YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST

We at OurGreenwich.com try to bring you the news first.  We broke the story about the Merritt Corridor burglaries last year (on December 30).  The local daily just reported the story today – three days later.  And the photos of the Metro North fire in Old Greenwich were another OurGreenwich.com exclusive — with the fire yet to be reported in the print media.

Well, we are early on another “story” (he said tongue firmly planted in cheek).  We are 6 months early.  We have confirmed that our Town’s Department of Parks and Recreation had scheduled the 4th of July fireworks — when else — NOT on the 4th of July, but the 3rd (with a rain date of Sunday, July 5).

The two displays will be at Greenwich Point Park and Binney Park.  While Independence Day Fireworks have been an institution for years, the fireworks at Greenwich Point (a.k.a., Tod’s Point) are relatively new. Until 2006 the second Independence Day fireworks were held at Greenwich High School. At that time, “field turf” was installed on the back fields of GHS, and there was concern that the expensive synthetic turf would be damaged by the large crowds.

There was great debate at the time about a second location, with numerous other in central and western Greenwich and in the Long Island Sound off Greenwich ruled out for various reasons. Tod’s Point, less than two miles, from Binney Park was an unlikely choice, especially because both parks are accessed by the same major thoroughfare — Sound Beach Avenue. However, because of the stellar work of the Greenwich Police, as the lead-agency, in coordinating several town departments, there have been few problems with the dueling fireworks.

Another casualty of the GHS “field turf” improvements was the Veterans Appreciation Council’s annual Salute to Veterans. That popular event, often a Navy SEALs demonstration with helicopters and explosions, was forced to relocate too in 2007. Their event is now held behind Town Hall. VAC founder, Jim Carrier, said that this year’s event, will be Saturday, June 27^th.

So plan your summer now. That is one way to warm yourself from the bitter cold and snow.