Recent personal attacks upon a couple of letter-writers in The Record, who decried the incessant noise from Mission Raceway begs a more sane explanation and some facts instead of emotional bullying rhetoric that frankly, leaves readers perplexed at the source.
To start, most readers and opponents have lived in Mission longer than the racetrack. Economic benefits pale 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 that 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 per cent of the population haven’t the remotest clue of severe impact noise may have. An estimated 90 per cent respond in a usually anecdotal manner, to unwisely and unjustly criticize the complainer)for no sane reason, except they felt like being bullies in doing so.
Mission Raceway is clearly an anomaly in the wrong location, but a sacred cow to some. The raceway are benefactors of short-sighted politicians who wrongly located a popular event in a downtown growth. I support drag racing.
Changes to muffler systems could remedy most noise but again, a sacred-cow – “don’t modify mufflers, we love the noise. a sense of euphoria."
The incessantly barking dog is typically because of lazy guardians, claiming “dogs bark you know”. Regardless, dogs could be in distress, scared by a possible predator or possible intruder.
Whether the irresponsible noisy motorcycle driver or the boom box stereo owners, awakening and annoying neighbourhoods, at all hours. But like all unnecessary noises, the perpetrator can rely upon predominantly apathetic residents and council.
Simply not caring one iota for others' well-being, 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.
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 eyesores, but if expansion proceeds as envisioned, complaints will dramatically increase as population fills in new housing within 10 kilometres of the racetrack.
The remedy is to mediate all unhealthy noises, stop blaming those disturbed who are often desperately asking for help. The individuals denying serious noise matters, are part of the divisive community that has emerged and perpetuate the lack of inclusive community we might enjoy if more people became educated, tolerant and more sensitive, a part of the solution.
George F. Evens