Sjoerd Witteveen
Stouffville’s Mario Vella handles a sparkler in preparation for his annual fireworks show in Memorial Park on Canada Day. He loves his work.
Whitchurch-Stouffville
June 28, 2008 11:18 PM
By: Alyshia Higgins
During the day, Mario Vella constructs buildings. At night, he blows things up.
Mr. Vella, or “Pyro Mario” as he is called, has been the man behind the fireworks in Stouffville Memorial Park on Canada Day for several years.
He is looking forward to lighting up the sky with another unique show Tuesday at dusk.
“I love it,” he said. “We are the artists of the sky, as the saying goes.”
Mr. Vella has lived in Stouffville for 18 years and is a Level 2 Pyro Technician. Only 300 exist in Canada.
“(As a Level 2), I can fire eight-inch to 16-inch fireworks which go anywhere from 800 to 1,600 feet in the air and are 800 to 1,600 feet wide,” he said.
Being of European background, Mr. Vella said, as a child, he was interested in fireworks and was exposed to them regularly.
“I saw fireworks almost everyday,” he said. “It’s in my blood.”
The 45-year-old father of two does fireworks shows all over Ontario and Quebec. He puts on about 12 a year, including corporate events, weddings, birthdays and festivals.
The fireworks he uses at the festival come from around the world, and have a variety of different effects, including exploding into shapes.
“It’s a big hit with the kids. They see the happy faces and the stars and they love it,” he said.
Despite being around explosives, Mr. Vella said he’s never had an accident.
“I still have all 10 fingers,” he joked.
As for what the future holds, he’s happy to continue lighting up the sky.
“I’m probably going to do this until the day I die,” he said. “It’s a piece of me that I can show to everybody.”