One more vote is required before council can give a ringing endorsement of a new cell tower aimed at improving wireless coverage in Collingwood’s south-west end.
Fontur International Inc. (Signum Wireless) is proposing a 40-metre tall radiocommunications tower at 879 Sixth Street in Collingwood; the initial application was submitted in September 2020.
Towers have to be approved by Industry, Science, and Economic Development Canada, but part of the process involves getting the town to approve a concurrence - a council agreement or endorsement of the tower and the proposed location.
After a split vote on recommending the concurrence at January’s development and operations standing committee meeting, the proponent went back to the drawing board to determine if more camouflage could be incorporated into the design of the tower.
During that meeting, both Coun. Yvonne Hamlin and Coun. Deb Doherty raised the concept of a tower disguised to look like a tree, or one that looks more like a flagpole instead of a tripod design.
On Monday, Fontur came back to the committee to say it could not accommodate such a change due to the landscape of the area where it’s proposed as well as coverage needs, but offered other options such as including the town’s logo on the tower.
“I think this is a wonderful offer by the proponent and I think it serves a number of purposes for us in terms of marketing and will have no impact on the performance of that piece of infrastructure,” said Coun. Deb Doherty.
Coun. Kathy Jeffery disagreed.
“I think in a proposal where we're trying to really get the best possible result of something that doesn't stand out, I find it strange that we'd want to make it stand out with our logo,” said Jeffery. “I think we discussed at the last meeting that it had already gone through public consultation and I think, to add this without that, I really can't support it.”
Mayor Brian Saunderson said he thought adding the town’s logo or name to the tower could cause confusion in the community.
“By putting our logo on it, it may lead many to believe that it's our tower, or that it's the town's asset,” he said. “I wouldn't want that confusion to be out there.”
The area of 879 Sixth Street has been identified as an area lacking coverage in Collingwood. As telecommunication carriers are required to co-locate on towers available, the tower will increase coverage by all network carriers that lease space on the tower.
An amendment put forward to add the town’s logo to the design was defeated.
Committee members voted unanimously in favour of recommending approving the concurrence. The decision will need to be ratified at a council meeting later this month.
With files from Erika Engel
