Wandering the parks of Ellisville, Mo. with a cigar has become a thing of the past, as the city council has passed a proposal that prohibits smoking in city parks, except for a limited number of designated areas. Parking lots and what appear to be yet-to-be-determined areas decided on by the council will be the only places left to smoke, as the purpose of the new ordinance is to “preserve the quality and enjoyment of its parks and recreation facilities for all that utilize these public areas.” The request for the ban came from the city’s mayor, Adam Paul, who said he became aware of the issue when someone was smoking inside the playground area that his children were using during a visit to the park. West News Magazine reported that the mayor had also received calls from residents complaining of cigarette and cigar smoke at city events and concerts. The ban is scheduled to go into effect in early March. Fines or other penalties for violators were not disclosed in the proposed ordinance. Ellisville is located approximately 25 miles west of St. Louis and is home to nearly 9,200 residents.
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