Fireworks planned during Waynesburg’s Rain Day
WAYNESBURG – There will be fireworks for the first time this year at Waynesburg’s Rain Day celebration, though a short test of the fireworks display in May drew complaints from some north side residents who said they had not been notified in advance.
Waynesburg council discussed the matter Monday after receiving a letter from one north side resident opposed to setting off fireworks from the site used during the May test at the water authority’s reservoir property above Sixth Avenue.
Councilman Brian Tanner said most residents he has spoken with are in favor of the fireworks, though he knew of about eight people who were not happy they would be shot from the water authority site.
“Everything I’ve seen has been positive about setting off fireworks,” he said.
One reason people were upset, Tanner said, is they had not been notified in advance of the May 9 test.
“We’ve apologized for that,” Tanner said. To provide advance notice of the fireworks July 29, he said, letters will be sent to all residents on streets in the upper north side.
Tanner said he attended a meeting Monday of the Special Events Commission, which organizes Rain Day festivities, and issues regarding safety and other matters were addressed.
“We’ve done everything we can possibly do. I see no negatives to this,” he said.
The company that will set off the fireworks, Star Fire Corp. of Carrolltown, was in charge of fireworks for Pittsburgh’s recent July 4 celebration.
The company has insurance and must comply with all relevant safety regulations. A Waynesburg fire company brush truck also will be at the water authority site as a precaution, assistant borough manager Bryan Cumberledge said later.
Councilwoman Lynne Snyder, a member of the Special Events Commission, said the water reservoir property was chosen as the site to shoot off fireworks because it allows an “optimum view” of the fireworks from downtown.
“You can see them from all over,” she said.
The idea of having the fireworks visible from downtown is to keep people at the festival and not require them to go to another area to watch fireworks, Snyder said.
Spotters had been was posted during the May 9 test to insure they can be seen throughout the borough. Star Fire will make an adjustment to shoot the fireworks in a more northerly direction to keep them away from residential areas, she said.
Notification of the May 9 test had only been given on the day of the test through an announcement on WANB radio and Facebook.
Snyder explained that though the commission had arranged a tentative date for the test with Star Fire, the company only received the required paperwork the day of the test.
Council had granted the Special Events Commission approval to shoot off the fireworks in February. During Rain Day, the fireworks are schedule to be set off at 9:45 p.m. The display is to last about 20 minutes.