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Letter: 'Whiners' who hate noise shouldn't move near Burnaby SkyTrain

Editor: Re: Ear-splitting SkyTrain noise , and We fear hearing damage , NOW letters I never reply to anything or complain about anything, but these recent letters about residents near the Edmonds SkyTrain, and ops and maintenance centre complaining a
skytrain
Burnaby council wants the province to consider changes to make transit more affordable.

Editor:

Re: Ear-splitting SkyTrain noise, and We fear hearing damage, NOW letters

I never reply to anything or complain about anything, but these recent letters about residents near the Edmonds SkyTrain, and ops and maintenance centre complaining about the SkyTrain noise just got to me.

I lived right behind the SkyTrain depot yard from 1996-2015 on the 10th Ave alley.

We were so close that I could throw a rock from my driveway and hit a train (yes, I tried once – I was 19 and dumb). We even had to put up with the vibrations back in 1999 when Bombardier built the off-site plant across Southridge. Our homes were shaking like an earthquake. We got over it.

We heard the SkyTrain noise all the time. It didn’t bother me or my mother, whose bedroom faced the yard.  

I found it soothing at night. We also lived two blocks from Royal Oak station for 20 years and heard the train noise pulling in and departing out all the time. It never bothered us. Maybe these residents should be reminded that BCRTC opened that depot yard in 1985 and have been there long before any of them were or those highrise towers.

These whiners took the risk of buying their homes near a SkyTrain station and the holding yard. What did you they expect?

We took the same risk and lived happily for 19 years – we could also hear the noise of the trains rounding the corner to 22nd St station and pulling in. It never bothered us.

We have a great view of the mountains because of no homes behind our alley because of the depot yard. I miss that home and area, I miss the views and I miss the train noise – it’s not the same.

If those folks aren’t happy, then they can sell and purchase elsewhere. What do they expect BCRTC to do? Spray WD-40 on the tracks?

Tough luck – they were there first.  

Moore Manson, Burnaby