Posted by John Byrne at 12:22 p.m.; updated at 12:36 p.m.
A day after his aides blamed the cancellation of the city’s July 3 Grant Park fireworks extravaganza on a lack of money, Mayor Richard Daley today said cost was only a secondary consideration.
The mayor said he’s been thinking for more than a decade about spreading out the patriotic displays along the lakefront. The city now plans to hold three shorter, simultaneous fireworks shows.
"I’ve always believed in that, the past 10, 15 years, I’ve always believed in one north, one south and one downtown fireworks display would be much better," Daley said at a news conference to promote winter tourism in Chicago.
"It’s not about saving money, but with the amount of people, a lot of people felt like they couldn’t come because it got too crowded," he added. "So you have one on the North Side, one on the South Side and one downtown. You take all parts of the city. You get more and more people at each site."
Daley acknowledged many people will be unhappy about giving up the Grant Park tradition.
"No one likes change, but this helps people all over the city," he said.
"The North Side is part of the city and the South Side is part of the
city," the mayor added. "I
don’t think it’s separating the city. You want activities like that to
be part of the city, to get more people to enjoy, with their families,
July 4th."
There’s also a safety factor, Daley added, but said it has to do with people enjoying city fireworks rather than setting off their own in the neighborhoods.
"If they don’t have it, a lot of people will set off their own fireworks, and that’s dangerous," the mayor said.
Daley brushed off questions about public safety at the Grant Park event. It became a concern in 2008 after five people were shot
— one fatally — over the Fourth of July weekend near the Taste. This year, the city is shutting down the Taste three hours early on
July 3 and July 4. Shutting down at 6 p.m. means less money is spent on
police, fire, and Streets and Sanitation, city officials said Wednesday.
"Don’t think just because they’re going to the fireworks they’re all
dangerous. They’re not," Daley said today. "These are law-abiding people
enjoying it with their families. That’s what it is."
The preliminary plan is for North Side fireworks to be held around Montrose Beach and the
South Side fireworks in the vicinity of 63rd Street Beach. Another
display will light the sky over Navy Pier. People will be able to walk from their homes to fireworks displays at
Montrose Beach and 63rd Street Beach, making it more convenient, the
mayor said.