The Observation Deck

Betsy and all - My "worst thing" comment was only made under the assumed condition that the vendor would "make good" via a full or partial reimbursement. If reimbursement doesn't happen, then it might possibly, perhaps, maybe, perchance, conceivably be the "worst thing."

I have faith that the two parties will work it out. (Gotta believe that the pyrotechics firm has insurance for such instances!!)

Happy Fifth of July

I don't normally do this ... but I just have to share this from "John" who posted on "another hyper-local news source" (hope this kosher and not in violation of any TOU .. if so, delete it and I apologize, but it's just too precious):

"This is a joke. they gather thousands of people to watch these fireworks but they knew from the beginning that the show wasnt going to start. Ive heard that lakewood didnt want to give money for the fireworks show because they didnt have much to spend so im sure they made it look like it was a malfunction just so it looks like its not their fault.
Thats why there not going to reschedule the show because they never had any fireworks to start from.
It pisses me off and im sure it pisses everyone off aswell.

"Dont believe what they say because its not true.
They ruined our fourth of july and they know it.
while i couldve went for my vaction down to florida and watch their fireworks i stayed here in lakewood because they always had good fireworks just not last night.
Its a real disappointment but you cant do anything about it."

REALLY!?!?!?!?

From an outsider's perspective, the damage is done. If I came to Lakewood to see the fireworks on the fourth I am most likely unhappy and not coming back. Which leaves me, as a resident, to ask what the benefit is to having the fireworks on some other day. My preference would be that they gather up what they can financially from insurance or the letter of the agreement from the pyrotechnics company and let it go. I completely agree that we need full resolution on it, we should not just shrug and walk away.

BTW, our family did ride our bikes to the Park and wait for 45 minutes before giving up, so we are a family of fireworks enthusiasts.

All

I just had a splendid lunch with Mayor Michael P. Summers at Barroco.

It looks highly unlikely that the fireworks will be rescheduled this year. One of the things he mentioned was
$48,000 in hard cost to put them on. $28,000 for the actual fireworks themselves. To paraphrase
"We looked at the schedule, and do not see another opening that makes sense. And with our budget so tight
still looking at a possible $1 million+ deficit it just does not make good sense."

The rest of the lunch was more personal, so that is about all to report from it.

It makes no sense to do it tonight, from there the discussion is more open.

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_________________
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama

Does anyone know ... was/is there any corporate sponsor/underwritter of the fireworks? Did I hear/read something about UAkron sponsoring this year?

Peter

University of Akron sponsored the fireworks last year.

This year's show was sponsored by us, the tax payers of Lakewood.


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_________________
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama

They could do it on Saturday or Sunday night. Shakespeare will be over by 8:45pm!

Thanks, Jim. (but not me, I'm just a renter! )

btw ... have I wished everyone a Happy Fifth of July, already?

Peter

But you are a tax-payer.

Has nothing to do with owners versus renters.


Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh!


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_________________
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama

I know that and you know that ... but I'm constantly amazed at the growing perception that we renters are just here to trash your homes, raise Cain on your streets, send our paychecks back to the motherland so more of us can "come over" and generally suck the life out of the rest of you!

I know, I know.

I rented from the age of 18-35, then bought.

I would hope we all look on renters as people that might buy, and if not, at least they enjoy and add to
the community.

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_________________
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama

In another 24 hours everyone will have forgotten. Fireworks are for the 4th and it didn't work out. We will do it next year and the maybe the fireworks company will buy everyone in Lakewood some ice cream.
Save the $ and hire another cop or pay off the library or something else constructive.

I don't know, John, the kids on my street have been asking about it all day. "When are they going to be?" They aren't forgetting, it's one of the highlights of their summer. I will have to track down fireworks in Fairview Park (I think they have some kind of festival) or somewhere so they get to have the experience if we can't provide one here in our city.

I'd actually like to have the money for fireworks. A scaled-down version would be fine. One that was just for Lakewood, without the tremendous amount of traffic from everywhere else. I agree with Brian that they could do it after the amazing Shakespeare in the Park that is happening at Lakewood Park this weekend. Everyone is still paying attention. Everyone is wondering if the situation will be fixed. Everyone is hoping there will be fireworks this weekend.

I grew up in Cleveland and EVERY time fireworks were rained out or something was wrong, they were re-scheduled. Sometimes the re-scheduled ones were more memorable than the ones for the Fourth. I think we are capable of doing something like that in Lakewood. On a smaller scale we would need less for police and clean-up.

We have fireworks stories from Lakewood going back to my son's first year. (And pictures.)

Betsy Voinovich

p.s. If the cop you are suggesting was going to make it possible to re-open Madison and Kauffman Parks, which would provide such relief in this incredibly hot weather if we were allowed to walk in them after dark-- I guess I would reconsider. Laying on the grass and looking at the stars is also great, and when schools out and it's too hot to sleep, that experience might be more worthwhile than one night of fireworks.

Betsy

The number for the event, event the $12,000 for labor etc, seemed pretty tough to swallow.
Especially as LOBC was told money is tight for courts. It would be so much of a plus if the
money from the works, the $28,000 went to buy lasting equipment like Hoops for the kids
and residents of Lakewood. That would turn this whole debacle into something positive.

However, the cost of $14,000 or so could be diminished by having it with another event.
What about fireworks at the Lakewood Park Winter Fest? Ahhhhhhhhhhhh skating to
fireworks under the christmas lights! Or, I like Brian's idea of with Shakespeare,
it would bring a whole crew in for that and that would be a good thing.

I believe Mike has some other things he is trying to concentrate on at City Hall, and I know
it is about to get interesting down there. While Mike was smiling and laughing through
lunch, and much of the talk was of the best Ham Sandwich in town at Barroco, instead of
the damn crooked signs, driveways, human rights, and world peace.Well we did touch
on some interesting parts of conversations, but at last, I am not a reporter, merely an Observer.

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_________________
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama

People, let this be a lesson. Don't send your kids to that school up north...meeechigan

_________________
I was going to sue her for defamation of character but then I realized I had no character – Charles Barkley