Kelowna

Smoking in natural areas within Kelowna boundaries will soon be against the law.

City Council gave the first three readings to a series of bylaw changes, one of which would ban smoking within city owned natural areas, defined as non-irrigated areas.

The bylaw falls short of imposing a ban on all city owned open spaces, including beaches, parks, walkways and sports fields.

Council directed staff to prepare a 2010 budget request to further investigate options for prohibiting smoking in parks and public spaces.

Park Services Manager, Ian Wilson, says options could include a statistically accurate phone survey, a web based survey or some additional questions which could be added on to the next Community Survey, expected to be completed in 2010.

Councillor Charlie Hodge felt it was time for action, not more surveys.

"The time has come. I don't want to spend money just to look good. Let's just do it," says Hodge.

Council also gave first three readings to bylaw changes regarding fishing, littering and vehicle travel within parks.

In regards to fishing, Wilson says the city does get complaints of people fishing in designated swimming areas and fishing from docks.

City Clerk Stephen Fleming says the bylaw is a safety issue.

"It's for areas that are being used for other purposes, whether swimming or walking along a boardwalk or on a dock," says Fleming.

"If you're castiung, there's that danger of getting hooked when someone is throwing out their rod. It's not a total ban everywhere, it's in high traffic areas when there are a lot of pedestrians."

Fleming says the recommendation came from bylaw officers and is intended not for the majority, but the minority.

"A lot of these types of bylaw regulations are because a majorioty of people who want to particiate in the activity do it properly and use their head. It's a couple of people who are oblivious or choose to be oblivious to the rest of society that we have to have these regulations and have the ability to enforce them."