Please sign the petitition to reduce train noise in Tamarack and neighboring subdivisions. Link on the sidebar to the right or click here.
Archive for April, 2009
Sign the Petition!
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009Contact Info
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009Petition to Reduce Train Noise
CN Rail
Dundee
Michael, (General Sales Manager Landmark Homes) michaelh@landmarkgroup.ca
Phone: 780-423-4805 ext 223
City of Edmonton
City councillors amarjeet.sohi@edmonton.ca; dave.thiele@edmonton.ca
Transport Canada Noise/Vibration Guidelines
Expect the Train to get busier
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009I’ve been doing some more research and it appears that expansion of the port at Prince Rupert will likely result in increased train traffic as more goods are hauled along the CN Rail line. From the wikipedia entry:
On September 12, 2007, phase 1 the Fairview Terminal opened for business and is expecting its first container ship (from COSCO) in October. Phase 1 has an annual container-handling capacity of only 500,000 TEUs.[4] However Phase 2, due to be completed late in 2010, will increase the Port of Prince Rupert’s capacity to 2 million TEUs, and to 4 million TEUs by 2015, and there is extensive capacity for further expansion
City of Edmonton and Tamarack
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009This pdf available here is the City of Edmonton’s plan for the Tamarack subdivision. I would have expected more discussion of the train line then this:
4.3.8 Private Railway Corporation Right-of-Way
Ensure future development adheres to the guidelines established by Canadian
National Railway (CNR) and Transportation Canada regarding the provision of
separation spaces, fences, berms and buffers.
The Tamarack NSP shall ensure appropriate measures are undertaken to address
the transition between land uses and the private railway corporations’ secondary line.
Such measures may include the consideration of landscaping, berming, sound
attenuation/screen fencing, site design and building orientation. The City of
Edmonton’s Urban Traffic Noise Policy will be followed and noise attenuation will be
provided where required.
Personal Summary
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009This is a summary of our own experiences with building a home with Summerhill in the Tamarack subdivision. I posted this to the Connect2Edmonton forum this morning:
Tamarack is a new subdivision that is attracting lots of interest but the developer (Dundee) and various builders are not being entirely fair with their customers. As someone who has been burned by moving into this subdivision I think more people should know about what’s happening.
Basically when the subdivision was open for sale there was no method to actually enter the construction site. None of the developer maps showed that there was a train line in the area! A noisy train that runs very frequently, especially at night.
Those of us who initially purchased lots based on the sitemaps and the assurances of the sales agents were pretty surprised when once the subdivision opened we found out how close the train was to our homes (it basically runs through some people’s backyard!).
So we confronted the builder (Summerhill Homes) but their sales agent told us the line would be discontinued. By the time we found out the truth from CN Rail that the line would not be discontinued, Summerhill had our sizable deposit already.
CN Rail still needs to finish the noise barrier
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009There’s a fence that’s about 70% complete that is suppose to block the sound of the trains. I don’t think its very effective, but it should still be finished.
CN Rail told us it would be finished summer 2008. It still isn’t. Also notice the grass, that’s a backyard. There are rows of townhouses backing right onto the train line. We’re a little bit further in and the house shaking keeps us up at night. I don’t know how those guys survive.
This is what Dundee says about Tamarack
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009The following is a sitemap posted in the Tamarack subdivision.
The train line is not shown.
Dundee’s misleading maps
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
There is a train line in this picture but its hard to see. This picture is from their site at livetamarack.com. The print pictures they were handing out (which I’ll scan and post) don’t have the train line at all.
What *does* Tamarack Look Like?
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
This is basically what Tamarack looks like. Notice the lack of houses and the proximity of the train line.
Obviously as the subdivision develops it will be filled in but there’s little activity in regards to building houses in this area. This probably has to do with the economic downturn but it is worrying.
And of course, its going to take decades for the trees they always talk about to grow (most of them haven’t been planted yet)
So much misinformation
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009Articles like this one in the Edmonton Journal aren’t doing anything to help prospective home buyers make a smart decision in regards to a new home purchase.
Tamarack has only a portion of the housing starts it should have had, started. None of the trees have been planted yet. There are no walking trails yet or lakes. The school is still under construction and won’t be completed until 2010, not the 2009 date in the article.
But there is a train that shakes the houses.