FIREWORKS: FEES IN, FINES UP
Several fights broke out among teenagers gathered at Broad and West Front streets at the 2010 fireworks. (Click to enlarge)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
A waterfront view of this year’s Kaboom fireworks is going to cost you. So will acting out of line.
Following the recommendations of the provisional Kaboom! Task Force, the borough council intends to charge for seating at borough-owned waterfront property the library, Riverside Gardens Park and Marine Park.
The fee, which hasn’t been established, would help the fireworks committee raise money for the $250,000 display and cover the borough’s expenses for police enforcement and cleanup efforts, Administrator Stanley Sickels said.
In an effort to curtail the number of alcohol-related incidents and “shenanigans,” Red Bank will also bring in more cops and increase fines for offenses including disorderly conduct, urinating in public and having an open container of alcohol, said Councilman Michael DuPont.
The end goal is crowd control, Sickels said.
By charging for premium views and tightening security, Sickels said the fireworks show can be restored to the family-oriented event it’s known for.
“We want to make sure it will continue that way, so we need to rope in some of the craziness that dominated last year,” Sickels said. “A lot of people really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the actions of a few tainted the impression of many.”
Last year’s fireworks were marred by pockets of violence and a string of alcohol-related incidents. By charging for waterfront spots, the borough will be able to hire additional help from police. It will also cover the $60,000 need for regular police and public works services, which the council removed from last year’s budget.
“We’re looking to make the borough whole,” he said.
The council will work with the KaBoom! and Special Events committees to iron out the details of the changes ahead, Sickels said. He anticipates the council to formally adopt any changes in about two months.
Jan 25, 2011 @ 07:40:46
this really upsets me. when did this get so out of control? this once was a really nice fireworks display. i think last year was really over the top and unnecessary. all the vendors on front street, the empty lot with all the carnival rides, all the special events a few days before……all for what? to raise money? we did all that and still need more money. and it added nothing but problems. i understand the firworks cost money and that has to come from somewhere, but the greed for more has turned this into a zoo. i feel bad because it will never be like i remember as a kid and my kids will never experience that.
Jan 25, 2011 @ 08:37:17
I mentioned to change it to July 4th that way we are nott he only game in town and all the troubled kids who are ONLY coming into our town are spread out through the jersey shore. It was me who thought up of bring in the “patty wagon” and showing we mean business this year. You act up you will be fined heavely. WHY not fine them for acting a foul. That way the message will be clear we are done with this crap and we are taking our event back. Also I dont think you will ever see a three day event it was a total flop. Curb tail the venodrs all over the streets and allow some of us business to make a little money that night. we are the one struggling to hold on to the downtown all year through these times.
If you put it on the fourth it allows any business who want to open open for the extra day. and all the offices are not flooding out of town and fight this traffic jam as well. Plenty of good reason why we USED to do it on the 3rd but now w e need to rethink why not do it on the 4th and cut back all the excess this event has brought our town. This will make it a Red bank event.
Jan 25, 2011 @ 08:54:33
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree. The RB fireworks are on the third. That is it, and that is the way it must remain. Some traditions are sacrosanct, and the RB fireworks on July 3rd is one of them. Eliminate all the extra hoopla (carnival rides, Q104.3, etc.) and get back to what it once was, a great firworks show.
Jan 25, 2011 @ 09:01:28
You know, I’ve known Brett a long time (since hs) & I probably never have agreed with him ever, until now. 🙂 JK Brett.
Jan 25, 2011 @ 09:58:02
Strip it down to just fireworks and you will still have the same problems. Find solutions I was merely pointing out how to curb this event. Why does the date matter? It wasn’t always on the third!
Jan 25, 2011 @ 09:59:55
I lived in Red Bank for 30 years and enjoyed the fireworks over so many of the early and middle years. During recent years it’s become a bedlam of noise, crowds and fights like what’s shown in the photo above.
Does Red Bank really think I’m going to pay to be part of that bedlam? No thanks! I bet other people feel the same way.
I’ve been enjoying dynamite shows from a riverside seat minus the crowds, fights and noise at the fireworks put on in my home town. I’m going to continue to go to that show.
Jan 25, 2011 @ 10:11:56
I agree with you George! I never thought of changing the date to the real holiday, on the 4th. That would really thin out the crowd and spread the crowd around the county.
Jan 25, 2011 @ 10:52:14
This will force all the people who don’t want to pay over the river to Middletown, where they’ll clog our streets and neighborhoods and cause even more crowds then they usually do, which are significant. Believe me, it’s a huge inconvenience living anywhere near the river on that day. I think they should either scale back on the fireworks, have them every other year or, my personal choice: GET RID OF THEM!
Jan 25, 2011 @ 14:19:01
George, when were the fireworks held on a date other than the thrid for any reason other than weather? None that I can remember, and I know this because it is my birthday and I make it a point to view them every year. I may be wrong, but I’d be surprised.
Thanks Jenn!
Jan 26, 2011 @ 11:04:41
I don’t know if it’s an urban legend or not, but I was told the reason it was done originally on the 3rd was because the Grucci Brothers did the show… and they were a little bit busy on the 4th with that other little show put on by some big department store in NYC. Well, that changed a few years ago when Garden State Fireworks got the contract, so why not have it on the 4th?
To me, the argument that “it’s always been on the 3rd” is close-minded. If “because we’ve always done it that way” were a justification not changing things, well, then why did we abolish slavery, give women the right to vote, change over to digital TV, for God’s sake? Yeah, here’s something to fight for: I always had an analog tube and I want my analog tube and let’s fight to keep our analog tubes! Woo-hoo!
If we’re going to use tradition as an argument, then I’d have to say that Fourth of July Fireworks are traditionally done on, um, the Fourth of July.
Jan 26, 2011 @ 18:50:40
Poor analogy. Comparing the traditional day of a fireworks event to civil rights and technological advancement doesn’t really work. To me changing the day of the fireworks is like moving Thanksgiving, but if you don’t give a rats behind about it then we’ll just have to disagree.