The Abuse of Neighbours Worsens

From: "PB"
To: bancannons@hotmail.com
Subject: Copy of complaint sent to John van Dongen
Date: Sun, 06 Jul 2003 14:43:50 -0700

Mr. Van Dongen - I have just spent the morning of Sunday, July 6 listeining to an endless cacaphony of explosions from blueberry cannons in the South Surrey area. The combined fields managed to generate explosions every few seconds - the longest stretch without noise was just over one minute. The farms are scattered north of 32nd Avenue between 164th Street and 184th St. The frequency of blasts means the farms MUST be violating the generous guidelines they already have ignored in the past.

As this was the only day of the week I must be up early I decided to drives around the area between 7:00am and 7:30am and guess what I didn't see? Birds.

There were a few birds here and there, but no flocks of any kind. Rather than show that the cannons deter birds, it only confirms the farmers set the cannons for no valid reasons. I was in the general area for another hour and never saw any flocks of birds.

This abuse of neighbours has gone on for years and, if anything seems to be getting worse as more farms are converted to blueberries.

When silent, proven bird deterrence methods are available the use of archaic cannons in this day and age is ridiculous.

If even the lax guidelines of your ministry are abused at will daily during the season it is high time to eliminate them for good.

P B
Surrey

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