Latest news with #publicspaces
Fox News
3 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Ooh la law: France snuffs out smoking in parks, beaches, more
The French government is cracking down on cigarettes in public, announcing a sweeping outdoor smoking ban that aims to clear the air for the next generation of Parisians (and everyone else). Beginning July 1, France will ban smoking in a wide range of outdoor public areas, including beaches, public parks, gardens, bus stops, sports venues and anywhere near schools, according to reporting from the BBC and Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Tobacco must disappear where there are children," Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin told Ouest-France, a regional French newspaper, in an interview published Thursday.21,000% SPIKE IN MA VAPE SEIZURES THROWS CIGARETTE BAN INTO QUESTION, EX-ATF OFFICIAL SAYS "The freedom to smoke must end where the freedom of children to breathe fresh air begins." Under the new rules, lighting up in these designated areas could earn violators a fine of up to $153, as reported by AFP. Enforcement will primarily be handled by regular police, though Vautrin said she's counting on a dose of "self-regulation" from the public. There's a carve-out for culture, though. France's iconic "terrasses," the bustling outdoor café seating areas, are exempt from the ban. Smokers can still enjoy a cigarette with their espresso and croissant, provided they're seated at a café. The BBC confirmed that these social spaces, which are practically a national institution, won't be CAROLINA BILL WOULD BAN SMOKING INSIDE CARS WHILE CHILDREN ARE PASSENGERS E-cigarettes are also currently excluded from the restrictions, but Vautrin told Ouest-France that her office is working on future limits to the nicotine levels allowed in vapes. The move marks a significant expansion of France's existing anti-smoking laws. Smoking has already been banned in restaurants, nightclubs and indoor public places since 2008. Local efforts to restrict smoking in public spaces have been growing steadily. According to AFP, more than 1,500 French municipalities have already enacted their own outdoor smoking bans and hundreds of beaches have been smoke-free for years. According to data from the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction cited by the BBC, just 23.1% of French adults smoke daily, the lowest level ever recorded and a drop of over five percentage points since 2014. Still, tobacco-related illnesses remain a leading cause of death. France's National Committee Against Smoking reports that more than 75,000 people die each year from smoking, around 13% of all annual deaths in the country. Support for the new restrictions appears strong. A report from La Ligue Contre le Cancer, a prominent French cancer association, found that nearly 80% of French citizens favor smoke-free public areas like parks, beaches and woodlands. But while many in France welcome the move, some have raised concerns over the balance between public health and personal liberty. Conservatives may see the ban as another example of top-down government overreach. Be careful lighting up on your summer vacations in France this year as it may just get you a fine.
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
American Water Charitable Foundation & Illinois American Water Launch Inaugural Hydration Station Grant Program
BELLEVILLE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 2025-- The American Water Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization established by American Water (NYSE: AWK), the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., along with Illinois American Water, announced today it is now accepting applications for its inaugural Hydration Station Grant Program from eligible organizations within its service areas. This new initiative aims to boost confidence and trust in tap water and reduce single-use plastic waste by providing sustainable hydration options in public spaces. 'We're committed to providing access to clean, safe and reliable water service,' stated Rebecca Losli, President of Illinois American Water. 'Through funding provided by the American Water Charitable Foundation, this program is designed to make safe and healthy hydration with tap water more accessible in public spaces while promoting environmental stewardship.' Selected recipients will receive funding to purchase reusable water bottle filling stations, enhancing public access to sustainable water sources. Eligible facilities must be a 501(c)(3) organization, K-12 public school, college or university located within Illinois American Water's service territory and be open to the public. Recipients will be responsible for installation and associated costs. Funding for the Hydration Station Grant Program will be provided by the American Water Charitable Foundation, as part of its State Strategic Grant Program, focused on high-impact projects and initiatives throughout American Water's national footprint. State Strategic grants are part of the Foundation's Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program, focused on three pillars of giving: Water, People and Communities. For more information and to apply, visit the Hydration Station Grant Program page of Illinois American Water's website. Deadline to apply is June 20, 