Loud building means sleepless neighbour

[attach]1254[/attach]North Toronto resident Terri-Lyn Creelman has tried everything from insulating her bedroom to headphones and custom-made earplugs to try and drown out the persistent noise she says is coming from the building next door.

Creelman’s called the city and building representatives 700 times in the past four years to complain about the booming noise and vibrations she said is coming from a mixed-use complex at 2409 Yonge St.

“I don’t know if I am going to throw up or my head’s going to explode,” said Creelman, who lives in a residential complex on Broadway Avenue.

“At 10 p.m. last night, my floors and walls started shaking,” she said Jan. 25. “It revs up the stress factor.”

She describes the problem as squealing, booming and roaring noises from five or more pieces of heating and ventilation equipment on the roof of the adjacent building, on the other side of her bedroom wall.

Because the noise often ramps up at odd hours, Creelman said she was asked by the city to keep a log of noise for several months in 2007.

Creelman’s log evidence and complaints has resulted in some action by the city.

The city has charged the building’s owner, a numbered company 1038193 Ontario Ltd, with violations of noise prohibition bylaw under the Municipal Code.

The matter was at the Ontario Court of Justice last May and is due back for more preliminary discussions on Feb. 2, according to the city’s Municipal Licensing and Standards.

“The noise is coming from a number of sources,” said Bryan Byng, municipal standards manager for North York on Jan. 26. “We had visits to the site including today.”

Byng said because the noise seems to be worse at night, the city is relying on the complainant’s evidence.

If building’s owner is found guilty at trial a monetary penalty will be issued.

“We actively go after the fine collection. The city does make use of collection agencies,” said Byng.

But the Ontario court doesn’t have the right to order a shutdown of the equipment unless the city is successful in penalizing the building’s owners on several occasions, said Byng.

Creelman just wants the noise to stop.

“You have a lot of pissed-off people deprived of peace and sleep,” she said.

The Town Crier made several attempts to speak with the property owner and contacted Broadway Lanes Holdings which is responsible for leasing the property to commercial tenants.

When the Town Crier phoned the leasing company, a representative said the matter is before the court, adding he has proof the noise isn’t coming from 2409 Yonge St.