Editor:
Re: “Concert response callous” by Dr. Cheryl Malmo, Letters, Aug. 6.
Dr. Malmo is shocked at the callous response of the Town and neighbours to outdoor concerts at High Beam Dreams. Her first argument, that a struggling business is being stymied by selfish concerns of area residents, misses the point. Neighbours whose lives were affected by loud amplified music over a period of six hours (yes, there were some gaps) simply expect that this type of event will be held indoors, as has been the pattern in the past. The issue is the location of concerts on the site, not whether they should be held at all. While the audience was enjoying music in the “beautiful garden,” we were forced to give up an important family function, as we couldn’t talk over the noise.
Dr. Malmo’s second line of attack is to suggest that the noise wasn’t a real issue, as her friend living a block away didn’t hear anything. Suggesting dishonesty (“exaggeration”) is a well-worn strategy in any disagreement, but is pointless here. We recorded sound from these concerts inside our house. The noise (the music becomes bass-heavy and distorted over distance) is appalling.
We have lived here since the early 1990s and have enjoyed the church as a quiet, respectful neighbour. A commercial venue offering amplified outdoor concerts simply has no place in a quiet residential neighbourhood, and the bylaws provide unambiguous protection from such noise-producing activities. It is perhaps callous to suggest that entertainment or profit should be prioritized over the rights of residents to enjoy their own property. The bylaws are there to protect us all.
Jo-Anne Roberts, Gibsons
