There was a knock at my door this afternoon. Two gentlemen from CB Freezers and Chill Chain Logistics offering a little holiday cheer in the form of a turkey. We spoke for a while and they told me that they do care about the area residents and I assured them that we appreciate the decrease in noise levels that we've experienced recently.
It's a difficult situation. They have a business to run... residents deserve a certain quality of life. What do you do?
Surely, no one truly understands the reach or impact of the noise issue here. I can't imagine that those gentlemen would knock on my door with a turkey if they really understood the damage caused by the noise not only to us, but to many other, less vocal, residents.
Anyway, I'm glad they came over and that we had a chat. We may not see eye to eye with them but they made a nice gesture and put forth a little effort, we've got to give them credit for that. In that same spirit I wish them a Happy Holiday, and sign off until the New Year.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
An Update
Last week, our real estate agent and his broker met with Mayor John Williams and Gary Dyke, chief administrative officer. Our agent maintains that he was unaware of the noise issue and asked for a meeting with the City after we brought it to his attention.
My agent was told that until we moved into the area that there had only been two complaints made about CB Freezers. One of the two people named sold their home to an employee of CB Freezers. Interestingly enough, they failed to inform our agent that there had actually been a full presentation made to the City about the issue.
It was pointed out that in the City's investigation that the passing traffic was registering between 60-80 db. I asked my agent to consider the length of time it took a car to pass and if he could even hear the passing cars outside. No. Then why am I being woken up? He has been in my home and heard the noise for himself. Besides, no one is complaining about the traffic.
Our agent also asked about production from Midtown Meats being moved to CB Freezers. He was told that the company will be rebuilding a small portion of the Wellington site but that most of the production will be moved to the CB Freezers location.
He believed that the only way for resolution would be to approach the City with a proposal for erecting a sound barrier. The costs would be divided between the City, CB Freezers and the residents. I can't speak for my neighbours but I certainly don't feel that I should be paying to resolve the issues caused directly by a company that is making money at the expense of my health.
Then, rather suddenly, some good news...
Through the grapevine we're told that the mayor has said the city will hire an engineering firm to analyze the noise issue. We're very glad to hear that the issue will finally be examined but we hope that it's the 'normal' activity that is taken into consideration. When the city did their own 'investigation' it was awfully quiet around here and it's not the quiet nights we need to fix.
My agent was told that until we moved into the area that there had only been two complaints made about CB Freezers. One of the two people named sold their home to an employee of CB Freezers. Interestingly enough, they failed to inform our agent that there had actually been a full presentation made to the City about the issue.
It was pointed out that in the City's investigation that the passing traffic was registering between 60-80 db. I asked my agent to consider the length of time it took a car to pass and if he could even hear the passing cars outside. No. Then why am I being woken up? He has been in my home and heard the noise for himself. Besides, no one is complaining about the traffic.
Our agent also asked about production from Midtown Meats being moved to CB Freezers. He was told that the company will be rebuilding a small portion of the Wellington site but that most of the production will be moved to the CB Freezers location.
He believed that the only way for resolution would be to approach the City with a proposal for erecting a sound barrier. The costs would be divided between the City, CB Freezers and the residents. I can't speak for my neighbours but I certainly don't feel that I should be paying to resolve the issues caused directly by a company that is making money at the expense of my health.
Speaking of health... I find it really difficult to understand the reluctance on the part of City officials to respond to concerns raised about CB Freezers. Besides the 'investigation' sent on November 30th, the last time I had a reply from the mayor from any of my complaints on this issue was in October. I've never had a reply from Gary Dyke. Now a member of council has asked an affected resident to cease all communication with him. People have serious concerns about their health! Christ, I now need medication as a direct result of this issue! What is going on here?!?
Then, rather suddenly, some good news...
Through the grapevine we're told that the mayor has said the city will hire an engineering firm to analyze the noise issue. We're very glad to hear that the issue will finally be examined but we hope that it's the 'normal' activity that is taken into consideration. When the city did their own 'investigation' it was awfully quiet around here and it's not the quiet nights we need to fix.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Keep on truckin'
It wasn't until after 4:20 am that the noise on Thursday morning stopped. When it ceased we had been forced to deal with just over 10 1/2 hours of noise. Thank the gods Friday was a quiet night. Tonight the noise, for us at least, is minimal. I don't know how those in the west are doing.
