There is growing frustration in Duncan over a new race track and the noise it’s bringing to nearby neighbourhoods.
The dealer group GAIN opened the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit just north of Duncan in June.
The sophisticated track in the Cowichan Valley is a private members club and Canada’s only year-round motorsport facility.
Residents of Sahtlam have banded together saying the roaring sounds from the sports cars are destroying their peace and quiet.
“It’s bouncing off Mount Prevost and reverberating back through the valley,” one man said.
“It has been described as gates of hell noise,” another woman said.
According to North Cowichan’s mayor, there are two sides to the issue.
“The GAIN group has invested a great deal in our community, has followed all the rules and we think have done a great job on building their facility,” Jon Lefebure said.
The mayor said GAIN is complying with the rules, including a noise bylaw.
“Our bylaw says you can make a noise that is common to the business you are operating,” Lefebure said. “If you are operating a test track for automobiles then the noise of automobiles running around that track is to be expected.”
According to the dealer group, it has purchased a noise meter that it will use on every car before it hits the pavement.
In a statement to CTV News GAIN says, “Ninety-nine per cent of all cars operated on the circuit are street legal non-modified Sports and Performance cars.”
The mayor says the CAO is tasked with facilitating a noise study with both parties.
“Some residents feel that it is unfairly damaging their quality of life and perhaps even a threat to their hearing,” Lefebure said.
Members of the Sahtlam Neighbourhood Association will attend meeting on Wednesday evening to further discuss the issue.
