Linda Falkenstein
The Madison Mallards tried their first drone show last season. Ald. Amani Latimer Burris says drones, though expensive, would be a preferred alternative to fireworks.
Seven fireworks shows are scheduled for Madison Mallards games this year, but a family of bald eagles nesting in Warner Park could delay those plans.
Mallards general manager Samantha Rubin tells Isthmus the Mallards will wait for a go-ahead from a third party — likely the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources — before shooting off any fireworks that could cause the eaglet, which is not expected to be able to fly until this summer, to flee and fall from the nest. The first fireworks show is slated for June 28.
Warner Park has long been home to fireworks displays. Hundreds of thousands of people attended Rhythm and Booms from the 1990s through 2013 and in recent years there have been fireworks at the ballpark. Activists have also been working to rid the park of these displays, arguing that the debris pollutes water and soil in the park and the noise impacts older residents, those with post-traumatic stress disorder, and pets.
At a March 12 neighborhood meeting dozens of residents expressed opposition to a proposal that would have allowed eight fireworks shows at the ballpark this summer. The next day the city’s Board of Park Commissioners approved seven shows at the Duck Pond, one more than last season.
“I wish we had an immediate solution to the situation that didn’t rely on fireworks,” Ald. Amani Latimer Burris, whose district includes the park, told commissioners. “The best case scenario would be drones.”
Rubin told the commission that one show this season would experiment with low-decibel fireworks, which she said are more expensive — 40% or 50% higher than traditional fireworks — but “not as drastic [in cost] as a drone show.”
The Mallards hosted its first drone show last year, but Latimer Burris said that the team would need time to transition away from traditional fireworks. She said she wanted to revisit the issue after the season.
Marie Jacobson, chair of Wild Warner, says she is not satisfied with the accommodations made by the Mallards and that the group’s activism will continue. “Wild Warner has set out to protect and celebrate the wildlife and rich ecosystems of Warner Park,” she says. “It is our obligation to continue to bring the fireworks up at the discussion table with the city and the Mallards and find a solution to keeping the park healthy.”
