Tall cell phone tower may be erected soon
A new cell phone tower could be up in Riverdale sometime in May if all goes according to plan.
A new cell phone tower could be up in Riverdale sometime in May if all goes according to plan.
Insite Solutions Ltd.'s Garnet McConney, who works in site aquisition, said in an interview Friday it's one of six new towers Bell is looking to erect in the city. The purpose is to keep up with mounting demand on its system.
It's expected others will go up in areas around Copper Ridge, Porter Creek, MacDonald Road and the airport.
Insite is contracted by Bell to work on its real estate.
Last fall, the previous city council approved the lease for Bell to use the land off Selkirk Street at a rate of $12,000 per year.
That rate was negotiated after the city was criticized by resident Cam Kos for a deal that would have seen Bell pay just $1 per year after an initial $200 on the 10-year term.
At the time, Coun. Betty Irwin was the only member of council to vote against the first reading of the initially proposed lease, arguing that Bell could "buy and sell Whitehorse” without a financial impact on it.
Kos pointed to other lease arrangements the telecommunications company has with municipalities where Bell pays substantially more for the use of municipal land.
Part of the deal also includes the city using the tower for its SCADA computer infrastructure for the new pumphouse that is planned nearby.
Fencing is planned for around the base and will include a locked, alarmed and electronically monitored mechanical shelter.
McConney noted the 10-square metre site for the 27-metre (90-foot) monopole tower was selected due to its vicinity to the city's pumphouse.
It had originally been proposed further away from homes in Riverdale, but the city requested it be closer to the pumphouse so it could be used for the SCADA process.
After the lease agreement was reached, Insite moved onto getting federal approval for the site.
A public notice was published last week. It displayed the plans for the tower and invited anyone to make a submission to the city as the land use authority or Insite Solutions by April 15.
Ultimate approval and design of the site will be up to Industry Canada.
Submissions can be made to the city (www.planning.whitehorse.ca).
If approval goes ahead and everything is in place, McConney said, he expects to have the pole installed in May.
Comments (10)
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Max Mack on Mar 22, 2013 at 3:00 am
Sally . . . actually, you're wrong.
There are no modern double-blind studies on the effects of electromagnetic radation on humans. Every "study" involving humans is retrospective in nature, and this alone should be a giant red flag.
Even if it were true that double-blind studies had been conducted, these are often manipulated, either directly or indirectly.
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Brice Carruthers on Mar 21, 2013 at 6:30 am
Yes, yes, Jackie....of course the "elites" are "poisioning our food"...and of course electromagnetic radiation is bad for. Just forget the fact that human life expectancy is increasing (45 years to 80 years in the last 100 years) and forget that we get exposed to radiation every day from the sun. Just tighten your tin foil hat and fight the power! By the way....your computer screen emits electromagnetic radiation...better step away. LOL!!!
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Anthony on Mar 21, 2013 at 4:29 am
To: Jackie Ward
I don't respond to you because I find that your opinions are often misguided and ill informed with a single underlying theme: the Yukon was better 15 years ago.
Case in point, you are frothing over being radiated by cell towers yet you seemingly sit in front of a computer/monitor that radiates EMF for hours on end and presumably in a home that has building materials and fixtures that are off gassing a whole host of toxins.
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Arn Anderson on Mar 21, 2013 at 2:35 am
First rule of humanity: Never trust Governing bodies or institutions that set rules for other people to live by AND always do those moronic things called "thinking" and "questioning".
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Jackie Ward on Mar 20, 2013 at 4:40 am
Thank you Sally. I never said I had all the answers. Heck, maybe I'm wrong. But your comment is what is lacking on here. No personal insults. Just a simple debate. That's how we all learn. I just know that today's wireless Internet and cell phone radiation can't be good for us. We don't know for a fact it can't harm our DNA. Our bodies are very sensitive. I know we were never designed to be in an environment where we are bombarded 24/7/365 by microwave radiation. What about the explosion in cancer rates? It's funny to me that over the years it has gotten out of hand and it almost coincides with faster Internet, faster cell phone speeds, all wireless. It's just a theory of mine.
Brice enjoys calling me crazy and paranoid. Why because I care about my health? Why? Because I want to live a longer life? Why? because I'm just trying to fiqure out the world I live in? People today it seems are frowned upon for being curious. its literally "shut up, stop asking question, go back to sleep, because the government will protect us". The elite have destroyed our food. You can't debate that anymore. We are all sick. And it's getting worse. So I wouldn't put it past them that this too would be harmful to us. Those waves go through everything. Wood, concrete, most metal. Well that's going through all our bodies too. And we can't shut it off. Remember the last time the power went out? Do you feel a calm come over your body? I know I do. Why?
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Sally on Mar 19, 2013 at 9:19 am
I'll bite.
Ionizing radiation is definitely harmful. Luckily, cellphones produce non-ionizing radiation. It does not cause damage to your DNA. There have been many double-blind studies conducted with people claiming to have electromagnetic sensitivity, none of them have shown humans have any innate sensitivity. There have also been cases where cell phone towers have been erected and people have complained of illness only later to find out the equipment was not installed or activated.
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Jackie Ward on Mar 19, 2013 at 8:23 am
See Brice. You took the bait. That's all you have. Instead of having an adult discussion you just resort to childish labels. You don't bring nothing to the table because you know you have nothing in the first place. Unlike you I have an open mind. That does not mean I know everything. At least I can admit that. People like you who try and discredit people's opinions with terms like "conspiracy theorist" "tinfoil" really make yourself look intelligent. You act like you have all the answers. Because I am wrong according to you, correct? Then show me how I'm wrong. If you can't, then I obviously win this debate. Please Brice, make me look stupid. Shove that tinfoil hat down my throat. But I know you won't respond to my request. As we already know you have no bias or proof to discredit my opinion.
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Brice Carruthers on Mar 19, 2013 at 5:44 am
@ Jackie Ward. You ARE crazy and paranoid...and really funny too. How can you prove a negative? You're right nobody can prove there are no side effects, but then again can anyone give me proof that the Tooth Fairy, Aliens or Bigfoot don't exist? Jackie, you can never be sure....you better wear a tin foil hat.
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Jackie Ward on Mar 18, 2013 at 10:42 am
I'm glad they put that tower so close to an elementary school. Parents with kids that go there and said nothing should be ashamed of themselves. This isn't a conspiracy theory anymore. The WHO has already listed electromagnetic waves/energy as a possible carcinogen. In dummy terms they are saying its harmful but won't admit it because it would create a panic. And if you believe I'm wrong. Please show me factual proof that there are no side effects and skip the personal attacks as those are getting so very old. I know many people who are very sensitive to any electromagnetic energy. But you would probably call them crazy and paranoid. Stop using us as a science experiment.
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Mike on Mar 18, 2013 at 9:16 am
I would welcome a tower near Falcon Ridge. Depending on which part of the house I'm in, myself and visitors only get 1 bar of service.