The Northam Recreation Centre (inside, above; and outside, below) must now have designated smokers areas.
Camera IconThe Northam Recreation Centre (inside, above; and outside, below) must now have designated smokers areas. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Butting in at rec centre

Sophie Gabrielle, Avon Valley GazetteHills Avon Valley Gazette

Mr Hassell was contacted by the WA Health Department recently and told to install a smoking area at the centre, at the Northam Town Hall and the swimming pool ” all of which he manages.

He said creating a designated area was necessary to stop people from smoking in front of the buildings. But, he said, personally, he would prefer not to encourage smoking at all.

‘It grates against me, but I’m moving the problem further away from people who don’t smoke,’ Mr Hassell said.

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‘We are doing this to help protect other people and we will install a heavy-duty sand area for the cigarette butts.’

The smoking area would also include health messages alongside it and advertising that warns against the dangers of smoking.

‘I would love to run some sort of seminar or workshop to help people stop smoking,’ Mr Hassell said,

According to the Cancer Council of WA, about 1200 people die from smoking-|related causes each year in WA.

Mr Hassell said one of the more concerning things he saw in Northam was young people taking up smoking.

‘There seems to be a lot of smokers in Northam’