Following a serious incident at a fireworks show last spring, the Town of Tecumseh is seeking feedback on a plan to ensure the episode isn't repeated.
A public consultation session was held at Tecumseh Arena Wednesday night, organized in a partnership with the town, the Optimist Club of St. Clair Beach, and the Tecumseh Community Policing Committee. Representatives from the town administration and Ontario Provincial Police were on hand to discuss the plan with residents and hear input.
The Optimist Club is in charge of the annual Victoria Day weekend fireworks display. It also hosts the popular Taste of Tecumseh food festival, the Family Fun Fair at McAuliffe Park, and other events.
"Unfortunately at last year's fireworks event there were some incidents involving unwelcome behaviour," said Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara in a media release announcing the open house. "We are working with the Optimist Club to address these issues together to ensure that community events such as this can proceed into the future."
Similar to a session last month gathering input for the future of the Tecumseh Corn Festival, residents were asked to write ideas on post-it notes
On May 20, 2019, the most recent fireworks show took place at Green Acres Park and was attended by thousands of people. According to the OPP, several incidents involving unsupervised youth took place away from the park and after the fireworks.
A teenager reported that he was assaulted and had his cell phone stolen, said the OPP. Soon after, a large crowd of young people converged on a nearby fast food restaurant, so many that the restaurant had to be shut down for safety reasons.
A 17-year-old was charged with robbery after the incident. The suspect can not be named under the Ontario Youth Criminal Justice Act.
To ensure the next show takes place without problems, the plan is to have additional OPP officers present, along with volunteers from the Optimist Club, Crime Stoppers, and the community policing group. The volunteers will wear safety vests for visibility and be equipped with radio communication devices.
Once the show is over, the OPP and volunteers will then mobilize to ensure the area is cleared as soon as possible and discourage loitering.
The 2020 fireworks are scheduled for Saturday, May 16.
The safety plan for the 2020 Victoria Day weekend fireworks is on display at Tecumseh Arena, March 4, 2020. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.