A concerned resident and minor hockey coach approached councillors earlier this year, asking for a complete ban on smoking at the Alder Street recreation complex and Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre. He is concerned about the effects of secondhand smoke on rec centre users -- especially children.

The town recreation committee members are also concerned about smoking on the two properties -- both for health reasons and because of the mess factor. Their proposed solution is not to ban smoking but direct smokers away from doors, windows and intake vents, possibly to sheltered smoking areas.

Councillors looked at both these suggestions last week -- and opted to go with neither.

We can hypothesize why. Most councillors are unwilling to take such a strong stand -- by either going above and beyond current provincial legislation and enforcing an outright ban on smoking on public properties, or by going against popular thinking and subtly endorsing smoking by designating areas for smokers.

But rather than avoid the issue entirely, council has directed staff to investigate the possibility of a smoking cessation program for town employees. The idea is that municipal staff that take the program could pass on their knowledge and advice to the smoking public.

Ridiculous. This is just a way -- and not a very good one at that -- for council to appear to be addressing the issue, when in fact it is doing nothing at all.