BIG JULY 4TH CHANGES COMING: LESS STOLEN FIREWORKS VIEWING, MORE MEMORIAL PARK

If you are among those who like to avoid paying for the annual July 4th fireworks each year at Memorial Park, and essentially steal a look for nothing, it will be harder than usual this year.

Mayor Vic Deluca on Tuesday announced that all of Memorial Park will be designated a paid fireworks viewing area this year requiring anyone who wishes to watch within the park to pay the $10 fee.

"The cost keeps going up and there's a lot of people who are getting to see the fireworks (for free) and they are hoping to recoup some additional dollars," Deluca said at Tuesday's Township Committee meeting. "In the evening there will be a paid fireworks viewing area on the north side also so the entire park will now be a paid viewing area."

This is a change from prior years when just half the park was fenced off for paid viewing.

Other changes will centralize all activities during the day to Memorial Park, with no more us of Town Hall or the Woodland.

"They will have a large activity tent that will be in the south field," the mayor said. "They will have food vendors there, they'll have amusement games. I believe there will be a car show in there, the whole activities will be there."

He said the circus would continue, but there will be no softball game. There will be an ice cream eating contest and races as in the past, as well as the baseball backstop artwork.

But no one will be able to enter the park after the morning activities without a paid wristband, which will replace the paper tickets. Only the playground, tennis courts and basketball courts on the north end will be open all day at no charge.

"It is a major change," Deluca conceded. "They are trying some new things this year."

One of the reasons for the tighter restrictions is the cost of the fireworks and related expenses and the practice of some residents watching without paying. The fireworks, which run about $15,000, are not subsidized by the Township and funded only through tickets and other donations.

TC members India Larrier and Nancy Adams were concerned about the new restrictions.

"It forces everyone who comes and doesn't pay into the residential area," Larrier said. "And I can see that being difficult."

Adams added, "my concern is the whole day. It seems kind of difficult for me to absorb or be in favor of closing off our entire public park on the Fourth of July."

Deluca said the changes were the result of a planning meeting last week with department heads, police, public works, fire and July 4th Committee organizers. "They are trying to think differently," the mayor said.

Maplewood is one of the few towns in the area that still holds fireworks, drawing even more viewers.