Thursday, June 26, 2008
It will be a change of scenery for the annual Fourth of July fireworks display in Lawrence this year.
Because of safety concerns about the Kansas River, organizers of the annual show have moved the display from Burcham Park to Sesquicentennial Point at Clinton Lake.
“We have outgrown the park,” said Gary Saathoff, president of Lawrence Jaycees, who sponsored the event. “We had concerns with people on the levee, on the bridge and people falling in the river.”
The issue about street safety was also a concern. Saathoff said that in the last couple of years, cars were blocking intersections of downtown streets, restricting traffic.
People who decide to travel out to Clinton Lake will be faced with seating issues. More than 5,000 people in the past years have gathered on or around the Second Street Bridge to view the show downtown.
This year, people are invited to park in a mowed field below Sesquicentennial Point north of the Clinton Dam. However, only about 2,000 cars will fit in the lot.
Saathoff said the lot was about twice the size of Wal-Mart’s parking lot. He suggested people carpool to accommodate those who wanted to watch the display in the park.
“Bring a car-load of people,” Saathoff said. “This way people can either watch in their cars, or out on the field.”
Although the fireworks show is moving farther out from downtown, some students think it will be beneficial to the city.
“I think there will actually be more room in Clinton Park,” said Caryn Dyer, Raymore, Mo., graduate student. “Parking is just really hard downtown. It will keep people out of the streets.”
Saathoff said they had never had a major accident but he wasn’t going to wait for one to happen to cause the change.
“We are preventing an accident before it happens,” Saathoff said. “No one needs to get hurt.”
— Edited by Mandy Earles
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