A few weeks ago, an article appeared to say that a chain-link fencing will be put into place along the railroad tracks for safety reasons, at a cost of about a million dollars. As well, it is hoped that the cessation of train whistle will also take effect.
I do not understand why only the train and train whistle is such a problem, and that the noise is such a health issue from the whistle. Is this the only noise you hear at night?
There are other sounds and noise from the sirens, fire vehicles, ambulances, police, airplanes, big transport trucks with their jakes, motorcycles, cars and trucks, thunderstorms, wind, rain, coyotes howling, dogs barking, cats meowing and there is the noise you yourself make snoring, releasing gases, eating, walking and talking.
Do these also not interrupt your sleep and are they any bother to your health? But it is truly only the train that is so displeasing and we must spend this huge amount of money to end the misery of the train. May I say that there is noise all around us: it is our own natural noise, our civilization, our life, our benefits, our conveniences and our joys
We could learn to appreciate all that we have in place. Noise that is being done on purpose and continually is another matter. To fence off and to stop the whistle from sounding for a moment – I've crossed the railroad crossing and I’m on my way – and spend this amount of money is spending money foolishly, when it could be applied to other important and needed things such as health, education, roads, climate or the farmers who have had difficulty taking off their crops – the food that we require.
To spend money and raise taxes – how much may we already be able to pay – when each one of us is struggling.
To tell us that you are doing this for safety – how is it going to be safety? – when on practically any day there are crashes into walls, fencing, buildings; rollovers and collisions are taking place. They just may crash into the chain-link fence and damage it – injure themselves and bring about an expense.
I want to say, in fencing and in barriers put into being, you are shutting off nature and normal life. If you truly wish to experience noise and the health effects that happen instantly, then we should imagine being in the following – our world of today, with all the devastations, destructions, loss of life and having to witness all your homes, possessions wiped out from under your feet from the hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, severe winds, fires, floods. And place yourself in the war-torn countries where there are bullets sounding continually, explosions, building collapses, people being killed – you would certainly experience noise, fear and trauma which would affect you hugely.
But a train whistle sound? To treat it with such displeasure is ridiculous and foolish to spend money and time.
I am not perfect, but as a senior I wrote this how I see this. If I am wrong in thinking this way, tell me so. To me, these major happenings we should take notice of, not a train whistle.
Mary Cienkowski, St. Albert
