A Minden Hills council decision not to support a cell tower on Bobcaygeon Road will result in reduced coverage for homes, and service gaps along major roadways, the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) has told the township.
In a letter dated Aug. 27, which was tabled at a Sept. 11 council meeting, EORN’s CEO Jason St. Pierre, said Rogers would not be pursuing an alternative tower site within the municipality to replace the one council would not sign a letter of concurrence for.
While saying EORN respected council’s decision, St. Pierre outlined the technical impacts of the stance on mobile service in the area.
He said the site council knocked back was based on detailed engineering analysis to address service gaps.
Without implementation, he added “approximately 200 homes in the surrounding area will remain underserved or experience intermittent service, limiting residents’ access to reliable voice and data services, including for emergency communications.”
St. Pierre added, “coverage improvements along Hwy. 35 will not be realized, leaving connectivity gaps that will have impacts to those travelling along Hwy. 35, including residents, visitors to the area. and emergency responders.”
He said they won’t be looking for a new site, since the proposed location of Bobcaygeon Road and Scotch Line Road was identified as the most technically viable solution when evaluated against the project’s scope, timelines and budget.
St. Pierre thanked township staff – who recommended the letter of concurrence.
He added, “EORN remains committed to collaborating with the Township of Minden Hills wherever possible to expand and enhance mobile services. However, the absence of the C8590 tower will limit the improvements achievable in this part of the municipality under the current project.”
Upon receipt of the letter, coun. Tammy McKelvey tabled a motion to reconsider the July 31 knockback by a majority of councillors.
“I just felt that the EORN correspondence that we received did provide some new information with regard to the cell tower on Bobcaygeon Road and I’ve asked that council consider reconsideration of that issue and that is the reason for my resolution under our procedural bylaw,” she said. Her notice was seconded by deputy mayor Lisa Schell.
Schell said, “I’d like to know why EORN didn’t mention Hwy. 35 before, if it was their intent that they would cover Mountain Lake, after six months of discussion; and why the Rogers map does not show Hwy. 35 getting the improved service if it actually does. Because all of these people sitting in this room (the gallery and some councillors) have every reason to be concerned if they weren’t contacted and it would change the cell service there. So, I think it’s important that consultant Spectra Point Inc. comes back with EORN and Rogers, and maybe the CAO can check in with that.”
However, council did not get that far as the motion failed to get a two-thirds majority vote for reconsideration. Council stuck with its original decision and there will be no tower sited at the location.
EORN did not respond to a Highlander question about whether Hwy. 35 and Mountain Lake were discussed in their dealings with residents and council.
