Barrett lit up by reckless behaviour of some fireworks watchers

By Mark Squibb/January 20, 2023

Conception Bay South councillor Joshua Barrett says he was glad the Town held a free skate and later a fireworks display to mark New Year’s Eve, but he was disappointed by the actions of some residents that evening.

“I was frankly shocked to see, and I don’t now if anybody else saw it, but when I watched the fireworks, I was at the community garden, and I encountered over 30 vehicles pulled over on the side of Peacekeepers Way watching the fireworks,” said Barrett. “It got to the point where the RNC sent two patrol officers to basically shoo these vehicles out of the way. So, then it was bumper-to-bumper in both directions, there was a lot of congestion, and it was pitch black, and a very, seemingly, unsafe area to be. And so, it clearly bears repeating, please folks, please be safe. For those on Peacekeepers Way, I hope you were in your vehicle, but so help me God if a child had gotten out of their vehicle to watch the fireworks on the side of the road, or there was some other issue, we could have had a very devastating situation on our hands.”

Barrett encouraged those people next year to watch the fireworks from a safer location, such as the parking lot of the CBS Arena.

Barret said the incident ties into his growing concern for residents’ safety as they travel the highway, a concern he has brought forward in the past.

“We have a number of reckless drivers in our community, and that drive through our community, but also, the engineering of the highway does not necessarily facilitate the increase demands of our growing community,” said Barrett. “We have a growing community, which we’re very happy about, but that means there is increased congestion and challenges with that.”