Joanne Szczerbinski lives across the street from the bookstore at the Shops at Dons Mills. She moved into the area 15 years ago because it was quiet.
Since April, the concerts, which have been a regular occurrence, are a constant disruption for her and other residents of 150 The Donway West, she said.
For Szcerbinski, the noise has been stressful.
“I have nothing against any of the music, concerts or events. It’s the amplification of it,” she said. “I realize that people love these events, but other residents have a choice to go to these events — we don’t.”
Between Friday and Sunday nights over the past few months, Szcerbinski said even with her windows closed the noise is still audible.
“We shouldn’t be able to hear any activity with our windows down,” said Szcerbinski. “There are a lot of elderly citizens that live around here and the noise is stressing people out.”
She said it’s not just the concerts. There is also the teardowns and set-ups that run late into the night with constant beeping and banging.
“It’s the wrong venue for the neigbourhood,” Szcerbinski said.
More than 20 residents from 150 The Donway West building have come forward and expressed concerns over the noise. Four have asked to move from the building and a few have moved out specifically because of the noise.
But it wasn’t meant to be like this.
Alexandra Whyte, general manager of Cadillac Fairview, the mall’s owner, said when the Shops were designed it had the community in mind.
“The open-air urban village concept was chosen to be utilized by the community,” said Whyte. “We planned to have free outdoor fashion shows and other events to take place in the town square, so that it could be a place for families and friends.”
Originally all the plans for construction and the opening of shops were focused to conforming to all noise bylaws. Immediately following the opening week festival in April, Cadillac Fairview conducted site tours with designers, architects and sound consultants to try and rectify any sound issues.
“We immediately lowered the volume level in the centre and repositioned the speakers away from residential buildings,” said Whyte. “But, there still has been concerns from residents directed at the music being too loud.”
After the second concert festival, held on the Victoria Day weekend, councillor Cliff Jenkins met with residents and Cadillac Fairview to hear and rectify concerns.
“So far the mall has had two concerts back in the spring and people have experienced quite a disruption,” said Jenkins.
The Don Mills noise by-law states noise levels higher than 85 decibels are unacceptable.
“It forbids Cadillac Fairview from making that kind of noise off this premises and right across the street,” Jenkins said. “People have been experiencing this kind of noise throughout the previous concerts.”
With three concerts left between now and September, Jenkins has asked Szcerbinski and residents to maintain a noise log and accurately describe their experience. If noise is deemed unacceptable, the city has the capacity to lay charges.
“(Cadillac Fairview) says they will monitor the noise and take some actions but there is no commitment from them to observe the decibel limit and preserve the residents quiet enjoyment,” Jenkins said. “That’s my problem.”
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