Residents Near the Corvette Museum’s Motorsports Park Voice Concerns Over Noise Levels

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Residents Near the Corvette Museum's Motorsports Park Voice Concerns over Noise Levels
Photo Credit: NCM Motorspors Park


One of the most supportive voices for the National Corvette Museum and its new Motorsports Park has long been the Bowling Green Daily News.

Over the past two-plus decades, the newspaper has devoted many pages of coverage about the museum and its activities, including the Motorsports Park. Sometimes that includes the negative, though, as in a story last week about some of the residents being upset with the noise levels being generated by the new park’s activities.

When the Motorsports Park was in the planning and construction stages, park officials agreed to take steps to abate the noise. It’s apparent now, though, that those measures aren’t working.

In an editorial in Sunday’s Daily News, the newspaper wrote: “Last week, about 50 residents who live near the park voiced concerns about the amount of noise. Some residents argued that they can’t sit on their back porches or watch television inside their houses without the track noise drowning out conversations or even hear what’s on the television. Some residents also claim they can hear the squealing tires and can hear what the announcer says from the track and insisted they hear noise past the time in the evening when officials with the park said all should be quiet.”

As Corvette enthusiasts, we sometimes forget that not everyone loves to hear the sound of big motors and squealing brakes, especially in their own back yards.

Steve Hunter, executive director of the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County, agrees that the track is violating the noise abatement provisions that were set in place during the planning stages.

But he doesn’t want to just issue citations to the park. Instead he thinks searching for a solution to the noise is a better option.

As we might expect from the good folks in the Corvette community, the museum’s leadership agrees and is stepping to the plate and trying to solve the problem for these residents living close to the new park.

In fact, Wendell Strode, executive director of the museum, admits that he messed up and that in hindsight some decisions that were made on the track weren’t exactly in keeping with the binding elements.

“It takes a lot for a person to own up to when he is wrong,” the Daily News editorialized, “and we believe that Strode should be applauded for admitting wrong, welcoming public discourse and wanting to be a good neighbor and right the problems.”

Indeed, Strode is inviting nearby residents to serve on a committee that will also include an acoustical engineer familiar with the park, as well as track and county officials. That engineer will be recording sound levels at the track and at nearby homes during the next two months.


The Daily News called the museum’s response “definitely a step in the right direction.”

Museum officials know the problem can’t be solved overnight since it’s possible that more sound buffers or some other type of sound abatement mechanism may have to be installed.

The newspaper says it feels for the residents near the park, “but we do believe that those involved with the park have recognized and owned up to the problem and have faith that they will correct it in a very timely manner.”

We’re likewise confident the Corvette leaders will do the right thing and become a better neighbor in the coming months.


Source:
bgdailynews.com

Related:
[VIDEO] Optima’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car Visits the NCM Motorsports Park
[PICS] Corvette Museum’s Motorsports Park Breaks Ground on the Holley Control Tower
[VIDEO] The ’48 Hour Corvette’ Hits the Track at the Corvette Museum’s Motorsports Park

 



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4 COMMENTS

  1. This park is right next to the interstate highway. It really shouldnt make much more noise than that. I believe some people would complain whatever you do. Just move to florida and listen to the snowbirds from 50 states. All they do is complain and tell us natives, “”this is how we do it in””, put whatever state you want. Some people just like to hear themselves talk and always want to add their 2 cents worth even though they have nothing to do with what your discussing. I know the park and museum and corvette owners will try and do what these few people want which is how our community does do things. We are a peaceful caring lot when it comes right down to it. It is just always a few people who always want to cause prooblems and stick their nose in when they shouldnt. I bet there is more noise coming from the interstate than the new park.

  2. I’m sure the good folks with the Corvette Museum will work with the local BG residents and work out a solution. Ever since I lived there, they have both supported each other and had a great relationship

  3. If they admitted they were not following the guide lines set,then they are in the wrong. It might be to loud,but it will be fixed.Was there not a sound study done? Just fix it,nuff said.

  4. Many of the residents simply dislike the activities taking place. I’ve done sound pressure level meter readings around the track during operations of events which received the most complaints. Peak noise levels at the nearest houses to the property were lower than noise levels from passing cars. All readings were less than 70db from track noise. Claiming this level of sound drowns our conversations or watching TV is ludicrous.

    Going with an independent sound analysis and working to reduce the annoyance will go much further than demonstrably lying to the public about the sound.

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