One of Victoria’s best-attended cultural events hit a snag on the weekend as many residents found the noise from Rifflandia’s outdoor venues to be too much.
About 13,000 people attended four days of concerts by more than 170 acts from around the world at 13 venues. Three of the venues — Royal Athletic Park, Market Square and Phillips Brewery — were outdoors, which resulted in sound complaints, most of which centred on Royal Athletic Park. Residents as far away as north and south Oak Bay, more than four kilometres from the park, complained about the volume of the music.
Sgt. Steve Eassie of Saanich RCMP said the department’s communications centre staff, which handles complaints for both Saanich and Oak Bay, received a high volume of calls throughout the weekend, many of which were related to Rifflandia.
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The festival was one of many events taking place over the weekend, Eassie said, and he did not have a count on the number of calls attributed to sound levels at Rifflandia.
“It wasn’t just simply that we were inundated with calls related to noise. UVic is back in session and we had a number of other parties that were going on, so it only added to a busy weekend,” Eassie said.
City of Victoria bylaws require that noise produced by a gathering does not exceed 90 decibels. According to Kate Friars, director of parks, recreation and culture for the City of Victoria, the event was in compliance throughout the weekend.
City staff was on site to monitor sound levels every half hour, from five locations inside Royal Athletic Park and six spots outside the site. Sound levels spiked slightly four times at RAP over the course of the weekend. One instance was due to a roar from the crowd, she said.
When notified, organizers immediately dropped the sound level. “I feel they were very reactive to our concerns,” Friars said.
Nick Blasko of Atomique Productions, which produces the event, said complaints are to be expected at a festival the size of Rifflandia, which drew its biggest audience in its six-year history.
“It’s a no-win situation,” he said. “You are bound to have different opinions. We are working within the limits of what is set out before us by the city.”
Victoria Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe, who was acting mayor Monday in Mayor Dean Fortin’s absence, said the key is to find a resolution suitable for those who do and those who do not attend the event.
“Depending on how it affects you, there are people who love it and people who don’t want it,” Thornton-Joe said.
“We recognize that it is a great event and many people attend. But the balance is making sure the quality of life for people is not affected. It’s a fine balance with every event to find a win-win at the end.”
