Fireworks OKd--on a Smaller Scale

Despite staff recommendations to cancel Torrance’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show, the City Council this week unanimously approved a scaled-down version of the popular event at Wilson Park.

Council members approved the use of smaller fireworks shells, which city staff say are easier to control and still should produce a good show.

The Torrance fire and police chiefs earlier expressed concern that larger shells could endanger the public. They also said that pedestrian and street traffic, as well as insufficient parking, could create public safety problems.

The city plans to increase the number of police officers in the area and encourage spectators to use a shuttle service to the event to improve crowd control, Police Chief Joseph De Ladurantey told the council. The show costs the city about $20,000 a year, officials said.

Council members said they favor keeping the fireworks display, but they took staff concerns about safety seriously.

“It seems to me that this is a situation we can’t really bargain in,� Councilwoman Maureen O’Donnell said. “We either take the (smaller) six-inch shells or we have nothing.