Councillors here continue to work on ways to reduce the noise generated at the Optimist Recreation Centre.
Last month, council was informed by public works supevisor Don Creed about the potential of installing walls which could either absorb or reflect noise generated by the facility.
On Feb. 20, councillors were updated on potential costs.
Estimates provided by Atlantic Industries suggested costs ranging from $19,000 to $25,000.
Councillor Jerry Schmidt agreed with the suggestion of using materials to absorb, rather than reflect, the sound.
“It would probably be much more desirable.”
Councillor Wayne Stokley agreed, but stated the estimates only look at the cost of the sound barrier – not the installation, foundation or other potential costs.
CAO/clerk Brenda Law said estimates for additional work would be about $5,000.
Councillor Susan Fielding asked if council was anticipating more quotes for this work.
Law said the estimate was to provide council with an idea of the potential project cost.
“I thought the price was quite high,” Fielding said.
“I think we need to do something.”
At the same time, Fielding expressed interest in viewing more quotes for the work.
Councillor Wayne Roth agreed there should be more investigation and that he too favoured seeing more quotes.
He said discussion would need to be part of the township’s budget discussions.
Roth then suggested it would affect the recreation budget in that if this project went forward, something may have to be dropped.
Fielding agreed that this option would not likely happen this winter, because it is not in the budget.
Mayor Dennis Lever noted that in his review of last year’s financials, the ice at the ORC came out in early March, so there are only a few weeks of ice projected.
Therefore if council were to proceed, it would take longer than that to complete the work.
He agreed that additional quotes should be sought.
Lever also agreed that redressing the noise concerns (as a result of the rink’s compressor) has lasted much longer than council originally anticipated.
“We need to do something rather than just wait for a resolution to the original problem.”
