PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Portage Rotary Club has announced that they will no longer be sponsoring the annual Portage 4th of July fireworks display.
“After 13 years, the Portage Rotary acknowledges that there is no longer a facility and funding that can safely accommodate the annual event,” Portage Rotary Club President Tom Welsh said. “With the completion of the new stadium at Portage Central, McCamley Field, the Portage School District has appropriately decided that allowing fireworks at the stadium would potentially damage the new artificial surface from the burning residual embers associated with the fireworks.”
After being moved to Ramona Park from McCamley Field this year, it was decided the venue is unequipped for the event.
“McCamley Field had probably access for 10,000 parking spots from Wal-mart, from the city, from the school, it was just the perfect place, and we just don’t have that anymore,” Welsh said. “There’s no place with really adequate parking. Ramona Park had fireworks over the lake, some of the people that parked in Ramona Park were blocked by the trees, and it took us over two hours to empty the area that people were viewing it at.”
Regardless, the club is happy to have sponsored the event for over a decade.
“We really enjoyed doing it, working it, you saw the enjoyment of entire families,” Welsh said. “That’s why it’s sad that there’s no proper venues where everybody could go to one place.”
An official press release also notes that the cost of the event has increased, outpacing the revenue of the club.
There is currently no word on any new sponsors for the event.
