On 27-Jul-2006, John Burns made the following comment:

It's particularly depressing when you look at what the fireworks actually cost. According to a February 1, 2005, administrative report to city council, "The budget to hold the event, exclusive of any City cost, is approximately $1.3 million dollars in cash, and an additional $.75 million in the donation of in-kind services." This doesn't include what the city ponies up - $634,400 - or a grand total of over $2M. That's a lot of hot meals for the homeless...

Maybe equally depressing is the behaviour of the crowds. Now, I'm not saying we should be finding meaning in Hurricane Katrina or anything - it was a random and devastating act of nature, nothing more - but seeing the lawless inhumanity in New Orleans was a sobering experience. From the same fireworks report to council: "The Celebration of Light is somewhat a victim of its own success, as crowd control issues and the increasing requirement for City services, particularly policing, to address them is significant [like, 85%]. Although there is a strong component of volunteers who assist with minor traffic control in both the West End and Kits Point, there are many traffic control points that require VPD Traffic Authority members to manage, and an element of hooliganism and drunkenness that requires a strong police presence, both within the boundaries of the viewing area during the fireworks, and in all areas of the downtown after the show is over."

On 28-Jul-2006, Alaric de Souza made the following comment:

Donate food? That's a grand goal, given that we can't even get people to toss their trash - did you see the heaps of it left behind. Sorry, but we have a long way to go before we can learn to have a good time, let alone try to people to contribute positively to society. Sad and angry at the sheer disregard...