2019 Canada Day Fireworks Q&A
Q. What was the budget for the Fireworks on July 1?
A. The budget for 2019 fireworks was $15,600 and the cost was $13,971.63.
Q. Did the town ever consider having the fireworks on the Sunday night rather than the Monday night?
A. The Town continues to schedule the fireworks for July 1st because that is the expectation based on Canada Day tradition. In the future, the Town could schedule the fireworks for a Sunday, either before or after Canada Day. This would require a significant amount of marketing and promotion to relay the message to our residents and visitors that fireworks are not on the expected Canada Day but rather an alternate date. This would also require a significant amount of cost if the Town were to have fireworks on both days. There are concerns that the Town would receive negative feedback for not having fireworks on Canada Day, or that promotions of the new date were missed. The benefits of changing the date would have to outweigh that.
Q. It would be nice to know where the fireworks are going to be launched from, so that we could sit/stand in a good viewing area. How was the launch site determined? Was the location advertised in the paper, on the town website, and on event calendars?
A. In terms of the launching site, the Town intended to launch from the same piece of the Hen & Chickens trail that was used the last two years. Unfortunately, that area was under water this year requiring an alternative site. The Town chose the Birch Street North parking lot as it would provide the same viewing radius as the previous launch site. "Best views are from Millennium Park, but the Shipyards Amphitheatre or anywhere along the Waterfront Promenade will not disappoint!" is what the Town promoted on our website, schedule of events, and social media channels like Twitter and Facebook. This information was also shared on Global TV, Collingwood Today, Experience Collingwood, and other news outlets. The Town understands that people who chose to watch from Sunset Point Park were disappointed in what they were able to view. Next year, the Town can try to better convey that Sunset Point Park is not one of the recommended viewing areas.
Q. With our increasing concerns about the environment/air pollution, do fireworks cause concerns for us?
A. Pyroworld, the fireworks company we have contracted the last several years, is very conscientious about their environmental impacts. They don't use plastics of any sort and all debris is 100% biodegradable. In addition, through their contract with Bruce Power, they have had water testing done before and after their shows, and the results indicated zero impact to the water.