At the beginning of summer, The Press published a list of beautiful terraces in Montreal.
Posted at 1:00 p.m.
One of them, that of the h3 restaurant, is located in the Humaniti complex, which has some 500 apartments and where my wife and I live, just across the courtyard. The noise that emanates from its speakers when they spit out their dance music is unbearable to us, as it bristles at many neighbors.
When the terrace reopened in May, we seemed to live next to a nightclub. In the afternoon, no matter how close our doors and windows were, we constantly heard the deafening “boom boom” of low notes. And in the evening, even if we put on headphones to watch TV, unexpected notes mingled with the soundtrack of the series.
The Administration had however promised that the sound of the terrace would not disturb the residents.
The complaints were numerous. I know a couple who did not renew their lease and a lady who asked to terminate hers, because of the chaos on the terrace. For my part, I multiplied the e-mails of complaints.
The terrace, it is true, has a few defenders. “If you want a place quiet you just don’t have to come and live downtown,” a neighbor told me. With uninhibited ageism, another advised the disgruntled to go live in a center for the elderly.
There is a lot of talk right now, and with good reason, about the merits of densification. It is an ecological way of life. You can do everything on foot: access most services, while enjoying a rich cultural life.
But the neighborhoods, including those in the city centre, still need to be pleasant living environments, without intolerable noise pollution, and welcoming for people of all ages.
By dint of discussions, the protesters have torn off small compromises. The music volume, which began at 11 a.m. and continued until 11 p.m., was reduced at the start of the day. The speakers have been repositioned to no longer be aimed at the apartments. Finally, we asked the disc jockey not to exceed 80 decibels.
Is it sufficient ? Days without an animator, yes! When the animators are harsh, on the other hand, the cohabitation still causes false notes. Eighty decibels, the limit apparently allowed by municipal regulations, is perhaps not enough to call the police, but more than enough to horrify. Especially since I suspect the disc jockeys, in enthusiasm, to break it blithely.
On those days, we sometimes think about moving. This is all the more tempting since it is undoubtedly possible to obtain the termination of the lease. According to the Housing Court, in fact, the owners must ensure “the peaceful enjoyment of the premises”. We are far from it. This terrace, like many others, is not managed as if it were in a residential environment.
In the meantime, I have come to love the rain, unheard of in 77 years. Sometimes I even check the weather forecast hoping to see the icon appear there with clouds and water drops. I do not recognize myself anymore. Yet it’s simple: when the clouds break, the terrace closes. And when it is closed, no animator. Holy peace!