AN EYESORE IN THE DAYLIGHT….DID NOT DISAPPOINT IN THE DUSK…
Dear Readers…As the BCbythesea daughter and I walked toward town at 5:30 pm….we saw many miffed visitors unable to get to the beach…the orange fencing lined the east side of El Mar and El Prado…looking like a massive construction site…Not a good start…add to that the leftover garbage and toters…these loaded up visitors tried to juggle their beach stuff and make the trek down the blocks to the Commercial or Wahingtonia entryways……
In town it was hopping…businesses were full…and the converging crowd was headed east…Day 2 of the new beach pavilion’s holiday debut proved to be just as embarrassing as day 1…overflowing flowerpots with garbage…full garbage cans in every direction…( hardly what a visitor wants in the snapshot)…stamped out in the flower pots cigarette butts that were also scattered on the pavers..(Note to Comm. Silverstone…scratch the suggested future floor designs)….Pedestrians become road kill … unable to walk from the pavilion to the pier…unless they want to wade through the sandy wet muck …by the ill- placed showers…leaving no choice but to walk into the street…and to walk from the pavilion in the other direction to Aruba…once again poor engineering has left no choice but to walk into the road to walk up the ramp…But at least today with no rain…. there was no flood and no standing water to exacerbate the dismal debut of the “Crown Jewel”leading to our ocean vista……We stopped off for a great burger and fries at Aruba…Dessert at Kilwinns…(There’s no calorie counting on the 4th of July)….and then headed to the best place to see all the fireworks up and down the coast…. Anglin’s Fishing Pier….Quite the place to be this day…with the opening of their “green” Anglin’s Beach Cafe’ ….and the sounds of Elvis playing live….Although early evening it was a little disturbing to see the fenced off area of beach by Minto setup for the beach fireworks display…It looked like a prison camp with 2 VFD-ATV’s lights flashing patrolling ….and the VFD-Jet Ski…racing around the ocean flashing red and green lights…The sight brought out much trepidation of what was in store…But alas…as the dusk turned to darkness and a late 8:40 start…. the much anticipated…and much maligned July 2009 fireworks display went off…without a hitch…It was surprisingly better than expected…a little slow at certain times….but in the end it was indeed a dazzling display….that coincided with the many municipal and private shows up and down the coast. The Pompano Beach/Fort Lauderdale barges were just getting started as the finale came at 9:10 pm…..The breezes….the colors….the music….and the moonlight on the water….made it truly the highlight of the day!…
As we walked back towards the beach…satisfied and quite pleased….the sirens began….and those warm and fuzzy feelings quickly went away…….The LBTS-VFD became a focal point of fodder for the crowds of people making their way back to their cars…on the way out of town….It was like watching the keystone cops!….3 engines came lights and sirens flashing…to go only a few blocks…The Oriana had an alarm…a false alarm…and 3 trucks…the VFD Chief and the VFD Deputy Chief arrived…They pulled up and unloaded hoses and then another call a few blocks up further south on El Mar Drive came a call for a small dumpster fire…1 firetruck went flying a half a block north lights and sirens flashing into the center of the square taking the u-turn so fast with the massive amount of pedestrians…it was an accident waiting to happen!….The the other trucks left Oriana…with the alarm lights still going in the building…leaving a hose in the middle of the side walk…and people walking while trying not trip over that hose …. equipment unsecured that fell off one of the fleeing firetrucks…How would these firefighter feel to know the fodder found in their responses…Tourists and observers were shaking their heads and laughing…and pointing to the spectacle….Not done yet…. another medical call came and AMR had one ambulance come and do the very same u-Turn in the square as a second ambulance arrived from the north….They were seen looking for where the call was coming from searching the area across from Oriana…By this time the firefighters were back at Oriana where the alarm was again going off…the dumpster fire we hear was contained and put out before they [VFD] even got there …Deputy Chief McIntee ..( still in the old command car) was directing the firefighters to put the hoses etc…back on the trucks…All of the sudden Dep. Chief McIntee in shorts and shirt…was walking towards AMR yelling and telling them “They’re yelling for you further up on El Mar”…and AMR got back into the ambulances and headed up a few blocks south….
BC- We hear with 3-4 trucks…it made no sense for all the trucks to leave the first scene and go to the second….We hear it was dangerous, very dangerous for the u-turn in the crowded square….We hear the VFD members were totally exhausted from this endless day of mandatory required time for July 4th duties…watching as selective awards that were given to certain members……the late night 3 truck/ 2 block fire call…and at nearly 11 pm…they still continued on…. breaking down the Minto / El Prado sites…..
BC- Just think…what next year can be….with a new majority on the Commission (March) ….. a new Town Manager (If still around …she’ll resign ASAP)…..LBTS-BSO Police (ready to renegotiate)…and a VFD with new leadership (Jan.)….We can and we will have full participation once again from all over our town…with a big parade….a small VFD (hot dogs/hamburgers ) sponsored event for the kids on their bikes and residents in town…while the downtown businesses will coordinate a wonderful street event ( no ridiculous Town fees/ req. code enforcers)….that ends with fireworks on a barge..(bought by the town as Comm. Dodd suggested last year)….and then and only then will the Mc-Furth Gang’s July 4th 2009 fiasco finally fade away….That ain’t no fairytale folks…Nope….all you have to do to make it so….DO NOT FORGET!….
more to come….
Tags: BSO, July 4ht, local government, Local Politics, Public Safety, Scoops, VFD
