Council Says “No” To Smile Project
Posted Sep 24, 2012 08:26:49 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A proposed pilot project “Smiles Per Hour” was voted against at a special Kitchener City Council meeting today.
Councillor Dan Glenn-Graham from Ward 10, wanted to introduce the project for consideration.
The thousand dollar project, which originally started in Australia, rates how friendly an area is by how many smiles are recorded in that neighbourhood, the recorded number would then be indicated on designated signs.
In order to generate numbers, volunteers called “smile spies” would walk through the pilot area with neutral expressions, seeing if people walking by would initiate friendly social interactions, like a smile.
“I want people to smile for the right reasons not because smile spies are watching” Councillor Frank Etherington tells 570 News, and also adds that the money would be wasted on smile quota signs.
The area that was considered for the project was directly behind Kitchener City Hall near the St. Louis Adult Learning Centre on Duke Street.
Casey.MacDonald@rci.rogers.com
