Centennial Park Soon Smoke-Free

The Helena City Commission will consider a resolution to keep tobacco out of the newly reconstructed Centennial Park, but it may rely on social pressure and the goodwill of park users, not law enforcement, to achieve that goal. A draft resolution slated for a vote and public hearing Dec. 3 says the park “will be operated as a tobacco-free environment.” But the measure as written would not carry any enforcement mechanism or proscribe any penalties for people who chew or smoke. Instead, the park will rely on signs and other methods of awareness in the hopes that park users will take it upon themselves to fulfill the city’s intent and encourage others to do so, “It’s an opportunity for just creating that social norm of healthy living, healthy choices in our parks,” Parks and Recreation Director Amy Teegarden said. At a meeting of the City-County Parks Board Wednesday, she said the placing of signs will be crucial for the efforts. The city is working on an overall plan for signs in the park. With the park improvements mostly complete and a grand opening likely in the spring, it’s a good opportunity for the city to establish a tobacco-free environment, the resolution said. “Park of this is to experiment with Centennial Park, assess the acceptance of it, and maybe consider doing this in other parks,” Teegarden said. The City-County Board of Health voted in July to recommend such a policy for all city and county parks.