Fireworks guru Rob Kowalyshyn has a plan that he believes will start his St. Albert New Year’s Eve show with a bang on Saturday.
“At 8:30 p.m., which is midnight in Newfoundland, we’ll get the fireworks going in St. Albert with a fireworks cake called Whiteout. Whiteout is a 300-shot titanium salute that lasts 24 seconds. If you’re not already at Seven Hills, that will get you off your chair, and putting your coat on to run outside to see the fireworks,” Kowalyshyn said.
This is the 19th year that Kowalyshyn has volunteered his time to put on the New Year’s Eve fireworks show.
“It began when I was a Kinsman,” he explained, adding that the Alberta government was giving a fireworks safety presentation at the Kinsmen Korral. “I had to be there anyway because at that time I was in charge of the facility. I’ve never stopped since.”
Now Kowalyshyn volunteers his company, Thunder F/X, and his own time along with that of his wife Christine and St. Albert friends Dan and Tyler Wall to put on the show.
“I do it because this is home. That’s why we volunteer here. The only thing that costs money is the product,” he said.
Once again this year, Victory Life Church sponsors the New Year’s fireworks display, which is free to the public. The City of St. Albert gives the church an $8,000 grant and the St. Albert Gazette donated advertising space, but the 100-member congregation of the church raises the remainder of the funds required to put on the show.
“In all, including the value of gifts in kind, the fireworks costs $28,000,” said Peter Jackson, of Victory Life Church. “This is our gift to the community and because it’s a gift, we decided we wouldn’t go and ask for handouts.”
Kowalyshyn will spend at least three full days organizing the fireworks this week, but his time is much more involved than that because he spends so much time trying to find something new and explosive for his audience to ooh and aah at.
Last year he even visited a fireworks factory in China to find the best of the best for St. Albert.
“It’s ancient there. The factory has been making fireworks for hundreds of years and when you go inside all you can smell is nitro-cellulose,” he said.
In addition to his Whiteout wake-up call, Kowalyshyn will have a Commonwealth Hurrah from China as well as a product called Kamikaze, which he believes will have everyone in St. Albert seeing stars.
“The Commonwealth Hurrah has red, white and blue spangles and lots of noise. The Kamikaze has red, blue and green spinning stars,” he said.
Safety regulations for these new explosives mean that people cannot park at the top of Seven Hills this year.
“We’ve designed the entire show so you can see it from the bottom of Seven Hills. The folks in Chateau Mission Court watch it every year. I’ve seen the seniors with their noses pressed against the window watching and they have the best view. If you stand at the bottom of the hill, you will have the best seat in the house,” Kowalyshyn advised.
The show only lasts about 15 or 20 minutes so if you see and hear a golden explosion at about 8:45 p.m. you’re too late.
“We’ll end with two Golden Brocade Crowns and the finale which is 10 three-inch titanium salutes. You’ll know the show is over,” Kowalyshyn said.
