Awesome! It's about time. I can't believe all the parents that don't supervisor their under age kids. It's not just the malls either. The movie theatres need to enforce these rules too. Many times, I've been in the movie theatre and 10, 11, 12 year olds are in the theatre without supervision.

go down there on a saturday or sunday around 11am and count how many minivans and cars are pulling up in front of sportchek dropping off kids for the whole day.

it's a great policy to not allow kids in the mall during class hours. i don't know how many times i've gone in there to see the foodcourt half-full of kids that are (for the most part) skipping class. it's true that the few kids on spare blocks will have one less place to go, but they should probably be at school anyways.

who is going to enforce this policy? the security guards that look like they could still be in high school?

i'm more than willing to give teenagers the benefit of the doubt, and the vast majority are good kids, polite and respectful. but it is true that when you get groups of them in the hundreds, bad stuff is bound to happen.

Good idea!! another good reason not to shop at Pine Centre. WalMart allows kids!! Those pesky customers, don't you hate them? PGSS kids are way above 12 years old. What about descrimination laws? It's a public place except if you don't meet THEIR rules!!

GREAT! I hope this solves the problem of teenagers hanging around the Sport Check entrance to the mall. They scare the hell out of a lot of older shoppers.

And while I'm at it, is anybody going to enforce the law about "NOT SMOKING BY ENTRANCEWAYS"? Malls, hospitals, businesses, and shops. Places where the public has to enter. The City is putting up these fancy Idle Free Zone signs, and they can't enforce the NO SMOKING by doorways

I think its ridiculous to assume that family services or the RCMP are going to want to come running everytime an underage kid is roaming the mall. What a bunch of rubbish. I can see an age limit of 6 or something, but 12 is a little old to be banning from stores when they are alone. Kids that age spend money too. I think pine center is shooting themselves in the foot with this one. I wonder what the majority of the merchants think about this one.

This is great news. I agree 100% and maybe, just maybe they won't have nothing else to do except get back in class and learn a thing or two. Too many kids wandering around and getting into trouble.

i cant believe how much of little whining cry babies are city has become..OMG THERES KIDS AT THE MALL LETS MAKE A NEW LAW..im sure the ministry for children and families wish's the teens were hanging out at the mall and not the local crackshack.seriously grow a set of balls people if your scared of 12 yr old kids you shouldnt even be leaving your house

taxinapothole ...i thought you moved outta town anyways because prince george wasnt up to your high standards of cab driving living...dead beat

Great marketing plan - malign your future customers and don't allow them to get in the habit of spending their money shopping, but doing other hobbies, arts and sports instead. Maybe some volunteering.

Mom and Dad are really strapped for time, so now since they have to escort junior to check out the cool new clothes, jewellery and phones - something they don't have time for - they won't be bringing the brats to the mall in the first place.

And it will keep them from bugging their parents to buy stuff.

This policy should keep kids busy and free from contributing to the profits of the stores at the mall.

Nice work.

Perhaps management should read this great piece by Tabatha Southey in the Globe and Mail last week:

Quit it with the teen trashing
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/family-and-relationships/quit-it-with-the-teen-trashing/article1506240/

I think these are good policies to put into place. It is used as a babysitter far too often. I think 12 is a fair and reasonable age. I certainly never let my teens go and roam around the mall before the age of 12. I avoid that entrance by sport check as much as possible. Between the teens dropping F bombs every other second and smoking their faces off, it truly has become a disgusting area.
I too agree that the majority of teens are good kids, but it's those who obviously haven't been taught how to behave in a public place that cause the problems. Perhaps they should be kept home until their parents teach them!
I'm sure those younger than 12 who spend money at the mall will still do so, but will have to do so with a parent with them. Big deal. Parents - there are worse things in the world than having to spend time with your children. Keep your ears open, you might actually learn something valuable from them!
As far as the merchants go, I'm betting they don't appreciate the hoards of kids that gather. It's difficult to control!

Offloading responsibilities to the public domain from where it belongs, in the home.

This is a direct result of prohibiting corporal punishment and the reduction of parental ability to set and enforce proper behaviors.

We now have a a full generation of self entitled ne'er-do-well's that cannot function independently, none have an original thought in their heads, and they are the epitome of sheeple.

