The University of Colorado at Boulder today announced it is taking a number of steps to mitigate noise from the upcoming Homecoming concert.
The university received a number of complaints from residents about noise levels following the Aug. 23 New Student Welcome Concert at Farrand Field. In response to community feedback, Program Council, the CU Police Department, the City of Boulder, and the City of Boulder's Environmental and Zoning Enforcement Office have been working to address the issues raised in order to reduce the impact of outdoor campus concerts on Boulder neighbors.
"The university takes its role as a neighbor seriously and is eager to make improvements whenever possible with regard to traffic, noise, and student conduct," said Frank Bruno, CU-Boulder vice chancellor for administration. "We view our student body as full partners in this effort and are looking forward to a positive Homecoming event on Oct. 3."
The Homecoming concert will take place on Friday, Oct. 3 from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at Farrand Field, with the sound check taking place intermittently between 3 and 7 p.m. A number of actions have already been taken to make the Oct. 3 concert less disruptive to the community:
• Program Council production staff is working with an independent acoustic engineer to assist with managing the sound equipment and the related acoustics of Farrand Field. The computer program for the speaker system will be recalibrated to focus sound more directly to the audience and away from neighborhoods.
• The university is notifying by letter residents who complained about noise from the Aug. 23 concert, addressing their concerns and highlighting ongoing efforts to curb noise pollution in the area.
• The university is working closely with the City of Boulder's Environmental and Zoning Enforcement Office and plans to hire them to help measure the sound in the various neighborhoods on the evening of the Homecoming concert.
• The University has created a more efficient system of receiving feedback from the community during the concert, but community assistance is key in pinpointing noisy trouble spots. On the evening of the Homecoming concert, people who feel overly impacted by the sound should call 303-492-7704, and are asked not to call 911 or the CU Police switchboard.
The University of Colorado and the City of Boulder will be hosting the annual Homecoming festivities Oct. 2-5, 2008. A complete schedule of events throughout the week can be found at .