The Fourth of July fireworks in Towson were nearly fizzled out this year due to a construction fence required by the school system that, over the course of several weeks, fluctuated in size, cost ... and complexity.

“It got ‘curiouser’ and ‘curiouser,’ ” said David Nielson, whose community association, the Associates of Loch Raven Village, annually pays for the fireworks and provides manpower to make the bombs burst in air over Loch Raven Academy.

The Associates had even voted this month to pay for the fence if it had to — to the tune of $3,100 — but on Monday, county officials said that, instead, they will come up with the money in the form of a grant.

The fireworks have been a tradition in Loch Raven for more than 40 years, and in recent years have been held on the grounds of the Loch Raven school on LaSalle Road.

The fireworks were initially held on Luskins Hill. After Luskins left, the fireworks moved to the grounds of what is now Loch Raven Academy, on LaSalle Road. The Loch Raven Business Association and the Loch Raven Kiwanis picked up the tab after Luskins — about $3,000 or $4,000 back then.

Since 2004 the Associates has paid the bill, which this year includes $8,000 to Fireworks Production Co., and close to $1,000 for insurance.

Earlier this month, though, the county fire marshal’s office rejected the Associates’ site plan and proposal for this year’s display because of safety concerns related to a stand of trees south of the school.

The trees have grown high and impinged on the fallout area from the firework shells, said county fire department spokeswoman Elise Armacost, who noted “you need 70 feet of space for every inch of shell.”

“If they fall in the woods, it’s much more difficult to recover them, and you wouldn’t want a kid finding a shell that hadn’t exploded and suffering an injury.

“We were also concerned about the risk of fire,” she said.

The fire marshal agreed to the application only after the Associates submitted a new site plan, agreed to move the shooting area farther away from trees and to limit the size of the shells to 3 inches — instead of the requested 4 inches.

This didn’t sit too well for Nielson; he doesn’t want the association accused of putting on a “diddly-squat show.”
 
Meanwhile, Loch Raven Academy officials on March 1 approved the use of the school grounds, according to Nielson.
 
But the school system’s Office of Maintenance and Grounds rejected the application March 20, and Nielson said they didn’t notify the Associates group until May 20.

At issue is construction that will be under way to replace the roof of the school and renovate its front facade. Associates treasurer Leslie Vallade said she was told by the contractor, Melvin Benhoff Sons, that crews would be working on the project around the Fourth of July.

School officials said they would consider allowing the fireworks on the east side of the school — but only if the association paid for a fence to protect the construction site on the west side and the public from each other.

The Associates had to have all approvals at least three weeks before July 4, but Vallade said it became frustrating that the size and cost of the fence escalated as the deadline drew near.
 
First, the school system said the group would have to provide a barrier 1,200 feet long, Nielson said. Then they said it had to be 2,400 feet.

“Then they backed off and said we could use that flexible orange plastic fencing, which we found out we could buy from Home Depot for $25 per 100 feet,” she said. “But then they said the contractor would have to put it up, and that we would have to pay $2,700.”

“There were so many things wrong, it was a joke,” Nielson said.

Ultimately, the Associates received a contract with three quotes from a fence company: for 6-foot-high temporary fence, which would cost $20,400; an 8-foot high fence, which would be $24,000; and a 4-foot high orange plastic fence, which would cost $3,100.

The Associates’ board of directors voted to pay the $3,100. But the board also decided to launch an effort to recruit businesses in the area that will benefit from the increased traffic to assist financially.
 
And the board put together a flier asking residents to contact the Board of Education, County Executive Jim Smith and 5th District Councilman Vince Gardina, who represents Towson, asking that the fencing requirement either be rescinded, paid for by the county or reduced.

Last Friday, Smith spokesman Don Mohler said he was unaware of the situation and that it was a school system matter; though he said he would look into it.

Gardina said, “There’s no way the county can put up the money and you can’t expect a community association to pay for it.” He pledged to come up with “a better solution.”
 
By Monday, shortly before noon, the county executive had decided to provide a grant to pay for the fencing. It still must be  approved by the County Council, but Mohler expects that to happen.

“It’s the easiest thing for us to do,” Mohler said, noting the county had issued similar grants in Fullerton and Catonsville when committees came up short.

The right thing to do

“The Associates of Loch Raven Village are very appreciative of the county’s support of this longtime tradition,” said Nielson.

Helping out was the right thing for the county to do, said Loch Raven activist Donna Spicer, who previously has been involved in helping to put on the fireworks.

“It’s a God-awful major tension thing worrying if it’s going to rain or not,” but it provides families with a lot of joy and is a financial boon for local eateries and other businesses, she said.

The population of Loch Raven Village increases tenfold for the event, as the display draws crowds from Towson, Parkville, Baltimore City and elsewhere. Despite the long history of the fireworks, there have never been injuries or a mishap, said Nielson.

It not an easy thing for a community group to commit to the money and manpower for an event like this, Spicer said.

“You’re going to see fewer and fewer community groups willing to work like this unless government and other authorities provide the support they need.”

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