The current site of the proposed cell tower at 6675 Mary Ellen Dr., is to be located in the treed area adjacent to the path, right next to a four-storey apartment complex in north Nanaimo. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

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NANAIMO — A new cell tower proposed for north Nanaimo is one step closer to reality, however some nearby residents aren’t feeling the connection.

A 31-metre-tall monopole tower is envisioned at the northern edge of Nanaimo city limits off Mary Ellen Dr. between Shoppers Drug Mart and the Island Hwy.

Brian Gregg of SitePath Consulting, speaking on behalf of Rogers Communications, provided a project overview at the Monday, March 17 Nanaimo City Council meeting, telling the meeting this proposal has been in the works for several years.

He said finding a willing property owner for a new cell tower has been a key stumbling block.

“It’s a growing area, not only in terms of commercial activity but also in terms of densification. As you know, there’s multi-family developments ongoing in the area as well. And indeed it’s that growth that necessitates improvements in the wireless infrastructure as well, we’re trying to meet that demand on the network.”

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The white tower would include seven flush-mounted antennas inside a roughly 100-square-meter compound surrounded by a cedar fence, with a small equipment building at the base.

At the City’s recommendation, Gregg said they hosted an on-site meeting with surrounding property owners and residents of the nearby apartment building in January to address some of the concerns heard through previous consultations.

Concerns addressed included maintaining as many existing trees as possible, as well as painting the tower white to better blend in with the area.

The proposed tower site close to area residents has been another source of local contention.

Gregg noted the four-story apartment building was well below the height requirements for the tower.

He said roughly 70 per cent of the people they spoke with in the nearest building to the tower were in favour, with improved connections to emergency services listed as one of the main reasons given.

During a 30-day public consultation process early last year, 13 responses were received. Of those, nine were in favour.

According to Rogers, around 80 per cent of 911 calls now come from cell phones.

The company stated there were no other suitable locations or infrastructure within a one-kilometre radius suitable for this tower.

The report said while Rogers expects requests for tower-sharing from other service providers, the “co-location of services on existing towers is not achievable.”

An ariel map showing the proposed location for Rogers new cell tower in the northwest corner of the lot. (City of Nanaimo)

Not in Favour
Speaking as council for Skyline Private Capital Inc. on behalf of the neighbouring apartment building, Edward Hulshof told Nanaimo councillors not all of their approximately 250 residents living next to the proposed cell tower are on board.

Hulshof said issues include the tower being in direct sight of residents, not considering alternative locations, and what they say was a lack of procedural fairness.

“In hearing my client’s objections regarding the location of the tower, I would ask yourself, whether you’d want to wake up to the silhouette of a 31-metre monopole tower backlight by the sunrise coming through the Nanaimo skyline…it isn’t a pretty visual.”

Hulshof said there are multiple other nearby locations more suitable for the tower, and Rogers already provides the area with service based on its own coverage map.

Approval was given to provide a letter of concurrence to Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada (ISED) during the meeting, with coun. Ben Geselbracht the lone dissenting vote.

The federal government, through ISED, has exclusive jurisdiction over the placement of wireless telecommunications facilities in Canada.

Nanaimo council also recently advanced another cell tower proposal in the Hammond Bay area in February, and the Regional District of Nanaimo is also working on an application in the Nanoose Bay area.

NanaimoNewsNOW has reached out to Rogers Communication for clarity on the increased coverage area, as well as a potential construction timeline for the tower.

This article will be updated when that information becomes available.

Speaking on behalf of a neighbouring apartment building, Edward Hulshof was in front of Nanaimo City Council on Monday, March 17, expressing concerns about a proposal for a new Rogers telecommunications tower in north Nanaimo. (City of Nanaimo)

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