Neighbours object to location of proposed cell tower in Snow Road

Aug 26, 2020

Cell gap coverage is a major initiative on the Eastern Ontario Regional Network and has been a priority for the township of North Frontenac for a number of years.

A proposed tower in Snow Road could bring cell service to a large swath of the township as well as parts of Central Frontenac. The tower will be 300 feet tall, much taller than most towers in the region, and it is designed to be shared by 3 service providers for cell phone service.

But it is the location of the tower, within 300 metres of two businesses, including one, Back Forty Cheese, that has a tourism focus, as well as the Snow Road Hall and the Snow Road Fire Hall, that is leading to some objections.

A company called CRINS (Canadian Radio-communications and Notification Services) which works under contract with the township to process these kinds of applications, contacted the township on July 29 to inform them that a company called SBS Communications plans to put up this tower.

A public comment period about the proposal is open until September 3rd. Meanwhile the township has engaged their contract planner to consider the proposal from the perspective of compliance with the township’s official plan, and other planning issues, in order for the township to pass a motion of compliance.

Among the neighbours who have concerns about the project, Rosie Kerr, who lives very close to the tower, is concerned about the long-term effects of non-thermal microwave radiation exposure within 300 metres of a towers.

She has being doing some research, and quotes studies from India and Germany which outline neurological and other risks.

“I don’t know why, when there are so many locations that are located on higher ground and are far from any houses, within the vicinity of Snow Road, they would choose a location that is close to houses and public buildings like the Snow Road Hall,” she said.

Jeff Fenwick said that the tower will be visible from his property, which has become a draw for tourists each summer, in large part due to its idyllic waterfrontage on the Mississippi River. A looming tower is not consistent with the atmosphere that has become such a part of his business.

A petition has been started to oppose the cell tower project. It can be reached at the following link”: https://www.change.org/celltowersnowroad.

For further information on the tower proposal, go to Northfrontenac.ca and click on Radio Communications Tower – Snow Road Station on the lower right-hand side of the page.