Council has granted the Drayton Kinsmen Club an exemption from the township’s noise bylaw and permission to use Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) and Township of Mapleton land for the Smoke ‘n Sounds Festival the club is hosting on July 10 and 11.
The Kinsmen plan to have bands playing from 8 to 11pm on July 10 and from 3pm until midnight on July 11. It is the Saturday evening that will require an exemption from the noise bylaw, which prevents amplification of sound in a residential area from 11pm until 7am.
“It should be noted that while the bylaw refers to the amplification of sound in a residential area, it is not where the sound is generated, but where it is received. The subject lands are adjacent to residential areas and as such an exemption is required,” states a staff report from CAO Patty Sinnamon, who added, “Township staff have no concerns with the noise exemption request.”
The report also notes the Kinsmen Park on Elm Street across from the Agricultural Society building is located on GRCA lands and the municipality has an agreement with the authority to utilize the lands as a public park.
“Township staff have no concerns with the request to utilize the GRCA- or township -owned lands for the Smoke ‘n Sounds festival, provided that third party liability insurance is obtained naming both the GRCA and Township of Mapleton as additional insureds and that the Kinsmen provide the township with written confirmation that alcohol will not be served or carried onto lands owned by the GRCA and/or Township of Mapleton,” the report states.
Event a joint effort
A letter from John Klaassen of the Drayton Kinsmen Club notes the event is a culmination of multiple clubs putting on their own events during the barbecue competition.
The Drayton Kinettes will hold their Mapleton Market on Saturday morning in the old arena and are also organizing kid’s activities Saturday afternoon from 1 to 4pm in the playground west of the old arena. The Wellington Junior Farmers will host a Farmers Olympics Saturday afternoon from 1 to 4pm on the GRCA-owned soccer field, west of the “A” diamond. The Drayton Rotary Club will host a food booth on Saturday afternoon behind the grandstands. The Drayton Agricultural Society will book camping for barbecue contestants and public who are looking to spend the night.
The Smoke n’ Sounds festival includes a professional barbecue competition as well as public-judged amateur and fire department barbecue classes. Klaassen said the Kinsmen are putting on live entertainment Friday night from 7 to 11pm coupled with a wing night for public in attendance and the pro barbecuers. On Saturday afternoon the music continues outside (weather permitting) until 4pm, when the stage moves inside and music continues from 6pm to 12am. From 4 to 6pm the Kinsmen are hosting lawnmower races on the track, in front of the grandstands, using a portion of the grass for a pit area. Following the races there is a pulled pork dinner, from 6 to 8pm, in the old arena, hosted by the Drayton Kin family. The evening festivities become an age of majority event with a licensed bar and music provided by local bands.
“All in all this is shaping up to be a great exhibition of local and international barbecue expertise along with some excellent exposure of our community’s service clubs and local musicians,” Klaassen states.
For more information about the Smoke n’ Sounds Festival go to www.draytonkinsmen.ca or www.smokensound.com.
