Fireworks Show Canceled By Plymouth Township

PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, MI — In Plymouth Township, the fireworks show will not go on. Citing financial and safety concerns, township trustees voted to cancel the show, which had been held in McClumpha Park for more than a decade.

“This event had gotten to the point where it was becoming a regional event,” said Plymouth Township Supervisor Kurt Heise. “The park isn’t configured for this type event.”

Because of large crowds in recent years, parking was a problem, Heise added. He said people were parking in neighborhoods adjacent to the park and, in some cases, leaving trash. Even more daunting, Heise said police and fire vehicles couldn’t get into the park because of the large crowds.

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Cost is another issue. The supervisor said he understands how popular the show was, but the township needs to focus on getting its financial house in order and prioritizing needs over wants. Last year, Heise said, the fireworks show cost approximately $42,000 to put on — not an expense that could be afford this year.

“Everybody loves fireworks,” Heise said. “It would be great to bring it back on a smaller scale.”

He noted that the city of Plymouth and Northville Township also do not have fireworks. Heise said he’d like to pursue a possible combined event in the Five Mile Road and Beck Road area. The idea would be for private citizens or a non-profit organization to raise funds to put a show on.

Plymouth Township is not the lone Metro Detroit community to cancel long-running fireworks shows. The city of Birmingham recently announced it had nixed its show after some three decades.

Even without Plymouth Township and Birmingham, many municipalities still have shows. Patch has put together a guide for readers to find great fireworks shows over the next few weeks. Find the Patch 2017 Fireworks Guide here.

File photos