A Halifax mother is waging a battle with city hall over a rule she says is keeping her family on the sidelines.
Kelly O’Neill wants to take her children to the Emera Oval so her three-year-old son Zachery can ride his bicycle but rules dictate no one can go on the track without a helmet.
While that’s not an issue for O’Neill or her son, it poses a problem for her three-month-old daughter Allison, who is too small to wear a helmet.
“I would really like to be able to rollerblade while pushing my daughter in her stroller where she’s attached in her five-point seat harness so I can enjoy some fresh air, my son can enjoy a bike ride, and we can enjoy some physical activity,” says O’Neill. “I think that would have been reasonable.”
She argues the oval is no different than using a city sidewalk, with their threats of traffic and uneven surfaces. But Halifax City Hall disagrees and is standing by the helmet rule.
“All the oval people do get up to quite a good speed when skating around and with the number of people on the oval during program hours, we just see it’s too big of a safety risk and so that’s why we ask everyone to wear a helmet,” says city spokesperson Tiffany Chase.
While Child Safety Link promotes using car seats when hitting the road, the organization feels it would provide little protection for a baby when only strapped into a stroller.
“The impact and the speed from that type of surfacing can cause potential for a number of injuries, not only to the child and to the parent or caregiver, but to those around them,” says Jennifer Russell of Child Safety Link.
She says the injuries can range from scrapes and bruises to more serious issues, such as a concussion.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Marie Adsett
