On the Record

Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2005 05:20:11 -0700
From: Dennis Sylvester Hurd (Google Mail)
To: rick_kams@bcrtc.bc..ca
Subject: NOISE LEVELS from SKYTRAIN ANNOUNCEMENTS at COLUMBIA STATION
Cc: kcoueffin@city.new-westminster.bc.ca, custrel@translink.bc.ca, editorial@royalcityrecord.com, mike_richard@bcrtc.bc.ca, amelita_quizon@bcrtc.bc.ca

The last letter below was sent last fall. I have copied an entire history of complaints about the Skytrain system announcement VOLUME LEVELS. You will discover that this situation dates back to 2003.

I am writing this at 5:20 because I was rudely awoken this morning by an announcement at 5:00 am. Last weekend was an especially trying time as I was unable to get to sleep until after 2:00 am on Saturday morning. This was the same day that I started teaching day-long classes at BCIT beginning at eight. I know announcements will be necessary ... but there has to be control over the sound levels.

I demand that studies take place in order to get the announcements to acceptable decibel levels. If the Skytrain station were a neighbor, then municipal noise regulations would be preventing the headache that you are causing. I'd like to to be personally acknowledged as to the plans to prevent this constant interruption to my life.

==Dennis Hurd
#1001 420 Carnarvon Street
New Westminster, BC V3L 5P1
tel: 604.524-6197

==========

Dear Quizon Amelita,

As you will note on the previous correspondence, it has been about five months since I last wrote about excessive announcement noise from the Columbia Station Skytrain Station. However, I would like for you to keep a constant eye on the situation.

Last night between 12:45 and 1:45 am, I was again awoken from a sound sleep. Please bear in mind that I live on the tenth floor of the building behind the station. Announcements were made in both a female and male voice at the arrival of each train.

It goes without saying that I know the system will encounter times when announcements need to be made. Yet, they should not prevent sleep for neighbours of the stations. TURN THE VOLUME TO ACCEPTABLE LEVELS, PLEASE.

I will provide and early thank you for your understanding and action on this matter.

== Dennis Hurd


----- Original Message -----
From: Dennis Sylvester Hurd
To: QUIZON AMELITA ; Keith
Coueffin ; custrel@translink.bc.ca
Cc: KAMS RICK; editorial@royalcityrecord.com; RICHARD MIKE
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 3:33 PM
Subject: Re: Oct. 30 AM SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud

Dear madam,

I'd like to thank you very much for the prompt response to my email message. Unfortunately, I must have been unclear in the original as you were unable to address my major concern.

You told me the reason for the service interruption. I was well aware the reason. I wasn't able to avoid hearing the announcements repeated this morning while trying to get back to sleep. You continued by telling me that you needed to communicate with customers and I can certainly accept that without condition. I am sure the on a system as advanced as the SkyTrain that technical issues will occasionally develop and announcements will need to be made.

What I was trying to address was the extreme volume in which the message was broadcast. The subject line in my original message read, "AM SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud". I live on the 10th floor and my windows were tightly shut. I was sound asleep but the announcements forced me and my partner to awake.

That type of 'inconvenience' should have a solution and, unfortunately, you did not address that concern at all.

== Dennis Hurd

----- Original Message -----

From: QUIZON AMELITA
To: Keith Coueffin ; Dennis Sylvester Hurd ; custrel@translink.bc.ca
Cc: KAMS RICK ; editorial@royalcityrecord.com; RICHARD MIKE
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 11:50 AM
Subject: RE: Oct. 30 AM SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud

Dear Mr. Hurd:

The announcements that occurred this morning were required due a system failure to a major safety system which prevented our ability to begin revenue service at our normal time.

We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced this morning, but such cases we are required to communicate with our customers thus the announcements you heard. Be assured that every effort is made to minimize any inconveniences to our passengers and surrounding neighbours, but on occasions such as this it may not be possible.

Once again, we do apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for allowing us to address your concerns.

BCRTC: 2003-01493 TransLink: 25337

Amelita Quizon
Customer Service & Operations Support
SkyTrain-BC Rapid Transit Company Ltd.
6800 14th Avenue
Burnaby, BC V3N 4S7
Tel. (604) 520-3641
email: amelita_quizon@bcrtc.bc.ca


-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Coueffin [mailto:kcoueffin@city.new-westminster.bc.ca]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 9:57 AM
To: Dennis Sylvester Hurd; custrel@translink.bc.ca
Cc: KAMS RICK; editorial@royalcityrecord.com; RICHARD MIKE; QUIZON AMELITA
Subject: RE: Oct. 30 AM SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud

Mr Kams
(Rick),

Will you be able to investigate the concerns noted by Mr.Hurd?

kc Keith Coueffin
Assistant Director of Strategic Services
Phone 604-527-4645


-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Sylvester Hurd [mailto:DennisSylvesterHurd@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 9:29 AM
To: custrel@translink.bc.ca
Cc: rick_kams@bcrtc.bc.ca; Keith Coueffin; editorial@royalcityrecord.com; mike_richard@bcrtc.bc.ca; amelita_quizon@bcrtc.bc.ca
Subject: Oct. 30 AM
SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud

To: Translink, BCRTC
cc: FYI - K. Coueffin, New Westminster City Hall
Royal City Record -- Please consider for editorial page or as a topic assignment for an article.

==================================

A female voice advising a 'service disruption' blasted from the Columbia Street Skytrain station at 5:05 this morning and was repeated for about 10 minutes.

This was several hours before I had to be awake. Our building is directly in back of the station. Although most won't have time nor drive to complain, I am sure that all residents in the south-facing apartments were awoken. The volume of these announcements was inappropriately loud. Columbia station surely doesn't seem like a good neighbour this morning!

Unfortunately this is not a one-time occurrence. Over the years, even the city of New Westminster has been involved in requests for sound-level monitoring. It was six months ago, I wrote to complain about excessive speaker volume and the accompanying 'beep'.

We moved here well aware of the convenience and well as drawbacks of living so close to the station. Since that time, the Millennium Line has vastly increased the number of trains, announcements, and people through the Columbia Station.

The station's exposed roof opening is not very large. I would like to propose that Translink begin to study the cost of the installation of a glass-pyramid covering for it.

==Dennis Hurd