June 3, 2009, 9 e-mails.

L. D. wrote:

I live on Watkinson ave. and have lived with the noise for a very long time 9like the rest of the neigbours) However, this week has been the worst it has ever been. Mind numbing vibration and the banging has been at it worst. I look at there pile driver scale of completion sign everyday and it seems like it does not move. They need to hurry up already. Let me know what next I can do.

C. wrote:

This week has been horrible....stay tuned for updates as we move along through the tough process of mitigating this disruption in all our lives.

G. S. wrote:

You may want to attend the community meeting at Davenport Community Centre (1900 Davenport Rd.) this evening at 6:30 PM (it’s last minute notice, I know). We’re collecting impact statements to accompany our official CTA complaint. You are more than welcome to make an impact statement at the meeting or do one by e-mail to www.hookavepiledrivers@focusedcreative.com. We are also going to update the community on progress to date.

We are lodging an official complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency in Ottawa. They have the power to stop this crazy pounding and send everyone back to the drawing board to re-think the project.

Go will put noise dampers on the pile drivers starting next Monday. We are going to check to see what effect the dampers have on the noise. They will have no effect on the vibration.

You can call Kathryn Hanford, the public relations person for the project, and request industrial earmuffs. Kathryn’s number is 416-604-9582 and her e-mail is khanford @mrc.ca. She’ll give them to you no charge (or you can go get them at her 18 Hook office, on the first floor).

If it is really driving you crazy, Kathryn can provide you with movie tickets so that you can at least get out of the house. It doesn’t solve any problems, but at least it gets you away for a while.

Help us by making an impact statement. We’re fighting as hard as we can.

C. V. wrote:

As if the piledriving onslaught wasn't bad enough, today I received a notice from CN regarding overnight construction work they will be conducting both days this weekend. It wouldn't bother me under normal circumstances, (ie no piledriving taking place) but overnight work combined with the daytime piledriving is going to prove very difficult for everyone in my family.

A. S. wrote:

I just got a noticed in the mail box that CN will be doing construction overnight all weekend.

Are there not restriction on when construction can happen? I can understand that this work needs to occur when trains are not running but my kids need to sleep too.

What is the city doing about this?
Also, is any one lives near Cariboo they might agree, the new Vibro is just as bad as the pile drivers. It like listening to a faucet dripping all day. It eats away at your nerves.

M. S. wrote:

OK now one of my ceiling has fallen down! I have big craters throughout my house in the ceilings and walls. That high pitch vibrator shook my house so badly a huge piece of plaster has fallen down in my livingroom. I just hired 4 people to work here and if this noise and vibration continues I will have to lay some of them off.

C. wrote:

I received the same notice today on a 5 x7 " sheet easily tossed aside as a flyer. No return address no date...GO "saved $$" by using archaic machinery but can't afford proper letterhead? How is it that we are given 2 days notice of this event? Earlier this week there were complaints in this area regarding the extended hours of piledriving. Your office obviously has been preparing for this and knew that the work had to go overtime in order to meet this deadline for this weekends' work 24- 7 yet we were not duly informed. My point being... YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS AND FAILED TO INFORM US IN A TIMELY MANNER. Many people in this area had plans for this weekend. Our weekends are SACRED times during this horrendous construction and noise. . To offer us 2 days notice is unnacceptable and disgusting. My household has opted to stay in town this weekend for work purposes during this tough economic time. If we had known this was going to occur we would not have scheduled our lives this way. I am sure there are many others that have similar plans to enjoy the weekend or like us have to work but the fact remains we all have to SLEEP AT NIGHT OR DURING THE DAY and sorry but 2 days notice is NOT ENOUGH NOTICE. You MUST rethink your scheduling . GO Community Update of (no date) delivered in May did not have this event as part of the schedule. Everyone in this neighbourhood is not prepared for this. MOST IMPORTANT.. Is there any plan to relocate the people affected to proper housing during this period? Please respond to this letter immediately as we are in crisis mode here. I personally will expect a response by noon tomorrow. Regards,

J. P. wrote:

I too feel that this latest development requires an urgent response from Kathryn. I look forward to hearing what she has to say.

Actually, I am puzzled why she neglected to mention this when we spoke five days ago. At the time, I raised another issue that I'm still waiting for her to respond to. I wanted Kathryn to clarify a statement that was written in the June 2009 Go Community update.

A paragraph reads:

"The exterior piles (those closest to the neighbouring houses and businesses) are expected to be completed in August 2009. Piling will begin on the interior piles in September 2009"

Take a look at another sheet of paper that was provided to us: titled "West Toronto Diamond Work Schedule (May 2009)". The coloured graphic clearly indicates that the interior piles (#2 on the chart) are still very close to houses and businesses. In fact, with Kathryn standing right there, I confirmed with one of their engineers that these interior piles are ONLY six metres apart from the exterior ones. These are the piles that are starting in September. Her communication suggests that these six metres are going to make all the difference in the world. In fact, the engineer confirmed it will make no difference at all.

I told Kathryn that it is exactly this type of communication that is both misleading and insulting. It does nothing to contribute to a healthy dialogue between both sides. (The same goes for this weekend's short notice.) At the time, Kathryn assured me that she would clear up the miscommunication with the community as a whole, so that we are all well informed of what exactly lies ahead. So far, we have heard nothing.

SRA wrote:

I suggest everyone affected swamp CN with complaints in advance ----- call CN's operations Public Affairs contact for Ontario -- Frank Binder 905-669-3128

As an aside, CN's "corporate citizenship" slogan is "delivering responsibly"... Delivering what, I wonder?

Just for good measure, you can also call Kathryn Hanford 416 604 9582, PR for GO/MRC