August 29th, 2024 by WCBC Radio

Even before the first car rolls up Baltimore Street, area residents will know that the reimagined downtown Cumberland is serious about being clean and green.  The Mayor and City Council recently passed an ordinance that bans smoking on Baltimore Street to protect both citizens and their investment. Downtown Development Director Melinda Kelleher tells WCBC News that the ordinance was borne out of seeing the messes left behind by smokers…

 
"We have had just an inordinate amount of cigarette butts all over street even during construction and it was probably worse than because they were in a more concentrated area you know of the walkways where people were walking. We perched, the DDC purchase several cigarettes extinguisher things and put them around and that may have helped a little bit but not enough."

Kelleher says the City will see how the Baltimore Street ban works out before deciding whether to expand the no-smoking area…

"You know the Mayor and City Council very clear that they wanted to do this on Baltimore Street you know the rest of this year, I mean it's in perpetuity so it's forever. After the New Year we'll take a look and if we think we might need it on the side streets as well."