Unwanted noise may seem like a rather small issue to those who are not forced to deal with it, but it can have many detrimental effects. Sound can damage physiological and psychological health, cause aggression, hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and have other harmful effects. I never could have imagined the impact noise has had on my own life in the past four months.
Someone asked if I complain this much whenever things don't turn out exactly how I like.
What possible difference would that make? And what would it matter if I were the only one complaining? And what does it matter how long I have lived here? The simple truth is that is an issue, it remains unresolved and Quinte West officials and CB Freezers have completely failed to deal with this in an appropriate or professional manner.
I will not sit back while I am wronged, I will not tolerate being bullied and I will not let this go as long as it remains an issue. I may be tired, I may be miserable, but I AM motivated and we will see change.
It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. ~ Confucius
Unwanted noise may seem like a rather small issue to those who are not forced to deal with it, but it can have many detrimental effects. Sound can damage physiological and psychological health, cause aggression, hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and have other harmful effects. I never could have imagined the impact noise has had on my own life in the past four months.
Someone asked if I complain this much whenever things don't turn out exactly how I like.
What possible difference would that make? And what would it matter if I were the only one complaining? And what does it matter how long I have lived here? The simple truth is that is an issue, it remains unresolved and Quinte West officials and CB Freezers have completely failed to deal with this in an appropriate or professional manner.
I will not sit back while I am wronged, I will not tolerate being bullied and I will not let this go as long as it remains an issue. I may be tired, I may be miserable, but I AM motivated and we will see change.
It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. ~ Confucius
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Make that 10
Yes. Over 10 hours of never ending noise that I can feel vibrate my front door.
A second reefer has actually been docked in the front now.
Over 10 hours of emails to my MPP, the mayor, the MOE, the owners, my real estate agent, and my neighbours.
A second reefer has actually been docked in the front now.
Over 10 hours of emails to my MPP, the mayor, the MOE, the owners, my real estate agent, and my neighbours.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Over 5 and a half hours...
Tonight we've been subjected to a constant, non-stop, continual noise coming from CB Freezers/Chill Chain Logistics for over 5 and a half hours. The sound/vibration is still rumbling through our walls and into our home.
We called the city... the offices were closed.
We called the police. We told the dispatch that we understood that there was nothing they could do but that at the very least we wanted our complaint on record. They sent two officers to speak with us anyway.
I've emailed the mayor of Quinte West John Williams, our Ministry of the Environment rep, Lou Rinaldi our MPP, and Scott Willard owner of CB Freezers, several times this evening.
We called CB Freezers directly and spoke with an employee who said he wasn’t sure why the reefer was left in the front because he was aware that it should have been in the west compound. He also said that the reefer could not be moved there are no drivers on site and that it could not be turned off because there was product in it.
We called Scott Willard. The number we had was disconnected but we looked up Willard Consulting and left a message. I'm sure he'll get it in the morning.
It's now approximately 11:45 and it's been 6 hours since the noise started.
We called the city... the offices were closed.
We called the police. We told the dispatch that we understood that there was nothing they could do but that at the very least we wanted our complaint on record. They sent two officers to speak with us anyway.
I've emailed the mayor of Quinte West John Williams, our Ministry of the Environment rep, Lou Rinaldi our MPP, and Scott Willard owner of CB Freezers, several times this evening.
We called CB Freezers directly and spoke with an employee who said he wasn’t sure why the reefer was left in the front because he was aware that it should have been in the west compound. He also said that the reefer could not be moved there are no drivers on site and that it could not be turned off because there was product in it.
We called Scott Willard. The number we had was disconnected but we looked up Willard Consulting and left a message. I'm sure he'll get it in the morning.
It's now approximately 11:45 and it's been 6 hours since the noise started.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Something Stinks....
... it's a rendering truck.
Tonight we saw (and smelled) a rendering truck, again, at CB Freezers. Wonder what exactly it's doing there since, according to the union site, the Willard's claimed in late August that "any rumours of meat production at their Trenton Freezer Storage facility are false. " I think someone is fibbing.
I was looking at the website for Midtown Meats, the processing plant that burnt down in nearby Wellington that is slated to move production to CB Freezers (also owned by the Willard family), and it gave me a giggle.
