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Clearview fines Destiny for violating noise bylaw
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| Matt |
http://www.simcoe.com/sc/collingwoo...p-2510397c.html
Township charges rave, GNE board
Michael Gennings, Special
08/27/04 00:00:00
The Collingwood Agricultural Society is charged with violating Clearview Township's noise bylaw during the World Electronic Music Festival (WEMF) last month.
Also charged is Toronto-based Destiny Productions, which presented the festival at the Great Northern Exhibtion Fairgrounds, owned by the society.
"Based on the number of complaints I received that weekend charges were laid," bylaw enforcement officer Wes Prosser said.
Meanwhile, because of the festival the township is in the process of passing a special events bylaw which includes strict stipulations for future events.
Also because of the number of large scale events in the region, the Town of Wasaga Beach is preparing a special events bylaw which will require permits and financial guarantees.
Huronia West OPP detachment commander Rod Lake wrote to councils in Wasaga and Clearview earlier this year to request the bylaws.
Lake told Wasaga councillors the OPP first learned about the WEMF on the Victoria Day weekend when the intelligence branch learned the event was moving to the fairgrounds.
A retired municipal clerk-administrator and former Ontario Hydro executive are among six appointees to the board of Wasaga's electrical utility.
In a recorded vote Wasaga councillors who are the sole shareholders of Wasaga Distribution and its related companies elected current board chair Jim Fraser, former Essa Township clerk Brenda Sigouin, former Ontario Hydro director of human resources Bruce Young, Eckart Scheuing, Morley Berkovitch and Brian Kirkwood.
With Mayor Cal Patterson the board will have seven directors. It replaces the current three-member board which included Fraser, Walter Borthwick and Brian McLean - appointed under the once publicly-owned utility.
The six were appointed to terms of one or two years based on the voting by councillors.
At the time, Lake said their information was that the event amounted to a three-day rave.
For a number of years a special events bylaw has been in place in Collingwood.
Because of the World Electronic Music Festival, Prosser said the township's bylaw enforcement department received a total of 12 complaints during the July 23-25 festival.
"Given my experience in Clearview Township 12 complaints for one thing is a lot," he said, adding this is the first noise bylaw charge laid by the municipality.
Prosser said he heard through other sources, such as local elected officials, of additional noise complaints.
"The first complaint I got was around midnight on Friday. The bulk of the other complaints I got the next day. People had left voice mails or paged me," he said.
Mayor Fran Sainsbury said she received about six complaints from people, including one at 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
All of the callers were angry at the festival for being so rude by playing music too loud, she said.
The mayor said she drove through the area Saturday night and could hear the festival from different concession roads near the grounds.
"I think they take advantage of small rural municipalities with these things," she said. "We have to pay for the support services when these events come, they make their money and leave."
The township's pending special events bylaw should include stipulations that help prevent such future situations from happening, she said.
Prosser explained that he spent much of Saturday and Sunday interviewing residents who contacted the township about noise.
The furthest complaint was made by someone who lived 10 kilometres away, he noted.
Although he wouldn't talk specifics "because the case is now before the court," Prosser said both the agricultural society and Destiny Productions were cautioned about the noise.
The municipality's noise bylaw states that: "No owner shall cause or permit the creation, presence or existence of any noise or unusual sound that disturbs or are likely to disturb the inhabitants of the Township of Clearview."
Destiny Productions, on Thursday, issued a written statement regarding the noise bylaw charge.
"As with any festival, there is a certain amount of ambient noise associated with a large number of people coming together in one place," spokesperson Ryan Kruger said. "Our event was no different, however we did take steps to ensure we kept this noise from interfering with the community."
He explained all music stages were placed indoors and that security was posted to "ensure doors remained closed throughout the weekend in order to contain the sound."
As well, private vendors and campsites were asked to turn off stereos by 11 p.m.
"Third, when the local bylaw officer informed us that he felt the noise from one of the indoor stages might still pose a problem we turned down the volume of that stage and altered the sound equalization to reduce sound travel."
Kruger said Destiny Productions: "desire[s] to build a strong bond with the Clearview community and continue to bring thousands of tourists to the region for many years to come."
Maxine Coutts-Reid, president of the Collingwood Agricultural Society, didn't return calls to the newspaper.
Prosser said the two organizations have an Oct. 15 date to appear before a judge at the Ontario Court of Justice in Collingwood.
They can plead guilty or go to trial, he said.
The maximum fine if convicted is $5,000.
"...When the local bylaw officer informed us that he felt the noise from one of the indoor stages might still pose a problem we turned down the volume of that stage and altered the sound equalization to reduce sound travel." |
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| torontotrance |
| They have some valid points ya know. |
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| rabbitjoker |
Matt,
Can you get us the postal address to mail these people at - I would like to write them to let them know I think this type of action is disgusting. |
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| Matt |
Thank you for your interest in this matter.
I for one am I really pissed off about this. I will be writing the Clearview Township offics, as well as the Collingwood Connection. I am just waiting to cool down a bit so I can write an effective letter.
I can handle the noise charges, however, the new bylaws the township are trying to pass are what anger me.
http://www.theenterprisebulletin.co...name=Local+News
I am also pissed about the news coverage for this event up here. The only article published after the festival was about the $10,000 in drugs confiscated. The articles about the event beforehand were just about drugs and security measures.
Every year, Collingwood has hosted one of north america's largest Elvis festivals. It takes place right in the main street of collingwood (causing quite a disruption), goes on constantly, and is loud in a much more densely populated area. Yet every year, it goes on....
