When they next meet on August 9, Sackville town council will consider whether or not Sackvillians should be allowed to get around town using a skateboard. Currently, the town’s streets by-law prohibits riding skateboards anywhere except at the skatepark on Dufferin Street.
However, more and more, people are using skateboards not just for sport, but for active transportation. That was part of the rationale behind the proposed revisions to Sackville’s streets bylaw presented to council at its discussion meeting Tuesday night.
Council briefly considered a revised streets bylaw back in February, but staff decided further research was required based on feedback from the town’s insurance provider. In April, council passed two resolutions, one supporting “revisions to the street traffic bylaw that would permit skateboard use on municipal streets” and another directing staff to work with the solicitor to come up with said revisions, “while addressing safety, liability and enforcement concerns.”
In addition, town staff hired a Moncton-based research firm to find out what other municipalities are doing in terms of regulating skateboards as a form of transportation.
The revised bylaw presented Tuesday goes a bit farther than its February predecessor, by attaching conditions to skateboard use in streets. The proposed revision adds riding skateboards alongside riding bikes in the streets bylaw, which means helmets would be required while riding, and the manner and speed of riding would be required to suit the road surface.
The proposal also adds conditions above and beyond those applying to bicycles, such as the requirement to wear reflective clothing after dusk, to travel in a straight line as close as possible to the right hand side of the roadway, and to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and cyclists. It also prohibits activities like vaulting and racing while on town streets.
But despite the addition of conditions to address safety concerns, a number of councillors expressed concern over the bylaw changes in discussion on Tuesday.
Councillor Sabine Dietz said she was on the fence over the proposed changes, based on her personal experience as a cyclist, finding that roads are, “not safe for cyclists in the first place.” She also questioned the section requiring skateboarders to keep to the right side of the road where practicable.
“I take Main Street and I have to ride in the middle of the road because of opening doors,” said Dietz. “So I am also a barrier to vehicles and I will continue to be, because it’s way too risky to ride close to [parked] cars.”
Though she said Sackville has “a long way to go to make our roads really safe with cycling lanes, etc.,” she also said she supports including skateboards with bicycles and rollerblades.
Councillor Ken Hicks was also not around for the first round of discussion on lifting the skateboard ban, and also had safety concerns, pointing out that, “one of the most dangerous things we do in our lives daily is jumping into an automobile and driving from point A to point B.” Hicks said allowing skateboards on streets would add more risk to “not only the driving public, but to the people that are using the skateboards or bicycles.”
Hicks said he would favour allowing skateboards on sidewalks as opposed to streets. “If there was ever any kind of emergency situation, you can step off and you’re on grass,” said Hicks. “Where on a roadway, you can step off and you’re in front of a vehicle.”
“I don’t like what I see here,” said Hicks. “I don’t think there’s enough to mitigate the risk for the town, and I don’t think there’s enough to mitigate the risk for the public.”
New councillor Matt Estabrooks and returning councillor Mike Tower also spoke against the proposed changes. Councillors Andrew Black and Bill Evans spoke in favour.
Councillor Allison Butcher didn’t speak up on Tuesday’s meeting, but shared her thoughts Thursday on CHMA Talks.
“There will always be places that aren’t safe, times that aren’t safe,” said Butcher. “I think that we have to walk a fine line with making sure policies and things are in place to help people stay safe, but also giving people the responsibility to their own safety.”
Butcher mentioned hearing online concerns that the revised by-law would mean five-year-olds were now permitted to skateboard on streets, and countered that monitoring children’s safety should be the responsibility of parents.
“And if you’re a 30-something person who skateboards, you also need to look after your own safety within the parameters,” said Butcher. “It’s the responsibility we give people, whether they’re riding a bike, rollerblades or skateboard, or driving a vehicle, it is each person’s individual responsibility to operate in a safe manner.”
It is safe to say that a revised bylaw will not mean town streets fill up with small children on skateboards, if the example of bike riding rules is any indication. Currently, the town’s streets bylaw prohibits people of any age from riding bikes on sidewalks, including 5-year-olds, which means the only legal place to ride is on the street. But on any given school morning, most kids on bikes in Sackville can be observed riding along sidewalks.
Conversely, it’s already common to see adults riding skateboards on streets, despite the current by-law, which is one of the reasons revisions have been called for in the past.
It’s possible that the issue could come down to a tie vote at Monday’s council meeting, in which case Mayor Shawn Mesheau will be called upon to settle the matter.
In April, Mesheau was a seconder on the motion that supported finding a way to lift the skateboard ban.
Sackville town council meets next on Monday, August 9. The agenda and related documents are available on the town’s website.
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