Cell phone reception in Ormstown is not the best. The council is aware of this issue and is looking for solutions.
During their regular meeting on March 2, council members adopted a resolution authorizing the municipality to enter talks with Bell Mobility on the installation of a telecommunications tower on municipal land.
“We were contacted by Bell regarding cellular connection issues and network capacity,” said Mayor Philippe Besombes during the meeting. The project is in its early stages, with several steps yet to come before a final decision will be made, he explained, before promising nearby residents would be consulted.
The municipality had hoped to install the infrastructure on the existing water tower, but this option was abandoned due to structural issues with the tower that would have made the investment too costly. Bell is now proposing the construction of a new tower on municipal property.
According to the municipality, the piece of municipal land under consideration for the project is located along Route 138, just east of Route 201, next to a pumping station. The land is relatively isolated and wooded, and located at a distance from nearby residences. The tower would stand approximately 30 metres high.
Besombes explained that the municipality would be required to sign a lease with Bell, which would include access rights to the land. The contract would generate annual revenues of around $10,000 over a period of up to 30 years that would be directly invested in the community.
Director general Daniel Leduc affirmed during the meeting that the resolution allows the municipality to enter discussions with Bell and should not be considered as an automatic approval.
“Tonight, basically, is the beginning of a process that should take about two months, during which [Bell] will conduct their technical engineering studies,” he explained. Once the technical aspects have been evaluated, Bell will lead a community information and consultation process with the public.
Leduc said he expects Bell will take around two months to complete these steps before returning to the municipality with their results. At that time, likely in May or June, the council could adopt a second resolution to approve the project, which would be completed sometime in the fall.
Concerns were raised by residents attending the meeting around the potential health impacts on nearby residents, as well as the visual impact of this type of tower in a residential area.
Besombes said the council is aware of the concerns this type of installation may raise, noting residents will have the opportunity to ask questions during the consultation process.