Linda Nguyen, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, May 24, 2007
A new group is bringing back Canada Day fireworks to Vancouver -- with or without funding from the city.
The Burrard Inlet Fireworks Society has organized a 25-minute fireworks show to be set off simultaneously at Canada Place and Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver on July 1.
This will be the first time fireworks will be set off in Vancouver on Canada Day since 2003.
The new group, spearheaded by West Vancouver Coun. John Clark, consists of North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Canada Place, which have joined forces to fund and organize the fireworks show.
According to an engineering department report going to city council Tuesday, the group is asking the city for a $10,000 grant to fund the show and $55,000 for police and cleanup costs.
But Vancouver Coun. Peter Ladner is wary about where the money will come from.
"There's a lot of spending sensitivity in council right now. We're spending a comparable amount of money on the Celebration of Light and we can't afford two [shows] like that," he said.
Canada Day fireworks in Vancouver were cancelled four years ago due to crowding and financial issues.
The council report recommends approval of the request, and suggests the funding come from this year's "contingency reserve or existing departmental budgets."
Ladner said that's not feasible.
"Although I would love this to be successful, I'm going to be asking some tough questions because I don't want this to be carried on the backs of the taxpayers," he said.
In the past, fireworks celebrations on the nation's birthday were funded federally, Ladner added.
According to its website, the group is expecting as many as 500,000 people to watch the fireworks, but doesn't expect crowding to be a problem.
The fireworks will go off higher in the sky than normal, meaning they will be visible from various locations across Greater Vancouver.
"We are excited to renew this celebratory component of our nation's birthday," the group said in a written release.
It does not give the total cost of the fireworks display.
For more information, visit www.canadadayfireworks.ca
lnguyen@png.canwest.com
Found it here : http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=00f4aa35-a3ad-4fc1-ae21-16b7cd7eef0e
Published: Thursday, May 24, 2007
A new group is bringing back Canada Day fireworks to Vancouver -- with or without funding from the city.
The Burrard Inlet Fireworks Society has organized a 25-minute fireworks show to be set off simultaneously at Canada Place and Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver on July 1.
This will be the first time fireworks will be set off in Vancouver on Canada Day since 2003.
The new group, spearheaded by West Vancouver Coun. John Clark, consists of North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Canada Place, which have joined forces to fund and organize the fireworks show.
According to an engineering department report going to city council Tuesday, the group is asking the city for a $10,000 grant to fund the show and $55,000 for police and cleanup costs.
But Vancouver Coun. Peter Ladner is wary about where the money will come from.
"There's a lot of spending sensitivity in council right now. We're spending a comparable amount of money on the Celebration of Light and we can't afford two [shows] like that," he said.
Canada Day fireworks in Vancouver were cancelled four years ago due to crowding and financial issues.
The council report recommends approval of the request, and suggests the funding come from this year's "contingency reserve or existing departmental budgets."
Ladner said that's not feasible.
"Although I would love this to be successful, I'm going to be asking some tough questions because I don't want this to be carried on the backs of the taxpayers," he said.
In the past, fireworks celebrations on the nation's birthday were funded federally, Ladner added.
According to its website, the group is expecting as many as 500,000 people to watch the fireworks, but doesn't expect crowding to be a problem.
The fireworks will go off higher in the sky than normal, meaning they will be visible from various locations across Greater Vancouver.
"We are excited to renew this celebratory component of our nation's birthday," the group said in a written release.
It does not give the total cost of the fireworks display.
For more information, visit www.canadadayfireworks.ca
lnguyen@png.canwest.com
Found it here : http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=00f4aa35-a3ad-4fc1-ae21-16b7cd7eef0e