Complaint silences church bell

[buckthesystem]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4111589a4560.html

St Christopher's Church in Avonhead has been forced to stop ringing its bell at 7.45am on Sundays after a neighbour complained about the noise.

Archdeacon Mike Hawke is stunned by the complaint.

"This church has been here for 50 years. When people come to live here, they need to be aware of what is around them," he said.

"Do we tell children to stop yelling in the playground because someone bought a house next to a school?"

The small, single bell rings for 33 seconds at 7.45am, 9am and 10.30am each Sunday to mark the beginning of services. The 33 rings signify each year of Jesus' life.

"It's incredible and sad that the bell is so upsetting for people," Hawke said.

Christchurch City Council environmental effects team leader Klaus Prusas said the noise complaint was investigated and the bell exceeded the noise provisions of the Resource Management Act by 11.3 decibels. It measured 86.3 decibels.

The residential daytime (7am to 10pm) limit is 75 decibels, so the bell breaks the law each time it is rung. However, the complainant was concerned only about the earlier one.

"We are obliged to investigate all noise complaints and, like most, this one has been resolved amicably," Prusas said.

Hawke said that out of respect for the gentle way the council handled the situation he had decided to stop ringing the bell at 7.45am. "I've done it with a sense of sadness, but technically we are breaking the law. The law is an ass sometimes," he said.

He said the issue could open a can of worms because a number of churches could be breaching the law.

Hawke finds the issue ironic given that the church is below an airline flight route.

Helen Connor, who lives directly across the road from the church, said she liked the bell.

"I have no problem with it. I think it's rather nice. I'm usually in bed at that time but it doesn't bother me," she said.

Neighbour Craig Brown has lived across the road for 35 years and has never had a problem with the bell. "They wouldn't want to live next to the cathedral, would they?"