ST. PAUL - Concerns around a lack of helmets being worn by youth at the St. Paul skate park have been raised by Town of St. Paul officials.
The topic came up briefly during the May 25 Town of St. Paul council meeting, as council reviewed the department reports.
While Coun. Ron Boisvert said he felt things were getting better, it was noted that some education around the topic would be worthwhile.
According to information received from Sgt. Brent Sawatzky, Supervisor, Municipal Enforcement Officer with the Town of St. Paul, provincial regulations require anyone less than 18 years old to wear a helmet when operating or riding as a passenger on a bike.
Further, "A parent or guardian of a person who is less than 18 years old shall not authorize or knowingly permit the person to operate or ride as a passenger on a bicycle unless that person is properly wearing a safety helmet."
Helmets must be certified by Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
"Contraventions of these sections carry a monetary fine of $97 per violation, if we were to go down that road," said Sawatzky. But, the focus is on educating the public and seeing all people, not just those under 18 years old, comply with the legislation.
"It is not about issuing tickets. It is more about compliance for safety reasons," said Sawatzky, adding, "Parents need to ensure their children wear their helmet."
Sawatzky was firm in stating he felt parents need to take responsibility to ensure children are wearing helmets.
"Parents need to have a stronger stance."
Personally, Sawatzky says he always wears a helmet when on a bike, and when he begins doing bike patrols later in the season, he will do just that.
Head injuries simply aren't worth it, he says, adding, there is a lot of traffic in town and many factors can make it a challenge for cyclists. While many of the youth are very talented when using the skate park, there are certainly still risks.
Of course, the skate park doesn't only attract users on bikes. Scooters and skateboards are also popular at the park, along with in-line skates being allowed.
A sign at the skate park establishes a few rules, and clearly states "helmets and other protective gear are highly recommended for skateboards, scooters and in-line skates," while helmets for those on BMX bikes are "mandatory."
Regardless of the mode of transportation, Sawatzky would like to see more youth wearing helmets at the skate park.
Being respectful toward other users of the park, and toward the park itself, is also listed on the sign.
222km/hour
Also included in the Municipal Enforcement department report is a note about how a municipal Community Peace Officer clocked a motorbike leaving St. Paul on May 11 at 222 km/hour.
Traffic Sheriffs intercepted the vehicle a short time later down the highway, according to the report.
When speaking to the incident, Sawatzky said motorcycle safety is always a priority. While most people on motorcycles are very responsible, some need to be reminded to "abide by those laws."
He noted that 222km/hour is an extreme case, and he can't recall ever driving that fast even in a police car.
"It's just not worth it."