Of course they do not take responsibility for their own education, hence hanging at the mall. School is not cool til it is gone in the past I guess.

This does not describe all teens of course, just the most visible mall rats and street urchins. Luckily each and every one of my kids abhor the mall scene and the life style (lack of?) that seems to go with it.

I do not live in Prince George. How is the city informing tourists and those out of town who come to the city to shop, that their children are not allowed? Many people from my small town travel to Prince George for dental and medical appointments, then spend the remainder of the day shopping. Since children 12yrs and under are not allowed in the Pine Centre Mall during school days, that means parents will not be allowed to shop there either. What about times when school isn't on in outlying areas but still running in Prince George? It's crazy. It's a bylaw that excludes tourists but then maybe Prince George doesn't want out of towners cluttering up their community and shopping in their stores. I grew up being able to go to the local corner store to buy candy and stuff for my mother before I was 12yrs old. Many children I grew up with did just that - ran store errands for parents. As for teens, there are good teens and ones that make wrong choices, just as there are good adults and ones that make wrong choices. Reward the positive and exclude those that don't follow rules, don't punish them all! What a crazy bylaw. It's one thing for a private company like the one that owns the mall to make these rules, its another for the city to enforce.

Doesn't this say kids under the age of 12? Why is that a problem? How much money does an 11 year old really spend at the mall all by themselves? I doubt they are purchasing their new phones all on their own or their new electronics. I sure as heck wasn't allowed to roam around at age 11 and personally,I can't believe how many parents let their kids do so.
It will still be fine for teens to hang out on Saturdays and go on their lunch hours. I would think parents would be happy that it will be just a little more difficult for kids to skip out of classes and head to the mall...
Really, I don't see what the big deal is.

Doesn't this say kids under the age of 12? Why is that a problem? How much money does an 11 year old really spend at the mall all by themselves? I doubt they are purchasing their new phones all on their own or their new electronics. I sure as heck wasn't allowed to roam around at age 11 and personally,I can't believe how many parents let their kids do so.
It will still be fine for teens to hang out on Saturdays and go on their lunch hours. I would think parents would be happy that it will be just a little more difficult for kids to skip out of classes and head to the mall...
Really, I don't see what the big deal is.

I want to add if there is an issue of harrassment and smoking right outside an entry way into the Mall, then why hasn't the Mall dealt with that issue instead of throwing out this blanket bylaw? There are already laws in place regarding harrassement and how far one has to stand to smoke from an entry way - enforce the exsisting laws instead of creating new ones. As for the person who commented that children shouldn't be allowed in movie theatres alone, all I can say is that I was 8yrs old when I attended my first movie alone and I went with a group of kids. The matinees used to packed on Saturdays with children, no adult in sight and we all did just fine. It really comes down to enforcement of the rules exsisting and stop creating new ones. Oh and in regards to children not being in the mall on school days, that not only affects tourists, it affects those who are home-schooled and have a completely different schedule than public school. Same with private school, as my nephew gets out at the end of May - so he can't be in the Mall with his mother because its still school in PG? That's just plain stupid.

@ Thunder:

"Tweens” (8-12 year olds) “heavily influence” more than $30 billion in other spending by parents, and “80 percent of all global brands now deploy a ‘tween strategy.’”

Children (under 12) and teens influence parental purchases totaling over $130-670 billion a year.

http://www.globalissues.org/article/237/children-as-consumers

If my mall business catered to kids and I had a long-term lease, I'd be looking to sue. I'd be re-reading my lease agreement and paying close attention to measurable metrics like store visits, number of sales, average sales, total revenue, etc. and seeing what impact the new policies made.

These policies substantially change the environment a business agreed to, and will be good for some, but very bad for others.

bohemian I really enjoyed reading your links and have bookmarked the one about harrassment of teens. It angers me that teens are targets for everything gone bad. There are many strong awesome teens out there who are lost in life, all they need is a bit of direction and they'd make awesome choices. There are other strong awesome teens out there that contribute fully to society. I figure if there is a problem with teens at the Mall, then create an outlet for them. Work with organizations that focus on teens and (perhaps) create a youth centre. Imgaine the revenue that could be created - the centre would purchase items from the Mall and the teens would have someplace safe to meet up, do things. Win-win situation.

