Quispamsis is making some changes to its mandatory ice helmet policy that was introduced in September.
When the policy first came out, users could be exempt if they applied to the town and signed a waiver.
But council approved a motion at their Tuesday night meeting to get rid of that exemption.
Community services director Dana Purton Dickson tells us the change is in the best interest of all ice users.
“99 per cent of the time, it’s not an issue, we’ve had very few requests for exemptions,” she says, “but we feel that, moving forward, we want to be strict in the fact that you really need to wear a helmet when you come to our rink and go public skating.”
“Coincidentally, we find the accidents that are happening are with the adults, and those are the ones that were not wearing the helmet and they’re the ones that have been asking for the exclusion.”
Purton Dickson says there are options for people who may not have their own helmet, noting that P.R.O. Kids donated 100 helmets to the town that can be used for free during public skates.
Figure skating clubs, professional hockey associations and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will still be exempt from the policy because they’re insured through their national bodies.
