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Wednesday, January 11, 2012 1937 - 2012 · Celebrating 75 Years Orono Weekly Times - 3 GUNCLUB Continued from front closing in the backs of the firing ranges and insulating them with sound muffling insulation. Alldred said he has noticed a difference in the noise level and claimed some of the Club's immediate neighbours said they have noticed a difference as well. The Club is also in the process of purchasing from the Municipality an unopened road allowance, which runs along the eastern edge of its property, with the intent of constructing a sound berm on this road allowance. As the Orono Fish and Hunt Club is a not-for-profit organization, Alldred said the loss of revenue from rentals of its facility to outside law enforcement agencies means it will take longer to get the berm built. "The loss of that income is going to impede our progress as far as putting up the berm," Alldred stated. Nancy Wilson of Leskard road told The Times she is delighted extended usage of the range is now under some control, "But it doesn't change the problem of the noise." According to Clarington's Noise By-law, noise emanating from the Orono Fish and Hunt Club must not exceed 70 decibels. Wilson says the noise has not been reduced to a point where it is not invasive and excessive. The basic Ministry of Environment standard for noise in rural areas is 50 decibels, Wilson said, and if the Gun Club gets Jennifer (left) and Edward Clark greet Mayor Adrian Foster (centre) and Councillor Wendy Partner (right) at the Mayor's New Year's Levee held Sunday in the council chambers. its levels down to the permitted 70 decibels, "that is still going to be too loud," she stated. Clarington's Noise By-law and the Ministry guideline have set the standard of 70 decibels for gun clubs operating before 1980. The Orono Fish and Hunt club have been operating at its current location since December 1967. Mayor Adrian Foster told The Times that he met with must enter into a liability agreement with the railway and obtain additional liability insurance to protect the municipality and the railway against third-party claims for bodily injury and property damage. According the Engineering Department Report, if the municipality has a whistle ban it then becomes liable for col- Alldred a number of weeks ago, and asked him to consider the Club as a facility for its members. "While training of law enforcement officers needs to happen, it is not the Club's problem, they need to find a suitable location for their practice," according to Foster. The next thing Foster said he heard was that the range was no longer available for these outside groups. "This is a very tangible lisions on the tracks if the automatic gate system fails. This, according to the report, has been the deciding factor against implementing such a ban in many municipalities. The Director of step forward," he stated. "I had a sense they [the club] really wanted to work with us," Foster, himself a former member of the Orono Fish and Hunt Club, said. The reason he stopped going to the club was because he could never make it on Wednesdays and Sundays. The 300 club members will be able to shoot at the range from 10 a.m. to dusk on Wednesdays, and 10 a.m. to 4 Engineering does not recommend that the municipality pursue anti-whistling at any of its 24 level crossings, due to concerns over public safety and increased exposure to liability. p.m. on Sundays. "The Club seems to be trying," Foster stated and added, "I think the vast amount of folks around Leskard will be happy." The municipality is still in the process of conducting sound tests at a number of properties near the Club to ensure the levels of noise emanating from the Club comply with the Noise Bylaw. TRAINWHISTLE Continued from front travelling under 70 kilometers per hour, trains must sound their whistles at least 20 seconds in advance of the crossing. The whistle must sound until the train has fully occupied the crossing. If the municipality adopts a whistle cessation by-law, it Councillors did ask for a further report asking staff for a detailed cost of upgrading all the level crossings in the urban area to a standard required for a train whistle cessation by-law. ~ Happenings ~ Sunday, January 15, 2012 - Kendal Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, 9am-12 noon, Kendal Community Centre. Adults $7, Children ages 6-12 $3, ages 5 & under-Free. Pay at door please. Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - Newcastle Horticultural Society AGM, 7:30pm, Newcastle Community Hall, Centennial Room. Everyone welcome. Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - Oddfellow & Rebekah Centre - Roof Fundraising Dinner, 6pm. Advanced tickets only. $15. Contact Connie @ 905-983-5276. Saturday, January 21, 2012 - Orono Agricultural Society AGM, 1pm, Upstairs Orono Arena, Open to all members, light refreshments provided. Saturday, January 21, 2012 - Giant Yard/Bake Sale, 8am-4pm, Kendal Community Centre. Call Sheila 905-983-9615 or email kendalcommunitycentre@hotmail.com. Saturday, January 21, 2012 - 4th Annual Robbie Burns Dinner, Cocktails at 6pm, Dinner at 6:30pm, Orono Town Hall, $40/person. For more information see ad on page 10 or call the Museum office @ 905-623-2734.