"As product specialists, our efforts are constantly focused on the key values that fuel our growth and build our market leadership: Excellence in Product Quality; Industry Leading Plant Efficiencies; Professionalism, Integrity and Reliability in dealing with customers. "
Integrity? I wonder what the unionized workers from Midtown Meats would say about that. They've been out of work since April and are still wondering about severance packages and job future. Ask yourself why the Willard's are not performing the necessary upgrades to the Wellington property in order to rebuild and allow people to return to work? Why are the workers being strung along? How does this demonstrate integrity in any way?
"Community Support We contribute to the communities in which we operate through the creation of quality employment and by doing our share to support the community."
Laughable. They may provide jobs but the Willard family of companies has done nothing but continually disrupt our lives and our sleep for the past four months. They've been doing that to the long term residents since they moved in over 2 years ago. What have they done to support this community and their neighbours here?
The Willard family of companies like to use the words 'integrity', 'professional', 'quality', and 'excellence' an awful lot. Based on our experience, I don't think they have a clue what those words really mean.
Tonight we saw (and smelled) a rendering truck, again, at CB Freezers. Wonder what exactly it's doing there since, according to the union site, the Willard's claimed in late August that "any rumours of meat production at their Trenton Freezer Storage facility are false. " I think someone is fibbing.
I was looking at the website for Midtown Meats, the processing plant that burnt down in nearby Wellington that is slated to move production to CB Freezers (also owned by the Willard family), and it gave me a giggle.
"As product specialists, our efforts are constantly focused on the key values that fuel our growth and build our market leadership: Excellence in Product Quality; Industry Leading Plant Efficiencies; Professionalism, Integrity and Reliability in dealing with customers. "
Integrity? I wonder what the unionized workers from Midtown Meats would say about that. They've been out of work since April and are still wondering about severance packages and job future. Ask yourself why the Willard's are not performing the necessary upgrades to the Wellington property in order to rebuild and allow people to return to work? Why are the workers being strung along? How does this demonstrate integrity in any way?
"Community Support We contribute to the communities in which we operate through the creation of quality employment and by doing our share to support the community."
Laughable. They may provide jobs but the Willard family of companies has done nothing but continually disrupt our lives and our sleep for the past four months. They've been doing that to the long term residents since they moved in over 2 years ago. What have they done to support this community and their neighbours here?
The Willard family of companies like to use the words 'integrity', 'professional', 'quality', and 'excellence' an awful lot. Based on our experience, I don't think they have a clue what those words really mean.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Slightly different view
So this morning at 2:20 am a reefer was moved to the front and parked at bay #4, then another reefer was moved and parked at bay #3...
My husband was not too pleased.
When Quinte West did their 'independent investigation' of the noise at CB Freezers they said that the sound of the reefers running was no higher than the sound of the distant train. They said that at no time did the reefers read higher than 50 db.
Pft.
Here's the video we took this morning. Please excuse my husbands language...
My husband was not too pleased.
When Quinte West did their 'independent investigation' of the noise at CB Freezers they said that the sound of the reefers running was no higher than the sound of the distant train. They said that at no time did the reefers read higher than 50 db.
Pft.
Here's the video we took this morning. Please excuse my husbands language...
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sunday Loading & A Meeting
We went out for a lovely meal tonight only to return home and be greeted by a reefer and a truck parked directly at the front loading bay. While the reefer ran my husband noted "The windows are actually vibrating."
Despite the fact that Sunday is the only day that the bylaws protect us from the thumping and banging of trailers being loaded, at least three trailers were loaded/unloaded and moved around in the hour after we got home. The one day we actually have a smidgen of protection and they take that too. Ug.
Anyway, yesterday a city councilor stopped by the house to chat about the noise issue in our neighbourhood. We invited him to join us today as we met with neighbours about the noise issue.
Several neighbours came over to talk about the current situation, fears of what is to come, and thoughts about what our next step might be. It's pretty clear that the current resolution, parking the reefers in the 'West compound', is not the answer. While we have been enjoying some relief from the constant drone of the reefers, not all of our neighbours have been so lucky. It's really pretty incredible just how far the sound from CB Freezers/Chill Chain Logistics travels and we're beginning to wonder just how far that rumble reaches.
