Rock festival expected to be easier on ears of neighbours
Kelowna tells organizers of this weekend’s Rock the Lake event to lower volume slightly
A three-day outdoor rock concert in downtown Kelowna should be a slightly quieter affair this weekend than it was last year, city officials say.
Changes have been made to the permit for the Rock the Lake festival after complaints about excessive noise last year from people living around Prospera Place. “We did ask the organizers to lower the decibel limit this year, and they’ve agreed to do that,” Chris Babcock, the city’s event development supervisor, said Thursday.
“As a result, we think the festival is going to be somewhat quieter than it was last year,” Babcock said. Some area residents are dubious the lowered decibel levels will have an impact, however, and they’re bracing for a noisy weekend.
Pat Webber, the Dolphins strata council president, said the noise last year was so bad she had to leave her suite, which overlooks Prospera Place.
“It was terrible. It’s not my kind of music,” Webber said. “I don’t even know what you call it. Crash, bang, I guess.”
Last year, the maximum level for music at Rock the Lake was supposed to be between 100 and 105 decibels, with an occasional peak of 110 decibels.
This weekend, the maximum level is supposed to be between 95 and 100 decibels, with an occasional peak of 105 decibels.
While it may seem a slight adjustment, Babcock said the result should be noticeable to those who were critical of last year’s sound levels. Sound levels at a rock concert typically range between 108 and 114 decibels, Babcock said.
City staff will be at the concert with sound meters, he said. If the specified levels are exceeded, he said, organizers would not be fined, but permission to hold the event again in 2018 could be denied.
The all-Canadian music festival, which starts tonight and continues through Sunday in the arena’s parking lot, features popular 1980s bands such as Toronto, Platinum Blonde, Helix and Honeymoon Suite.
We think the festival is going to be somewhat quieter than it was last year. Chris Babcock
Music tonight starts at 6 p.m. and continues until 10 p.m, with performances Saturday and Sunday from 2:30 to 10 p.m.
Last year, city officials fielded six complaints from people about the noise of the festival. Another popular summertime festival, Center of Gravity, generated no noise complaints last year, but there were some noise complaints about it two weekends ago.
Some area residents say the problem with Rock the Lake isn’t just the sound of the music, but the duration of the event.
“The main issue isn’t just the noise. It’s the fact that the festival goes on for three days. It’s a bit much,” said Gerri Cottle, who also lives in the Dolphins.
Webber, the strata president, added: “What I don’t understand is why they don’t hold the concert inside Prospera Place. That’s what it was built for.”
Rock the Lake’s inaugural event was a sellout, with capacity in the parking lot capped at 3,500 music fans. Full weekend passes for this year’s festival are sold out, as are tickets for Saturday, but some passes were still available Thursday for Sunday’s performances.