City working to save fireworks show
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

Camarillo's annual Fourth of July fireworks show may once again sparkle the night sky.

City officials announced last week that pending approval from the Oxnard Union High School District, the fireworks show will probably be held at Adolfo Camarillo High School.

City Manager Jerry Bankston said the city had to determine if the high school was a practical venue for the pyrotechnics show and whether a permit from Caltrans was needed because the campus neighbors the 101 Freeway.

According to Bankston, show organizers from Pyro Spectaculars, the company that has staged the fireworks display in the past, toured the campus and said fireworks could be launched near the high school's baseball field.

More importantly, however, Bankston said show organizers would be able to launch the fireworks away from the freeway and avoid requiring a permit from Caltrans.

He said the city is still looking into the type of fireworks display they plan on hosting and what it will cost to stage the show. Other details, including insurance costs and parking, are yet to be finalized.

In February, the city council set aside $31,000 to pay for the fireworks show, which until then had been organized by the Somis/ Camarillo Pleasant Valley Lions Club and held at Freedom Park near the Camarillo Airport.

Lions Club officials, tired of negative publicity aimed at them by animal rights activists who said the fireworks traumatized dogs at the nearby animal shelter, decided that unless the city stepped in to fund and sponsor the event, the pyrotechnic show would be shuttered.

Mike Hall, a Lions Club member and the show's former lead organizer, said the Lions will help the city with some of the event's planning and will be on hand to sell hotdogs, hamburgers and sweet corn.

Hall said the Lions are happy the show will go on, but frustrated the venue had to be moved.

"We're really not excited about where we're having this thing," Hall said. "The other place is more family-oriented."

Freedom Park would seat nearly 10,000 spectators; the high school will probably accommodate only half that number.

As part of the deal for hosting the fireworks show, the high school may charge admission to raise money for the school.

Hall also said the new location will likely affect more animals than if it had remained at Freedom Park.

"You're going to have a lot more animals affected out there than they were at the dog pound," he said.

Bankston said a professional show cuts down on the number of illegal fireworks set off in residential neighborhoods. A reduction in those numbers means fewer runaway animals and less chance of a home fire sparked by errant fireworks.

The City Council will have to approve the eventual details of the event before the city moves forward and finalizes the show. A decision is expected to be made in the coming months.