Airport noise brings hundreds to Marlborough town hall

Flight path changes made toaccommodate a Calgary airport runway expansion continue to be a source of angst for some northeast communities 18 months later with hundreds gathering at a town hall meeting Friday to let the airport know.

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One Marlborough resident says her health has been dramatically affected.

"I am suffering severely now from headaches, migraines. I can't sleep at night, I get maybe two to three hours of sleep at night," said Marlene Sailer, who has lived in the community for about 28 years.

"My bed vibrates, it is terrible. The doctors just can't believe it, it is very traumatic."

A previous meeting to discuss the impact had police attending to keep the peace and they were back Thursday.

In July 2014, Calgary MP Deepak Obhrai took complaints from constituents directly the airport, prompting public consultations.

Jody Moseley of the Calgary Airport Authority, acknowledges they could have done better job at previous consultations.

"We realized after the first meeting that it didn't meet the expectations of most of the people that came," Moseley said.

"So we made contact with the community association the very next day and we have been working closely with them ever since."

She says there are some parameters outside of the control of the airport.

"Aircraft are regulated to turn away from each other when they are flying, it is just a regulated requirement but what we need to do is, look at any opportunity to get them as straight in and straight out as possible and our other philosophy is, if they have to fly over houses, can they fly higher and can they get out of the way quicker?" Moseley said.

"It is a really a combination of different things that we are looking at to see if we can manage some of the concerns."

Sailer says she, and many others, are looking for action.

"We are getting a little bit upset because we have got neighbours that turn their stereos up because they can't stand the sound of planes in the summer. It has really changed the whole environment," Sailer said.

She is still optimistic that something can be done, but cautiously so.

"I will believe it when I see it."

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