People Ban: IN Crown Point

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Crown Point residents split on likely smoking ban

August 5, 2007
By Jane Huh Post-Tribune staff writer

Diana Hughes and Natalie Anderson have some commonalities. They work at busy bar and grills along the courthouse square — Hughes at The Registry, 15 N. Court St., and Anderson at The Circle, 110 S. Main St.

But bring up the topic of a citywide smoking ban and the similarities end.

“I think it’s a good idea,” said Hughes, who works six days a week. “I don’t like going home smelling like smoke all the time.”

“I don’t think we should take the choice away from (smokers),” Anderson said.

More than four months after Valparaiso took the lead in the region to enforce a smoking ban, Crown Point is poised to follow through with a copycat ordinance.

On Tuesday a city committee will meet to discuss about a proposed smoke-free ordinance and make any modifications before recommending the proposal to the city council at its next meeting in September.

The meeting, at 6 p.m. at the council chambers 101 N. East St., will offer a chance for the public to weigh in on the ordinance.

Councilman Mike Conquest took the lead in drafting the proposal, which is similar to Valparaiso’s ordinance.

“(Valparaiso) took a lot of effort into theirs and so instead of reinventing the wheel, we just kind of took theirs,” said Conquest, who in the spring, began discussing the possibility of introducing such a ban with other council members.

As the Crown Point proposal is written, smoking would be prohibited from all enclosed public places including restaurants, some bars and workplaces.

Smokers who are outside those public facilities would have to be at least 15 feet away from the establishment.

However, bars, private clubs and retail tobacco shops are exempt from the ban as long as the establishments do not serve or employ anyone under the age of 18. And if contained in a shared space where adjoining buildings are smoke-free, the bar would have to install proper ventilation systems to keep the smoke contained. Besides that, owners would have to request an exemption with a $50 application fee.

“If all they have to do is pay extra to be exempt then it’s kind of pointless,” said Bob Buche, a patron at the Brew House bar. “It sounds like it’s a way to raise money but it’s an effort. You’ve got to start somewhere.”

Buche quit smoking about five years ago and said he sees the the growing trend to curb smoking in public as a positive step that gets more people aware of the health risks of smoking.

In Valparaiso, some businesses didn’t mind complying with the ban. In fact, at Strongbow Inn “management was in favor of it to begin with,” said Janice Balunda, dining room manager.

“(The ban) has has not affect whatsoever, none at all,” Balunda said. “The smokers have accepted it.”

But bars like the Northside Tap didn’t hesitate to request the exemption so that smokers are always welcome inside.

Vicki Thrasher, Valparaiso’s building commissioner handles reactions to the smoking ban which took effect April 1.

About “two to three weeks” following the implementation, there were “minor problems getting used to it,” Thrasher said. “What we get now are calls more for information and not so much complaints.”

If such an ordinance does get approved, rather than bars, it’s the restaurants and bowling alleys that likely will have to make the choice to either ban or allow smoking and revamp accordingly.

Crown Point resident Terry Atkins, 46, said the ban “takes away people’s right” to smoke and puts undue hardship on local business owners.

“The patrons will go elsewhere to the surrounding towns where they’re allowed to smoke,” Atkins said.

Dave Meyer, 40, frequents Fricke’s Recreation, 519 Grant, to smoke and drink at the bowling alley’s bar.

“I sit down and have a few beers here and I like to have a few cigarettes with it,” said Meyer, a carpenter from Hebron. Once the smoking ban takes effect, Meyer said: “I probably won’t come here anymore.”

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