Fourth of July fireworks will still go on at Centennial Park in Orland Park.
But as the coronavirus pandemic continues, there will be modifications, according to Mayor Keith Pekau. People will be asked to remain apart, and concert attendees must listen from a distance thanks to speakers set up around the park.
Only village residents with village stickers on their vehicles will be allowed into the parking lots to watch the fireworks, the mayor said.
Pekau told NBC 5 over the phone that Centennial Park provides the ability to social distance.
Not everyone agrees. Dan Calandriello, a village trustee, voted against the plan.
“I’m a patriot, I love the Fourth of July, and my family has been going together since I was a little kid," said Calandriello. "It was a tough vote, but it’s science. It’s what we have to do to keep people safe.”
Even some residents who visited the park on Monday ahead of the celebration, had strong feelings about the decision.
Local
“That’s not possible," Ashley Dwyer said. "People don’t listen. Look at all the riots and everyone protesting. No one is listening. How do they think they’re going to make people listen here?"
Pekau said the fireworks will be shot at a high altitude, so people around the village can still see them.
The concern, however, is for those who choose to come to the park. Will they keep their distance?
“If you want to go, it’s your decision," Calandriello said. "Just make sure you stay away from each other and be as healthy as possible."
