WESTFIELD – The city will celebrate Independence Day tomorrow when an extravaganza of fireworks will conclude a celebration at Stanley Park.
Although the pyrotechnic display may be more talked about, a close second among conversational topics afterward will probably be the traffic.
The traffic pattern for the fireworks event will be the same as it was last year except, this year, the event chairman, Mark Boardman of the Rotary Club of Westfield, is recommending “a shortcut to the Westfield State south commuter (parking) lot.”
Boardman suggests that motorists can miss much of the traffic on Western Avenue by proceeding west on Russell Road to the Four Mile Store where a left turn on to Bates Road will take them almost directly to the parking lot.
He said that Western Avenue will be closed to traffic at 8 p.m. and no parking will be allowed on Western Avenue nor on any of the connecting side streets.
After the event, departing traffic will be strictly regulated depending on where a vehicle is departing from.
Traffic on Western Avenue flows in one direction only but that direction will vary depending on the section of Western Avenue under consideration.
Traffic leaving the park at the tennis court gate, and traffic exiting the WSU south parking lot, will be obliged to turn left as all traffic on that section of the roadway will flow to the west. Vehicles leaving the park by the Rose Garden gate and other vehicles entering Western Avenue from side streets east of that gate will be directed east on Western Avenue.
Traffic leaving the park by the Kensington Avenue gates will go south to Granville Road and east toward Highland School.
Traffic exiting the park at the rear gate near the frog pond will be directed to cross the bridge to City View Road.
The Fourth of July celebration is the third fireworks display organized by the Rotary Club of Westfield and will again this year be staged on Saturday rather than the night before the Fourth of July holiday. Boardman said the Rotarians “chose it to be on a Saturday so more families can enjoy the picnics that they do on a weekend” rather than “rushing home” on a weeknight to have a picnic before the sparks fly.
The other benefit of a Saturday event, he said, is the option of a Sunday rain date.
Boardman said that funding for the event is provided by contributions from the public, as well as support from the major sponsors of the event – the Westfield News Group, Berkshire Bank, Westfield Bank, the Gas and Electric Light Department and the City of Westfield.
He said that persons who may wish to donate to the event may send a check payable to the Rotary Club of Westfield to P.O. Box 754, Westfield, 01086, or may make a contribution on the evening of the event with any of the volunteers accepting donations at the park.
“With generous contributions from the public we’ll have seed money for next year,” he said.
Boardman also said, “We couldn’t do it without the assistance of the Westfield police, firefighters and the department of public works.”
He said that the police will be on hand the evening of the event for crowd and traffic control, the firefighters will have an ambulance at the site in case it’s needed as well as roving paramedics on bicycles and DPW workers will take care of the park cleanup after the event is over.
Boardman pointed out that the event is dependent on the assistance of the management and staff of Stanley Park. Among other things, the park staff has organized vendors offering a variety of foods at the event.
Robert McKean, the executive director of the park, has called the event “a good family day” for area residents and said that the park family is happy to help.
He points out that the park will not be open for visitors that day until 4 p.m. and stressed that dogs and bicycles will not be permitted in the park during the event.
McKean said that parking on the grounds of Stanley Park will be offered only to owners of valid handicap placards and plates and said that handicap credentials will be checked.
Before the fireworks start, the spectators will be offered, starting at 6 p.m., live entertainment featuring local favorites Cory and the Knightsmen.
The Westfield High School jazz combo will also perform.
