Thursday, January 13, 2011
Around Town What's That? That's the Sound of the Racetrack Polluting Your Neighborhood for Half a Century
Posted by Tracy Moore on Thu, Jan 13, 2011 at 5:36 AM
Anyone who's been following the whole fairgrounds/racetrack issue knows that in some circles it seems to have devolved into a supposed working-class fight to save a historic form of entertainment vs. uppity youngsters looking to increase their property value and usher in Ye Olde Gentrification Cake. As usual, that doesn't tell the whole story.
This post from self-described "Old Guy" Wayne, hosted by the delightful neighborhood blog South Nashville Life, recounts the increasing volume of the track over the last 60 years, and some 25 years of neighborhood efforts to lower it, told from the side that gets left out a lot: Neighborhood natives who want to see the racetrack go because of the noise and what they feel is mistreatment from the track operators. Yes, if you drive through South Nashville neighborhoods bordering the fairgrounds, you will see many lawns dotted with Save Our Fairgrounds signs, but some of 'em aren't. From Old Guy:
The races were getting louder and louder and the calls from the neighbors were handled more rudely until the lease of the Racetrack came up. We the people of the neighborhood contacted the council, we contacted the fair board, and we let everyone who would listen know we were displeased with the way the track was being operated. Suddenly the lessee saw all our resistance and made a show of trying to connect with us. We were told out of hand that “noise abatement was off the table it was not possible and wouldn’t happen” many options were suggested to make the track more palatable and the lessee’s representative said he would see to it they were taken care of. They weren’t.
Comments (6)
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I live a few miles from the racetrack. Yet I can hear the noise on race nights. It isn't bad, but then I do not have it loud. Fireworks from the baseball team can be heard, too. As well as the airport. The fact that I put in triple pane windows has helped with noise from the airport and the interstate. But I am still aware of the planes flying , some too close. When the airport was built, my area was not considered to be affected by the noise. This meant that I paid the full cost of those windows. I do not open the windows very often due to all the noise from the roads, planes, etc. It is something we chose to live with. Even if you move, who is to say that the noise pollution will not follow within a few years. I do not go to the race track. Seldom use the airport. Often use the interstate. Can't fight city hall.
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"uppity youngsters" is putting it politely. Perhaps "gentrifiers" is a better word.
SNAP co-leader Keith Moorman - most prolific house flipper in the neighborhood.
Other SNAP co-leader Colby Sledge - renter for the past 2 years.
Attorney Fred Agee, often seen counseling Sandra Moore - well, see what the New York Times said about him in an article published on "Race Matters.org", read the whole thing, or start at paragraph 11:
http://www.racematters.org/skullbonia.htm
These (fill in the blank) are concerned about moving ALL the undesirable parts - and people - out of the neighborhood, at any cost. I'm sure it's only coincidence they are all white. They routinely suggest the Fairgrounds can be the next Green Hills. If they wanted to live in Green Hills, they should have moved to Green Hills.
Caution. A few weeks ago here at Pith Mr. Pink posted a YouTube video of an assumed fleamarket vendor who insisted that Mayor Karl Dean's plan to move the Expo to Hickory Hollow was a great idea, as if it were representative of vendors.
Soon after that a survey came out that indicated that fleamarketers were overwhelmingly opposed to the Hickory Hollow exile. Soon after that someone scrubbed the YouTube video that is still posted on Mr. Pink's post.
Pith's periodic coverage (or is it PR spin?) of supporters of Mayor Dean's sell-off scheme could be described as unrepresentative and overemphatic.
My coverage of your coverage: http://enclave-nashville.blogspot.com/2010…
Seriously, is somebody posting spoof Mike Byrd posts now? He can't be that big of a paranoiac. Right? Umm, right?
Tell this supposedly vast collection of folks who want to keep this racetrack that they can get Wilson County to build one out where they all live.
I use to live by the Fairgrounds in fact I lived off Byrum Ave. for 14 years and the noise of the race track did bother me. I know it was there when I moved there. That is like moving by the Airport and complaining about the planes. I now live less then a mile and I can still hear it and it still does not bother me.
Look I can not afford to go to Football, baseball game. But, the Fairgrounds has adorable entertainment. For people of lower income.
I'm not saying the racetrack is loud, but I live on Woodmont between Belmont & Granny White, and I can hear it on race nights. Seriously.
