'I don't want to live here if the train comes every 10 minutes:' Stouffville mulls silencing train whistles

The estimated costs for whistle cessation upgrades are $417,300

Yorkregion.com
October 6, 2020

Every night around midnight, Stouffville residents are reminded that the GO Train is coming in as train whistles blasts are heard at the Reeves Way, Hoover Park Drive and Main Street crossings. 

Philip Traikos is one of several local residents fed up with the noise that bombards his house on a daily basis.

As GO trains become more frequent with increased service, Traikos is worried about the increased nuisance the whistles will bring.

“The last train is around 1 a.m. on weekends,” he said. “I don’t want to live here if the train comes every 10 minutes.”

Traikos said others have moved out of the area due to the incessant train honking.   

Resident Ron Oren also is concerned about the extra whistling as trains increase.

“Over the years the trains have become more frequent,” he said. “There are more trains blaring their horns a midnight; sometimes even later than midnight.”

Oren has young children and said he has to make sure the windows are shut so they can try to enjoy peace and quiet at night.  

There is a chance that closing the windows won’t be a necessary step for Oren in the future.

Whitchurch-Stouffville council has approved the inclusion of whistle cessation costs into next year's capital budget when council will decide if it wants to pay to stop the horns.

According to a consultant's report, the estimated cost to implement the necessary upgrades for whistle cessation at Main Street, Hoover Park and Ninth Line is $417,300.

“I was pleasantly surprised to understand the affordable nature of the upgrades required to accommodate whistle cessation, while addressing required Transport Canada upgrades to all level crossings in the town, “ Mayor Iain Lovatt said.   

It looks like it will be a somewhat contentious issue at budget time as council’s opinion on the matter seemed quite divided at the Sept. 22 council meeting.  

Councillors Rick Upton, Richard Bartley and Sue Sherban, from the town’s urban wards, all said whistle cessation should come to Stouffville, while rural ward councillors Hugo Kroon, Maurice Smith, and Ken Ferdinands, shared their reservations about whistle cessation.

Ward 5 Coun. Bartley said his ward already has whistle cessation at the crossing on Millard Street, Bethesda Road and Tenth Line and that he couldn’t, in good conscience, vote against it in the other urban wards. Ward 4 Coun. Upton said there needs to be consistency at the crossings in the town.

The issue is certainly a hot button one in Sherban’s Ward 6.

She said more than 50 constituents have lodged complaints with her about GO Train whistling.

She said while some people think that stopping the train whistle will make crossing less safe she said the upgrades necessary for whistle cessation will actually make the crossings more safe.

Sherban paid a visit to Markham where the town paid up to stop the GO Train whistles and was impressed.

“On Reeves Way I could walk up and touch that train,” she said. “On 16th Avenue I couldn’t get near the train.”

Upgrades that would be needed at the crossing for whistle cessation include sidewalks, road advance warning signs, pavement markings and warning system.

Sherban’s view certainly isn’t shared by Kroon.

“With all due respect, whistles save lives. I’m very concerned about this,” Kroon said.

He also said he was skeptical about the financial numbers presented for the project.

“Are we prepared to take away a safety element because of a nuisance factor?” Ferdinands added: “I would be very concerned about reducing a safety feature.”

Smith said the increased liability the town faced with whistle cessation is a significant concern.

“All of the experts say you are making a mistake by taking away the whistles,” Smith said.

Even if the town doesn’t move forward with whistle cessation it will have to implement the minimum required safety upgrades at the three indicated crossings to comply with Transport Canada requirements, which is estimated to cost $201,300.