Unaccompanied minors under 16 not welcome

Weston Town Center begins new policy to ensure guests’ safety

WESTON — Starting Friday, children under 16 at Weston Town Center without adult supervision will be trespassing, the mall announced.

The goal of the “No Trespassing” notice is to “assist in keeping our center a family friendly environment,” Town Center management said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

The action was taken in response to the “large groups of unsupervised juveniles gathering at the Town Center on weekends,” the Broward Sheriff ’s Office said in a statement, adding that the goal is to “help ensure a safe shopping and dining experience for all guests at the Town Center.”

The plan is for deputies to have a larger presence on weekends at the outdoor mall, located at 1675 Market Street, not far from I-75 and Royal Palm Boulevard in Weston.

The sheriff ’s office said in a emailed statement that it would back the mandate instituted by mall management. The first step would be to inform unaccompanied minors under 16 of the new rule, then ask the kids to leave the property. “If they refuse, deputies may be required to issue trespass warnings.”

The mall is known for its restaurants, ranging from Italian food to a sports bar. It also has a spa and cigar shop, among other venues. Events hosted on-site include car shows, artisan markets, concerts, movie nights, and the Weston Food & Wine Festival. The mall advertises itself as a place that “always has fun in store for the entire family.”

Calls to Town Center management weren’t immediately returned.

ERIC BOJANOWSKI/FPG Weston’s Town Center is implementing a new policy beginning Friday.