.3 million, King said. Fifteen percent of that is used to fund community service projects.