Unabated Blasts

To: Randy Hawes, Mary Polak, Rich Coleman & Mark Warawa

It's a quiet Sunday morning in rural South Langley. My wife and I laze in bed looking forward to our “sleep-in” day. Suddenly the day erupts from all directions with several deafening explosions and the screech of bird-scaring devices. It's 6:30 a.m. The daily ritual of noise-making begins as the blueberry farms that now surround us make attempts to ward off the natural predators of their precious crops. From now until noon blasts continue unabated. At noon, the screechers begin along with unmuffled motorcycles roaring between the rows of blueberry plants. At 3 p.m. the blasting begins again. Finally at 8 p.m., the noise subsides and we have a few peaceful minutes to enjoy our property before darkness falls. This ritual continues for the next 10 weeks.

Several calls are made to the BC Blueberry Council liasion, Nazam Dulat. He does his best to manage the situation by constantly reminding farmers to follow the new guidelines for noise-making devices, but he himself admits, “If I call them on the phone, they will just lie to me”(that they are following the guidelines). One man is responsible for educating the entire blueberry growing region.

Calls are made to the Langley Township Bylaw Enforcement office. Their response “Contact the BC Blueberry Council”. Somehow the noise bylaws that affect everything from boisterous house parties to early morning leaf blowers do not apply to the most disruptive of all noise-makers.

We moved to rural Langley to get away from the noises of the city, to enjoy the more relaxed and pastoral lifestyle. We wanted to spend our time outside enjoying our property. Instead we fnd ourselves trapped inside with the television turned up and the windows closed trying to drown out the constant explosions of the propane cannons.

Surely there are cost-effective alternatives to this archaic method of frightening birds. For the sake of the many thousands of residents who oppose the current method, please establish laws that disallow the use of all types of noise-making equipment.

Thank you for your assistance.

K.
South Langley, BC