Irate residents kept awake for several hours early Sunday morning are demanding to know how an early-morning rave this past weekend was allowed to continue despite complaints about the volume, which could be heard for several kilometres in the Beaches and Leslieville neighbourhoods.
Dozens of posts online complained about a lack of action from city officials after they awoke to throbbing basslines which continued to around 5 a.m. on Sunday. Some indicated they had phoned 311 and were left frustrated the source of the music could not be located.
Some cast blame at an outdoor concert held earlier in the evening at Woodbine Park, but it had long wrapped in compliance with city noise bylaws. It appears the source of the music was from an unsanctioned rave which took place at Cherry Beach. It’s the latest in a series of parties that were advertised in advance that now has city officials on the case.
Beaches-East York Coun. Brad Bradford said he awoke to several complaints from residents demanding a response to the loud music. “That’s a pretty strong signal that this isn’t going to be sustainable for the rest of the summer,” said Bradford.
“(The) noise seems to have come from Cherry Beach, where there was an unauthorized rave taking place,” said Bradford. He said waterfront locations, including Cherry Beach, have been problem spots before and city efforts to install barriers to stop vehicles from transporting sound equipment appear to not be good enough.
The fact that the events are well advertised ahead of time, he said, should require proactive steps from city staff, but he noted resources are limited and that will require better coordination.
The city told Global News there were only six calls to 311 complaining about noise related to Cherry Beach on Sunday and an official from Toronto police said they weren’t aware of any calls received about a noisy party.
Toronto spokesperson Shane Gerard said in an emailed statement that if an amplified event is occurring after 11 p.m., residents are advised to contact 311 and police so they can respond accordingly.
Coun. Paula Fletcher added that raves need to be done through official means with the city, pointing to events like Promise Cherry Beach, another rave event which gets permits and wraps up early enough to not run afoul of city noise bylaws.
Irving Shaw from Promise Cherry Beach told Global News that the city needs to think of more outside-the-box ideas rather than clamping down with more rules. They said there is a deficit of parks and venues for music in the city which has made areas like Cherry Beach attractive for impromptu events dating back to the ’90s. Shaw also said new organizers lack the experience to navigate the permit process, which doesn’t vibe with the chaotic nature of underground parties.
“Unfortunately the aftermath is usually pissed off neighbours, and also a mess of garbage left behind,” said Shaw.
Bradford counters that people should be entitled to a good night’s rest without having to hear drum and bass all night.
“It’s great to have a party, but we permit those and they come with a lot of stipulations that come with that,” he said, “but these unauthorized parties that happen on city property, in this case Cherry Beach, that’s a no-go.”