THE EDITOR, Sir:
TODAY (SUNDAY 23rd May 2004) my husband and I decided to take our children to Emancipation Park as we often do on a Sunday.
As our children are nine and a half months and two and a half years old we take them in their strollers. Being the 'fit' couple we decided to 'power walk' several laps as normal. However, today a security guard stopped us and politely advised us that strollers were now banned from the exercise trail.
Quite shocked, as this had never been a problem before I immediately went to the park office to speak to the management, where Mr. Campbell, the supervisor that day heard my complaint and was very understanding and sympathetic. Since it was not busy he said that we could go ahead and continue our exercise.
Many of us choose not to leave our children 'somewhere' while pursuing such activities and many do not have that choice even if they wanted.
Also, how many other SAFE locations are there with smooth paved walkways to facilitate a smooth ride for our children?
I have rather large strollers which were designed to exercise with young children but still they are no wider than the slimmest of individuals and hence take up no more room than the average walker or runner and since there is a 'one way' rule on the exercise trail there is no chance of any accidents so I am a little confused as to why this rule has come into play?
I hope the management of Emancipation Park will reconsider the rule that discriminates mainly against exercising mothers!
I am etc.,
TRACEY MCNAIR
Kingston 8
