Board of Health Chair threatens to close skatepark, mask "ambassadors" will now patrol

Board of Health Chairman Barry Potvin threatened to close the skatepark in two weeks if mask compliance does not improve.

Additionally, in a policy reversal, mask "ambassadors" will now patrol the skatepark, the Director of Public Health Karen Keane told the Board of Health today.

Potvin said, "The Board of Health will consider closing the skate park...and will do so at our next meeting if we are forced to." The Board received a single letter of complaint calling non-mask wearing at the skatepark "defiant and uncaring".

Yet, two weeks ago Keane told the Board of Health that the "ambassadors" would not be returning to the skatepark, due the ineffectiveness of enforcing the downtown mask order, which Keane said, “continues to be an issue” with “outright refusal” to wear a mask.

The Town has never issued a $50 fine for non-mask wearing in the downtown area.

Short of calling and waiting for the police, it remains unclear what, if any authority, the ambassadors have to detain and compel an offender to produce identification for the purpose of issuing a fine. Upon casual observation, compliance appears high, but not universal.