Dear editor:

I have been staying on York Road toward Queenston in Niagara-on-the-Lake for the last two weeks and have had a most unpleasant experience which more people should know about.

 On a daily basis, I was subjected to clusters of five or more ear-piercing explosions one after the other. And these clusters were repeated frequently, often after only minutes.

This went on from before dawn and continued all day.

Aside from the explosions, these sounds reverberated off the wall of the escarpment and prolonged the effects of the blasts. You can almost feel the physical impact.

I have subsequently learned that they are from propane-fuelled cannons. Cannons they are indeed and appropriately named to describe the effect they produce.

They are used by farmers to scare birds away. You can imagine what the combined effect is when there are several fields in your vicinity all using the same deterrent.

 I cannot tell you how incredibly alarming, deafening and intrusive these sudden, recurring detonations are. At times, even speech was interrupted.

What an absolute blight this practice is on this beautiful and otherwise peaceful landscape of residential homes and farms.

I don’t believe even an industrial/commercial zoned area would tolerate this level of persistent and unsafe noise. I can compare it to a shooting range, the only difference being that ear protectors would most certainly be worn.

This wonderful area, which is a natural resource in itself, is diminished considerably by the excessive noise, which makes day-to-day life challenging.

The vineyards and wineries add to the charm of this region, but I feel those growers who use these extremely hostile and antisocial deterrents to scare birds, when successful alternatives are surely available, are callous and selfish.

Surely they are aware of the difficulties they cause in the vicinity. What’s the pleasure in your business when you know your activities cause great distress on a continual basis. Where’s the pride in that? 

 I feel the growers have robbed me of my right to enjoy at least a benign environment and inflicted misery and distress on me by the incessant unnecessary blasts.

 To anyone thinking of visiting this area, I would strongly recommend against it. It’s like living in a war zone.

How very sad and unfortunate, to spoil so unnecessarily a previously wonderful place to live.

Diana Westwood

England