The COVID-19 crisis has put a stopper in a Windsor-Essex tradition.
The Town of Tecumseh has announced that the annual Victoria Day weekend fireworks show at Green Acres Park has been cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic. Mayor Gary McNamara said the decision was based on the current directives from provincial and local health officials.
"Over the last month we have had to significantly scale back the community events scheduled in an ongoing effort to reduce exposure to COVID-19," said McNamara in a media release. "As a result of the ongoing pandemic and physical distancing orders from the health unit and provincial authorities, we have worked with our partners at St. Clair Beach to cancel the annual fireworks show."
The show is put on annually by the St. Clair Beach Optimist Club, whose president, Richard Zarour, said the well-being of the community came first.
"The members of the Optimist Club are proud to serve the community through the various events and fundraisers we coordinate throughout the year," said Zarour. "We are a community organization that promotes an active interest in good government and civic affairs and as such, we need to do our part during this health crisis."
The decision to cancel the show was made separately from recent public consultation, which had taken place to improve safety measures at the fireworks. The display got a black eye last year on reports of at least one youth being beaten and robbed, and large crowds of young people gathering at a nearby restaurant, so many that the business had to close for safety reasons.
The town and Optimist Club said they will work to set a rescheduled date for the show once social-distancing guidelines are lifted. Tecumseh also offers a fireworks display on Labour Day weekend at Lakewood Park.