How The Fireworks War Was Won

Happy Canada Day!

We’re all looking forward to the annual tradition of getting together with friends and family, and - of course - taking in the fireworks.

Tonight, at approximately 11:00 pm, the City of Calgary will be launching a fireworks display from Stampede Park.

You won’t be able to watch the show from the park though, because setup for the Calgary Stampede is ongoing.

But, you will be able to see them from Fort Calgary or one of the other viewing areas in the city.

(If you have a favourite spot, let us know! We promise to keep it a secret).

You might be wondering why the fireworks are being launched from a different location this year. 

Well, it’s because the show was planned at the last minute.

Why?

Well, in case you hadn't heard, the fireworks almost didn’t happen at all!

City Administration quietly made a decision in the middle of the provincial election to cancel the fireworks show blaming cultural sensitivities, Truth and Reconciliation, traffic delays, community impacts, and other nonsense excuses.

Thankfully, our team was paying attention and saw what they were trying to do!

We started a campaign to restore the fireworks, including media and a petition, which more than 13,000 Calgarians signed.

Council blamed Administration for the decision.

Administration said it was a done deal, and much too late to bring the fireworks back.

More nonsense.

We pushed back and organized people to directly contact Councillors.

Hundreds and hundreds did.

Together, we helped to amplify the voices of the thousands of common-sense Calgarians who just wanted to keep their time-honoured traditions alive.

In the end, the City relented, and now, this evening, we all get to enjoy the fireworks show!

Some might say it's just some loud bangs and flashes - who cares?

But this was a huge win for our organization, and a huge win for Calgarians.

It isn't just about fireworks.

It’s a testament to what can happen when we raise our voices for positive change.

We often ask our supporters to sign petitions, to get involved in issues, and to email their elected officials.

And in response, many refuse, asking what the point is, because it never works.

But it does!

Adding your name to a line on a petition may seem like just a small action.

But it isn’t!

It's one part of a bigger movement we're building.

Common Sense Calgary's mission is to take those seemingly small actions and amplify them into bigger change. 

So much goes on behind the scenes to help your voice be heard.

We’ve spent five years building up Common Sense Calgary to be a 50,000-strong group of Calgarians, and we’re now a force to be reckoned with - and not just on fireworks.

We have ambitious plans to help make this city the greatest place to live, work, and raise a family!

But to do that, we need your help.

You'll sometimes see a link to make a donation at the bottom of our emails, or on our website, but we only rarely send an email explicitly asking for financial support.

This is that email.

If you’re able, will you please consider donating $10, $25, $50, or even $100 to help us grow our organization, advocate for more issues, and make a difference in our city?

We’re thankful for the many ways you support us every day, whether that be financial, or in one of many other ways -  by sharing our content with family and friends, signing one of our petitions, interacting with us on social media, or just sending a kind note our way.

Everything helps. 

To contribute your time to help us grow, please join us on the ground and click here to volunteer: 

To contribute financially to our growth, please click here to make a donation:

Enjoy the fireworks!

Regards,

Kristy Koehler
Executive Director
Common Sense Calgary