By Charles Owens
For Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Bluefield — With the big America 250 celebration at Lotito Park now less than two weeks away, city officials are taking steps to temporally loosen restrictions on fireworks.
The Bluefield Board of Directors voted 3-0 Tuesday to adopt a resolution honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The same resolution read by Vice Mayor Peter Taylor also said the city desired to provide additional opportunities for citizens to enjoy America’s 250th birthday while maintaining a spirit of community pride and patriotism.
As a result, the resolution read by Taylor said the city board finds it appropriate to temporarily suspend enforcement of a section of city code regulating fireworks in recognition of the America 250 celebration.
According to the proclamation, the board finds it appropriate during the nation’s semi quincentennial celebration to suspend Chapter 24, Section 24-33A of city code every Saturday and Sunday during the month of July, beginning at 9 p.m. on Saturday and continuing until 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.
“It’s the 250th and a lot of folks, for whatever reason, can’t get all their family together on the Fourth of July, so we wanted to give them the month to try to do something nice and also celebrate this great country,” — Bluefield City Manager Cecil Marson.
City manager Cecil Marson clarified after the meeting to the Daily Telegraph that the section of code mentioned in the resolution deals with fireworks.
“By ordinance of the city only the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve can you shoot fireworks,” Marson said. “We’ve had a lot of requests come up in the last couple of months in the spirit of 250th (asking) if they could open that up for the month of July. So that was what the proclamation is about.”
Marson said the proclamation basically establishes a limited window where fireworks can be discharged in July.
“It’s the 250th and a lot of folks, for whatever reason, can’t get all their family together on the Fourth of July, so we wanted to give them the month to try to do something nice and also celebrate this great country,” Marson said.
The proclamation celebrating the nation’s 250th, and temporarily loosening city code as it relates to fireworks, passed 3-0 with Mayor Ron Martin and board member Matt Knowles absent.
Bluefield, in cooperation with the neighboring town of Bluefield, Va., is planning a America 250 celebration at Lotito Park on Saturday, July 4. The event will feature vendors, live music, a petting zoo, a parade, bounce houses, craft vendors, a dunk booth, food trucks and more.
“There’s tons of vendors, bounce houses and a parade for all the kids,” Marson said. “It’s just going to be a great day down at the park, and a really great time to celebrate our 250th. I can’t think of a better way to spend your 250th with everybody together. So it will be a great day, and it all kind of ends up with a nice baseball game at night.”
The city’s splash pad also is still tentatively scheduled to reopen for the America 250 celebration with several new additions.
Work has been ongoing on those additions, which will include new awnings, new shade structures, an expanded turf and a new concrete addition as well as a concession area.
Marson said the new concession area for the splash pad is expected to arrive at city park next week.
Other pre-Fourth of July events also are planned, including the Field of Honor event that will open on Wednesday, July 1, on the lower field area of Bluefield University that will feature more than 300 American flags, along with a fireworks show at the conclusion of the Ridge Runner baseball game at Bowen Field on July 2.
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