How Would You Feel About Sharing Fireworks with Oswego?

When Oswego launched fireworks on July 4, there was quite a bit of negativity towards the display on the Oswego Patch Facebook page.

Comments ranged from “very disappointed” to “pathetic” to "I know they did the best they could but compared to past years it really did not measure up.”

Well, Oswego Village President Brian LeClercq has an idea that he thinks would make it a “phenomenal display.” Combine Oswego’s fireworks with Yorkville.

The Village paid $10,000 this year for fireworks and an additional $1,900 for police services. And as public relations coordinator Michele Brown said, for that dollar amount you get a certain number of firework shells and “once they’re gone, they’re gone.”

This year Yorkville residents had to raise their own funds for their show after the Bristol-Kendall Firemen’s Association disbanded. They inherited about $11,000 from last year’s fund, which paid for most of this year’s fireworks.

Yorkville Patch Facebook users were kinder towards their personally-funded display, calling it “good,” “Ok,” “pretty” and a few “horrible’s.”

Besides getting a better display if they two towns were to combine, LeClercq estimated the move could save both money.

“If we combined then and then contributed, say $8,000, and Yorkville contributed $8,000, we would have $16,000: enough for a bigger display and yet still save both communities some money,” said LeClercq.

He suggested that the communities could switch every year as to where the display was.

While LeClercq wasn’t sure where Oswego might host – Prairie Point Park possibly – he also hadn’t thought of where Yorkville would host, saying, “I haven’t thought this thing through that far,” but did say there was quite a bit of green space around the area.

Village police chief Dwight Baird said the combined display would not be a problem, although added caution about Prairie Point Park due to the construction that will be on Washington and Route 71 next year that would cause even more traffic complaints.

Baird noted that the Oswego Police received multiple complaints this past year about traffic flow during Fourth of July and Prairiefest and said the department has urged motorists to expect delays when leaving large events.

What do you think? Would you be open to traveling to Yorkville to see a larger display of fireworks?