Spring Break
THE RANT: Philly Phireworks Phiasco
By: Kaushal Toprani
Issue date: 7/13/07 Section: Ed-Op
Originally published: 7/12/07 at 11:43 PM EST
Last update: 7/12/07 at 11:42 PM EST
Originally published: 7/12/07 at 11:43 PM EST
Last update: 7/12/07 at 11:42 PM EST
Some things in this city just make you scratch your head and ask, "Why?" The citizens of the city put in so much, and get so little.
No, I'm not talking about the never ending transit nightmare that is SEPTA or the Phillies bullpen. I'm talking about the July 4 fiasco on the Ben Franklin Parkway.
This year's Fourth of July festivities were a little odd, given the holiday was on a Wednesday and had events stretched over six days prior to the birthday bash. Nevertheless, most of the classic Philadelphia traditions continued without a hitch. The festivities on Independence Mall and Penns Landing, including the very delicious all-you-can ice cream festival, were enjoyable as they are every year.
However, when Wednesday the Fourth rolled around you knew trouble was brewing. It was one of those cloudy, humid, sticky summer days that inevitably end with gusting thunderstorms and pouring rain. Sure enough, it did.
The rain started in the afternoon and kept picking up steam in to the evening, turning into an all out down pour by the time Patti Labelle and Hall and Oates hit the stage. In true Philadelphia style, many concertgoers stayed and watched the show on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which was quickly turning into an offshoot of the Schuylkill River.
There was one thing these people wanted to see. Fireworks. And thousands of people hung in there through the tornado watch.
Action News Doppler Radar flashed on the screens up and down the Parkway. Meteorologists, turned John Madden, started doodling arrows and circles on the map around the Art Museum. It looked like the last splotch of green on the radar would be passing over soon and the skies just might clear up. It could be possible the show would happen.
But what happened next was just inexplicable.
Around 10:45 p.m., the 6ABC crew on TV announced to the crowd it was better to err on the side of caution and that everyone should go home and call it a day. Perfectly understandable, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
No, I'm not talking about the never ending transit nightmare that is SEPTA or the Phillies bullpen. I'm talking about the July 4 fiasco on the Ben Franklin Parkway.
This year's Fourth of July festivities were a little odd, given the holiday was on a Wednesday and had events stretched over six days prior to the birthday bash. Nevertheless, most of the classic Philadelphia traditions continued without a hitch. The festivities on Independence Mall and Penns Landing, including the very delicious all-you-can ice cream festival, were enjoyable as they are every year.
However, when Wednesday the Fourth rolled around you knew trouble was brewing. It was one of those cloudy, humid, sticky summer days that inevitably end with gusting thunderstorms and pouring rain. Sure enough, it did.
The rain started in the afternoon and kept picking up steam in to the evening, turning into an all out down pour by the time Patti Labelle and Hall and Oates hit the stage. In true Philadelphia style, many concertgoers stayed and watched the show on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which was quickly turning into an offshoot of the Schuylkill River.
There was one thing these people wanted to see. Fireworks. And thousands of people hung in there through the tornado watch.
Action News Doppler Radar flashed on the screens up and down the Parkway. Meteorologists, turned John Madden, started doodling arrows and circles on the map around the Art Museum. It looked like the last splotch of green on the radar would be passing over soon and the skies just might clear up. It could be possible the show would happen.
But what happened next was just inexplicable.
Around 10:45 p.m., the 6ABC crew on TV announced to the crowd it was better to err on the side of caution and that everyone should go home and call it a day. Perfectly understandable, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
Marc
posted 7/13/07 @ 11:26 PM EST
That's pretty phucked up...