Noise in Sechelt,  BC

The citizens of the Sunshine coast, where I live, spent 25 million dollars to build an Aquatic center in Sechelt. The pools are enclosed by a highly resonant metal building with no acoustic damping. The sounds of children and adolescents playing in the pools reverberate and create a remarkable noise level. Adults who attempt conversation have to raise their voice level to be heard. It is easier to avoid conversation so that opportunity to develop a meaningful pool community is lost. Sustained noise inhibits friendliness, blocks social interactions and may lead to aggressive behavior.

Noise is loud, unpleasant and annoying sounds, often mixed together from several sources.  Humans are noisy creatures. In groups, impressive levels of noise are achieving by talking, laughing, shouting, clapping hands and stamping feet.

To make noise levels much worse, twelve overhead speakers broadcast mnoise  from above the pool, creating a toxic mix of confused and confusing sound. The junior lifeguard staff is in charge of the "music broadcast" and being members of a noise tolerant age group show no awareness of the adverse effects of noise. Even if the best quality music were chosen to broadcast (which is not the case), 12 overhead speakers mixed with pool noise will turn even high quality sound recordings into confusing noise mush.

A sensible person would turn off the public address system and invest in sound damping equipment to make the Aquatic center a pleasant environment for all to enjoy. 

In my view, noise is often presented as music. It is easy to make noise. It is difficult to make good music. I call all  bad music "mnoise." Even good music, well recorded becomes mnoise when played through the wrong sound system in the wrong acoustic environment. Mnoise is annoying, distracting and can be harmful.

All the people who work hard to record good music are disappointed when their recordings are played through poor quality equipment  in poor acoustic spaces. Recordings in stereo are recorded so the the mix sounds good to a person who is facing 2 speakers a few feet away. Any other reproduction will produce mnoise.

See Harmful Effects of Noise.   See Acoustic Space Design