FVC Perspectives—August: Loud noises

Cities and societies are always balancing the benefits of infrastructure, commerce, and community gatherings with the potential difficulties they may create.

Restaurants bring unwanted noise, roads pose dangers for children and animals, and parades disrupt traffic. Communities and governments are in a constant struggle to find a balance between public and private enjoyment, convenience, and safety.

Fireworks are a long-time feature of community celebrations in Canada. They have endured despite occasional concerns about their effect on pets and those with post-traumatic stress. Recent years have brought increased threat of wildfires and led to the cancellation of fireworks or, occasionally, their replacement by drone shows.

Communities are now considering their future, with some sticking with the popular thrill of seeing (and hearing) airborne explosives light up the sky while others turn to quieter technology.

For our August Perspectives piece, we asked readers whether events like fireworks and airshows are worth the stress caused to some.

Readers were roughly split, with slightly more people in favour of loud events.

Fifty-five per cent of respondents endorsed noisy events, while 45% were opposed.

Of course, the issue is not exactly a black-and-white question. So we asked readers to explain further how communities might balance the trade-offs between community events and their effects on some individuals.

Here’s how you responded. (We aren’t able to use every response we received, but we appreciate them all. We have chosen responses to showcase a diversity of perspectives. As noted in the form, we prefer comments that come with a name.)

Rudy Hiebert: “Be willing to have the event organizers make adjustments to times and enforcing permits. Celebrations in residential neighborhoods, ie weddings, etc. that last more than a day or two with noises associated needs attention. Guns and fireworks are unacceptable and dangerous… Make sure that the approved noise occurs during reasonable time of the day and inform the community of those times. Any fireworks events also need permitted approval, ie. no backyard fireworks for days on end. The term ‘noise’ need defining, ie. some music and loud-speaking could be noise.”

Ralph Terpstra: “By restricting the hours permitted.”

Margaret Lucas: “It is a hard question. Trading fireworks for drone shows or banning fireworks all together. I started this so I have to hold my ground. Putting money before mental health is not okay. The air show generates income for local businesses but we have to live with noise and terrified animals. I am not sure how the local farmers deal with cows or piglets but they must have difficulties too. Thank you for listening.”

Nicole Bellay: “Create new tradition, like having a light show instead of fireworks…the Mission Raceway is a very controversial event. It has his lovers and haters. The lovers always talk about the economic benefits. Haters, about the excessive noise that spreads far and away.”

Conrad: “The Mission raceway is an interesting case. It’s fairly close to town, and affects folks living on the south slope of Mission in a significant way on race weekends. I feel bad for people who view and buy a home there when there is no racing occurring. They are in for a surprise. Races continue throughout the summer months, when most people would like to be outside enjoying their back yards.

“At the same time, I recognize that the raceway is a significant economic contributor to the local economy.

“I have lived in Mission for 40+ years, so i have made my peace with the raceway. However, I am considering downscaling to a different home in Mission, in the future. It’s proximity to the Raceway will definitely play into my choice of location.”

Ginney Meinen: “Pets should be kept indoors during these events and people could possibly wear hearing protection. I don't want to be insensitive but it seems that many people are going overboard with their complaints. Just stay home if you don't like it. Or, if government has to be involved with everything, make sure permits are required and time limits are set. People that are mentally affected probably have underlying issues and should be prepared with hearing protection.”

Rob: “The reverse could be true as well. Some could benefit positively by attending such events as it may be their only time to not live in isolation. Most events don’t just occur. People can ‘prepare’ when an event is announced and perhaps it can be worked in to their coping mechanism or build strength to handle that or similar situations.”

Mark: “Keep public informed of upcoming events so they can prepare for their and/or their pet's stresses.”

Costas Blachuras: “What happened to the days of people taking care of themselves? People are extremely helpless it seems and rely too much on others solving their own problems. It's pathetic honestly. If these events sell out (which they usually do) then the minority should look after themselves and adapt accordingly. Ear plugs or they can leave their homes for a couple hours and enjoy life in their own personal way. There is something out there for everyone to enjoy.”

Annie Richard: “These events happen may be 2 or 3 times a year and bring a lot of joy, sometimes more tourists. It is up to the owner to handle whatever the issue with their dog. I owned a few dogs in my life and those loud noises were not an issue. Don’t deprive 99% of the people because 1% of them can’t handle it.”

PC: “I think given ample warning that these events are happening people can prepare for them. For instance, using earplugs, or listening to music to calm yourself (or pets). It would also be helpful if there was a time frame for when the event will be happening.”

Jean: “You can please some people some of the time but you can’t please all people all of the time. Good old saying!”

Marlene Robinson: “Deliberately choose quieter alternatives - like drone shows instead of fireworks - and abandon the air show in this era of climate crisis.”

