Parts of Ottawa's arts community are worried that sound and vibrations from an underground light rail tunnel would affect their buildings.
Changes were recently made to the tunnel to make it cheaper and shallower.
However, the National Arts Centre said the tunnel would run metres from their front door and they want written sound and vibration restrictions for the good of their audience.
"They don't want to hear or feel anything other than the performance that they're here to see," said Carl Martin with the NAC. "We want to make sure that the future of the NAC is not jeopardized by the LRT."
A sound expert told CTV Ottawa the bedrock underneath the NAC would amplify the sound and vibrations of a light rail service underneath the centre.
At Ottawa's Arts Court, patrons said the sound of silence in their gallery would be affected by a nearby tunnel.
"It would definitely affect the piece and the viewer's perception of the piece," said Brad Snow.
"It would feel like IMAX theatre, which is not the intention that we're trying to portray," said Linda Balduzzi, Arts Court executive director.
She added that their new building's design could help buffer the sound.
The City of Ottawa said measures to buffer the sound are in the project's $2.1 billion budget, but both sides are working together to determine how much soundproofing will be needed.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's John Hua
