Locals living next to railway tracks are facing safety and noise concerns as the noise attenuation fences in their backyards have started to fall apart.

The fence in Laurie Orrett’s backyard has completely fallen over, and she is calling on the City of Vaughan and Canadian National Railways (CN) to help her and approximately 140 neighbours on Mullen Drive and Gilmore Crescent to pay for new fencing.

In 1990, the then Town of Vaughan ordered developers to put up noise barriers between the area’s residences and the CN railway tracks. Now, the developer no longer exists and the fences are formally owned by the residents.

Orrett said that repairing each segment of the fence may cost upwards of $8,000 — around four times the average estimate — so she asked the City of Vaughan  for help.

“All we want is to come to some kind of conclusion with the city, with CN and the residents,” she said. “A lot of people think I’m asking for a free fence. That’s not what I’m asking for. I’m asking
for fairness and a reasonable compromise with the other involved parties.” “

Local councillor Alan Shefman said that Vaughan is not in a position to fund private property.
He said the best option for Orrett and her neighbours would be to find a contractor themselves and ask CN to co-operate with builders, to make the project go smoothly, but not to expect CN to fund the repairs.

“CN doesn’t want to touch it with a 10-foot pole because CN basically ignores most urban issues, and they go along on their merry way,” Shefman said, “and of course, the residents end up with the problem.”

A CN spokesperson said the wall is not the company’s responsibility because it does not own it.

Residents, city representatives and CN were scheduled to meet June 27 to discuss the repairs.