We’re one day away from Vancouver’s annual Celebration of Light. Seven tons of fireworks are set to blast across Vancouver skyline over three nights, starting Saturday, July 30. Pyrotechnics of this scale attract a large crowd. It’s essential to plan how you’re going to get there and escape in advance.
My advice: You’ll want to come down early to get a good spot. Start with our list the “Five Best Places to Watch in Kits.” Then leave the car at home.
HOW TO GET THERE
CYCLING W/BICYCLE VALET
The easiest ways to get down to the fireworks are walking and cycling. Bike valet parking will be available near English Bay Beach, Kitsilano Beach, and the north end of the Burrard Bridge.
PUBLIC TRANSIT
Public transit also beats driving. TransLink will offer additional service to deal with the crowds. Here’s what’s going to be different in Kits on fireworks nights:
Starting at 9 p.m., the #22 Macdonald/Knight will stop running on Burrard Bridge and Cornwall Avenue. It will travel on West 4th Avenue between Granville Bridge and Macdonald Street in both directions.
And here’s the city-wide TransLink Celebration of Light schedule.
ROAD CLOSURES
Kits Point will be closed to vehicles, except those of drivers who can prove they reside there through car registration or a permit parking decal. In the West End, the closures—affecting the area bounded by Denman Street, Alberni Street, Burrard Street, and Beach Avenue—will begin at 7:30 p.m. on fireworks nights. The Kits Point closures—north of Cornwall Avenue—will start at 6 p.m.
The closures will end at 11:30 p.m. Of course, this won’t stop silly drivers from trying to maneuver their cars through the crowds right after the fireworks end.
Last modified: July 29, 2011
