Hey, there! Log in / Register
311 complaint of the day: Steamed over the screeching start to the new year in Chinatown
By adamg on Wed, 01/01/2025 - 11:33am
A resident with ears covered filed a 311 complaint at 1:09 a.m. about the noise on Kneeland Street in Chinatown:
Very very loud, high pitched screeching sound coming from Vicinity Steam plant.
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Oh how times have changed
I'm sure this was very annoying, but 30, 40, 50 ... 100 years ago that screeching might have been drowned out by loud New Years' celebration activity as people made their way around the city.
For the sake of accuracy
I wonder if you might be romanticizing things a bit. I am "of a certain age" and 50 years ago, being 1974, I was out and around on New Year's Eve, including in that general area going to various nightclubs of the day, like the Hillbilly Ranch, the Other Side and the still existing Jacques, and I recall little or no revelers parading around, "making their way around the city" in a loud manner. There was certainly activity inside the establishments, but the streets themselves were uneventful. First Night began in 1976 with various events scattered around the city, but again, no revelers shrieking around on the street drowning out steam plants. This also includes Kenmore Square, where i would go to the Rat and The 1270. Today's First Night gathering of tens of thousands from the suburbs far surpasses anything from the streets of the 70s or 80s.
Elders may have embellished things?
I've known people who were raised in Boston over a century ago (since deceased) who described reveling on big holidays. Not everyone had the cash to go to clubs but street celebrations for special occasions or major events weren't unusual.
Same folks decried the loss of the nightlife energy they knew from the 20s and 30s and even during wartime. There was probably a lull from the 50s to the 80s when Boston emptied out started rolling up the sidewalks at nightfall. Certainly wasn't always that way.
That's correct...
Most of the partying took place indoors.
Pressure relief valve on the top of the bldg?
Very exciting when one of these goes off when you're standing nearby. It doesn't happen as much with gas-fired boilers, but when that plant ran on coal I bet it happened a lot. At least the boiler didn't explode.
Was it... perhaps... just
Was it... perhaps... just maybe... Steam?
Regardless…
…. if the noise was excessive, they should have reported it to 911 not 311. This will just be “noted”.
It most likely was not
It most likely was not 'excessive'.
It's a steam plant. They occasionally do blow off steam. This plant does, sometime, too.
Well, you weren’t there ….
… were you.
I go through that part of
I go through that part of town often enough that I have more than once heard loud blowoff from somewhere along the top of that building.
I expect the plant workers can't be right next to the outlet on the roof when it's doing that, and must wear hearing protection. At sidewalk level, it's loud, but not damaging - no louder than an ambulance siren going past you.
American ambulance sirens are way too loud.
Unbearably loud. I have to cover my ears. Trying not to go deaf.
I’m in the area often and though I don’t recall hearing anything louder than usual, reporting possibly dangerous loud noises is a good thing.
Why can't a steam plant have
Why can't a steam plant have a little fun on New Year's Eve like the rest of us?
Finally
someone is thinking of the steam plant!
The Little Engine …
… That Could.
Kudos to that steam plant
for agreeing with how at least I feel about the new year.
Scream, indeed.