HBJ FILE PHOTO
nside the Shoppes at Buckland Hills.
November 22, 2019
Buckland Hills mall to limit hours for unsupervised young people
By Skyler Frazer | Journal Inquirer
In an effort to combat incidents similar to what happened last year — when a fight involving more than 200 people broke out in the mall — The Shoppes at Buckland Hills announced a curfew for minors during the holiday season.
Buckland HillsManagement at the Buckland Hills mall announced Wednesday that the curfew will start at 5 p.m. next Friday, Nov. 29.
Mall patrons under 18 years old will be required to have adult supervision after 5 p.m. every Friday and Saturday through Saturday, Dec. 21.
From Thursday, Dec. 26, to Monday, Dec. 30, adult supervision will be required every day beginning at 1 p.m.
The mandatory parental guidance program will be in effect throughout the entire shopping center property, including the parking lot and exterior sidewalks, mall management said Wednesday.
The Brass Mill Center in Waterbury, which also is owned by Brookfield Properties, instituted similar rules.
“In an effort to eliminate disruptive behavior by unsupervised youth and create a family-friendly atmosphere, we made the decision to implement a curfew program for the holiday season,” said Virginia Pepe, general manager of the mall. “All are welcome at The Shoppes at Buckland Hills and at all times. We simply require that young guests have adult supervision during certain hours through the duration of the busy holiday shopping season."
Pepe said that the goal of the curfew is to combat incidents that have happened at the mall in the past, particularly around holiday season.
Last year, a brawl broke out between 200 to 300 people in the mall, and many of the participants were young people. In March, five teenagers were arrested after several disturbances in the mall. There have also been several large-scale fights at the mall over the past several years.
“Everyone’s welcome here at all times, really the focus is to ensure that, as it comes to the disruptive incident last year with some unsupervised youths, this program is put in place with the goal from preventing it from happening again,” Pepe said.
Manchester Police Chief William Darby said his department supports the program.
“We believe it will be helpful in eliminating disruptive behavior that has been experienced in the past,” Darby said.
Manchester Mayor Jay Moran also supported the idea.
“I would like to thank the mall security and the Manchester police for keeping the safety of our local consumers in mind. Our goal is that every holiday customer has a great shopping experience,” Moran said.
During curfew hours, trained public safety officers will be stationed at all entrances of the shopping centers to check IDs of visitors who appear to be 17 years old or younger.
Valid identification includes a state-issued driver’s license or ID card, a military ID, a school ID card, or a passport, Pepe said. The identification must be tamper-proof and include a photograph and date of birth.
Those who cannot provide a valid photo ID showing they are at least 18 years old will need to be accompanied by a parent or supervising adult to stay at the shopping center.
Mall management said that one adult may accompany up to four youths and must remain with them through the duration of the shopping experience. There is no limitation for the number of youths under 1 years old that one adult can accompany.
Those who provide proper identification to indicate that they are at least 18 years old will be offered an optional wristband to wear to prevent future stops. People who choose not to wear the wristband may be asked for ID again by safety officers.
Pepe said that announcements will be made inside the mall one hour before the curfew program begins every night in effort to provide unsupervised youths enough time to complete their shopping or dining and leave.
“The goal is to get the information about the program out to as many people as possible throughout our community and all the surrounding communities,” Pepe said Wednesday.
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