Cell tower opposition continues in River Heights

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This article was published 30/05/2016 (3491 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Close to a dozen people gathered around a River Heights dinner table Monday night in a continuing effort to stop the construction of a cell tower in the middle of their neighbourhood.

The group met at Rachel Larkins’ home on Niagara Street, which is near to the MTS switching station where the service provider wants to build a cell tower.

Earlier this year, 19 River Heights homeowners were notified MTS planned to erect the cell tower on a property in the residential neighbourhood near Grosvenor Avenue and Niagara Street already occupied by a relay station.

From esthetics to devaluing property to health concerns, area residents spoke out Monday about what the tower could do to the neighbourhood.

“EMF sensitivity is a real thing, so that’s people with memory and sleep disorders, cognitive disorders,” Larkins said. “People have that with Wi-Fi and that’s the emission that’s supposed to come off this tower.”

Larkins said, according to building plans, MTS plans to construct the tower right outside her kitchen window, but is circulating an artists’ rendition that makes the tower appear to be on top of the building. She said she didn’t want to sit on her deck in summer and stare up at the large industrial-looking structure attached to the building beside her property.

“I bought River Heights. I wanted River Heights. I didn’t buy what was going to be in my neighbour’s yard.”

Abigail Mickelthwate thinks the group may have found one way MTS is going against the system to build the tower.

“The MTS-proposed tower goes against Winnipeg’s antenna policy recommendations that were actually adopted by the city council on May 27, 2015,” Mickelthwate said.

“For this location, the city recommends 180 feet. MTS wants to put the cell tower eight to 10 feet from a residential home.”

The policy adopted by council last spring states the city prefers new antenna systems be built outside of residential areas, with some exceptions. It also discourages tower construction directly in front of doors, windows, balconies or in front of residential properties.

Chris Rempel, who lives across the street from the MTS switching station, said it’s not fair that MTS doesn’t have to follow bylaws that he and his neighbours have to abide by when they build things on their properties.

“We wanted to do an addition or renovation on our house,” Rempel said. “I had to have permission from each of my adjacent neighbours. If one of those neighbours said, ‘no, I don’t think that’s going to look good,’ then the project is off. It’s done.”

While all the residents at the house meeting were opposed to the current plan for the tower, they all agreed that cell service needs to be improved in River Heights.

“We do need better cellphone service out here,” Mickelthwate said. “We all acknowledge that. However, we would like them to find a commercially zoned property.”

The residents plan to voice their concerns at a public meeting MTS is holding Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Corydon Community Centre’s River Heights location.

Last Wednesday, River Heights residents expressed their unhappiness with the proposed tower at a town hall held by Liberal MP Jim Carr (Winnipeg South Centre) at the Rady Centre.

Company spokesman Jeremy Sawatzky said in an email last week that MTS “is committed to open and transparent communications with our customers. With the usage and popularity of wireless devices continuing to grow, our customers increasingly expect strong indoor and outdoor cellular coverage. That means, from time to time, we need to upgrade our services.”

Along with holding the open house, Sawatzky said the company notified “all property owners, the local Land Use Authority, the Winnipeg Airports Authority, Industry Canada, local community associations and all local government representatives about this proposal and will continue to consult with them as we move forward.”

bailey.hildebrand@freepress.mb.ca