Eaton Rapids’ council members are working on an ordinance that would ban bridge jumping. People have been jumping off of bridges in this city for more than a decade. City Manager, Jon Stoppels, said that he understands the tradition of jumping off the bridge but believes safety is of the most importance.
He says, "The media every year gives many accounts of somebody doing such a thing and they end up drowning, hurting themselves or even becoming paralyzed. So it's an effort to protect the health and welfare of our citizens."
Stoppels said that the ordinance mimics a state law that prohibits anyone from driving or jumping off a bridge. He said that all bridges are included in this ordinance and that there are no specific height requirements.
Kids and teenagers in the city are not happy about the possibility of bridge jumping being taken away. I talked with teenagers who don’t see why keeping bridge jumping is a problem.
Eaton Rapids resident Jack Tanner said, “I mean because I like have never hit the bottom. Like there’s no problem with hitting the bottom. Kids never get hurt. Like I've been here all the time and kids just jump it to have fun.”
The teenagers told me it’s a tradition on the last day of school to cover themselves with shaving cream and jump off of this bridge. If the ordinance takes place then this tradition would no longer occur.
Stoppels is all for having fun in and around the Grand River, but he says it needs to be done in a safe way.
Stoppels says, "We provide a lot of amenities in town a lot of park recreational services and again we just want to do it in the safest fashion possible."
More information about the ordinance will be presented at the next council meeting on July 10th.
