Let's move the FW show far enough away from residents homes not to cause damage!!! we love a good fw show but they were just too close to the houses.
I used to live out in the country for many years where we enjoyed fireworks on July 4th, New Years etc. with the nearby neighbors. But I didn't enjoy this FW show due to the loud blasts, smoke, ashes and soot getting in our eyes last Sunday!!! This can't be good for one's lungs and heart. We were forced to go inside!!
It was unbelievably loud and too close to enjoy, our double pane windows in the Parkstone subdivision were vibrating with each blast!!!!!
Any one out there who wants to experience July 4th next year you are welcome to have front row seats in my driveway. Make sure and wear dustmask, goggles, and earplugs. Enter at your own risk!!!! I won't be responsible for damages to spectators or vehicles etc. Make sure you are in perfect health to endure the conditions!!!!!!Don't forget the protective gear. We will privide a water hose in case of a fire!!!!!
p.s also hard hat and chem suit.

I took it upon myself to investigate Scorpio's claim that nobody lives in the area of the ball park. I drove along North Street in front of the Community Center and found a school. Nobody home. Good enough. Then I turned right at Ben Wilson. Do you know I found houses there? Rows and rows of them! With people living inside!

In fact, using Google Map, I found that there are houses within the same distance of all four sides of the community center as the distance from Ethel Lee Tracy Park to Copperfield Village. Perhaps the houses on this side of town are not as upscale, but people are people, right? It all depends on whose ox is being gored, I suppose.

Residents along Larkspur may have a legitimate concern about the traffic. The simple solution to all this is to block off or limit traffic to the park.

As for the trash, well, grab a stick with a nail and pitch in. The city could use your help downtown after the Christmas parade, and on Laurent after the Stock Show parade, and North Street after the Black Pride parade, etc.

oh please lets protect that sports area NO ONE LIVES THERE! I read these comments of people talking trash about the residents of parkstone. Those people started out like everyone else and built their life up and have nice homes and want to keep it that way. How would anyone of you feel if someone came into your neighborhood and trashed it? How would you feel if someone burned your yard and harmed your animals? How would you feel if it were your parents or grandparents that were upset? If you think that its ok to put human life in danger instead of a tarp on a baseball field then you need help! Trash talking to these victims is wrong and what a low life coward would do. The city needs to re evaluate the situation and the residents that were affected by this needs to contact their attorney and see what their legal rights are. I feel sorry for them I would be very upset if that happened to my home.

Bravo to JackDeuce and BSOD!

Scorpion----------Shut up.......That was a rediculous statement about the WWII vets, they probably enjoyed it as much as everyone else, except you and the other complainers,did. So my opinion is....if you dont like it STAY HOME. We are celebrating exactly what they were fighting for, so god bless them all and all those serving now just so you have the right to complain.

My only comment is that HELLO, its the first time ever at this location its going to be trail and error with parking, police, people and event issues. It takes a while to get the kinks out.

We sat at the Home Depot and had a fabulous view and had a few minutes wait to get out but nothing that was not worth waiting for to spend a wonderful Sunday night with my family!!

It really doesn't matter, you could have held the fireworks show in a person's backyard and those folks still would have complained because they have absolutely nothing but negative thoughts in their head. People if you don't like it, don't go!!!!

I must say though, I thought SOME drivers could have slowed down while driving through the parking lots...there were kids playing and darting in and out of parked cars and the kids of course were not paying attention...
Just my thoughts there...

I thought the show was GREAT!!! But I have always enjoyed Victoria's 4th show...I come from a very small town that has nothing like this and it is awesome to enjoy with my family every year!!! Keep it up Victoria!!!!!

We loved it!! Found a safe place to park near the mall. We had some traffic to deal with, but much less than at the Community Center. Great view. We were a bit comfused by the fireworks after the grand finale, but figured they must have been some that didn't go off for some reason during the main display.

Excellent!!! Good free entertainment!!

I am a fourth generation Victorian. The one thing I don't understand is why so many people complain about every event that goes on in Victoria. How is Victoria suppose to grow and be recognize when we have so much negative remarks about all our public events. We do not live in a perfect world were every activity will be to everyones liking. We need to start looking at the fact that Victoria is a city of over 60,000 and we have small towns around the Golden Crescent that are putting on Better shows like CueroTurkeyfest, and Yorktown Westerndays. It's time that we as Victorians want to start having these events and quick nick-picking them apart. My family and some close friends were at the Mall and we did enjoy the Music, Fireworks and just seeing all the community coming together for America's Birthday. I hope this is the start of more music, outdoor festivals, and future events. I know we have the Community center but its not sizeable anymore. Maybe it's time for Victoria to build a central location for these events. A place that would not effect residents, businesses and traffic. For an example a place like the new The Brackenridge Main Event Center, outside Edna, Texas, another small town that has a annual event, Texana Chili Spill.

the negative comments are funny because of the issues they speculate on! what a bunch of party poopers! it was good to see all the barbecue pits and people enjoying themselves! we were parked at Home Depot and it took us 10 minutes to get home!

the sky is falling!

My Grandmother survived bomb after bomb during The Blitz of the UK during WW2 and she loved nothing more than a good fireworks party...

