Essex Town Council will move forward with a plan to fight bullying in public parks.
Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche brought the motion forward after he received a number of complaints from residents about bullying and foul language in area parks.
Meloche already did some leg work, speaking with administration and law enforcement. The suggestions he received centered around educating the public on how to respond, increased signage warning offenders, and putting a bylaw in the books to give police the tools to remove people causing problems.
Some residents tell Meloche they're afraid to go to parks, but police weren't aware of the problem. He says the reason police don't know is people didn't want to call 911 over some verbal abuse.
"I get there point because, honestly, I probably wouldn't have either. If you have an opportunity to call a police non-emergency number, that's what we're going to advertise. We'll advertise that heavily so people know they have a number to call," he says.
Meloche hopes administration can come back with a bylaw to give OPP the tools they need.
"There's no foul language allowed in this park and there's no bullying that's going to go on," says Meloche. "The end result is, if you continue to do this you're going to be banned from these parks forever and a day."
He's glad his fellow councillors see the value in coming up with a plan.
"We all believe this is a really good thing. It's something that the town can do that's a positive step in making sure that our residents feel safe and comfortable," he added.
Administration will return with a full report at the town's next council meeting.