Could there be a little less kaboom in city skies?
Councillors will consider a motion Monday night to amend the regulatory bylaw to shorten the number of days fireworks can be set off in Barrie near holidays.
Instead of five days before a holiday, pyrotechnics would only be allowed the actual day of Victoria Day, Canada Day, New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year and Diwali, unless authorized to do so.
“I am hearing five days is too many. Individuals are having a hard time managing through almost a week of permitted fireworks, in addition to experiencing ongoing fireworks in neighbourhoods well after what is permitted in the bylaw,” said Coun. Ann-Marie Kungl, whose motion is an item for discussion Monday.
“Issues include fireworks being set off in the middle of the day for no visual benefit and through the later hours,” she added. “Complaints have come in from individuals with infants, those that are shift workers, those with pets that have experienced significant anxiety due to the noise, and photos of dead birds and animals after fireworks have been let off that is felt to have been because of disorientation and shock.”
The Ward 3 councillor says residents have been calling and emailing her to ask what can be done to change the number of days and time of day fireworks are permitted near holidays. Concerns also include safety, noise, pet and wildlife wellbeing and consideration for the impact on neighbours.
“Many questions were also raised about ability to enforce the bylaw as I witnessed and received reports of fireworks going off a week after the Victoria Day holiday,” Kungl said.
She would also like to add a timeframe, if it is allowable, which may be different on New Year’s Eve.
Kungl said she has also been in touch with Barrie Fire and Emergency Service.
“They do not get many service calls related to the use of fireworks that are associated to safety or an emergency situation,” she said. “I am aware through our city (bylaw) enforcement services team that complaints would typically be related to noise created by persons setting off fireworks.”
The regulatory bylaw states that no person shall discharge or set off any fireworks of any kind or description within the city, save and except during a period of five calendar days prior to and the Victoria Day holiday, and five calendar days prior to and the Canada Day holiday, and five calendar days prior to New Year’s Day, and five days prior to the day of Chinese New Year unless authorized to do so.
Kungl’s motion is that the appropriate sections of the bylaw be changed to replace the provision of allowing the setting off any fireworks period from five calendar days prior to only the duration or day of Victoria Day, Canada Day, New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year and Diwali, unless authorized to do so.
Diwali is the five-day Festival of Lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world, usually sometime between October and November.
