More than 100 residents took advantage of the Brantford Fire Department’s Hot Summer Nights initiative at Devon Down Park on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
The free event couldn’t have come at a better time as the city was under a multi-day heat alert.
Since 2017, the department has invited families to cool off under the aerial sprinkler and enjoy a Freezie or two every Tuesday in July and the first Tuesday in August.
“This is one of our initiatives we do every summer,” said Deputy Fire Chief Wayne Robinson. “We go around to different parks in the city across each of the five wards. It helps us get our fire safety messaging out, and it’s a great event for the kids to get outside, see the trucks and have some fun.”
Robinson said that the event is a great opportunity for the fire department to connect with the residents.
“We really enjoy this event because we get to interact with the community and the kids outside of an emergency situation,” he said. “Our prevention department gets to be here and get our safety messages out that we’re trying to push, and it’s just great to see the community get together too.”
While attendees of all ages spent the evening laughing, running through the fire truck sprinkler, splashing in puddles, or playing on the playground equipment, many took the opportunity to test their knowledge around carbon monoxide and smoke alarms with Fire Safety Educator Anna Salonen and Fire Prevention Officer Jainika Sheth.
Whether they got the answer right or wrong, the youngsters were offered a colourful jump rope or sticker of their choosing, explained Salonen.
The Brantford Public Library and Hot Country 93.9 were also onsite to chat with residents or share different games.
Karrie Rogowski, who brought alongside her two daughters, as well as some of her other family members, said they’ve been attending the Hot Summer Nights events for three or four years now.
“I think it’s a fantastic initiative,” she said. “We always make it a family event, so we just had pizza and went for a swim at my parents house, then my husband and I, my brother, the kids and my parents all come down to the park afterwards.”
Rogowski added that she’s thankful for the fire department for putting on the event every summer, and wished there were more like it.
“We’re just grateful to have this, and for the people that organize and put this on every year,” she said. “I wish we had more stuff like this in the city. More things for the youth and to get people together and back outside, it’s really great.”
For those may have missed it, the next Hot Summer Nights will take place at following parks from 6 to 7:30 p.m.:
- Tuesday, July 21 at Cedarland Park, 160 Ashgrove Ave.
- Tuesday, July 28 at Silverbridge Park, 75 Dante Cres.
- August 4 at Parsons Park, 160 Ontario St.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
