By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
People planning to attend Thursday’s early-Fourth fireworks celebration in Decatur are going to have to deal with more than heat and city police are urging everyone to exercise caution.
The landscape for the annual event is vastly different than in the past due to the closing of E. Monroe St. at the Wendell Macklin Bridge.
This will necessitate Jackson St. remaining open to traffic throughout the celebration; in the past it has been closed.
“Parents, please keep a close eye on your children, and explain to them Jackson St will not be closed like it normally is,” the police department said in a statement posted Tuesday on Facebook. “If driving through this area we ask you slow to 20 mph and use great caution, keeping an extra eye out for pedestrian traffic.”
Due to restrictions from the company conducting the fireworks display, the grass field behind Riverside Center must have a distance of 500 feet between the launch site and any person or vehicle,” police explained.
“With this restriction the grass field will be getting used for limited, first-come, first-serve self-parking,” the statement said. “Once you are parked in the field, you will not be able to leave until the conclusion of the fireworks show at the end of the evening. We ask you enter this area via the lane along the river as indicated by the red car on the map.”
For those who choose to park in the grass field there will be a singular, dedicated pedestrian crossing area as (indicated by the red stick figure on the map) that will lead the foot traffic directly to the Riverside Center and into the area of the concert, food vendors, and bathrooms.
The police department will have an officer stationed in this area to help aid the pedestrians crossing.
“We are asking that spectators use the Riverside Center parking lot as the viewing area for the fireworks so that everything you need will be on one side of the street to help eliminate crossing back and forth,” police said.
Whereas in the past people sat on the sidewalk along Jackson St., that will not be allowed this year as the space must remain open for foot traffic.
“We also do not want to see any feet or legs inadvertently hit by passing motorists,” the department’s statement said. “If you ride a bicycle, scooter, skateboard, etc. to this event we ask you walk these devices through the crowded areas to help avoid accidents.”
Those planning to attend are urged to leave their dogs at home. “Fireworks, loud music, crowds, and dogs are never a good combination,” police noted.
The Riverside Center parking lot will be completely closed by 3 p.m. on Thursday.
Any vehicles left on the paved parking lot may be towed at the owner’s expense, the department’s statement said.
“We have been told there is no ground show this year, so the entire firework show will be aerial and visible from all over the city, well above the tree line if you wish to find a different viewing area,” the police said.
START AT 6: The Decatur Chamber’s usual Thursday night concert is shifting to Riverside Center on Thursday.
There will be music, recognition of veterans and fireworks.
Proud Mary CCR will perform from 6 to 9:30 p.m., featuring the music of Creedance Clearwater Revival.
At 9:30, local resident Jaleena Hill will sing the National Anthem, then the American Legion Color Guard will honor active and fallen veterans with a ceremony.
At around 10, Pyrotecnico Fireworks Inc. will begin the fireworks display.
Food and beverages will be available and adult beverages will be on sale in The Oasis Pub’s beer tent.
There will be no admission charge.
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