By Trevor Busch Taber Times tbusch@tabertimes A mandatory helmet policy for public skating developed internally by town staff has drawn significant fire from town council as to where the authority to set policy ultimately resides. The Taber Recreation Board discussed the policy at their Dec. 4, 2014 meeting, which had been developed internally by staff to govern public skating sessions, but had not been brought before town council for discussion or approval. In a Jan. 4 written statement provided to town council and administration, Mayor Henk De Vlieger expressed concerns with the process that was involved in implementing such a policy. “The last couple of days I have been approached by people that have some reservations about the helmet policy article in The Taber Times (“New helmet policy implemented for skating”, Dec. 31 edition, page B3). After reading it, I got confused that administration can set policy. It is my understanding policy can be designed by administration, then presented to the rec board, and they make recommendations to council.” “Ultimately council has to justify policies to the public. After reading this article, I have some reservations.” According to town estimates, as many as 80 to 150 skaters can be found on the ice during a public skating session at the Taber Arena. “People want to be safe, and we want to be safe, but I think we also have to realize that we don’t have to become a nanny town, or a nanny state — people still have responsibilities,” said Mayor De Vlieger at the Jan. 12 meeting of town council. “It’s really easy to put up rules and regulations, but it takes some of the fun out of it. I found it goes a little far.” According to administration, in fall 2014, town staff determined it would be efficacious for individuals participating in public skating in town facilities to wear helmets, due to growing concerns about the potential harm from concussions and the wide range of skating skills evident in people participating in public skating. “All I want to say, in short, is that it should be a user-friendly town — in the skating rink, in the swimming pool — we really have to watch that we don’t start over doing it with the rules,” said Mayor De Vlieger. “The rules have to make sense, but they also have to give the people some responsibility themselves.” Read the full story here: tabertimes/news/2015/01/21/helmet-policy-put-on-hold/
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 19:13:30 +0000
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