Moran Levy, a resident of Modi'in for over six years, is disgusted. Every summer, she and her neighbors go into "birthday party defense mode" and prepare for the aftermath of the festivities. "All the parks here are simply filled during this season with balloons, or with clowns," Levy bemoans.
This year, the Modi'in-Maccabim-Reut Municipality has decided to introduce an official policy for anyone who uses the lawns and free facilities for events and parties. Among other things, and to the resentment of some of the parents and celebrants, the municipality has drawn up a blacklist of events that are forbidden in the park areas. The list includes bar or bat mitzvah parties, engagement and henna parties, circumcisions and weddings.
The events that are nevertheless permitted in the attractive sites and parks are birthday parties, family gatherings or school events, such as graduation or holiday parties.
"Each of the 220 parks in the city is taken over every night with some party that someone organized. People go completely crazy: They bring a pony that leaves its droppings all over the park, or bring inflatables and leave the dirt everywhere, and they're ruining the parks that way," says city council member Alex Weinreb, who initiated the policy.
"This is a public place, there's no problem with having an event, but there has to be a sense of proportion," Weinreb adds.
The municipality has also defined additional conditions for celebrants in the city: Connecting to the water, electricity and lighting systems is forbidden; the loud speaker systems are also out of bounds; and the clowns, magicians and others are allowed to use only wireless headset microphones. Furthermore, installing inflatables for partying children requires a business license, a safety permit and insurance from the authorized bodies in the municipality.
By means of municipal inspections the city will begin to enforce the new rules and the inspectors will also be authorized to fine celebrants who violate the new policy.
"There is a policy here that enables people to use the park, but ensures that the park remains a park and does not turn into one big events hall," says Modi'in-Maccabim-Reut Mayor Haim Bibas.
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