Seniors in a once-quiet, rural setting mobile home park are bearing the brunt of a noisy pole peeler operation on Duncan Bay Road say homeowners.
Iris Paruch, who retired to Campbell River with her husband two years ago, is regretting her decision to move into the Blue Spruce Home Park which is located beside Northern Pressure Treated Wood’s pole plant.
“The noise that the plant produces varies depending on what they are doing and the direction of the wind,” Paruch says. “But no matter what the volume, the high-pitched whine and constant drone get inside your head and even when the machines stop, the noise is still there inside your head. Right now we are mostly indoors with the windows shut, wondering what life is going to be like in the summer when we want to have our windows open and to spend time on our decks and in our yards.”
Paruch says there are a lot of seniors in the home park, many of whom are at the age of having to sell their homes and are having difficulty doing so.
“We have seen a loss of interest in the homes that are for sale up here, and any offers that are made, are tens of thousands of dollars less than the actual value, due to the proximity of the pole plant,” Paruch says. “We have all worked hard to pay for and maintain our homes and don’t feel we should have to take a loss so the city can increase its tax base.”
Tracey Deller, owner of the Blue Spruce Home Park, says the pole peeler has hurt her business.
“The real estate values have been destroyed. The seniors are affected the worst,” Deller says. “Now no one wants to live here. People are afraid to move here because of the noise and the uncertainty of what will happen.”