While it might sound like an April Fool’s Day joke, it’s not.
It’s time to put out those cigarettes — and it better be before you hit the Pearl Street Mall. Effective today, the City of Boulder will be enforcing the Pearl Street Mall smoking ban that went into effect in mid-January.
Why the delay? Apparently the signs that were being made for display between the 11th Street to 15th Street enforcement zone were met with manufacturing delays. They’re up and visible now, which means no more lighting up on the Pearl Street pedestrian mall.
The measure was passed during 2012 as an effort to enhance the visitor experience on the mall. If you want to be a dud and choose to light up anyway, go ahead. The City will be happy to fine you $500 for first and second offenses. If you really can’t quit, a third offense inside of a two-year window will run you a cool $1,000 and the possibility of up to 90 days jail time. Rumor has it you can smoke in jail. You know — if that’s the most important thing to you.
And I have to say, I like it. I like knowing that I can now walk along the mall and not be consumed by someone’s second-hand smoke. What I like the best, though is knowing that it will be much easier to keep the pedestrian mall clean.
The mall a gorgeous place to spend the days during our fair weather months and I enjoy the idea of kids and families being able to enjoy all that downtown Boulder has to offer without a surrounding of smoke and cigarette butts littering up the place. City employees work hard to keep Boulder beautiful — it’s great that this is one thing off their list.
