Fireworks brings few happy returns
A six-minute fireworks display in Nelson on Saturday evening has prompted anger from a number of residents for an apparent lack of notification and disturbance to animals.
However, the display’s organiser says he had done everything possible to conduct it legally, including a leaflet drop of nearby homes out of courtesy.
The colourful spectacle in the night sky – part of a private party celebration at Saxton Field – was observed and heard around Stoke, Richmond and as far away as Appleby and parts of Tahunanui.
Response to the event was swift and divided, particularly on social media, with opinions both applauding and admonishing the occasion.
A Nelson City Council spokesman said they had received five complaints.
John Ivanof runs Combat Pyrotechnics, the company responsible for Saturday’s display. His displays have been seen around the region for many years, including Nelson New Year’s celebrations, Opera In The Park and the Lift Off Abel Tasman event.
Even before he pushes the button to send his pyrotechnics skyward, there’s a litany of permits and consents to organise. ‘‘I have to get a certificate of compliance prior to each display ... I have a closed airspace which I have to do through Civil Aviation, the fire service have to sign it off and the landowner – in this case the council – has to approve it.’’
However, due diligence has done nothing to prevent what he called ‘‘the biggest sh**storm’’ of his career, stemming from Saturday’s display. ‘‘The reality is there are a lot of legal requirements that must be met and that was done – the fact that people didn’t know about it doesn’t make it wrong or illegal.’’
While not a requirement to prepare for the event, Ivanof undertook a letter drop, with his email address printed on the paper, to homes within the immediate area in the days prior.
Even that presented some problems, he said. ‘‘I’ve had people contact me tearing a strip off me for putting unsolicited mail in their letter boxes – so you’re damned if you do or damned if you don’t.’’
Those expressing their disappointment have told Ivanof that the noise had either woken, startled them or scared animals – which could have been reduced by broader advance warning. However, Ivanof disagreed with those assertions.
‘‘I had someone tear a strip off me because they were walking their dog by the Appleby Bridge and went mental and took off – well, sorry but that’s not my problem from that distance – that’s total BS.
‘‘Someone else accused me of putting old people’s lives in danger at the rest home because they could have got a fright and dropped dead at any time – that doesn’t cut it with me either.
The display took place at 9.15pm, inside the timeframe noise bylaws permit such activities and earlier than the time initially requested by the guests.
Ivanof had been encouraged by the positive feedback and said he had no intention to scale back on his work.