SoundBite Newsletter
VOLUME 3 / ISSUE 2 / FALL 1998
What's new with NoiseWatch?
Each year after Noise Awareness day, we reflect on our accomplishments, discuss our setbacks and set goals for the coming year.
This year was no different, and we proudly added our successful Noise Hurts! poster campaign, Noise Awareness Day '98 and additional media coverage to our list of achievements.
But we also noted that our efforts were frequently hampered by a severe shortage of volunteers and funds. With this in mind we concluded that fundraising and increasing membership should be two of our goals in the coming year.
We also felt that more public education about noise pollution is necessary and that NoiseWatch's profile needs to be raised. We therefore decided that increased media exposure and public education should also be among our goals.
Last, but not least, there's the harmonization of the existing six noise by-laws into one by-law for the mega-city. As we told you before, NoiseWatch is working on a three-part recommendation package which will include by-law and enforcement recommendations as well as ideas for city initiatives.
There have been some changes to NoiseWatch's Board of Directors. Ken Burford, former president, treasurer and one of our founding members, decided to retire after almost four hectic years. Thanks for all the good work, Ken!
We welcome newcomer Brian Byrnes who has taken over the job of treasurer from Ken. Brian holds a degree in environmental science from York University and promises to be a valuable addition to our group.
Annual General Meeting
NoiseWatch would like to invite all members to attend its second Annual General Meeting. Meet the people who run NoiseWatch, vote for the new Board of Directors, get your questions answered, and enjoy free coffee and cake.
Guest Speaker:
R. Murray Schafer, Composer, AuthorDate:
Thursday, Nov. 12, 1998
Time:
6:30 p.m.
Location:
Canadian Hearing Society
271 Spadina Rd.
5th floor boardroomPlease call us at (416) 410-2236 to confirm your attendance of if you have any questions.
Thanks for your support
Thanks to all of you who responded so quickly to our urgent appeal for funds. You renewed your memberships with unprecedented speed, and we're very grateful for the donations we received.
Thanks, too, to all of you who signed our petition and circulated it among your family and friends. For those of you who haven't signed our petition yet, there's still time. For additional petition sheets please contact us at (416) 410-2236.
Noise Awareness Day/poster campaign a success
This year's International Noise Awareness Day was another success. At our request, 22 Canadian cities proclaimed Noise Awareness Day on April 29. Participating municipalities included the new City of Toronto, two municipalities from Saskatchewan, one from Nova Scotia, and one from Quebec.
We handed out 1,000 Noise Awareness Day flyers and earplugs at the corner of Queen and Bay streets.
The highlight of the day was the official announcement of our Noise Hurts! poster campaign winners at Toronto City Hall. We launched the campaign in January in Toronto schools asking students from kindergarten go grade 12 to create posters about noise pollution.
Congratulations to Grand Prize Winner Lilian Adusei, and First Place winners Amanda Pepper, Stefanie Cheung, Kit Mei Lam, Doris Vessaoker, and Jessica Castillo.
The winning posters and a selection of the runners-up were on display at City Hall for the entire week.
We would like to thank Susan Main and The Canadian Hearing Society for their donation of time and funds. We would also like to thank Louise Joseph from Mount'n Seal for greatly enhancing the winning posters through her donation of beautiful frames.
Our thanks also go to Gerry Alfieri for providing us with sign, and Catherine Didulka for her time.
NoiseWatch to meet with EPO representatives
At the invitation of the Medical Officer of Health, NoiseWatch will meet with representatives of Toronto's Environmental Protection Office (EPO) in October.
At the meeting, we plan to propose that NoiseWatch become a consultant to Toronto City Council for any noise-related issues.
We also will ask for the continuation of research into stress-related health effects that was started last year.
Other topics we intend to discuss are the initiation of a public education and awareness campaign, the addition of a "quiet" designation to the city's health website and "Lifestyle Approved Awards", and help with the distribution of a new brochure we're developing.
Meetings
You're welcome to attend our monthly meetings. Meetings are held at the Canadian Hearing Society, 271 Spadina Rd., and start at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Dates:
November 12, 1998 (AGM, start 6:30 p.m.)
December 3, 1998
January 14, 1999
February 11, 1999
March 11, 1999
April 8, 1999
May 13, 1999
June 10, 1999
© 1998 NoiseWatch