Smokers who plan to watch the Bears-Saints NFC title game Sunday at an Orland Park, Oak Forest or Tinley Park bar won’t have to chance missing a Brian Urlacher fumble recovery while sneaking outside to light up.
All three of the towns’ boards voted Friday to temporarily lift new smoking bans for taverns and eateries in time for the 2 p.m. kickoff.
The bans are on hold until March 14 in Orland Park and Oak Forest and until Feb. 21 in Tinley Park–post-Super Bowl.
“This was the right thing to do,” said Oak Forest Mayor JoAnn Kelly. “It’s a matter of public health and yet we need to be compassionate and help the bars and their patrons who smoke gradually adapt to changing times.”
The southwest suburbs took the emergency votes after bar owners complained bitterly that since the ordinance took effect Jan. 2, smokers were patronizing competitors in towns without bans to enjoy the playoffs. Several claimed business was off as much as 50 percent despite the Bears playoff run.
Oak Forest Ald. Richard Simon acknowledged the suspension of the ban now was due in part to the Bears. Originally a decision was to be made next week, but at the urging of businesses it was moved up in time for Sunday crowds.
Bar and restaurant owners welcomed the smoke break.
“All we wanted was a level playing field,” said Jane Wilke, a partner in Sam Maguire’s Irish Pub in Orland Park.
Some trustees and aldermen joined non-smokers attending the meetings to argue that forfeiting public health, even temporarily, for the sake of profits was “unconscionable.”
In Orland Park, where the Village Board voted 5-1 to lift its ban, Trustee Kathleen Fenton, the lone dissenter, said the decision should have been based solely on the issue of health. “To suspend the ban will mean 54 more days of unhealthy living in Orland Park,” she said.
In Tinley Park, trustees voted 4-2 with Brian Maher and David Seaman dissenting. The vote in Oak Forest was unanimous (7-0) in favor.
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Officials said the temporary suspensions will allow them time to review the ordinances and better gauge their impact.
The towns adopted bans to avoid being subjected to a tougher Cook County ordinance that takes effect March 15, but Kelly said no one realized how much businesses would suffer.
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