Here’s an email we got a couple weeks ago in the CMG inbox. At the time, we were tied up with D2D scouting and couldn’t give it a good read, but here it is now.
“Hello,
Not sure if you have heard but I have begun a fight against the cancellation of various motorized sporting events in Parry Sound and surrounding areas including the local Seguin Township, site of the track and riding trails at the Ontario Camp of the Deaf.
I formed a Facebook site with now over 420 supporters in just over one week and I am now gathering emails … to take to various council to prove that there are more people in support than against having various motorized sporting events in our area. These include motocross (current track is the Ontario Camp of the Deaf), off road motorcycle racing, motorcycle events, off road car events, etc. All of these types of events which brought in much needed tourism dollars have been cancelled due to the influence of a handful of people opposed. I have always thought that we lived in a democracy and not governed by the few. The area has been holding these types of events since the early 70’s and now a newly moved in group of people are against this and have been able to cancel all but a few events. More seem to be in their sites based on comments in the local newspaper from one particular councilor.
I need as much support as I can get to get these events back to our area.
…
Thank you
Kari Malmstrom
You can read more about the battle here and you can find the group’s Facebook page here. Some of the highjinks and comments by local councillors will likely make your blood boil. The article quotes Seguin town councillor Alex Chidley as saying he’s happy that dirt bike races have been shut down and that “The more that get cancelled the better it is for our ratepayers.”
This might not seem like a big deal to some roadracing fans who don’t give a fig about dirt bikes, but remember – the fun-haters will target you and yours after going after the dirt bikes. All it takes is a few whiny folks who have the ear of their local politicians, and all of a sudden your free-wheelin’ days are at an end. Speak up, and speak now, even if you’re not from Parry Sound, because guess what? Your town could be next.
[…] when we told about the Parry Sound noise war a few weeks ago? Back then, it was mostly a war of words, but things are heating […]
[…] live in Ontario maybe send a letter or join the FB page and try and stop this. Here is the link A battle over sound … in Parry Sound – Canada Moto Guide thanks […]
Many good points raised.
The most frustrating thing about the whole situation about the racing and the noise complaints and the agenda against the camp is the lack of common sense. If you don’t like noise don’t move across the lake from a summer/moto camp!
by the way, the camp voluntarily agreed to reduce the number of race events to one a month in the may-oct months. That is AT MOST 6 days 9am – 6 pm out of 365. That is what Mr Buchan and Councillor Alex Chidley are spending so much time, money, effort and “passion” over. Check out the http://www.bobrumball.org website and see what the Rumball Camp of the Deaf is passionate about. in the last 3 years we have had 4 races events. one of which was a Rock Crawl. Mr Buchan and Mr Childey’s values seem to be a direct contrast to ours.
Their agenda is one we can only guess. but the precedent they may set can affect all motorsports. There is no guesswork in the fallout.
I lived beside a snowmobile trail and trust me, it does not matter if the windows are closed, the sound of the aftermarket exhausts is loud. Yes I fully agree on the need for quiet exhausts for motorcycles. Our 2012 CRF205R was advertised as producing 96Db of sound. Far from it as tested was well over 100DB. My son spent over $400 for the FMF Q4 silencer to meet the XC race requirements and it was cancelled.
Sitting on my deck when the neighbor decides to cut the grass with the riding mower (louder than my son’s CRF now) is annoying but I don’t complain as I am reasonable. The few who are not, moved there after the events had been ran for many years. Kind of like moving near an airport and then complaining about the noise.
The Township by-law does not have any sound level requirements but does state when you are allowed to produce noise which we all agree on. Things are to be quiet after dark (snowmobiles don’t seem to be in this) and as you know, any MX or XC race is ran during the day. This fight is not for me. It is for the current and future riders who truly enjoy the sport and do anything to keep it going including spending money to make their bikes quiet.
If the issue is truly a couple of locally connected squeaky wheels as opposed to a fairly large group of neighbors then you’re likely on the right side. Regardless of who it is doing the complaining, as a group off road organizations NEED to be strict and proactive regarding sound levels, to the point of going overboard. If the neighbors can’t hear you they won’t complain about you. Snowmobiles run in the winter when windows are closed and people are generally inside.
As for the comparison to lawnmowers, chainsaws, trains etc. they aren’t comparable. The lawnmowers run at a constant rpm and is the kind of noise that people generally accept or don’t mind that much. The noise from the chainsaws, trains etc. only last for short periods and again people simply accept it as part of life going on.
