With regards to the blowing of the train whistle, it appears to me that if we had a noise bylaw with muscle behind it (which we do not have) then we could take step number one in enforcing it. The noise bylaw we now have is weak and town hall is unwilling thus far to give it any teeth, to include full strength as law of the town. What does it take to strengthen a law on behalf of the peace of its citizens? Is anyone up to the challenge to sit through night and day for a week to understand what we tolerate including the train whistles? (Directed at town council).
I have called the law in the middle of the night to complain about the screeching of metal and an array of loud noises coming from the industrial area. We won’t get into fumes sifting over or semis unloading their wares in the middle of the night causing your bed to shake! This can happen around the clock, 24 hours a day. The law can do nothing. Their hands are tied. All because town council refuses to change the hours of the noise bylaw.
With windows open spring, summer and fall, the train whistle is very annoying. In the Charter of Rights, it refers to liberty of the person. The dictionary says that liberty is being exempt from restricting circumstances. Freedom is the absence of restraint, so if I have to stay in my house all day to achieve a little peace, then where is the liberty? Liberty is the removal or avoidance of restraint. This covers freedom from annoyance or intrusion and again the train whistle is very annoying. In the Canadian Bill of Rights, it says I’m a free Canadian, free to oppose what I believe wrong. Therefore, in restricting me to my home, (and I don’t have a car), you are restricting me from natural peace.
I’m sure there must be government “moneys” to cover what the town needs to do without raising our taxes over a train whistle.
Sincerely,
June Jakole
