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Mayor proposes gun ban at city-park facilities
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009894971_webgunban18m.html?syndication=rss
Mayor Greg Nickels today proposed a ban on guns in city-parks facilities frequented by children.
By Susan Gilmore
Seattle Times staff reporter
Mayor Greg Nickels today proposed a ban on guns in city-park facilities, specifically to protect children.
The ban would include playgrounds, community centers, sports fields, swimming pools and water-play areas.
The proposal is not as far-reaching as Nickels' proposal last year to ban guns in all city facilities. That proposal came on the heels of a shooting at the Northwest Folklife festival. But State Attorney General Rob McKenna said then that Nickels didn't have the authority to prohibit guns on public property.
In his new proposal, Nickels said signs will be posted notifying the public about the gun ban.
"These are the places where our children and families gather and it is common sense that community centers, playgrounds and swimming pools are safer without guns," said Nickels.
The gun-ban proposal would affect 26 community centers, four environmental-learning centers, 10 pools, 30 wading pools, two small craft centers, two specialized centers, at tennis courts, 139 playgrounds, 213 ballfields, six late-night recreation sites, three teen-life centers and 82 outdoor tennis and basketball courts.
According to the city, more than 1.8 million people visited and attended programs in park facilities last year. More than 108,000 children visited wading pools and more than 59,000 events were scheduled at sports fields.
In 2008, the city introduced a policy that requires organizations that lease Seattle Center and other city property to take steps to prohibit guns, such as providing lockboxes at Seattle Center. Nickels says that lease policy will now be made law through an executive order.
He has urged state lawmakers to ban assault weapons, require criminal-background checks at gun shows and require trigger locks and safe storage of firearms in an effort to reduce gun violence.
According to the mayor's office, state law restricts the possession of firearms in schools, courts, jails and areas that serve alcohol, but it does not prevent them in parks.
Because this would not be an ordinance or law, the proposal does not carry any criminal or civil penalties. The city would train parks staff and authorize them to tell people they are not permitted to carry guns in city parks.
The city will take comments on the proposed rule over the next two weeks. Comments can be submitted by Oct. 4 to www.seattle.gov/firearmsrule or can be mailed to Seattle Parks and Recreation Department, 100 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle 98103.
If the parks department adopts Nickels proposal, the changes could take effect in October, as long as the signs are posted.
Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com
Mayor proposes gun ban at city-park facilities
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009894971_webgunban18m.html?syndication=rss
Mayor Greg Nickels today proposed a ban on guns in city-parks facilities frequented by children.
By Susan Gilmore
Seattle Times staff reporter
Mayor Greg Nickels today proposed a ban on guns in city-park facilities, specifically to protect children.
The ban would include playgrounds, community centers, sports fields, swimming pools and water-play areas.
The proposal is not as far-reaching as Nickels' proposal last year to ban guns in all city facilities. That proposal came on the heels of a shooting at the Northwest Folklife festival. But State Attorney General Rob McKenna said then that Nickels didn't have the authority to prohibit guns on public property.
In his new proposal, Nickels said signs will be posted notifying the public about the gun ban.
"These are the places where our children and families gather and it is common sense that community centers, playgrounds and swimming pools are safer without guns," said Nickels.
The gun-ban proposal would affect 26 community centers, four environmental-learning centers, 10 pools, 30 wading pools, two small craft centers, two specialized centers, at tennis courts, 139 playgrounds, 213 ballfields, six late-night recreation sites, three teen-life centers and 82 outdoor tennis and basketball courts.
According to the city, more than 1.8 million people visited and attended programs in park facilities last year. More than 108,000 children visited wading pools and more than 59,000 events were scheduled at sports fields.
In 2008, the city introduced a policy that requires organizations that lease Seattle Center and other city property to take steps to prohibit guns, such as providing lockboxes at Seattle Center. Nickels says that lease policy will now be made law through an executive order.
He has urged state lawmakers to ban assault weapons, require criminal-background checks at gun shows and require trigger locks and safe storage of firearms in an effort to reduce gun violence.
According to the mayor's office, state law restricts the possession of firearms in schools, courts, jails and areas that serve alcohol, but it does not prevent them in parks.
Because this would not be an ordinance or law, the proposal does not carry any criminal or civil penalties. The city would train parks staff and authorize them to tell people they are not permitted to carry guns in city parks.
The city will take comments on the proposed rule over the next two weeks. Comments can be submitted by Oct. 4 to www.seattle.gov/firearmsrule or can be mailed to Seattle Parks and Recreation Department, 100 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle 98103.
If the parks department adopts Nickels proposal, the changes could take effect in October, as long as the signs are posted.
Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com