Dear Editor. Recent personal attacks upon a couple of letter writers, in local paper, who decried the incessant noise from Mission Raceway begs a more sane explanation and some facts instead of emotional rhetoric that, frankly leaves readers perplexed at the source.
To start, most readers and opponents have lived in Mission longer than the Race Track but some writers seem to wrongly feel the Race Track was here before all. Another anomaly is the inaccurate economic benefits that while some tax revenue is generated, it pales in comparison to claims.
The dilemma is unnecessary, unhealthy noises that are harmful to one’s health and mental state. Incessant noises can cause anxiety, stress and alienate neighbours. Many health problems can arise from incessant noises, of any nature, that in themselves cause distress, annoyance, sleep deprivation, mental breakdowns, contribute to severe hearing losses including deafness, to heart attack, to stroke and sadly a plethora of related hearing and disease implications.
An estimated 90.0% of the population haven’t the remotest clue of severe impact noise may have. Clearly an estimated 90.0% respond in an ignorant and usually anecdotal manner, to unwisely and unjustly, criticize the (complainer) for no sane reason, except they felt like doing so.
Mission Raceway is clearly an anomaly in the wrong location, but it is a sacred cow to some. The Raceway are benefactors of short-sighted politicians who wrongly located a popular event in a downtown growth area of a growing city. Indeed, this albatross while something I support, as being a father of a Dragster Race car Owner when the old raceway was in the current Junction Shopping Centre site but wrong choices by inept leaders, witness a move to the current site. Changes to muffler system could likely remedy most noise but again, a sacred-cow “don’t modify mufflers, we love the noise that prevails and generates a sense of euphoria”.
The unwelcome noises are usually rationalized by truly ignorant people, such as, the few, claiming to love the loud train whistles and wheel screeching noise as romantic, nostalgia or other such foolish sentiments.
The incessantly barking Dog is typically because of lazy and ignorant Guardians, who don’t investigate the incessant barking, claiming “dogs bark you know”. Regardless, Dogs could be in distress, scared by a possible predator, possible intruder planning to break-in to a home.
Whether the irresponsible motorcycle driver with modified pipes, or the Boom Box Stereo owners, again awakening and annoying neighbourhoods they drive through, at all hours. But like all unnecessary noises, the perpetrator can rely upon a predominant apathetic residents and often an uneducated and leaderless similarly moribund & indifferent group of authorities lacking the political will to act with due diligence and pro-active, progressive vision.
Unnecessary unhealthy noises are perpetrated by irresponsible people and many of the same ilk actually try to justify their utter distain and contempt toward society. Simply not caring one iota for others well-being, health or right to enjoy peace and quiet of their homes, then have the audacity to make such outlandish anecdotal statements in support of their bad behaviours or condoning senseless actions of others of their same ilk.
But likewise, if people did not move to Mission locales near the Raceway due to noise, we would witness a barren wasteland like before, occupied by lumber mills and other eye-sores, but if expansion proceeds, as envisioned, complaints will dramatically increase as population fills in new housing within 10KM of the Racetrack.
The remedy is to mediate all unhealthy noises, stop the ridiculous justification for unnecessary unhealthy noise, and stop blaming those disturbed who are, often desperately, asking for help. The individuals denying serious noise matters, as only emanating from complainers are part of the divisive community that has emerged and perpetuate the lack of inclusive community we might enjoy if more people became educated, took some sensitivity training and became part of the solution instead of endless insensitive and ignorant remarks to justify noise makers.
Yours truly,
George F. Evens