You're joking, right? I mean you're seriously being facetious, right? Fireworks being cruel because they bring back WWII memories? What in the world kind of logic is that? First of all, the people in the assisted living centers are adults and have had over 65 years of fireworks to help ease the memories of WWII and importantly the sound of the fireworks may be a reminder of live ammunition, but the spectacular view is more of a reminder of what was accomplished during WWII in which they may have participated - freedom. Do I know what I'm talking about? Perhaps. I've been in a live fire combat zone during my military service and, yes, the sound of the fireworks can be compared to what I experienced, but sound+display is a proud reminder of why I was in that combat zone in the first place - freedom. I'm still trying to figure out why people complain so much. It's much more pleasant to make yourself a happy person than be a chronic complainer.

We loved it! Good Job City of Victoria!
We actually had a fireworks watching party at Candlewood Suites. All of our guests really appreciated the fireworks. What a good promotion for our City!

I see all the out of towners enjoyed the fireworks display and the entertainment but what about the residents of Victoria. As for as the retirement village and home behind the mall, those poor people must have been scared to death. Those folks live through WWII and other wars and I am sure all the explosions brought back all those horrible combat times. It is plain cruel to do that to them.

I've attended Victoria's 4th of July Fireworks displays for over 25 years. Last night was the best hands-down. It was also the first time I didn't have to sit in grid-lock on the roads after the show. My comments have to do with these Advocate comment forums. I just find it incredible at the petty complaints that people make about almost every event that takes place in the crossroads. Is NO ONE happy about anything??? To answer my own question - "yes". I realize that the happy people of this town don't post on this forum. They just go about their business generally enjoying life. It's the old 80/20 principle whereby 20 percent are basically unhappy sourpusses and see only the clouds while the other 80 percent just follow the silver linings.

Loved the fireworks. [ Traffic was bad at the community center too. Two ways out if I remember right, maybe less people too. It would take a good while to get out.] Lots of different area's to park for this show and some of you parents should of thought about the kids playing before parking in a spot with traffic. (guess you could say go play in traffic when you don't want them to be seen) ahahaa!!!! I believe more people came out to see this show then at community center. Once again this show had a better display then before. Thanks Hartman and city.

Assistant living residents either slept through the noise or enjoyed the show. Probably as many of them enjoyed the show as others who lived in the area.

Some people think everyone else should watch out for their children. Whether the fireworks display is held at the mall or in the middle of nowhere, you are going to have children running around unsupervised, just the nature of non-parenting adults.

How were the booths that had stuff to sell? Did they see a profit and were people happy with the selections?

As far as having the lights turned off in the mall parking lot, I am sure that safety issues will keep that from happening. When I was younger, we would go to a local country club and sit on the greens to watch the free fireworks display. Took our blankets, food, etc. Plenty of parking, good viewing spots and not any artifical lights to lessen the effects. NO, this wasn't in Victoria, but just sharing what was a good venue.

I'm kind of curious as to how this affected the 3 assisted-living places in the area. The mall is the backyard of 2 of them. Those residents are usually asleep by that time just to be awaken by the loud noises. Just curious as to if anyone considered them and their inability to escape it.

I thought it was a fantastic show! Yes, there was traffic but when you weigh the good and bad, I didn't mind a little traffic to be able to enjoy a FREE firework show. I also contained my children in the back of my truck for safety. I did note alot of children running amock without parents and it was dangerous for them but it would have been just as dangerous anywhere! Hello, parents, watch your children and make them sit down instead of running in traffic! It was a very awesome display, Victoria! I loved the location because there were so many options of where to park to be able to see it!

we had fun and the hunt for great location was thrilling because it was different area. One idea....have Mall turn off the area parking lot lights.

traffic was ugly. Friends of ours took about an 1hr to get out of area. Thank you...Hartman Distr. we are ready for next year. =)

bunch of crybabies! the city can't ever please everybody!

We had a great time. Parked by Lowes. Lived in Dallas for 15 years, so I can't understand the complaints with traffic. Took us about 5-10 minutes to get to the loop. Not bad. I hope they keep it over there.

We parked at Halepaskas and had NO PROBLEM getting in and out. Friends of mine were at East HS and had a perfect view. The location change brought more pristine locations to view the fireworks. Families took up numerous parking spots with their chairs and had a great bonding time as they danced with their children and had a general all around good time. There were lots of ice chests and BBQ pits going. Those who believe all of the Victoria neysay gossip really miss out on good times!

I totally disagree with the reporter's statement that the "Traffic seemed to flow smoothly as vehicles made their way out of the four exits". The traffic flow leaving the mall was HORRIBLE - it took almost an hour to get out. I saw numerous police officers on bicycles that could have helped more with directing the traffic.

I thought that I would be able to see the fireworks from my house but there was a big oak in the way. I am having a hard time imagining where everyone parked as there are so many busy streets by the mall... Where did everyone park?

It was horrible. We use to watch the fireworks from our yard and see it all at the community center and at the mall they were not visable and we live off stockbauer. The location made it hard on people who wanted to shop on that side of town. I HATED IT!

Just wait until we have that first traffic fatality.

These parking lots and parking off the loop are no place for children and some adults to congregate. We do not have the resources to police either. This traffic is worse and dangerous. This relocation is all about money. And we are going to pay for it.

This lame excuse about the possibility of canopies getting burned down at the Community Center is a bunch of BS. Did we concern ourselves about burning down the houses on that side of the tracks?