ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The air around Allentown’s city parks will soon be a bit less polluted for children and other community members.

Allentown City Council adopted an ordinance Wednesday night to amend an ordinance to now prohibit smoking or vaping any substance within 25 feet of playgrounds, recreation fields and courts. The changes were made to the city’s ordinance that addresses the use of alcoholic beverages, controlled dangerous substances and solicitation and gambling in public parks.

The bill requires the city to make every effort to post conspicuous “no smoking” signage on the perimeters of the areas.

Councilmember Cynthia Mota said the new legislation will be great for the community, especially children who do not deserve to be in danger because of second-hand smoke.

Kyle Ropski, chair of the city’s environmental advisory council, called the legislation a good compromise.

“When Blue Zones first got here and they released their alcohol and tobacco policy, I did have some informal discussions with some of my fellow board members about smoking in the parks,” Ropski said. “In our discussions, we spoke on how it could be a public health concern, but we also discussed the value of our parks and natural spaces and their ability to filter the air and how removing the ability to smoke in those spaces could actually raise a public health concern.”

“Seeing this sort of compromise here tonight in eliminating its proximity to the parks is an excellent compromise,” he said.

The ordinance states the ban on smoking includes but is not limited to areas where baseball, basketball, football, handball, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball are being played.

Youth violence

Also Wednesday, two residents addressed council asking the city to address violence following the May 15 shooting at a McDonald’s on Union Boulevard that killed Tymell Millan-Mason, Bethlehem.

Jeani Garcia, an anti-violence activist who founded the nonprofit organization Mother2Mother after losing a child to gun violence, said the community needs to ask itself the harder questions.

“It’s not about blame but about responsibility,” Garcia said. “What are we doing collectively to create communities where young people feel safe? 

“Funding decisions reflect values, and when millions (of dollars) are invested in some buildings, we should ask what are we investing in? We can invest in people, facilities and prevention,” she said. “Prevention is infrastructure. too.”

“But I’m here tonight because I still believe the city could lead,” Garcia added. “I believe in government, and I believe community can work together. 

North Ninth Street resident Jose Rivera said focusing on security cameras and technology is not enough.

“I need everyone to understand one thing: Technology cannot love a child,” Rivera said. “Technology cannot mentor a teenager. A system cannot replace a human connection. These tools only respond after violence has happened, and they only document the pain, they don’t prevent it.”

“Prevention starts long before the police tape goes up,” he said. “It starts with relationships and trusted adults with mentors, outreach workers, counselors, coaches and community members willing to show up before a child feels abandoned, angry and hopeless.”

Councilmember Mota called the shooting “heavy duty.”

“And we should address this and have the opportunity to speak with the police chief because I know that he has a lot of things that he’s planning to move forward,” Mota said. “He wants to collaborate, and I believe that hopefully there’s going to be, you know, a plan. You know, something needs to happen.”