THUNDER BAY -- There will be no smoking in the boy's room -- or anywhere else -- at this year’s Thunder Bay Blues Festival.
Festival organizers say the new smoke-free policy will encompass the fenced-in area of the festival grounds at Marina Park.
The decision was made in part to comply with new regulations under the Smoke Free Ontario Act, which went into effect on Jan. 1, and municipal smoking prohibition bylaws.
“Finally, it has always been the goal of the Thunder Bay Blues Festival to provide a safe, clean and enjoyable event for everyone,” said Bob Halvorsen, general manager of the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, in a release issued this week.
“This policy is designed to further strengthen that objective.”
Reaction from the public was mixed.
“Good,” said Gregory Arnold, when the question was posed on Twitter if the decision was the right one.
“A sad day for tolerance,” said Brian Hamilton. “A smoking section sign was too much work? Why not be casual and inclusive like the spirit of the blues?”
Meanwhile Grant Poirier said it didn’t matter if was a good idea or not.
“That’s the way it’s heading everywhere else,” he said.
Halvorsen said organizers did look at the feasibility of a smoking section within the confines of the festival site.
"However, with the buffers required around the food vendors, picnic tables, bar and other areas designated as work sites, it really became impossible to find an area for smoking within the fenced perimeter," Halvorsen said in a text sent to tbnewswatch.com.
"Then you have the direction that non-smoking legislation is heading. Combine that with the fact that we want to promote a safe, clean and enjoyable event and you have the decision that we have come to."
Halvorsen added the Ottawa Blues Festival went smoke-free two years ago.
The 2015 Thunder Bay Blues Festival is scheduled for July 3 to July 5 and will feature acts such as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Alan Doyle, Johnny Reid and Paul Rodgers.
