City of Vernon takes a stand on longboarding

The City of Vernon does not want you and your longboard on city streets.

In fact, the City doesn’t want you to use your skateboard, skiis, rollerblades, sleighs, snowmobiles and any other form of transportation or sport that could create a conflict with pedestrians or proper vehicles.

A longboard is skateboard, but longer. It allows the rider to go faster with more control at the faster speed.

If you get caught violating Vernon’s traffic bylaw, it’ll set you back $75 or more in the form of a fine.

It seems some recent crashes between longboarders and cars, not in Vernon but in Vancouver, have prompted to City to make sure the public is in the loop on it’s feelings towards the sport.

“As we have seen in recent Lower Mainland occurrences, the results can be traumatic to both long-boarder and the vehicle driver that is involved in the accident, especially when safety gear such as helmets, gloves and padding are not worn by the longboarders,” said Vernon bylaw enforcement manager Clint Kanester in a media release.

Vernon’s new developments on steep hillsides are perfect for longboarders and the city is gaining a reputation in the longboarding community. Plus the sport is gaining more and more popularity everyday.

The city's lawmakers do support official longboarding races. It has allowed events on Middleton Mountain to proceed, making sure the roads used were closed to traffic.

Strata councils can also jump onto the longboard ban-wagon. But because the roads in strata developments are private, it’s a more complicated process because the city’s traffic bylaws don’t apply.

“Should they wish to restrict this activity within their developments, they would need to sign the roadway appropriately, notify the longboarders of their requirements, and use the Provincial Trespass Act and the RCMP to enforce their restriction,” according to Kanester.

In July, city council decided they would look into a longboarding bylaw. No word yet on what point they are at in that process.

To contact the reporter for this story, email halexander@infotelnews.ca or call 250-491-0331.

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