Baseball Walk-Up Music Update
You are likely familiar with the 10 seconds or so of high-energy music the Blue Jays and other professional baseball players play as they walk up to the plate to bat. But did you know that our local players are choosing their own songs too?
This is relatively new in minor league baseball. When my brothers and I played, it wasn’t a thing. Even when my son played, there was only one team that used walk-up songs, and only during tournaments.
As the practice has grown in popularity across the country, it’s also created some friction locally. Neighbours and other park users are used to the sounds of bats, cheering, and kids having fun, but not frequent 10-second bursts of amplified music, sometimes combined with amplified announcements or music during warm-ups and practices.
I also know how much this matters to the players. Hearing their song as they step up to bat can be a moment of pride and joy, and families have shared how much their kids look forward to it.
As a municipality, this first came before Council in 2024. Our two local youth leagues requested an exemption to the Parks By-law to allow walk-up music. Amplified sound is prohibited in Town parks, so without an exemption, the music was technically a by-law violation. Residents nearest one of the diamonds raised concerns about the frequency and volume of the music, and the impact it was having on their quality of life.
After a lot of discussion, Council voted to allow the exemption, with conditions. Sound levels were to stay within the Noise By-law limits, and the leagues committed to oversight and monitoring to minimize disturbance. I voted in favour of that exemption because it felt like a reasonable way to test whether this newer practice could work in a shared public space.
Unfortunately, the the sound management plan wasn’t fully implemented. When it returned to Council in 2025, the focus for me was whether we could responsibly renew a broad exemption, given that the sound management plan hadn’t been fully implemented yet. Council voted against a full-season exemption for 2025, but did allow walk-up music for tournaments, and directed staff to work with the volunteer-led leagues to provide support and find a workable, longer-term solution.
The 2025 season saw much success. The leagues introduced sound monitoring, adjusted speaker placement, assigned volunteers to manage volume, and worked closely with Town staff. Complaints dropped significantly, sound levels stayed within limits, and residents noticed the improvement.
Staff are now coming back to Council a third time with a recommendation to allow an exemption for tournaments and travel team home games. Council will consider the recommendation during General Committee at our Council meeting on January 26th.
I’m hopeful we’ve found a path that supports both the kids and the community. It’s another example of how we can learn and adjust together as our town grows and changes.
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