Editor:
I have lived in my home for over 30 years. I live approximately eight blocks from the SkyTrain and have enjoyed this convenience. It’s a wonderful service.
I will say, though, the noise has increased over the years to the point of being unbearable. I hear it, in my home, with the windows shut, eight blocks away. For me it is the curve just west of the Edmonds station where the worst of it is. A screech as the train makes the curve, every three minutes, from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., every day of the week.
The tracks need oiling, regularly, without exception. This is a progressively worsening problem that is not simply an operational noise. It is the result of poor maintenance practices.
A friend lives on the 40th floor of a new highrise near Metrotown. He can hear the trains, 40 floors up, with the windows shut.
The City of Burnaby has outlined its commitment to SkyTrain stations being the hub of progressive, intentional livable communities (the 15-minute city). See Brentwood, Lougheed, Southgate. So, yes, noise and quality of life is relevant and not just the price you pay for convenience.
TransLink has an ongoing responsibility to maintain its tracks and trains and a duty to avoid negatively impacting the community it travels through if at all possible. The City of Burnaby must insist that TransLink address the harmful impact it is having on its citizens.
It’s time for a decibel check on the curve east of Edmonds station. There is nothing livable about that.
Ironically, the TransLink maintenance yard is just a few blocks up the road. I hope they’re enjoying their coffee.
Annie Council
📢 SOUND OFF: Are you affected by SkyTrain noise in Burnaby? What would you like to see done about it? Or is noise just the price you pay for living in an urban area? Share your thoughts — send us a letter.