Contact info for Clearview Township:
http://www.clearviewtwp.on.ca/contact.html
Mayor on Clearview is Fran Sainsbury. Address letters to Administration to her |
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| Callie5 |
| This is absolutely nuts, these people live in one of the largest tourist cities in Ontario... Don't they understand by bringing an event like destiny (with the number of people it pulls) it's making their city money? However people will never stop complaining, it's inevitable... It's too bad that our scene is so looked down upon. Don't they host Wakestock every year? I'm sure that's not the most quiet event. The problem is the media and the way they manipulate peoples minds into thinking everything about the EDM scene is bad. They talk about the drugs and the deaths and the noise, why not write about our community and our dj's, many of which are local talent... When WEMF was in bobcageon, I remember hearing great things from the residents, how we brought business and life to their town. I will also be writing a letter expressing my concern. |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Callie5
This is absolutely nuts, these people live in one of the largest tourist cities in Ontario... Don't they understand by bringing an event like destiny (with the number of people it pulls) it's making their city money? However people will never stop complaining, it's inevitable... It's too bad that our scene is so looked down upon. Don't they host Wakestock every year? I'm sure that's not the most quiet event. The problem is the media and the way they manipulate peoples minds into thinking everything about the EDM scene is bad. They talk about the drugs and the deaths and the noise, why not write about our community and our dj's, many of which are local talent... When WEMF was in bobcageon, I remember hearing great things from the residents, how we brought business and life to their town. I will also be writing a letter expressing my concern. |
12 old farts with nothing better to do have the power to ruin it for thousands. Why doesnt someone have the balls to tell these people to shut up. Its only 1 saturday night EVER! Faaaak! Every Thursday night the pub downstairs is noisy and im often awake until 2:30 but do i complain? OF COURSE NOT! Thats what happens when you live near people and especially near a pub/club. During the blackout we had a blackout party and it went until 2am in my parent's neighbourhood. Some jackass came and complained saying his kids had to go to school in the morning. Note that we werent even playing music it's just that the windows were all open and they heard us laughing. Our response? IT'S A BLACKOUT!! HE'S NOT GOING TO SCHOOL! We invited the guy to come join us but of course he was a beligerant idiot. I told him that our family had lived on that block for almost 20 years and that this was the first time id ever heard any noise at that time of night ever. My response was that he just chill out and live with it for a night considering what a special night it was. Of course he didnt get it... So i said fuggit and decided that i had the right to be selfish for once in my life.
Oh well!!
People need to get the pickle out.... and city council's need to stop worrying about 12 old farts and start thinking about what 10,000 partiers can do for the local economy. Id like the media to go and interview joe the pizza man, jack the esso owner or Habib the convenience store owner and see how they felt about 10 thousand tourist. Of course that will never happen!
Oh and before i get any comments about my above joke.... RELAX STUPID!! :haha: :stongue: |
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| E2EK1EL |
| Oh man ... I hope WEMF guys don't get into . |
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| Callie5 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jayx1
12 old farts with nothing better to do have the power to ruin it for thousands. Why doesnt someone have the balls to tell these people to shut up. Its only 1 saturday night EVER! Faaaak! Every Thursday night the pub downstairs is noisy and im often awake until 2:30 but do i complain? OF COURSE NOT! Thats what happens when you live near people and especially near a pub/club. During the blackout we had a blackout party and it went until 2am in my parent's neighbourhood. Some jackass came and complained saying his kids had to go to school in the morning. Note that we werent even playing music it's just that the windows were all open and they heard us laughing. Our response? IT'S A BLACKOUT!! HE'S NOT GOING TO SCHOOL! We invited the guy to come join us but of course he was a beligerant idiot. I told him that our family had lived on that block for almost 20 years and that this was the first time id ever heard any noise at that time of night ever. My response was that he just chill out and live with it for a night considering what a special night it was. Of course he didnt get it... So i said fuggit and decided that i had the right to be selfish for once in my life.
People need to get the pickle out.... and city council's need to stop worrying about 12 old farts and start thinking about what 10,000 partiers can do for the local economy. Id like the media to go and interview joe the pizza man, jack the esso owner or Habib the convenience store owner and see how they felt about 10 thousand tourist. Of course that will never happen!
Oh and before i get any comments about my above joke.... RELAX STUPID!! :haha: :stongue: |
WoW... I was shocked to see you quoting my post and not tearing into me, but anywho... I like your idea about interviewing the store owners around town, that would definately bring some positive feedback to this situation and maybe those interviews could be mailed to the mayor along with letters of concern. |
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| dEsidEL |
Stratford Upon Avon didn't mind hosting Godskitchen Global Gathering this summer..
what a sad state of affairs our society is in ..
eventually these types of events will be pushed as far north as the artic circle
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Callie5
WoW... I was shocked to see you quoting my post and not tearing into me, |
Thats because you finally have seen a taste of what i am always talking about on here.
This is why voting for city, provincial and federal elections is so important. It would force the politicians to pander to the young people holding the party AS WELL as the old farts complaining. |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by dEsidEL
Stratford Upon Avon didn't mind hosting Godskitchen Global Gathering this summer..
what a sad state of affairs our society is in ..
eventually these types of events will be pushed as far north as the artic circle
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thats because if someone complained, the alderman would probably just say "SHUT THE FOOK UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE"
But in Canada every last vote counts it seems
:D :D :D |
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| dEsidEL |
| quote: | Originally posted by dEsidEL
eventually these types of events will be pushed as far north as the artic circle
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and then the Inuits will start complaining..
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