Union County Approves Smoking Ban for Parks, Recreational Facilities

Smokers accustomed to puffing at county-owned pools, ball fields or playground are going to have to find new places to leave their ashes.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders has amended a no smoking policy in county-owned buildings to include all county-owned recreational areas and facilities. The facilities include ice-skating rinks, playgrounds, running tracks, swimming pools, snack bars, ball fields, tennis courts, boating areas (docks structures) and rest rooms which are located in any county-owned recreational areas.

"Recreational areas are used by families with children and our priority is to protect children from the effects of second-hand smoke," said Vice Chairman Deborah Scanlon.

The new policy will apply to Briant Park, Hidden Valley Park and Lenape Park in Springfield. It will also apply to several nearby parks which Springfield residents use including Echo Lake Park in Mountainside, Black Brook Park in Kenilworth and Nomahegan Park in Cranford.  The policy will also be enforced at Watchung Stables and Trailside Gardens in Mountainside.

Those using nearby pools will also have to be aware of the new policy. It will be enforced at Walter E. Ulrich Memorial Pool in Rahway and John Russell Wheeler Memorial Pool in Linden.

Appropriate signs will be posted in the areas. Violators are subject to a fine of $250.00 for the first offense, $500.00 for the second offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.  

Under the new policy, the county may also prohibit smoking at county-sponsored events, like concerts, fairs, festivals, movies and other events at the discretion of the County Manager and with the approval of the Board of Freeholders. Appropriate signs would be displayed at such events.

"The bottom line is that exposure to second hand smoke should be a serious health concern for everyone. New Jersey has successfully enacted anti-smoking laws in the recent past and the end result is that we are healthier for it," Scanlon said.

A public hearing and final reading of the ordinance is scheduled for Thursday June 10 at 7 p.m. at the Freeholder meeting room. It's located on the sixth floor of the Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth.