Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
COMBERMERE — No consensus was reached on the location for a proposed cell phone tower in Combermere after a two-hour meeting last week.
Township of Madawaska Valley council held a special meeting Nov. 27 to discuss a proposed new cell tower location in Combermere. Residents were able to speak with council and express their viewpoints. The sponsor of the tower, Rogers, will return to council in January with new information and a revised proposal.
Delegations were made by Eric Belchamber on behalf of Rogers Communications Inc. (Rogers) and residents Nick Shulist, Halinka Shulist, Judy Cole, and Maureen and Martin Lepinskie.
Belchamber briefed council and residents on the rationale behind the location. The company wants to build a 90-metre-high tower near the intersection of Micks and Dafoe roads. The project is part of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network project addressing gaps in communication infrastructure in the region.
Information provided by the township notes that public feedback received by Belchamber included negative comments and that, on Nov. 22, the company suggested a different location further from Micks Road. Belchamber’s report included correspondence or transcripts of audio recordings from approximately 15 residents, all negative save one. The revised location is, according to information provided by Belchamber, “100m farther into the forest.” The original location was also in a forested area.
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