The Liquor Licensing folks shut down the Docks Entertainment Complex for noise. Apparently residents on the Toronto Islands cannot sleep at night for the cacophony coming from the Docks. Even residents from as far as Scarborough have complained.
Global TV announced with much fanfare at the begnning of the newshour that they were going to measure the noise levels scientifically. A half hour later, up pops the scientific part of their Docks team coverage. It was interesting. Now, I'm not saying that the news team was biased and used a sound engineering technician with 20 years experience to bolster Global's claim that the Islanders' are being ridiculous in their demands. Of course, ridiculous didn't pass anyone's lips, either the anchor's or the reporter's. It was just implied.
I, however, won't imply that their scientific experiment was ridiculous. I'll just say it. It was ridiculous.
Get one tech guy, have him lug around his decibel reading equipment, take him to strategic points, and have him tell you the measurements. You might be forgiven for thinking beforehand that these strategic points would include the Docks and the Islands. Nah.
First off, the Docks can't party with no booze right now, so their decibel level is probably lower than usual. Second, it's daytime, the noise complaints are at night, and the news staff were a tad slow off the mark yesterday to find the tech guy and get out there by nightfall. Third, well, they couldn't make fun of these whiny residents if they took or, more logically, asked the Liquor Board and city for the decibel readings at the Docks and at the Islands.
Since the residents are demanding that the noise level be 45 dB in their neighbourhood, Global went looking for what activities create that level. A playground filled with children screaming, a car radio up close, a truck crossing a bouncing bridge. All above 65 dB. They thusly conclude that people at the Docks would have to whisper to achieve 45 dB. Well, maybe to achieve a reading of 45 at the Docks, but not on the Islands. Anyone with any logic knows that sound diminishes as it crosses distance. And even though it carries across water, what is 45 at the Docks is still going to be much less on the Islands. Do they think we viewers are a bunch of dorks? I guess so.
So I'm still left with the questions that I thought Global was going to answer. Just what is the decibel reading at the Docks at night? And what is it on the Islands? And what is it in Scarberia where the neighbours hear it? Only when we have real evidence, taken in real time, can we judge for ourselves whether the Islanders are being ridiculous or the Docks are.
Global TV announced with much fanfare at the begnning of the newshour that they were going to measure the noise levels scientifically. A half hour later, up pops the scientific part of their Docks team coverage. It was interesting. Now, I'm not saying that the news team was biased and used a sound engineering technician with 20 years experience to bolster Global's claim that the Islanders' are being ridiculous in their demands. Of course, ridiculous didn't pass anyone's lips, either the anchor's or the reporter's. It was just implied.
I, however, won't imply that their scientific experiment was ridiculous. I'll just say it. It was ridiculous.
Get one tech guy, have him lug around his decibel reading equipment, take him to strategic points, and have him tell you the measurements. You might be forgiven for thinking beforehand that these strategic points would include the Docks and the Islands. Nah.
First off, the Docks can't party with no booze right now, so their decibel level is probably lower than usual. Second, it's daytime, the noise complaints are at night, and the news staff were a tad slow off the mark yesterday to find the tech guy and get out there by nightfall. Third, well, they couldn't make fun of these whiny residents if they took or, more logically, asked the Liquor Board and city for the decibel readings at the Docks and at the Islands.
Since the residents are demanding that the noise level be 45 dB in their neighbourhood, Global went looking for what activities create that level. A playground filled with children screaming, a car radio up close, a truck crossing a bouncing bridge. All above 65 dB. They thusly conclude that people at the Docks would have to whisper to achieve 45 dB. Well, maybe to achieve a reading of 45 at the Docks, but not on the Islands. Anyone with any logic knows that sound diminishes as it crosses distance. And even though it carries across water, what is 45 at the Docks is still going to be much less on the Islands. Do they think we viewers are a bunch of dorks? I guess so.
So I'm still left with the questions that I thought Global was going to answer. Just what is the decibel reading at the Docks at night? And what is it on the Islands? And what is it in Scarberia where the neighbours hear it? Only when we have real evidence, taken in real time, can we judge for ourselves whether the Islanders are being ridiculous or the Docks are.
Comments
_Reminds me of when 'Richards' in West Mississauga long ago found itself making the same 'we can do whatever we want, this isn't the rural country' arguments against a local housing development.
The fight continues.