To the Editor,
Last Saturday night/Sunday morning there was a big noisy celebration on the north shore of Doe Lake at the Ryerson Township end (as opposed to Armour or McMurrich-Monteith). The incessant pounding of the bass drum/bass crossed Doe Lake (it was a calm night with no wind whatsoever) and migrated, presumably, in all directions including my residence in Perry Township south of Hwy. 518 west.
The pounding continued until 3 a.m.; it was audible inside my home with the windows shut tight. Sound really travels over water.
The police told me there was no remedy to this invasion of noise because Ryerson Township has no noise bylaw. The fact that the noise migrates for miles was irrelevant.
I investigated which municipalities had no noise bylaws. Both Ryerson and McMurrich-Monteith have no noise bylaws whatsoever.
Considering the prevalence of noisy toys (ATVs, PWCs, snowmobiles and dirt bikes) one would think the aforementioned townships would be concerned for their environment. Does wildlife matter? Unwanted noise is torture.
Perry Township’s noise bylaw forbids all amplified sound night or day anytime. Noise is uncivil. Noise is pollution.
Mendelson Joe
Emsdale
Noise Law
Submitted by Chris from Middle Doe Lake
on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Mandelson,
I totally agree with your sentiments. We are located on Middle Doe Lake and the pounding bass and music could be heard also through the windows of our cottage. So the noise from this party literally traveled through dense forest and down the lake and miles away.
It was very annoying and to say the least, and not right. One has to wonder why someone would find a need to play music at a level loud enough so that neighbours miles away are impacted in a negative way.
I suppose if a law has to be enacted to curb this in the future, then perhaps that's what needs to be done.
-Chris