Did you hear them Sunday night after the football game? Seems as those most of the city did – north and east at least did.
Spoiler Alert: Apparently it was Chinese New Years.
Complaints about the noise quickly filled neighborhood listserves. On one point, I agree, shouldn’t we have some sort of warning when something like this happens? It startles humans and animals, and it keeps some people awake. I have no idea what process they go through to get permission, but its not through any public meeting at the city or county. Perhaps the University can just do these things on their own? Or perhaps its done administratively.
I gotta say, the odder thing to me was that the conservative and slightly racist remarks were made on the Marquette Neighborhood listserve and the humor was on the northside, quite the opposite of what I would have expected.
First, the humor . . . from the northside.
“Does anyone know who was responsible for the Fireworks on Sunday night and why the neighborhoods weren’t alerted?”
(Sarcasm alert) “Probably Clean Lakes Alliance”
“I read on another forum that it was from the Memorial Union celebrating Chinese New Year”
“Or serious Broncos fans?”
That was my thought, who cares that much about the superbowl?!
Now the sad part, from the progressive near east side . . .
“We live on Jenifer between Patterson and Brealy. For five minutes or so we’ve been hearing what sounds like fireworks. Did anyone else hear this and do they know what it is? It’s 10:39 Sunday night.”
“I have no idea, but I’ve been hearing it as well. Odd….”
“Chinese New Year fireworks…”
“According to someone on Twitter, they are coming from down near Memorial Union in celebration of the lunar new year…”
“I live farther east & just took trash out & heard & saw it too! No idea what it was.”
“It was creating light echo with the sounds and truly seemed like a remarkable show for those able to witness it–wish we had known!”
“10:15 on a Sunday night is NO time to be keeping people awake all over the Isthmus. We have to be up early and going to work. Is that so hard to understand??? Who the heck approves of this?”
“But it’s their New Years celebration. Maybe they had to work January 1st. ”
“Oh, so this is their revenge.
Lots of people have to work on January 1st, but very far from the great majority of people who do work on Mondays. It was dark enough for fireworks at 5:45 or 6:00 PM. January 1st is not a work day for a very high majority of people: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/new-year-day
Chinese New Year is celebrated in china towns and in China, not late on Sunday nights in middle America.”
And there you have it folks . . . it went on . . . but at least the neighbors turned it around . . .
Still, I don’t know who approves them! Apparently you can get a permit in the city of Madison for $250 if you give 60 days notice to the city. And a newer form. And a notification form. I’m assuming this is the process they go through? Maybe? Perhaps the answer lies with Zach Wood or the mayor. . . neither of whom is on either of these listserves.
