Coun. Chuck Puchmayr believes that signage promoting sports for youth is a sign of a healthy community.
New Westminster Little League recently voiced concerns that it's struggling to promote baseball registration because its signs have been removed from city property in New Westminster and South Burnaby. The City of New Westminster has a longstanding policy of not posting signs in any of the city's parks because it's felt a proliferation of signs at different times of the year contribute to an unsightly appearance.
On Monday night, Puchmayr served a notice of motion to council asking staff to work with local sports organizations to develop procedures about advertising for registration.
"I have had some people with concerns and some grumblings," Puchmayr told The Record Tuesday morning. "I think this a good way of going forward."
Given that sports organizations rely on volunteers, and those volunteers change as their children age, Puchmayr said the city should do what it can to help with the "onerous" task of getting the message out about registration. He believes the city should assist sports teams with their registration drives.
Puchmayr doesn't have an issue with allowing sports organizations to post signage on sports fields or arenas to promote registration.
"To me that is not unsightly," he said. "I don't care if it is a four-by-eight or a four-by-four - that's a sign you have young people in your community and you have opportunities for them."
Puchmayr noted he spends some time in the Gulf Islands, which has concerns about a lack of young people. He said New Westminster is fortunate that it has a lot of young people living in the community.
New Westminster city council will vote on Puchmayr's notice of motion at its Feb. 13 meeting.
