HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010 Apr 08 - Newspaper ArticleSmoking will continue at Yarmouth Moose lodge'"
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By Jen Ouellette
jou`e/llet�cnc. � �
A new location won't trans-
late into new non-smoking
policies for the South
Yarmouth Moose lodge, at
least not for now.
The Yarmouth Board of
Health, on a 3-2 vote, has
approved a smoking area in the
_private club for a 2-year period.
The Moose lodge was granted
permission to have the smoking
bar for two years, at which time
the permit will expire and the
facility will become a non-
smoking establishment.
The Moose organization
operates out of building at 832
Route 28, but is planning a
move to the former
Christopher's Restaurant at 769
Route 28 later this month.
"We're trying to accommo-
date non-smokers and save our
smokers, too. They've really
been the ones helping out the
town for the past 10 years,"
said Hugh Sheridan, adminis-
trator of the lodge.
Sheridan said the member-
ship has many smokers and
while they intend to convert to
a smoke -free establishment
eventually, they want to ensure
they retain these members and
are able to make the mortgage
payment on the larger building
While they search out new
members.
"The smokers have support-
ed us and the town for the last
10 years. If the smokers don't
come in [to the new building]
and I can't get new members
fast enough then we may not
have a Moose Lodge at all,"
explained Sheridan.
The plan is to have a 1,200
square foot area of the new
location designated for smok-
ers.
"We're going from a 4,000
square -foot building to a
10,000 square foot facility. Our
smoking area now is 50 percent
of the area. We're trying to cut
that down," said Sheridan, who
added there would be a 1,200
square foot bar dedicated to
smokers at the 769 Route 28
location.
Sheridan said there are three
doors into that bar area and
each will have an air curtain
(blows air as the door is
opened) in place to prevent
smoke from spilling into other
areas. In addition, three air fil-
ters will be installed in the
smoking area.
Non-smokers will not be
required to walk through the
smoking area to access the club
and a separate set of bathrooms
will be available for both the
non-smokers and smokers.
"Yarmouth has done an
excellent job of controlling
smoking in all areas including
the other private club, which is
non-smoking," said board
member Evelyn Hayes.
Board member Dr. Hillard
Boskey found flaws with the
plan.
"I'm impressed with 'your
design, but it's not going to be
perfect. It's not going to be 100 -
percent smoke -free." Boskey
also noted that the lodge will
spend money for a transitional -
solution and it doesn't take into ,
consideration the health of the-.
workers at the club.
Board member Bill
Snowden supported the idea of
allowing smoking for a specific
period of time.
"I'm in favor of letting you -
continue what you are already
doing because the law says
they may," Snowden said.
"This is a very beneficial orga7.
-
nization. They have admitted -
that in time they won't have'°
smoking. Their own members
will eventually vote out smok-
ing anyway," he added.