Less is more when it comes to a noise policy for Woolwich’s recreation facilities, councillors decided this week.
Faced with public resistance to changes made in September, officials opted to scale back a list of prohibitions deemed heavy-handed. Director of recreation and facilities Karen Makela is to bring back a revised policy for council to consider.
The reversal of a decision made Sept. 18 comes after councillors received numerous complaints by telephone calls, email and through an online petition. The policy approved at that meeting went beyond the township’s previous exclusion of air horns, sirens and similar devices to include noise-makers such as clappers and thunder sticks. Also on the list were “human-created noised deemed unsafe or unpleasant, such as finger whistles, yelling, cat calling, profanity, etc.”
The terms of the policy were called both overkill and unenforceable by residents who spoke against the changes Nov. 5.
“My first reaction to the policy is that it prohibits cheering,” said Brooks Campbell, who argued the policy should have stopped with last year’s ban on air horns.
He called it a poorly written document with subjective provisions – “who decides what’s unpleasant?” – that can’t be measured. As such, it’s unenforceable.
In that vein, Susan Weber argued there’s no point to putting in place a policy the township had no plan to enforce.
“You cannot approve a policy that ‘strictly prohibits’ noise makers, human or otherwise, and then turn around and say ‘these activities will be welcomed so long as they aren’t affecting the enjoyment of others at the facility.’”
In looking at the document and recreation staff’s rationale for the changes, St. Jacobs resident Emily Schieck easily stripped aside references to noise studies taken from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website as both out of date and inapplicable to Woolwich’s situation.
At times interrupting speakers in defense of the policy, Mayor Todd Cowan said the criticism was misplaced, as the township was only seeking a way to deal with issues should they arise, stressing there was no intention to eliminate cheering at arenas and playing fields.
“We’re not saying let’s turn this into a sanctuary where everyone has to be quiet.”
Coun. Mark Bauman emerged as the champion of changes to the policy, calling for a rewrite in line with what the petitioners were asking for.
Makela, admitting the document needs work – “some words need to be tweaked” – suggested removing some of the provisions, to Bauman’s satisfaction.
“I think what you’re proposing will satisfy the concerns,” he said.
With other councillors on board, Cowan then assured those in the audience opposed to the policy that revisions would be made.
“We have some assurances that we’re going to change it.”
In an interview after the meeting, Weber said she’ll be happy with the results once opponents have seen the revised version of the policy.
“Behaviours don’t belong in a noise policy. This can’t be about … pet peeves,” she said, adding she’s reserve judgement on Monday night’s decision. “There’s just not a lot of trust there.”
