Is it time to ban fireworks in residential areas?
Posted Jul 2, 2019 08:00:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
You likely heard some going off in your neighbourhood well after 10 p.m. on Canada Day.
And it was a question that was asked on Kitchener Today with Brian Bourke on 570 NEWS on Tuesday afternoon – Is it time to ban fireworks in residential areas?
But the noise generated from the fireworks doesn't seem to be a major nuisance, at least not in Waterloo.
The director of municipal enforcement services for the city said they do receive those type of calls once in a while, but residents are usually more concerned with the safety aspect.
“People recognize on these holidays, there has to be an avenue for celebration. But what we find is, we get calls … asking our (bylaw) officers just to check out and make sure it's safe because, quite honestly in a residential neighbourhood, you hear fireworks going off and you're thinking it's right next door. It's more the safety issue than anything else.” said Shayne Turner.
Waterloo's bylaw only allows fireworks to be set off on four days throughout the year – Victoria Day, Canada Day, Chinese New Year and Diwali.
There's also some wiggle room if the weather doesn't cooperate on one of those holidays.
As well, there is no time restriction as to when the fireworks have to be set off by.
“However, if it gets too late into the night, we typically seem them between 10 and 11 (p.m.), that's probably the time frame that is most common. If it was set off, significantly later at night, or in the wee hours of the morning, we could apply our noise bylaw … for creating a disturbance in the neighbourhood.” added Turner.
It's possible more people will be letting off fireworks at home in Waterloo on Canada Day in 2020.
On Monday evening, the University of Waterloo hosted its last such bash, which included a massive fireworks display.
