Which is more pleasing?

Published 4:55 pm Thursday, September 18, 2025

Which is the more pleasing?

The dulcet tone of a bell tolling.

The jolting screech of a siren blaring.

Apparently, in Smithers, British Columbia, Canada, it is the latter.

At its latest meeting, council heard a proposal to take a donation of the bell from the United Church—whose building is up for sale—and put it in the tower of the fire hall to replace the noon-hour siren.

Approximately 80 years ago, the siren was the only means the fire department had to alert firefighters that it was time to go to work. 

After the siren failed to work on one occasion, resulting in a huge loss to the town, it was decided that it should be tested daily.

But for the past several decades, it has just become a really annoying tradition.

In making the proposal to council, Fire Chief Alle Jan de Vries noted that many people in the community have raised concerns about the alarming nature of the siren. He also acknowledged that many people are very attached to the noon-hour tradition.

Some have even said they don't want to get rid of it because it's part of our culture. Really? That's like saying you don't want to get rid of a painful hangnail because it's part of your body.

De Vries also said outright that blasting the siren no longer serves any purpose.

He suggested that swapping the siren for the bell could be a community-supported compromise.

The fire chief is right.

But we're not going to find out because the only councillor who was even willing to put it on the table was Genevieve Patterson. 

Coun. Patterson is right.

The issue should be put up for public consultation.

A bell is beautiful and represents happy occasions.

A siren is horrible and represents disasters.

Honestly, is there really a choice here?