Lutherville residents will have to look elsewhere for Fourth of July fireworks this year.
College Manor Director of Nursing Bunny Renaud said Wednesday that the West Seminary Road assisted living facility would not be putting on its annual fireworks display this year.
"We are focusing on our 60th-year celebration, and just inviting the immediate families and friends of the residents for a celebration that we're having on that Sunday (June 24)," Renaud said Wednesday.
The display at College Manor had become something of a tradition with residents.
Laurie Hooper, president of the Lutherville Community Association, said the surrounding neighborhoods are "obviously disappointed" by the decision.
"It's a wonderful event, and one that the community has certainly enjoyed," he said.
"It's been very generously provided by College Manor," Hooper said. "We hope they can get to a position where they can do it again, because we certainly enjoy it."
Renaud said the cost of the display was "prohibitively expensive," and that the center didn't receive any financial assistance from the community.
"The neighborhood association didn't help, and nobody was willing to help," she said, though she added, "That's not the reason we're not doing it. We're focusing on making improvements on the facility, and having this party for residents, families and past families."
The community association has recently opposed a zoning request from College Manor that was made as part of the county Comprehensive Zoning Map Process. But Renaud noted the fireworks decision was made last year — and had "absolutely nothing" to do with the facility's requests for increased zoning or the neighborhood opposition.
