Let’s Rake hopes to silence leaf blowers

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The Oakville community organization “Let’s Rake”,  is hoping to silence leaf blowers once and for all. The group is calling for a town-wide ban. Besides being noisy, they’re concerned about the pollution created by the popular gardening tool.

They’re loud, yet convenient and they’re the go to this fall for homeowners looking to clear leaves off their lawn. Leaf blowers have been causing quite the stir in the town of Oakville. 88-year-old Bob Miller heads the organization “Let’s Rake.” The retired school teacher says he’s fed up with the noisy interruptions. “They started using the leaf blowers, we had to take our whole party indoors. In fact we had to close all our windows and doors because we couldn’t hear each other talk.”

A healthy noise level is around 55 decibels, but according to Miller, leaf blowers can reach levels as high as 120. While leaf blowers have grown in popularity he’s hoping homeowners will opt for a more traditional gardening tool a rake. Besides the skull rattling noise, Miller says leaf blowers lift dust, dirt and animal waste into the air. “When they realize the health concerns I think they will be a little reticent to start using it, say when the neighbours says this is blowing all on to my yard.”

Miller is hoping the town of Oakville will be the first to ban leaf blowers in the province.  Vancouver city councillers voted in favour of a ban back in 2004.  Such bans are also in place in a number of cities across the United States. However, not everyone in the town is sold on the idea of a banning them.
“I have five big maples on my property, so a gas powered would be great. It would push the leaves faster and reduce the time needed to remove the leaves from my yard.”

“This just helps prevent me from my physical pain, my time spent with the kids, my kids love it.”

Miller is calling on city councillors for a trial ban that would stretch from Lakeshore Road to the lake, between Bronte Road and Third Line.
While support has grown for Miller and his group, he is expected to face some resistance.