Ajax council approves new cell tower across from McLean Rec Centre
Published October 5, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Ajax town council unanimously passed a motion to endorse a new Rogers cell phone tower last night.
The tower will be built at the Westney Road North and Magill Drive intersection, across the road from McLean Recreation centre.
The proposed tower is 30 metres tall and will provide 3G and LTE coverage. It will upgrade to 5G as that frequency becomes more prevalent.
A delegation led by Ajax Senior Planner Eric Simpson told council on October 3 that community concerns had been resolved to the best of the their abilities.
He out lined the three major concerns as the tower’s aestethics, its proximity to houses and potential health impacts
The design changed to a “shrouded” pole which hides the antennas, as a result. However, they had to use this location because others are too close to existing towers to benefit the network, according to Simpson. This is despite the Ajax official plan that deems new build near homes as the least desirable location.
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The tower, he said, runs 31 times below the current safety limits, addressing the third complaint.
Federal regulation requires telecommunication companies consult with municipalities. However, the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Ministry holds final say.
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