2025. About American Water American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's 6,700 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. For more information, visit and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram. About American Water Charitable Foundation The American Water Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a formal way to demonstrate the company's ongoing commitment to be a good neighbor, citizen, and contributor to the communities where American Water and its employees live, work and operate. For more information, visit About Illinois American Water Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. View source version on CONTACT: News Media Contact Anna Kubas Senior Manager, External Communications Illinois American Water [email protected] KEYWORD: ILLINOIS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: UTILITIES NATURAL RESOURCES SUSTAINABILITY ENVIRONMENT ENERGY PHILANTHROPY OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES FOUNDATION SOURCE: Illinois American Water Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/27/2025 11:13 AM/DISC: 05/27/2025 11:12 AM
Globe and Mail
5 days ago
- Globe and Mail
Toronto's public spaces need results
Summer is coming. And with it, the weekend pilgrimage to Toronto Island Park will begin for thousands of visitors seeking the cool, green refuge across the harbour. But first, they'll endure a familiar ordeal: standing in a sun-blasted concrete pen, inching toward one of the city's aging ferries. Last week, Mayor Olivia Chow announced a modest package of improvements meant to ease the experience. But while the intention is right, the impact will be too little, too late. For the 1.8 million who visit the islands each year, meaningful change is still a long way off. Ms. Chow's new measures include 200 Bike Share bicycles on the islands, a freeze on ferry fares and expanded docking for private water taxis. There's also a vague promise of changes to the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and a newly approved study for a fixed link to the islands, such as a bridge. To be fair, Ms. Chow deserves credit for pushing to improve access to the park. Inexplicably, this was not a priority at City Hall under prior mayors. But symbolic gestures aren't transformation. Two hundred bikes? The need is closer to 2,000. A study for a bridge? Years of paperwork. This is not nearly good enough. What Toronto's public spaces need are quick wins and visible improvements. The problems are glaring, and some are easily fixable. The Layton terminal is too small, with little seating, no shade, few ticket booths and virtually nothing to eat or drink. On Centre Island, the ferry landing resembles a livestock corral. Here, there is some good news. The city is working with Waterfront Toronto on 'interim improvements to the ferry terminal over the next couple of years,' said Carol Webb, the organization's senior manager of communications and public engagement. This year will bring a temporary shade structure, some murals and some 'improvements to queuing and wayfinding.' But even this is overdue and too slow. The city should move faster. Put up commercial shade sails. Hire staff with handheld devices to sell ferry tickets on the spot. On the island side, add a cooling station, folding chairs and tables, another set of shade sails – and invite a coffee truck to park near the dock. All of this could be done by Canada Day. If it's not, why not? During the pandemic, Toronto showed it could move immediately to reconfigure public streets. There's no law that says every improvement must take years. This logic should extend across the city. Start with awnings, chairs and food vendors, then scale up to capital projects. Focus on busy and symbolic sites: Nathan Phillips Square, Old City Hall, the Union Station area, the zone around St. Lawrence Market, Mel Lastman Square and Scarborough Civic Centre. And add St. James Town, the densely populated neighbourhood where Ms. Chow grew up, whose streets and tiny park have been neglected far too long. Many of these sites have budgeted projects or finished plans. Nathan Phillips Square has a competition-winning design from 15 years ago that was never fully built. The ferry terminal? Another competition-winning design was selected in 2015. Then the idea vanished. The problem is a lack of focus and leadership. Toronto builds a lot in its public space: the Parks and Recreation department alone has a 10-year $4.3-billion capital budget. But few understand what is in that plan. The machine runs itself. And paper comes out. Airport to park: a bold vision for the Toronto Island Recently, the city completed a years-long 'master plan' for the Islands – produced by a team of cautious local consultants, full of platitudes. It missed a key element: the future of Billy Bishop Airport, which is critical to the islands but was deliberately excluded from consideration. The airport's land lease is scheduled to expire by 2045. Failing to plan ahead invites decades more indecision and missed opportunities. Meanwhile, action is needed. Reports don't make good places – people do. And they need basic amenities: bathrooms, seating, shade. They also need hope. This summer, Toronto doesn't need more vision documents, but visible proof that government can act and that public space can function here.
CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
A patio is blocking accessible parking in Belmont Village. Advocates say that's not fair
The patio of a Belmont Village restaurant is blocking an accessible parking spot, and that's raising questions about what people with physical disabilities may need to fully enjoy public spaces. Casa Rugantino is an Italian restaurant in the heart of Kitchener's Belmont Village. Their patio fences off one of the only accessible parking spots in all of Belmont Village, and that's not sitting right with resident Macie Anderson. Anderson doesn't have any accessibility needs herself, but she said she is a frequent visitor of the area with her family, and seeing the patio block the spot made her concerned. She noted that the parking spot has been blocked every summer since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when outdoor patios became a lifeline to restaurants needing distant spaces for their patrons. "We love the area, obviously love supporting local and we love the restaurant," Anderson said. When she realized the accessible space was being blocked off repeatedly during summer months, she spoke with the Casa Rugantino's owner and the city of Kitchener itself. Anderson said the owner, Shelly Trotta, told her that she was under the impression the city had taken care of the oversight. "[Trotta] assumed that because they gave them the permit and they allowed them to build the patio that the city was then going to add an additional accessible spot for the area somewhere else," Anderson said. CBC News reached out to the restaurant several times by phone and email but have not received a response. The city said that they had collaborated with the Belmont Village BIA board of members and determined that "the area remains well-served with parking." The city confirmed that Casa Rugantino operated its expanded patio on an outdoor patio permit that renews automatically unless a business informs the city of a change or discontinuation. They said Casa Rugantino was compliant with all city and legal standards. Anderson said that despite ample street-side parking in Belmont Village, designated accessible parking spots were few and far between. There are a total of three accessible spaces in the area, including the one being blocked. "It's not ideal and it's already a bit of a sore spot for the area just from going there a lot of times to the buildings myself," she said. She said she's seen many older residents grow frustrated over a lack of available parking that's designed specifically for people who need to be closer to places like medical buildings. "Belmont is such an inclusive small village that has been so good to the businesses in the area and the people... and then this glaring issue of completely disregarding anybody with an accessibility issue, I don't know, just stood out to me," she said. 'Double-edged sword' of accessibility Kitchener city officials say Casa Rugantino is well within its rights to expand its outdoor patio to the street-side parking, but some advocates are saying that situations like these are a give-and-take. Edward Faruzel is the executive director of KW AccessAbility, a non-profit dedicated to creating equal spaces for adults with physical disabilities in Waterloo region. "It's sort of a double-edged sword. If it's done right, it can be amazing because [outdoor patios] could open up a whole lot of extra accessible seating areas that might otherwise not be available to somebody in a wheelchair," he said. As a wheelchair user himself, Faruzel is aware of how difficult it can be to get safe, accessible street parking in the downtown cores of Kitchener and Waterloo to begin with. He said summertime is normally "the most important time for people with disabilities." "It's so much easier for people to get around... there's no snow, they don't have to bundle up," he said. Devin Sisak, the former chair of the Cambridge accessibility committee, agrees. His son uses a wheelchair and their family is very familiar with the parking situation in Belmont Village. He confirmed that there were only three accessible parking spots in the village. He said most outdoor patios tend to be better for mobility as long as they're not encroaching on safe parking. "We have a very limited number of accessible on-street parking in the region just because of safety. People are exiting their vehicles. So if you're driving and transferring to a mobility device, you'd be transferring into the edge of traffic just the same as an able-bodied driver," he said. That being said, he did say that the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requires a temporary spot to be put in place of any accessible spot being taken away in order to maintain legal numbers. "It gets into percentages," Sisak said, adding regions are required to maintain a certain amount of accessible parking spaces based on already available parking and other considerations. He said there are most likely ways to designate new accessible parking spots in areas being blocked off by outdoor patios. Faruzel said a bigger concern might also be busy traffic areas of downtown cores in the region. He said that parking is so sparse on busy streets that it may be a better alternative to consider shutting down certain streets for ease of pedestrian mobility in general. Other barriers and moving forward Chantal Huinink is a lifelong disability advocate, a councillor for the Region of Waterloo and she sits on the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC). She said the biggest concern with accessible spots is making sure there's enough space for an accessible van to function if a wheelchair user is getting on and off. Summertime, she said, comes with a whole host of other accessibility considerations. "It's not just about parking spots. It's about sandwich boards, the sidewalk or flower beds that aren't there in the winter. If people are navigating and they're visually impaired, for example, there are all kinds of features to be aware of in the summer," she said. "This requires the attention of the municipality, it requires the attention of the region and it requires the attention of the province and enforcement of the AODA because that's a positive legislation meant to make Ontario accessible for everyone, but it's not enforced properly," she said.
Khaleej Times
7 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Up to Dh8,000 fines: Abu Dhabi warns against illegal billboards, signages
Abu Dhabi authorities have urged placement and appearance of billboards and signages in the emirate in line with approved standards, failing which violators will have to pay hefty fines. It warned that fines will compound for repeat offenders. This is in accordance with Law No. 2 of 2012 that aims to maintain visual appeal, cleanliness, and overall quality of public spaces in Abu Dhabi. The DMT is actively enforcing the law and has issued a statement on social media to reinforce these regulations. In the post, Abu Dhabi DMT, while citing Article 66 of the law, stated that Installing or using an advertising sign without a permit or with an expired permit would attract penalties of Dh 2,000 fine for the first offence; Dh4,000 fine for second offence; and Dh8,000 fine for third offence and beyond Further, the authorities warned that installing or using a billboard without a valid permit, or with an expired permit would be liable to fines of Dh2000, Dh4,000 and Dh8,000 for first, second, and further offenders. Abu Dhabi
