Township of Wellesley bans ‘kite fighting’

A yellow kite with a smiley face design flies in a bright blue sky in this undated stock image. (Lorenzo Manera/Pexels.com)

A high-flying pastime popular in some Asian countries has been banned in the Township of Wellesley.

Council has approved a bylaw banning the practice of ‘kite fighting.’

It is a hobby popular in several part of the world, including India, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Brazil, where participants try to force their opponents’ kites from the skies, typically by cutting their strings. According to a township staff report, the strings can be sharp and be made of metal, wire, piano wire, fishing line or types of nylon string chemically treated or containing glass fragments.

The bylaw bans the practice on all private or public lands within the township and states, “No person shall fly a kite with string made of hazardous material…”

Anyone who is caught contravening the bylaw could face a fine of up to $5,000 for a first offence and a maximum fine of $10,000 if they are convicted again.

Corporations that defy the bylaw face fines up to $50,000 for a first offence and up to $100,000 for subsequent violations.

The bylaw official passed on July 8.

The bylaw does not prohibit kite flying.