As it turns out, Collingwood residents were bursting to share their opinions on fireworks.
During Monday afternoon’s (Feb. 6) corporate and community services standing committee meeting, councillors received the outcome of a public survey on fireworks in town which sought to help councillors determine whether it makes sense to proceed with Canada Day fireworks this year.
“The facts speak for themselves in regards to what our citizens want,” said Coun. Christopher Baines during the meeting. “They have spoken overwhelmingly in support of this.”
More than 1,000 residents sent in responses to the public fireworks survey, which ran from Nov. 9 to Dec. 9, 2022, with 753 (or 68.8%) of respondents saying they felt it was important the municipality had some sort of aerial light display on Canada Day. Of those, 77.6 per cent of respondents said the display should be fireworks.
When asked what alternatives to fireworks respondents would prefer, 303 responses were received. The most frequent response was concerts while carnivals, parades, art shows and craft markets were also suggested.
“Those who support fireworks had a variety of responses with many relating to tradition, family-friendly activity, celebratory and exciting, cheaper than drones and scheduled/predictable,” wrote Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture Dean Collver in his report to councillors. “Those not in support of fireworks provided a wide array of feedback including comments related to harm to individuals with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), negative impact on pets, harmful to the environment and costly.”
During council discussion, Coun. Deb Doherty said, for her, the idea of harm stuck out of the report.
“The reason I had proposed we not proceed with annual fireworks is it has the potential to harm animals, people with PTSD and other mental disorders, plus the environmental aspect,” said Doherty.
None of the recommendations out of the report impacts the current backyard fireworks bylaw in Collingwood, which was most recently amended in 2020 to limit the number of days they can be set off annually. Currently, fireworks can only be displayed on Victoria Day and Canada Day.
As it stands, the town’s total Canada Day budget for 2023 is $44,750. Within this, $15,000 is earmarked for fireworks.
At the end of discussion, the committee voted 6-1 in favour of recommending to proceed with traditional fireworks for Canada Day in 2023. Mayor Yvonne Hamlin and Coun. Kathy Jeffery were absent from the meeting.
If council supports the recommendation put forward by the committee later this month, the parks department will be putting out a request for proposals for fireworks in 2023.
“There is a concern for us about what the cost will be. Even if this proceeds, there will be a financial requirement that hopefully, we’ll be able to stay within,” said Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer.
Should the town receive an appropriate bid, staff will proceed with a fireworks display in 2023. If the RFP is not successful, staff will reallocate those funds to alternate Canada Day activities.
UPDATE: At their regular meeting on Feb. 21, council voted unanimously in favour of receiving the report, and voted 7-2 in favour of putting out an RFP for fireworks in 2023, with Mayor Yvonne Hamlin and Coun. Deb Doherty voting against.
