Clarence City Council is leading the way across the state by continuing to create and expand healthy and welcoming spaces for the community through the ‘Breathe Easy Clarence – Smoke Free Area’ campaign.
Due to strong and ongoing public demand council’s environmental health unit is building on previous successes, such as establishing the greater smoke-free area around Blundstone Arena which is patrolled by Council Officers during BBL and AFL games, and is turning its attention to the Rosny Bus Mall.
While the Rosny Bus Mall has been a declared smoke-free area for many decades under the Public Health Act 1997, a new smoke-free plan for the area is identifying where appropriate smoke-free signage can be erected to more clearly communicate the environmental guidelines.
In addition to helping the smoking public make the right decision when lighting up, having clear and visible signage also assists officers to enforce regulations as well as identifying safe breathing spaces for the wider community free from second-hand smoke including vapour from e-cigarettes.
Clarence City Council Mayor Councillor Doug Chipman said he hoped the installation of clearer signage in the bus mall would help create a more welcoming atmosphere for families.
“There is always strong public support for greater, more heavily monitored smoke-free public areas around Clarence,” he said.
“I am very pleased to be able to continue to create healthier environments for our community, which directly relates to one of council’s strategic goals of being a people friendly city.”
The new signage is being erected at appropriate intervals throughout Rosny Bus Mall and will comprise of the well-known smoke-free decals that have been used around Blundstone Arena with the public health message ‘Breathe Easy – You are in a SMOKE FREE area’.
Council officers have already consulted with external stakeholders including Tas Police, State Health’s Tobacco Control Unit, and Eastlands Shopping Centre management, and are currently also consulting with business owners along the mall strip.
With the signage in place, council Environmental Health Officers will perform regular visits to the mall to monitor compliance.