I am writing to share my concern about the current scene at the “smoke-free” Pulaski Park in downtown Northampton.
I frequent the park nearly every day with my 1-year-old daughter, and have noticed that while there are many pretty signs around the park saying, “please enjoy our smoke-free park,” there are often just as many people smoking in the park as there are signs.
Smokers don’t even appear to hesitate before lighting up in the direct vicinity of the playground where small children are playing. The other day I pointed out the signs to a person who started smoking at the playground in the midst of a group of children. The person shrugged and told me, “I know about the signs. But the cops don’t care. I smoke in this park every day. The cops don’t say anything to me.”
While I’m not opposed to the idea of Pulaski Park being a smoke-free park — I acknowledge the controversy of such a proposal — I am strongly opposed to the farce of a “smoke-free” park, heavily decorated with “smoke-free park” signs, where, in fact, people are fully permitted to smoke.
Not only is the current situation an embarrassment of inauthenticity, it’s also led to a more significant problem — the ground of Pulaski Park is littered with cigarette butts. I can only assume that the “please enjoy our smoke-free park” signs were intended to negate the need for any public ashtrays, but since the signs have turned out to be tree decor rather than statements of fact, the lack of ashtrays means that smokers have resorted to leaving their butts on the ground.
Cigarette butts on the ground and toddlers of any quantity are a terrible combination. It’s gross. I hope that Northampton can decide either to enforce the rule as it’s stated and work toward making Pukaski a truly smoke-free oasis, or that we can agree to take down the pretty signs and install enough ashtrays to meet the need. That would at least keep the butts off the ground and out of the hands of our toddlers.
Lex Beach
Northampton