Code of Conduct

The City of Brooks values the safety, security, and safekeeping of personal/public property of all patrons, visitors, and staff members at City recreation facilities. City staff, Municipal Enforcement, and the RCMP work together to prevent, monitor, and react to any potential risks and/or incidents that may occur at a City of Brooks recreation facility.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the atmosphere and rules of the City’s recreation facilities are maintained to the satisfaction of all patrons, visitors, and staff members.

• The City requests that any patron(s) or visitor(s) do their part by showing respect for property, patron(s), visitor(s), and staff while attending a City recreation facility and report any suspicious patron(s), visitor(s) or activities to staff immediately.
• Any patron(s) or visitor(s) who commits a Contravention at a City recreation facility will be asked to leave and may have facility use privileges suspended or permanently revoked.
• Staff have determined varying levels of Contraventions and the response(s) to address them.
• Level 1 Contraventions include, but are not limited to:
  • aggressive, targeted yelling or swearing at staff and/or other patron(s) or visitor(s);
  • threats, sarcasm, insults or minor intimidation in the attempt to bully or coerce patron(s), visitor(s) or staff;
  • excessive volume of communication (e.g. calls, emails, visits) that are not warranted/welcome;
  • interfering with operations, services and/or duties being performed/provided;
  • entering proof of admission areas without approval or purchasing admission during operational hours;
  • failure to follow posted guidelines for the use of the facility/amenity or public health measures;
  • behaviours that are discriminatory, prejudiced against or antagonistic towards patron(s), visitor(s) and/or staff that have an adverse impact on the individual for reasons related to a protected ground under the Human Rights Act. This includes,
    but is not limited to, race, religious belief, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Behaviours may include negative comments, racial slurs, jokes, innuendos, or displaying of hurtful or inappropriate messaging (e.g. symbols, body art, words/phrases);
  • consuming or under the influence of alcohol and/or legal drugs (i.e. cannabis) on the facility premises (unless under a valid liquor license);
  • behaviours or actions that may result in minor physical harm to oneself, patron(s), visitor(s) or staff (i.e. roughhousing, horseplay, throwing items);
  • disruptive and/or inappropriate use of electronic devices (i.e. taking photos of patron(s), visitor(s) and/or staff without permission, excessively loud or inappropriate content of music);
  • non‐compliance with posted City of Brooks Bylaws, such as smoking or vaping outside of designated smoking areas; and,
  • any continued, unwelcome physical or verbal behaviour that offends, humiliates or causes someone to feel uncomfortable, including unwanted advances.
• In response to Level 1 Contraventions, staff may give patron(s) or visitor(s) a verbal warning regarding the behaviour/action that is not allowed and request that the behaviour/action stop immediately. If the behaviour/action does not stop immediately, the patron(s) or visitor(s) will be asked the leave the facility. Depending on the severity of the Contravention, a 1‐day or up to 14‐day suspension may be given.
• Level 2 Contraventions include, but are not limited to:
  • multiple Level 1 Contraventions and/or actions after educating, defusing and/orde‐escalating are attempted and unsuccessful;
  • non‐compliance of a 1‐day or up to 14‐day suspension; and,
  • three incidents of 1‐day or up to 14‐day suspensions within a 90‐day period.
• In response to Level 2 Contraventions, the manager or supervisor may revoke the patron(s) or visitor(s) facility, program or service access and/or cease formal communications with the patron(s) or visitor(s) for a temporary period of up to 90 days.
• Level 3 Contraventions include, but are not limited to:
  • non‐compliance of a 90‐day or 1‐year removal of facility access;
  • three incidents of 90‐day removal of facility access within a 2‐year period;
  • any activity that violates or breaches the Criminal Code of Canada, Human Rights
    legislation or any other law;
  • direct or indirect threats to physical safety through any communication method, including displaying or making comments of an item to be used (i.e. weapon) in causing death or injury to any patron(s) or visitor(s), or for the purpose of threatening or intimidating any patron(s), visitor(s) and/or staff (including designed to be used or intended for use in binding or tying up a person against their will);
  • behaviours or actions that result in serious physical or emotional harm to patron(s), visitor(s) and/or staff (i.e. use of bear/pepper spray);
  • trespassing on restricted City owned property or after facility operational hours;
  • spitting on patron(s), visitor(s) and/or staff;
  • sexual or physical assault of patron(s), visitor(s) and/or staff, including any unwanted/unsolicited touching of a sexual nature or otherwise, including intentional application of force to a patron(s), visitor(s) or staff without consent;
  • indecent or lewd acts, sexual misconduct, including any intentional or unwanted/unsolicited touching of patron(s), visitor(s) or staff;
  • stalking through any method and of any form (i.e. photo taking, following, engaging in unwanted/unsolicited conversation);
  • causing or creating a risk where minor patron(s) or visitor(s) (i.e. child) will suffer physical, sexual or emotional harm;
  • hate or discrimination crime;
  • consuming, under the influence, or possession of illegal drugs;
  • theft, damage, or the threat to a patron(s), visitor(s) or City recreation facility, including breaking and entering of a lease holder; and,
  • possession or carrying of firearm(s), ammunition, explosives, non‐kitchen knives or any weapon, whether real or fake, with the intention to
• In response to Level 3 Contraventions, the manager or supervisor will revoke facility, program or service access and/or cease formal communications with patron(s) or visitor(s) for a period of up to 1‐year or indefinitely, depending on the severity and/or impacts of the Contravention committed.
• In response to any Level 1, 2, or 3 Contravention, staff may contact the RCMP for assistance.
• Refunds are not provided on memberships, program registrations and/or other services that are paid and unable to be attended due to a facility suspension or revocation.