Skip to content

Parksville won’t alter summer concerts despite noise complaint

Resident says he can’t enjoy his property when concerts are taking place
14701931_web1_181206-PQN-M-summer-concerts
Curds&Whey frontman Scott Rocker, centre, gets Ruby Seaberg, front left, and Jake Copp, front right, dancing during the Parksville Beach Festival finale concert on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017. - Adam Kveton Photo

There are no plans from Parksville city council to make changes to summer concerts in the Community Park, following a presentation from a frustrated resident who says music from the events is too noisy.

Ted French, who lives just more than a kilometre away from the Community Park on Sunset Boulevard, told council on Monday night he can’t enjoy his property when the concerts are taking place and will often leave his home to avoid the noise.

Related: Parksville man says summer concerts are too loud

Concerts take place on Friday and Saturday evenings between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. during Beach Fest in July and August. French suggested council find a new location for the concerts.

Parksville mayor Ed Mayne said he hasn’t received complaints from anyone else about the summer concerts being too loud.

“I find it hard to understand how only one household in that whole area can be bothered to the point where they have to leave town for the day. I think we’re probably getting a little bit of an overexaggeration,” Mayne said. “I have been to many of the concerts, many of them, and I have not been to the point where I’ve said ‘wow, is that ever loud,’ so I’m finding it hard to understand this. If there are other complaints then we should hear about them, people should tell us. I’m willing to listen.”

Mayne added that the park is a public space and the summer concerts are beneficial to the community and economy.

“At this point in time I’m not recommending any change to any rules that are going on,” Mayne said. “I think it’s a great event and the municipality benefits from it. There’s 500, 600, 700 people on Fridays and Saturdays coming to the park which means those people are doing other things in our town, hopefully, while they’re here. So it’s a good thing.”

If online reaction to French’s complaint means anything, Mayne’s decision will be applauded. Well over 100 people had commented to the PQB News Facebook page about his complaint, the vast majority saying some version of “don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

“Good grief, here we go again with another whiner about noise! Move out to Errrington, Coombs, Hilliars or anywhere else (there are lots of rural areas)!!!” Yolanda Fookes posted. “Let the people/families that live in a CITY enjoy the sounds of music, laughter and enjoyment that doesn’t cost them anything!

“Another typical person who moves near a racetrack and complains about loud vehicles,” Skylar Collins posted. “Don’t like it then move.”

Not everyone agreed.

“Wow, ZERO compassion for someone who has asked for a compromise (turn it down, move venue) to something that is fairly new in a small town he has lived in for 32 years!” Dianna Maycock said.

Craig Reid, the city’s senior bylaw compliance officer, said the department gets very few noise complaints regarding summer concerts in the park.

“It’s not often, without a doubt,” Reid said. “Very few people call. It might be five or six through the summer time when the summer concerts happen. Not a big issue from our point of view. If it was we’d have to take further steps to solve this sort of thing but very minor and very few people call.”

karly.blats@pqbnews.com