[kevinbottawa]

Tree spat threatens plans to move fireworks festival to Museum of History

By Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen April 9, 2014 12:52 PM

OTTAWA — Four trees along the Ottawa River could potentially derail plans to shift the annual Sound of Light fireworks festival from the Casino du Lac-Leamy to the Canadian Museum of History grounds this summer.

Organizers announced the plan to relocate the 19-year-old fireworks event in February and have gathered more than $1 million in financial support to facilitate the move.

The plan calls for fireworks displays to be presented over five nights in August from a barge in the Ottawa River.

Though spectators would be able to watch the display from various sites along the river, festival organizers plan to earn revenue by providing VIP seating for up to 15,000 people on the grounds of the museum.

For the plan to work, four trees planted to commemorate the opening of the museum that block spectator sight lines will have to be removed.

That’s a problem, some National Capital Commission directors said at a board meeting Wednesday.

Removing those trees “isn’t going to fly,” board member Eric MacKenzie told Sound of Light organizers. “Forget that part.”

But Claude Hamelin, chair of the fireworks festival, said if the trees aren’t removed, only about 2,000 people would have unobstructed views from the museum grounds.

Removing the trees, Hamelin said, is “a matter of life and death. If not, no more fireworks. We’re going home.”

NCC staff will work with Hamelin’s group and report back to the board at its next meeting in June.

NCC chief executive Mark Kristmanson said he was optimistic that an acceptable solution can be found.

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