By John Tredrea, Special Writer
NEW HOPE — The Friday Night Fireworks barge has been repaired and is ready to go back in the water, said Marc Currie, of Niece Lumber, the firm that fixed the barge.
Sometime between the evening of May 9 and the morning of May 10, the barge was vandalized, sending it down the Delaware River.
The New Hope Chamber of Commerce, which owns the barge, initially issued a reward of $1,000 to anyone with information leading to an arrest and conviction. That reward has been increased to $2,000.
”Everyone at the New Hope Chamber of Commerce and specifically our Friday Night Fireworks committee/volunteers are distraught over the incident involving the tampering of our barge used for setting off fireworks. We are working with Chief of Police Mike Cummings on the investigation,” Caleb Lentchner, chamber president, said May 10.
”THE FIREWORKS BARGE, which was moored at the foot of Coryell Street was cut from its mooring and floated down the Delaware River sometime between 7 p.m. May 9 and 7 a.m., May 10,” Chief Cummings said Tuesday.
”The ropes were cut, the anchor was released and the wire cable tying up the barge was undone. The barge floated downstream until it was grounded on some rocks opposite the Water Works Condos on South Main Street.
”Later, the barge again broke loose and came to rest 3 miles north of the Washington Crossing Bridge (near Titusville). The barge was secured until it could be recovered (sometime on Monday). The barge was taken to the Lamberville boat ramp,” the chief said. After that, repair work was done.
Anyone who has information leading to the apprehension and conviction of those responsible for the incident will be eligible for a $2,000 reward from the New Hope Chamber of Commerce. Contact Chief Cummings at [email protected].
MR. CURRIE SAID TUESDAY morning that about $1,000 damage was done to the barge, which the vandal or vandals cut loose from its moorings, allowing the barge to float downriver.
”Flotation devices on the barge were damaged while it was going downriver,” Mr. Currie said. “Docking hardware had to be replaced, along with ropes and lines.”
Also needing replacement, he said, was hardware that holds the four sections of the barge together. Each section is 10 feet by 16 feet.
The New Hope Chamber of Commerce thanked organizations and individuals who actively worked in a team effort to recover the barge.
”It was a total group effort spearheaded by Bill Scandone, Glen Stephan, Dieter Schiell, Pat Skillman, Jon Janeyski and Tim Yates. Without their efforts and equipment, the recovery would not have been possible,” Mr. Currie said.
Mr. Scadone, a member of the New Hope Chamber’s board, thanked the emergency service units and individuals who worked to retrieve the barge and get it shipshape again. “This could not have happened without the incredible effort they all made,” he said Tuesday.
Also involved with the recovery were the New Hope police and fire departments, Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, New Jersey State Police Marine Division and Hopewell Township Police Department.
Mr. Currie added: “We’d also like to thank Tim Brewer and the Upper Makefield Fire Department for assisting with their boat on Thursday (May 10) night. The barge is an integral part of the fireworks and without it fireworks do not happen.”
Friday Night Fireworks will begin on May 25 at 9:30 p.m. The fireworks show is scheduled every Friday night through Aug. 31 (weather permitting). A test run will take place on May 18, also at 9:30 p.m.
For more information, visit www.NewHopeLambertvilleFireworks.com.

