Plans to light up the night over this year’s Jubilee Festival may be snuffed out if the Lake Orion Lions Club can’t meet strict safety requirements set by township officials.
The Lions are requesting to use township property at Civic Center Park as a launch area for a fireworks display during the club’s annual festival, scheduled to take place June 24-27 at Canterbury Village. The fireworks are tentatively scheduled for dusk on June 26.
While the township’s facility use policy prohibits such activity on any township property, the Lion’s Club is requesting a waiver of the policy.
The festival is relocating to Canterbury due to a large streetscape project planned downtown Lake Orion this summer.
Lions first vice president Joe Hildebrand said the club made a request to use state land located to the east of Canterbury before approaching the township.
?(The state) will not allow us to use their property,? Hildebrand said, noting he hoped the move to Canterbury would be permanent. ‘They have farming going on and also the tall brush in that area is a major fire hazard.?
But Orion officials had similar concerns about allowing Wolverine Fireworks Display Inc., based north of Saginaw in Kawkawlin, to launch the 30-minute pyrotechnics display from township property.
In a written response to the request, Chief Jeff Key of the Orion Township Fire Department said problems exist for all proposed launch sites since the display will require a safety zone of at least 420 feet in which no buildings, spectators, or other potential safety hazards can be located. Security must also be provided to ensure no unauthorized persons enter the safety or fallout zones during the display, Key said.
Additionally, any launch area must also be located so the fallout area’where embers and ash may fall’is well away from the state land to the east in order to help prevent a wildland fire ‘that would be very difficult to control.?
Community Programs Director Lisa Sokol echoed Key’s concerns and also said she was worried about the necessary staffing levels and the timing for baseball tournaments scheduled during that weekend.
According to the proposal, four to six ball fields could be affected by fallout, making clean-up an issue.
Township attorney Dan Kelly said he had significant concerns that proposed insurance levels were insufficient.
Chief Key agreed to meet with Lions Club members in an attempt to work out an agreement. The issue comes back to the board in two weeks.
Meanwhile, fireworks planned for the Fourth of July weekend are scheduled to proceed as usual.
‘I’ve confirmed that with (Carl) Cyrowski of the Fireworks Association,? said Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh
– Megan Collier contributed to this report