So, what is the next step? It's been made pretty clear that complaints from a couple of residents does not encourage change so we're going to try a petition. I'm not sure what good it will do but I think it's a fair step to take and I'm willing to give it a shot if that is what the neighbours want to try. If that doesn't work we'll continue to move on until we find something that does.
Despite the fact that Sunday is the only day that the bylaws protect us from the thumping and banging of trailers being loaded, at least three trailers were loaded/unloaded and moved around in the hour after we got home. The one day we actually have a smidgen of protection and they take that too. Ug.
Anyway, yesterday a city councilor stopped by the house to chat about the noise issue in our neighbourhood. We invited him to join us today as we met with neighbours about the noise issue.
Several neighbours came over to talk about the current situation, fears of what is to come, and thoughts about what our next step might be. It's pretty clear that the current resolution, parking the reefers in the 'West compound', is not the answer. While we have been enjoying some relief from the constant drone of the reefers, not all of our neighbours have been so lucky. It's really pretty incredible just how far the sound from CB Freezers/Chill Chain Logistics travels and we're beginning to wonder just how far that rumble reaches.
So, what is the next step? It's been made pretty clear that complaints from a couple of residents does not encourage change so we're going to try a petition. I'm not sure what good it will do but I think it's a fair step to take and I'm willing to give it a shot if that is what the neighbours want to try. If that doesn't work we'll continue to move on until we find something that does.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
An Update
We've been away for a few days enjoying some holiday shopping and time with family.
This week has been fairly quiet for us except for the loading/docking at 4am which bothers my husband to no end. He's quickly reaching the end of his rope.
A letter from the City arrived this week saying that they had performed an 'independent investigation', spoke with CB Freezers, and “it is the City’s position that the activities taking place at CB Freezers are within normal practices for a legally operating industrial facility and no further action will be taken regarding this matter by the City.”
The nights that were documented were November 18th-20th... AFTER we noticed a marked decrease in the noise emissions.
The investigation they conducted was performed by, I believe, a city parking enforcement officer and not an impartial, professional, sound/vibration consultant.
The notes include 'Lights on all night at xx'. What does it matter if a light is left on in a house? Heck, what does it matter if someone chooses to be up all night dancing naked to Achey Breaky Heart so long as they are not bothering anyone else? This is highly inappropriate.
The findings included three readings of “0 db” when the reefer units were not running. This is next to impossible. 0 db is the very threshold of hearing. A silent bedroom will measure around 30-35db.
The investigators notes, as well as the mayors letter, states that the passing traffic ranged from 65db to 85db. The few seconds of a passing vehicle close to a sound meter is far different than the 45+ minutes of unrelenting noise I was subjected to at 4am last Friday morning.
Pah, no worries... I will continue to complain and fight and be a general pain in the bottom until this issue is truly resolved. I take total comfort in the fact that I know that I am not fighting this alone :)
This week has been fairly quiet for us except for the loading/docking at 4am which bothers my husband to no end. He's quickly reaching the end of his rope.
A letter from the City arrived this week saying that they had performed an 'independent investigation', spoke with CB Freezers, and “it is the City’s position that the activities taking place at CB Freezers are within normal practices for a legally operating industrial facility and no further action will be taken regarding this matter by the City.”
The nights that were documented were November 18th-20th... AFTER we noticed a marked decrease in the noise emissions.
The investigation they conducted was performed by, I believe, a city parking enforcement officer and not an impartial, professional, sound/vibration consultant.
The notes include 'Lights on all night at xx'. What does it matter if a light is left on in a house? Heck, what does it matter if someone chooses to be up all night dancing naked to Achey Breaky Heart so long as they are not bothering anyone else? This is highly inappropriate.
The findings included three readings of “0 db” when the reefer units were not running. This is next to impossible. 0 db is the very threshold of hearing. A silent bedroom will measure around 30-35db.
The investigators notes, as well as the mayors letter, states that the passing traffic ranged from 65db to 85db. The few seconds of a passing vehicle close to a sound meter is far different than the 45+ minutes of unrelenting noise I was subjected to at 4am last Friday morning.
Pah, no worries... I will continue to complain and fight and be a general pain in the bottom until this issue is truly resolved. I take total comfort in the fact that I know that I am not fighting this alone :)
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