Thousands of people spent the duration of the fireworks in futile attempts to find parking, and missed it all. I feel sorry for families and kids who came from all over the city to see the spectacle and missed it because the City of New Haven mindlessly declared Cold Spring a No Parking Zone - a totally unnecessary decision. Moreover Livingston Street and Cold Spring were bumper to bumper traffic for the entire evening. One could barely hear the fireworks with all the frustrated drivers blaring their horns. Did the city really need to post no parking signs on Canner Street for Wednesday? For what purpose? Perhaps next year it will rethink that decision. Regarding the garbage strewn all over the park, the city could have provided more trash receptacles for the event. Most of the few garbage receptacles were overflowing, so it should be no surprise that there was so much trash on the ground. One would think with the recent appalling 11% property tax increase, our leaders would have something to show for it.

Correction: I meant no parking signs were posted up and down Cold Spring, not Canner

Yes, Ray Smith, I agree. The 11% property tax increase. The big raises to Harp and her executives, while they are trying to lay off schoolteachers. The thing that infuriates me the most is Harp taking 20 or so employees with her for the big junket to our "sister city" in China. We're sister city to multiple cities -- why did Harp have to have this whole crowd with her? I'm steaming mad, and I certainly will never vote for her or her cronies again.
It is disgusting.

everyone should bear the cost. if property owners need to pay more tax, the mayor and the city employee should have salary cut too, not raise instead.

NH, I agree. This whole situation is like a microcosm of Scott Pruitt approach to "governing." That is: greed, entitlement, and cronyism.

I would be writing all over the NH Register and Facebook about this, but I'm afraid to leave my real name -- concerned about local govt backlash against me, my house, etc.

By the way, we property owners now bear ALL the cost. If New Haven government wants to keep us around, there must be some changes. For example, shouldn't parents have to pay at least a little bit for their kids to attend school? The idea of public/free education is all well and good, but if child-free people like myself decide it's time to sell out and move to the 'burbs, who is going to pay? It certainly won't be Mayor Harp and her favorites... I've voted for her before, but the last six months have truly soured me on her.

Today things look much better in the park, likely thanks to a couple of hard-working park rangers, or local helpers. I'm closing this for now. The city needs to accept responsibility for the maintenance of this beautiful resource.

Thanks for fixing this request!