The Moose Jaw Police Service has laid six charges against the owner of a local dance fitness studio following several noise complaints over the past few months.
One of the complaints came from rock legend Burton Cummings, who lives in a building beside Dance Fitness with Kyra Inc.
Studio owner Kyra Klassen has previously stated Cummings has come into her business to complain and has also called police several times.
Heather MacNevin, a long-time client of Klassen’s and close friend, said she was there when Cummings first complained.
“He came running up the stairs in the middle of a class and basically said to her ‘hope you have $250,000 to fight this case because I’ve won court cases before,’” MacNevin said.
“He was just very intimating towards Kyra.”
MacNevin said Klassen is full of positivity and has stayed patient throughout the whole thing, but admits it’s been tough on her.
“She’s stressed about it. She’s $7,000 deep in lawyer fees because of this,” MacNevin said.
“She’s a young mom with four kids who is just trying to make a living raising her family, doing something she loves and something she’s so good at.”
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Klassen has said in the past she’s added soundproofing to the studio and has done sound tests to ensure noise levels weren’t too extreme.
“The classes just aren’t the same now because we’ve had to turn the volume down and we’re in constant fear that the police are going to come up the stairs,” MacNevin said.
“I dance near the stairwell so I’m always looking down the stairs to see if maybe Burton is going to come again or the cops.”
A manager for Cummings has said the musician had no comment about the situation.
During a council meeting Monday, a motion was unanimously approved to prepare a report re-evaluating how business licences are issued in areas of the city’s commercial district where there are also residential properties.
“There is a current dispute between a business owner in the commercial district and neighbouring residents,” Mayor Fraser Tolmie said in an emailed statement.
“The matter is being sorted out through the legal system and the city will respect that process. However, this issue has exposed the fact that we do not have a current bylaw that addresses activity in mixed-use (business/residential) buildings.”
The complaints fall under section 4 of the Moose Jaw noise bylaw.
MacNevin said she will be attending a council meeting with Klassen next Monday to discuss the issue.
She also said Klassen has reached out to Cummings, but hasn’t heard back from the former lead singer of The Guess Who.
Klassen declined to comment on the charges, saying her lawyer would be issuing a statement later in the week.
MacNevin has started a GoFundMe Page to help cover Klassen’s legal fees.
-With files from the Canadian Press
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