As for tweens as consumers, its become a huge market and the Mall is really shooting off their nose despite their face to place up barriers for them to shop.

@sassikatt

Thanks, and agreed. It's true the first link is about teens, and this policy affects 12 and under, but it aptly describes the wrong mentality we tend to hold about kids, and this is highly relevant in this regard.

However, the Friday night policy in discussion appears to be targeted at teens.

It is highly relevant as it does illustrate the overall view on teens and children - that they are the bane of our society.

I'm still reeling that this is coming into place because I cannot believe the city and Mall is so narrow-minded that they truly believe they live/work in a vaccum. That no one outside of Prince George goes to the Mall, that all children and teens attend public schools and run on the exact same schedule and that they are truly having so many problems becuase of these rampant kids and teens.

If there is enforcement of these rules, I suspect that owners will find a decrease in sales and find that many out-of-towners choose stores that are child and teen friendly.

I remember not that long ago there was conversation on how the Westgate area was pulling much business out of Pine Centre Mall and the downtown core. Imagine how it'll be after the enforcement comes into play - who will go to a mall to be harrassed for their children shopping or teens there during school hours. Might as well stay up at College Heights or go down to Parkwood where those rules aren't into play.

sassikatt ... I don't know why you continue to bring the city in on this policy. It is a policy by the owners of pine center mall and has nothing to do with a city bylaw. A policy by a private business is not the same as a public bylaw.

Usually when new policies are set, it is because in another mall somewhere in Canada there was a liability issue with a child and parents have sued mall management, sorta like cell phone users who can't seem to put the darn thing down when they're driving.
Yah, if there's an 11 year old in the mall by him or herself, I'd be concerned just by the safety issue alone dealing with paedophiles. Call Child and Family services, wake the parents up.

@acopolympics, I brought in the city because that's how I read the report, that the Mall manager and city worked together on this bylaw. Its good you raised the correct statement and I appreciate you setting this straight. My apologies for this error.

@Slim, pedophiles target ages up to adulthood, including teens. Being 11yrs old doesn't mean being a target and it doesn't magically change where one isn't a target upon the 13th birthday. There are also those who recruit tweens and teens for drug services and prostitution. Educate children and teens rather than using these types of policies for protection. Laying down these policies doesn't actually change those issues at all - it simply moves it from one location to another. Educate children and teens, that's the key.

No mention of the City anywhere in that story.....maybe get your eyes checked sassi?

Sassikat:
Well said. Unfortunately, parents aren't educating their children. Here's 20 bucks go play in the mall, and hope to god nothing happens to them. Again, hanging around malls or anywhere else by themselves at that age is wrong. There is a huge draw of money and belonging when it comes to muling drugs but in my conversations with parents, they seem oblivious to that as well.

Lets shut down the whole city. There are so many laws out there now we may as well stay home and hide.

Even though they don't say it, I have a feeling the rules are more to prevent shoplifting. They say its about safety, etc, but really I know a lot of shoplifting goes on there, especially during school hours when kids are skipping school.

The mall has the discretion to kick out anybody they choose to. It is private property, after all.

But this policy is rather like swatting a fly with a sledgehammer. Deal with the trouble makers and leave the rest in peace.

There is a kid help call a mall cop. What a bunch of idiots.

Hint ..... it seems no one read the last sentence ....

"The Mall will start enforcing the new policies on APRIL 1st."!!!!!

LOL

Not enough Hannah Montana playing on the TV during mall hours?

This is a good policy.. I'm surprised it wasn't created and enforced a long time ago. Similar policies exist at other like establishments in larger centers. The goal isn't always to make money, but create a safer community.

As far as children under the age of 12.. It says in the policy for them to be within eyesight of their parents at all times. I don't see a problem with that. Why would it be okay for a child under the age of 12 to roam free in a mall on their own, as compared to not allowing a child under 12 to roam free through the streets of Prince George.

If you don't think your child can be abducted or harmed just as a easily in Pine Centre, then these policies are made with you in mind. I would never leave my son alone wondering the mall.

keep your head up.

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!! Long over due!

For heavens sake....are you all so blind that you cannot see what the new manager is trying to do? All we need is one child to get physically hurt,molested, or kidnapped. One is too many. The Mall does not provide babysitting service to my knowledge but if something happened you bet your last dollar the parents would go after the Mall.

