280 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Random neighbourhood trouble makers who shoot at people or homes. A family having a good time is good times, but then you have these feral teens that somehow, in some way, end up with hundreds of dollars of fireworks at their disposal.

[Fox]

Yeah, fair enough, I agree with that, they make things worse for those enjoying fireworks responsibly.

[Matt R.]

Thank God Halloween falls on a Thursday.

I don’t get it. The miscreants causing trouble on this day don’t have a buck between them the rest of the year, but somehow they land expensive fireworks to weaponize their communities all night long.

Is someone could describe the physics of this for me, I would be grateful.

They are saving up for things that are important to them, like pointing Roman candles at each other.

[m3m]

They are saving up for things that are important to them, like pointing Roman candles at each other.

Roman candle duels was a favourite fall pastime of mine. It’s almost a rite of passage for teens.

[lanforod]

Burning down the hedge was my last time getting a roman candle .

[Matt R.]

We usually made some of our own as well, I guess these days they’d be considered pipe bombs. I guess then they were too.

[lanforod]

you start with shotgun shells?

[mbjj]

I miss the neighbourhood bonfires. There used to be a great one near Sir James Douglas school that we took our daughter to, then we'd come home and have some fireworks in the front yard. We always had a dog during those years and they weren't bothered. When I was a kid we had two dogs and two cats. Firecrackers were rampant for days but the animals didn't seem bothered by them and on Halloween we kept them indoors. One year in our current house, maybe around the mid 1990s, someone shot a firework into a large juniper tree belonging to the neighbour but it hung over our yard and fence. We awoke with firemen in our front yard and the tree nothing but a spindly burnt skeleton. It burned through our power lines so hydro had to attend. I have mixed feelings about fireworks but see nothing wrong with a bonfire. 

[Matt R.]

you start with shotgun shells?

We bought the Safeway out of saltpetre so many times they made it otc at that location.

[lanforod]

I miss the neighbourhood bonfires. There used to be a great one near Sir James Douglas school that we took our daughter to, then we'd come home and have some fireworks in the front yard. We always had a dog during those years and they weren't bothered. When I was a kid we had two dogs and two cats. Firecrackers were rampant for days but the animals didn't seem bothered by them and on Halloween we kept them indoors. One year in our current house, maybe around the mid 1990s, someone shot a firework into a large juniper tree belonging to the neighbour but it hung over our yard and fence. We awoke with firemen in our front yard and the tree nothing but a spindly burnt skeleton. It burned through our power lines so hydro had to attend. I have mixed feelings about fireworks but see nothing wrong with a bonfire. 

 

You gotta become friends with someone on some acreage... i think bonfires are allowed after Oct 15 .

[Victoria Watcher]

From The Westshore:

 

 

 

Westshore will host 3 official bonfires tonight, but some local fire halls are ending the Halloween tradition

 

Past bonfire photo via City of Colwood

Sooke, Colwood, and Metchosin will continue with Halloween bonfires this year, while Highlands and Esquimalt will not. 

 

The community gatherings draw hundreds and are long-running (and often very popular) local traditions. But this year several local municipalities decided to officially end the events, which in many cases were already paused due to the pandemic and the recent long and severe drought seasons.

 

Esquimalt’s fire chief determined this summer that the bonfire posed too many concerns around health, environmental damage, liability, and firefighters’ working conditions. Mayor Barbara Desjardins told CHEK that council weighed the tradition and nostalgia of the event, and may consider bringing it back in some form in the future. But, she said, the risk and the possibility of toxic materials—with people traditionally dumping their own materials onto the communal fire—was too much.

 

Highlands also ended its decades-old bonfire, citing environmental concerns, and instead put on a haunted house last Sunday. But Metchosin will continue, though its fire chief Stephanie Dunlop told the Times Colonist that the fireworks portion has been cut for the sake of local farm animals. She explained that part of the intent behind fire departments hosting Halloween bonfires and fireworks is to draw people away from trying to do their own (leading to more fire dept. calls).

