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OAS Event Centre is not on trial in noise bylaw debate, says Mono mayor

September 4, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

The Orangeville Agriculture Society is being targeted by some Mono residents as one of the main culprits disturbing their peace.

That’s the belief held by Peter Dickins, the group’s president. He brought that assertion to town council during its Aug. 26 meeting and discussion about a proposed updated noise bylaw.

The bylaw hasn’t been updated since 2004, and it’s been an issue on council’s agenda for the last couple of years.

Public input into the proposed updated noise bylaw was gathered by way of a survey sent to all residents, written comments submitted by residents and stakeholders, and oral comments during public sessions.

As many as 377 people responded to the survey, and that is considered statistically representative of the community.

Twenty written comments were received from 12 residents. Seven stakeholder groups also provided written comments.

The majority of those comments pertained to the increased number of events at the Orangeville Agriculture Society (OAS) Event Centre and the Island Lake Conservation Area.

Dickins said he resents “the implication of the ‘Big Scam’ regarding where our money goes.”

The group is a non-profit organization, and all money that goes into the Event Centre is used for maintenance and running of that facility, he said.

“None of us, anybody, take any kind of money from there,” Dickins said.

The society exists for the annual fall fair.

“If it wasn’t for the fall fair we would not be there,” he said. “There would be no point.”

The fall fair has taken place for more than 170 years.

He said he feels the group is being directly targeted by a small number of residents.

“We do have residents that border directly on us (Event Centre) that don’t have any problems with the noise,” Dickins said. “The noise bylaw is kind of, I believe, being targeted for us.”

He said he’s heard activities at the Mono Pavilion near where he lives. An updated bylaw needs to have a definition of noise rather than have it limited to simply sound that somebody finds offensive.

“How are you going to gauge what’s offensive to who?” he said. “I could turn around and say I can hear the party going on at the Mono Pavilion and I don’t like that. Whereas in reality it’s not that bad. It really isn’t.”

The noise bylaw’s enforcement is driven by complaints.

“I think the noise that’s being created is not being created to offend anybody,” Dickins said. “We have to raise money to support the place.”

“You’re not on trial here,” Mono Mayor John Creelman said.

It’s been suggested that for noise to be worthy of investigation, the complaint has to be made by more than one resident, Creelman said.

“Under this bylaw, you have the option of applying for an exemption,” Deputy Mayor Fred Nix said. “There are options under this bylaw that give you opportunities.”

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