My question is what kind of parent dumps a kid off at the Mall to do God know what?

I miss Rick Nelson too but the new manager
has her own way of doing things and is looking to protect the Mall and believe it or not your kid. Maybe you should say "Wow good for her"

http://www.news-record.com/content/2010/02/09/article/hanes_mall_policy_expected_to_require_parental_supervision

"Sharon Warren Cook, the director of the undergraduate social-work program at N.C. A&T State University, said research shows that about 20 percent of the 1,100 enclosed malls in the United States have some type of parental-escort policy"

That deals with the 12+

The world is changing. In this case, parents, in my opinion, are bringing this on themselves. They are once more abdicating their role as parents. In our case, we are talking about kids that are 11 and under.

Where has everyone been over the last 10+ years. The standard sign on the door to a local convenience store close to a school says "no more than 3 students at a time".

I was at the mall about a month ago and noticed these young girls... maybe 15-years old... standing by the entrance asking people for a ride home. I said no, as I was just entering the mall, but when I left I noticed them again but leaving with an older guy at least in his 40's who looked guilty as sin, as he was parked near me and they were pulling out when I was walking to my truck... I thought at the time this isn't right and those girls didn't make a smart decision getting into a vehicle with a stranger like that. I would be livid if it was my daughter or sister, or anyone I knew asking strangers for a ride at the mall entrance. Obviously if they didn't have their own ride they shouldn't have been at the mall. This is a good policy if all it does is prevent that kind of stuff from happening.

If they lease a small diocese near the food court, I'd worry.

What ever happened to truant officers?

It's a small start. The real problem of gaggles of cursing, smoking teenagers hanging about the entrances and getting into trouble, arises after school. Such loitering should be dispersed.

"What ever happened to truant officers?


What? ... I heard about them when I was young way back when. Never actually saw one in my life. Did they really exist?

It's a policy that at the end of the day will hurt the store owners, in my opinion. It is not friendly to tourists, it makes huge leaps in assumptions and feeds into the paranoia that has become our society.

I agree with the one who stated the mall is private property and the manager has the right to refuse service to anyone. That's very true. Consumers have the same right, as they can choose not to shop in stores that are located in the mall.

They tried this in my hometown and it backfired. It became expensive to enforce and didn't really change the issues of shoplifting. It angered many folks and became more hassle than it was worth. Instead they changed the floor plan of the store and opened it up more, then hired effective security guards who got to know the people. It's a good place to shop now, its child and teen friendly and issues are dealt with through proper channels. It's a win-win situation.

The fact is, there are many laws on the books to deal with the issues raised - use them. End the judgements and the assumptions, deal with the core issues raised and keep the stores accessible to all. Perhaps it'll change down the road when the stores lose money and the shopping shifts to other locations, maybe not. It truly is not user friendly, that's for sure.

I just wanted to add that the mini-mall in the town I spoke of in my post, also had issues of teens hanging out during school hours. By having security who got to know the kids, they figured out who was there to harrass and engage in behaviours that were not legal, who was to avoid school and who was there for legitimate reasons. The guards were able to sort it and teens don't hang out there during school, like they used to.

For interest sake, it wasn't the kids that created the most issues, it was intoxicated adults that hung out in the mall and at the door. That has also been dealt with in a respectful manner, including bringing in the RCMP when necessary. I think sometimes we forget that adults can cause issues too.

Posted by: Harbinger on March 29 2010 10:28 PMIf they lease a small diocese near the food court, I'd worry.

HARBINGER...YOU ARE ONE SICK PUPPY

How about playing Brahms, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Bach or Beethoven as background music in the mall? Or Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Kenny G, Mantovani, or even, heaven forbid, Guy Lombardo. That ought to thin them kids out.

It's good policy. I'm not sure when it happened that parents got lazy and decided that public places would take care of babysitting.

Give the kid a phone and let them loose in a mall all day. Yeah, that's really top quality parenting.

Remember we are talking about 10 and 11 year old kids here, sometimes even younger. There is no reason they should be without a parent hanging out in the mall in the first place. The fact that it happens and this policy has to exist is a sad statement on parenting practices today.