Rudy Ydenberg: “There are ample options, such as (silent) drone light displays in place of fireworks. Given the growing evidence of the impact of noise pollution on the natural world, surely we can forego bangs and booms and enjoy less auditory celebrations?”

R Byers: “Drones instead of fireworks. Time airshow and autoraces were done away with. Too many resources used for this kind of thing.”

Joan Curtis: “Each person or pet has a trigger that sets them off. There is no one answer but most things like fireworks last 10 minutes. Parades are not a constant hour of bands and the Airshow only has some fly bys . I know I know still scary but should no one have joy and thrilling moments in life because a few have to be protected. Most people has coping mechanisms.”

Casey Langbroek: “There has to be room for events. You cannot cater to every whim of every person. Sorry, but that is where leadership comes in.”

PL Chin: “Fireworks is burning money besides polluting the air etc, alternative is drone shows. They are equally good n festive to watch."

“Airshows…I personally don’t watch. It is a skill that is useful to fly a plane? Does it promote n impress and encourage the young to take flying as a career?“

Lola: “Limit the time that fireworks , for example, can be used. Or, transition to drones for a light show.”

Ellie Mackie: “The idea of using drone light shows instead of fireworks is a great one. Make fireworks an illegal offense, subject to a significant fine the initial time. Not only is the noise highly disturbing to animals and some people, the potential fire danger isn’t worth it anymore.”

Lynne Murray: “I think it’s time we used the laser light shows instead of fireworks. Too much pollution, fire risk and stress on both birds and animals. I don’t mind air shows.”

R. Blondin: “Regulate them. Fireworks everywhere, all night on Halloween is a problem. It's dangerous for all and seemingly has no bounds. Fireworks that are set off before 11pm, by adults, in an approved location would be fine. It was when I was young. My Dad would chip in $50 and we'd go to a friend's house, where in a vacant lot, 40-50 of us would watch a homemade fireworks show. It was over by 9pm and they had a bucket of sand in case they needed to put out a fire. In order to restore law and order in this area, the fines should be $10,000. Give out 5-6 tickets like that on one Halloween and next year, far fewer people will take the risk of doing it without a permit.

“Airshows - good. Regulated fireworks - good. Chaos, bad. “

Robin: “Loud noises are everywhere. Yesterday, as I drove on the highway, I passed a loud truck. If you are unsettled, disturbed or mentally harmed by loud noise, you should take steps yourself to avoid or mitigate them. It is not the responsibility of communities, governments and society to protect you.”

Rainer Fehrenbacher: “For fireworks, make sure they happen during a tight time window that is earlier in the evening to make sure people can still celebrate. For the air show, just cancel it and spend the municipal/provincial resources on areas of actual need. Our community does not need to play host to a celebration of American military airpower. These planes may be really cool in a lot of respects, but they are literally instruments of death and the loud noise is significantly disruptive. We have war refugees in our community - why is it ok for us to subject them to being buzzed by F18s? I like Top Gun as much as anyone else, but the airshow is a waste of resources and a tax on the mental well-being of our community.”

Sharon: “Not sure of the benefits - a few hours of fun versus environmental damage, cost, etc. Would be great to search out alternatives Check the book Birding to Change the World by Trish o'Kane for a true story of how an American town protected their wetlands from fireworks (which actually only got moved to a different location, but at least, less environmental damage.) apparently, drone light-shows are an alternative.”

Penny Remington: “Some places are already using drone shows, and they appear to be successful.”

Alison: “Perhaps offer quiet spaces that would muffle or block the sound. Ideally, this would be taken care of by family. To cancel events that the majority enjoy to serve a minority seems wrong to me. The Airshow for eg, has had detractors for years, but is enjoyed by thousands and brings a lot of money to the area over the week of the show.“

Dennis: “The first question should be two questions. Airshows have been held for years with no issues. Fireworks however, can be dangerous and should not be allowed in any residential areas because of danger of injury or fires. Governments can balance by designating where these events can be held safely.”

Sara Shadbolt: “Give affected parties enough prior notice, to enable them to make suitable arrangements to avoid being affected. Everybody needs to adapt. Provide insurance coverage for dead chickens, if required. Provide places where people who are affected by loud noises can go and be quiet. But don't stop the fun for everybody else for the sake of a few.”

Bill Gosse: “I feel the only activity to ban would be fireworks and the provincial govt should take the lead it is too dangerous.”

Ron: “Suck it up. Not all things some people enjoy! Just have to gat along”

Connie: “If there are health/wellness implications to large populations of people or wildlife, there should be significant regulations or even prohibitions on such noisy or unruly events. There should be consequences for causing poor quality of life to other innocent creatures. Why should such events, which are primarily for corporate advertising, cause harm? Why is this allowed?”

Lisa C: “More legislation that disallows events that are over a certain DB level ie 85.”

Wendy Thomson: “My concern is mainly fireworks. They should either be banned completely or only the noiseless ones available for purchase.”