 

Speaking of launching your own fireworks: If you want to do so tonight, you'll need to have already gotten your permit and course certification. If you're in Colwood, View Royal, Highlands, or Langford, here are the details of the rules—which include only shooting fireworks between 5pm and 10pm today. Permits are also required in Sooke and Metchosin.

 

Bonfires that will go ahead tonight: 

 

Colwood fire hall – 6-8:30pm. Hot dogs, juice, and treats.

Metchosin fire hall – starts 6:30pm. Costume contest, haunted hall, and free hot dogs & drink. 

Camp Barnard – bonfire 6:30pm, fireworks 7:30pm. Hot dogs, hot chocolate, and candy. Organized by Otter Point Vol. Firefighters.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 October 2024 - 06:01 AM.

[FawltyVic]

Good Halloween up in Langford this year.

 

Lots of kids with their parents out and about in multiple neighbourhoods.

 

I didn't see anyone out causing trouble.

[Matt R.]

The fire dept here puts on a great fireworks show in Ganges harbour, hot dogs and hot chocolate afterwards. Town is usually pretty busy, the pub would have been packed, Mahon hall does a haunted house and of course loads of fireworks all over the place. So many complaints about it.

Fulford village is hopping all day every day of the year but in the fall and winter, evenings are very quiet. Little bit of ferry traffic but for the most part, the residents are tucked in with the wood stove going. We do a little decoration and hand out candy to the few local little ones having just their first few Halloween's as the real action happens up on Maliview.

That street is the traditional area for trick or treating and everyone on the street goes all in, some of the houses have massive floats, or av displays, and much more. They plan for 500 trick or treaters every year.

We spent most of the evening doing inventory, very scary.

Happy Halloween!

[Mike K.]

Although discharging fireworks was against bylaws this year, lots of people did, but everything quieted down by 9PM.

We had zero kids come to the door. Which is probably for the best, since I ate all the candy.

[dasmo]

People go to certain neighborhoods now. Brentwood was busy with lots of kids. Big bonfire too. And fireworks!

[Matt R.]

I think country grocer sold fireworks this year.

If there is some sort of ban you’d never know it.

[FawltyVic]

The fire dept here puts on a great fireworks show in Ganges harbour, hot dogs and hot chocolate afterwards. Town is usually pretty busy, the pub would have been packed, Mahon hall does a haunted house and of course loads of fireworks all over the place. So many complaints about it.

Fulford village is hopping all day every day of the year but in the fall and winter, evenings are very quiet. Little bit of ferry traffic but for the most part, the residents are tucked in with the wood stove going. We do a little decoration and hand out candy to the few local little ones having just their first few Halloween's as the real action happens up on Maliview.

That street is the traditional area for trick or treating and everyone on the street goes all in, some of the houses have massive floats, or av displays, and much more. They plan for 500 trick or treaters every year.

We spent most of the evening doing inventory, very scary.

Happy Halloween!

I miss Salt Spring.

 

I've been there multiple times over the years, but Halloween, the Apple Festival and Christmas on Salt Spring are still on my bucket list.

 

My last overnight trip there during summer, the old pub was closed and empty. I sat in the ice cream shop in the town late at night thinking "whee!"

[FawltyVic]

Although discharging fireworks was against bylaws this year, lots of people did, but everything quieted down by 9PM.

We had zero kids come to the door. Which is probably for the best, since I ate all the candy.

My neighbour in Langford had over 160 kids.

 

That's an increase of last year's count (at my door) by about 40.

 

Still lots of development happening, and more families moving into the area.

[LJ]

I hope you meant your neighbourhood, otherwise that is one fertile neighbour.

[Matt R.]

I miss Salt Spring.
 
I've been there multiple times over the years, but Halloween, the Apple Festival and Christmas on Salt Spring are still on my bucket list.
 
My last overnight trip there during summer, the old pub was closed and empty. I sat in the ice cream shop in the town late at night thinking "whee!"

Dec 23, Merry Monday, come sing carols with Valdy around the fire at my shop. Always well attended community event, hot chocolate and cider on tap.

Apple Fest is such a sleeper hit, I can’t believe how many people come over just for that! I’m always working that day so have never been myself.

The Chamber does a good job with the Christmas events.