All shook up: Elvis breaks Surrey noise bylaw
Outdoors events cancelled at seniors complex after neighbours complain about the loud music
Ersatz Elvis has left the building.
And Jacqueline Lewis, one of the people who complained to the City of Surrey about his outdoor performances across the street from her apartment, says she may come across as grouchy but she’s entitled to peace and quiet.
“If we did that at our own building, we’d have the cops here,” said Lewis, whose apartment building sits on the White Rock side of 16th Avenue across from Abby Lane Amica, a retirement and seniors complex.
“A lot of us are fed up.” Lewis has lived in her apartment for 15 years; Abby Lane opened last summer on a site that used to house some medical offices and a small pharmacy.
Her neighbour Ellen Canesso has lived in the apartment building for 17 years.
“The music is blaring, it echoes through my place like I’m in a tunnel,” Canesso said. “They need to learn how to be good neighbours.”
Abbey Lane Amica had hired the Elvis impersonator to perform for residents to enjoy from their balconies. He also performed last weekend at Amica’s North Vancouver complex.
Mark Donnelly, noted for his renditions of the national anthem before Canucks games, sang O Canada for Abbey Lane residents last month, while fitness instructors have played amplified music so residents can go on their balconies to stretch and move around.
All have been cancelled now because of complaints, as has an outdoor Canada
Day celebration.
“This is a time we should all care about each other, instead of complaining about seniors having a small amount of enjoyment,” said Lynn Weir, whose mother lives at Abbey Lane. “It’s absolutely mind-boggling that anyone would complain. It’s not all day, it’s not a jack hammer. It’s petty, it’s small-minded, it’s incredibly selfish.”
Surrey’s loud-music bylaw says: “No person shall play or operate any radio, stereophonic equipment or other instrument or any apparatus for the production or amplification of sound either in or on private premises or in any public place in such a manner as to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighbourhood or of persons in the vicinity.”
Bylaw enforcement officer Lauralene Saxton wrote Amica’s head office in Toronto to warn the company it could face a fine of between $100 and $2,000 for each day a violation takes place.
The bylaw “prohibits noise that disturbs the neighbourhood,” she wrote. “Hopefully this matter can be resolved by the curbing of the nuisance, if one exists, and no further action will be required on your part.”
Prime Time Living, which operates seniors and retirement facilities in Ontario and B.C., including Abbey Lane, could not be reached for comment.
But Kelvin Monteiro, general manager of Abbey Lane, told residents in a letter: “This is something that we’ve been dealing with for weeks with neighbours, and now the city has gotten involved and forced us to stop.”
Surrey city hall did not respond to a request for information by deadline.