“We” can’t win the broader fight which restricts off road access by pointing to other activities and proclaiming that they are just as bad/loud. The off road motorcycle community has to get quieter, and it may mean some tough(er) stances are taken by event organizers.
one of the organizers run his commercial leafblower anywhere for 3-6 hours fri, sat and sometimes sunday for 2-4 weekends in both spring and fall. I am his neighbour of over 300 ft plus away and with treed area between us. I heard his blower through my entire house this past weekend with all the doors and windows closed as it was 9 am and still cold outside. The commercial leafblowers are well above any 4 stroke. the data is out there.
This same neighbour complained to the twp that people at the camp , families, not a race, were riding their bikes.
I have worked with the twp of Seguin since 2008 to mitigate the noise to MOE guidelines. The point is people can still attack with private prosecutions to financially cripple their opponents, regardless of the facts that no governing authority has charged us with anything I tried to work with this group to the point of looking stupid and naive as they talked nice to my face and yet launched their attack while pretending, yes, pretending to be friendly.
As a bike community you are absolutely right that noise concerns of our communities must be addressed. SCORRA is an awesome example of this constant teaching or respecting our neighbours.
the bike makers need to help and stop making bikes that are too loud out of the box, the distributors need to voice this to their suppliers and the bike community needs to bring it to their attention. Kari”s campaign is doing just that. as well as letting our politicians know that all parts of the community’s voice needs to be heard, not just the wealthy and or organized few.
I am the organizer to support motorsports in the Parry Sound area. I have been involved in motorcycling since the early 70’s. I have ran and competed in various forms of motorsports events in the Parry Sound area including MX, XC, ice racing, and streetbike events. The reason I am putting up a fight is that this small group opposed to having any events is complaining about the sound. Well it is not the sound as the latest event was to have bikes less than 94Db tested. This sound level is much lower than a chainsaw, lawnmower, snowblower, leaf blower, and the numerous trains that run 24/7. It seems to be OK for the snowmobile trails to run 24/7 in the winter without complaints and you well know that some are much louder than any XC bike. The few have a hate on for anything with two wheels and the few do not govern the many. What next, ATV’s, snowmobiles, boats, or anything else that may keep our young from staying in and playing video games instead of getting physical activity. A few off road or mx events a year is still less than the number of times you cut your grass. Email your support or non-support (to be democratic) to allowparrysoundmotorsports@gmail.com
Too loud in a deaf camp – seriously ???
LOL
I know. It sounds like a George Carlin bit. But still….
What does Democracy have to do with it? I have ridden off road for decades and live in rural Ontario. If the residents/tax payers are tired of the obnoxious racket coming from the trails/track I can’t argue with them. 4 stroke dirt bikes are loud and for some reason seemingly EVERYBODY has to slap on a LOUD accessory pipe. Last week I walked my dog in the Gann. Forest and there were 4 a–holes riding their obnoxiously loud motocrossers. I could still hear them while sitting in my truck on county rd. 10, a couple miles away.
We loose PRIVELEDGES by being jerkoffs. Just because we want to go off road riding doesn’t mean we can detract from somebody’s right to enjoy their own property.
good point for sure, but the track at Deaf Camp has a noise protocol drafted by Valcoustics Sound Engineers, have done every single thing the Twp, has asked and actually more, has no orders or warnings or anything from DFO, MNR nor MOE, this wealthy person decide to build across from the camp after the program and races had been running already for 18 years. he never complained until 3 years ago. we are talking about controlled, safe, noise mitigated (102 dba or less bikes) for a voluntarily controlled up to 6 days a year (no more than once a month from may to oct). who is being a jerk off in this situation, the guy who laucnhes a private prosecution with the apparent intent to bleed the camp dry, not just the races and motocamp portion – the deaf and special needs part too – or is it the Camp that have bent over backwards to cooperate and accomodate and mitigate for 3 years all to have a private prosecution launched 3 years ago, – the case has not been heard before a judge although the amount of money being spent on court dates and speaks to, and lawyers is more than you would ever imagine.
the camp has yet to lose a privilge to ride, they were not bullied and in fact cooperated, it is the ongoing threat of another private prosecution being launched that is the issue. The camp needs to get through the first one and have the evidence speak for itself before it can risk another lawsuit launched by someone with a lot of money to spare i guess.
I would like to add that the noise requirement for the cancelled Oct 6th XC race was 94Db or less. Much quieter than your average snowmobile.