Neighbours renew push as Clemow cooling noise continues

Residents near The Clemow apartment building are renewing complaints about a loud continuous humming noise from the rooftop cooling equipment as the dispute enters a second summer.

Neil Pearson, who lives nearby, said he's often forced to shut the windows on the front of his house. "We can't have full enjoyment of our home," he said. Lawn signs declaring "The Clemow Is Noisy!!" have returned to the surrounding Glebe neighbourhood.

The building, a 17-storey residence aimed at older adults at the intersection of Bronson and Carling avenues, installed a variable frequency drive in April designed to reduce fan noise. City bylaw officers tested the cooling system in late May with the unit running at full capacity, both day and night. The testing found no bylaw violations — officers heard only a faint hum directly on Clemow Avenue that was generally drowned out by nearby residential air conditioners.

Capital Coun. Shawn Menard said feedback from residents has been mixed, with some reporting improvement while others say noise levels remain similar to last summer. However, a separate planning process is still underway to determine whether the building complies with Ontario's environmental noise standards.

Property owner KTS Properties said it installed the variable frequency drive before co-ordinating bylaw testing and additional testing by third-party acoustic consultant Gradient Wind Engineering. The company said Gradient Wind is finalizing a stationary noise assessment and noise certification letter to submit to the city as part of the site's planning approval process.

Resident Pearson noted that spring testing may not capture the full picture, as the rooftop cooling system works hardest during extreme heat. "You only pick it up when it starts to get into those high 20s to early 30s," he said.