Monday, July 4, 2011

Fireworks Light Up The Skies On Canada Day

We got out of the hood on Canada Day to watch the fireworks. It's been years since I have gone to the actual location of a fireworks display. I prefer the less populated fringe areas. This year we went into St. Boniface to watch the show from across the river. We parked in the EconoMart lot and walked about two blocked to the strip mall just before the Bridge. Fireworks started right on time at 11:00pm and went on for a full twenty minutes. They were great. I love watching the fireworks, seeing the different colors that can be produced along with the patterns formed in the sky. There is a real art to putting on a great fireworks show.
After it was over, we walked back to the car and went home. All through the night we could hear fireworks going off. I was not able to see any of the color associated with the tradition of Canada Day fireworks, but definitely heard the noise. I didn't really mind it though. After all, it's Canada Day. Fireworks are part of the fun of the day. If families and smaller groups wish to set the fireworks off in their own areas, who am I to say they should not. When I was a kid, living in Brooklands, I remember a family down the street had their own fireworks display. I remember watching them light the sticks, one after another, hearing the bang and watching the show. So, if others want to enjoy that same feeling, I am ok with that. Well, within reasonable hours I am ok with that.
In the North End, we have fireworks going off on a daily basis, not just on Canada Day. We are constantly hearing the loud bangs coming from near and far. Then we think, was that fireworks or a gunshot? I guess it was fireworks. Or .... Fireworks, I heard the whistle sound. I guess that's ok.
A few weeks ago I was listening to the Police scanner. It seems there were three youths around the back of Earl Grey School in Fort Rouge. Someone had called and complained that these youths were at the School causing trouble and lighting fireworks. I found it odd that the Police would consider the fireworks to be an issue worthy of Police investigation. This made me wonder why the North End hears so much of the fireworks. We hear it day in and day out. We hear it all the time. But it has become so commonplace that we just let it go.
Could you imagine if we started calling the Police every time we heard fireworks go off? And what would the Police tell us? Do you think they would sent a cruiser car out to investigate? I don't. I think fireworks are allowed in the North End. I think they are the norm in the North End. Just like everything else that is illegal or unacceptable in other parts of town.
How many issues are there in the North End that are now the norm, now acceptable, and now just part of our daily lives, that would be unacceptable in any other part of the City?
How many neighbourhoods would put up with the fireworks, illegal dumping, unkempt yards, parties to all hours of the night, dogs barking endlessly in just about every yard, feral cats roaming the neighbourhood, open liquour walking down the street, blatant drug deals, people yelling at the top of their lungs in front of their friends house to "let them in" ...... The list goes on and on.
And why are these things allowed to continue here?
These disrespecting people are allowed to continue, allowed to live here, and allowed to thrive at the expense of every other citizen of this City.
When is enough enough? That's what I want to know.

1 comment:

  1. We hear fireworks go off all the time because the people who set them off don't care if they burn their neighbour's house down. You kind of answered your own question with your blog. The yelling,the whistling, the screaming and all of the rest of the behavior that basically says that no one is as important as they are.

    We let this happen.

    Remember, they are all poor victims of the system so they get to never grow up or take responsibility for anything. We get to put up with it because we have been telling them for years how hard done by they are.

    Welcome to bleeding heart liberal hell!

    Oh, I forgot, they all live on the other side of the city.

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