Following a lengthy public discussion attended by scores of people, a city committee has asked staff to draft a bylaw allowing consumer (backyard) fireworks on certain days in London.
The vote by the community and protective services committee came after nearly three hours of residents speaking out on the issue. Three overflow rooms were used to accommodate the large number of residents that arrived at city hall.
The public meeting and subsequent committee debate concentrated on a staff report asking for guidance on creating a bylaw concerning the future of backyard pyrotechnics in London.
Staff gave the committee and council two options from which to pick.
Fireworks In Backyards In London, Ontario, Approved By City Committee
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Option A:
Option Backyard fireworks should be permitted only on Victoria Day, Canada Day, and Diwali. Fireworks would be permitted to be discharged on the day preceding Canada Day, as they are already permitted.
Option A would also reduce the number of days permitted for the sale of pyrotechnics in London from seven to five and increase the present fines for violating the fireworks bylaw.
Option B:
Option B would prohibit the use of backyard fireworks in the city and only allow the use of authorized fireworks. Option B would also prohibit the sale of backyard fireworks and raise existing penalties.
Approximately 15 licenses are typically issued yearly, permitting commercial fireworks displays such as Canada Day and New Year’s Eve.
An online survey of Londoners asked to choose between two options offered by staff yielded 52.2 percent in favour of option A and 47.8 percent in favour of option B. There were 1,635 replies to the poll.
Those who spoke during the public meeting segment, like those who took the online survey, were divided on the subject. Most speakers who supported Option A had experience owning or working for a fireworks company, or they were visible members of the South Asian community who celebrated Diwali.
Fireworks, according to Paresh Soni, executive director of the Hindu Legacy group in London, are an “integral” component of Diwali, a major religious holiday celebrating the “victory of light over darkness.”
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“Diwali is an 800-year-old tradition, so fireworks are in our DNA,” Soni said, adding that most Diwali firework displays employ sparklers and fountain fireworks and run between 15 and 20 minutes.
While many people favoured pyrotechnics, nearly as many were against them, Deanna Ronson, one of the organizers of Londoners for Quiet Fireworks, believes fireworks should be outright prohibited.
“Fireworks create unnecessary pollution and glasshouse gases, they increase the risk of fire, and they have negative impacts on wildlife and pets,” Ronson wrote in a letter to the committee.
Others who spoke out against fireworks noted the effects on those suffering from PTSD and anxiety and the noise and light pollution at times when many people sleep.
While a divisive issue profoundly divided London, those speaking for one side supported or sympathized with those arguing for the other.
A few speakers in favour of the ban on fireworks who acknowledge Diwali may be granted an exemption, and those in favour of option A expressed a want for more enforcement of people who do not respect bylaws, as well as a desire to speak with those suffering from PTSD and pet owners.
Coun. David Ferreria attempted to move Option B after the public meeting part.
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“It’s about the dangers and public safety for me,” Ferreira explained. “These are essentially explosives, and they can be used inappropriately.”
No other committee member, however, was willing to second Ferreria’s motion. Corrine Rahman, on the other hand, moved to Option A.
The committee voted 4-1 in support, with Rahman, Peloza, Pribil, and Mayor Josh Morgan voting yes and Ferreria voting nay. Susan Stevenson was absent.
Peloza’s amendment, which was approved, asked staff to provide information on different business licensing bylaw problems about fireworks, such as mandatory notification to shops and clients and compliance procedures.
The committee’s recommendation still requires full council approval. The next council meeting is on August 29. According to municipal staff, if the council approves the committee recommendation, a draught bylaw might be ready by the end of the year.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn