The host of a regular car event in Langford is expressing shock after receiving a noise complaint via West Shore RCMP that has resulted in the termination of future events.
Michael Nicholson, also known simply as Mike, is a digital creator who runs LightEmUp.TV, co-hosts car shows and hosts his own car meets throughout the summer in the parking lot of the YMCA building in Langford.
Owners of the building, Westhills Land Corp., called Nicholson at the end of July to deliver the news.
“The RCMP got in touch with us as landowners and advised us that there had been a few complaints by residents regarding noise and some burnouts in Westhills,” said Matthew Pike, development manager for Westhills.”We did a bit of our own investigation to try to source what was happening and that’s actually how I connected with Mike. Mike and I have been chatting for the last couple of days and it’s really our intention here at Westhills to work with community groups like Mike’s.”
According to Nicholson, his 300-vehicle-plus car meet-ups were getting grouped in with disorderly smaller car meet-ups at the site and, as a whole, LightEmUp.TV’s car meet-ups suffered.
“The weekly uncontrolled, unhosted Friday meets were getting a lot of negative attention causing a major disturbance amongst the residents with excessive revving, burnouts and high speed pulls lapping the neighbourhood multiple times,” said Nicholson in a LightEmUp.TV Facebook post.
Referring to Pike’s phone call, he mentioned in the post that Pike had brought to his attention that “the very well-organized and proper meets hosted by me, with no noise, no excessive revving, no stunting, caused very minimal, if not any negative response. ”
All car meets-ups at the parking lot on Friday evenings have been cancelled, as a result of the complaints.
“This is no surprise to me as I had a feeling this was coming after multiple people reaching out saying these said individuals were ruining it for the rest of the car meets at the YMCA, as it will now be heavily monitored by security and police not allowing people/cars to even enter the parking lots on Friday evenings,” said Nicholson.
On the brighter side, Westhills has recognized the success and size of the meets and is open to LightEmUp.TV continuing hosting the car meet-ups in the future at the parking lot if the meets are properly organized in conjunction with Westhills.
“Here at Westhills, we like to try to provide amenities and events for the community,” said Pike. “Some of these events like Mike’s that he seems to be hosting seem rather complementary. That’s what we want with Mike, to come up with such an agreement where we’ll have these events be more sanctioned. Perhaps an agreement at certain times involving residents, the RCMP and city council as well. As to the other groups on the Friday, while we don’t encourage anti-social behaviour, we certainly don’t want people doing loud noise, and burnouts in the community. Westhills is about fostering community.”
Nicholson concluded the Facebook post and said: “I’d like everyone to reflect on this post and information. To understand that there is consequences to every action. Please spread awareness to have positive outcomes in our car community so we can all enjoy what our car culture has to offer.”
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