Residents of Saskatoon’s Holliston area object to cell tower plan

Article content

People who live near the planned location of a new SaskTel cellular tower say it will be an eyesore that reduces their property values.

Article content

Article content

SaskTel wants to build the 35-metre tower at Canon Smith Park, about 35 metres from houses in the neighbourhood.

Neighbourhood resident Danny Boyer said he created a petition that collected 110 signatures from people who share his opposition to the plan.

Article content

The park space is beautiful and used often, he said.

“Are we more concerned about SaskTel getting their coverage, or are we more concerned about the residents of the city that get the coverage from SaskTel?”

Jason Kerr, who also lives in the area, said SaskTel staff seem unbothered by residents’ objections and the overall message he’s received from the company is that the tower will blend in.

“When we suggested other possible locations, every other possible location was no good; none of these things mattered because federal regulations allowed it to be in the spot that it is,” Kerr said, adding that it feels like the cards are stacked against them.

He suggested other locations — like the other end of Canon Smith Park along Taylor Street, where it wouldn’t be right in front of people’s houses — but SaskTel said power lines were too close there, he said.

Kerr listed other potential spots, like behind the SaskAbilities building on Louise Avenue, in Jeffrey Park or in Holliston School Park.

“Politicians haven’t really stepped up to help us at any of the levels yet so far,” he said, noting he spoke with city council, Mayor Cynthia Block, his local MLA, Minister Responsible for Crown Corporations Jeremy Harrison, and his MP, Kevin Waugh.

Article content

Article content

Homeowner Kristine Eggertson said sight lines should be considered when towers are near city parks, “And that does not seem to have happened at all.”

She has read studies showing that being near a cell tower could lower her property’s value by two to 20 per cent, Eggertson said.

SaskTel spokesman Greg Jacobs said the tower is needed to improve cell service in the area.

SaskTel held a public meeting last week at the behest of the city to address people’s concerns, Jacobs said.

“We looked at about a half a dozen sites, including one at the north end of the park,” Jacobs said, adding that the other sites considered wouldn’t have been suitable for a variety of reasons.

The proposed site of the tower is owned by SaskEnergy.

Jacobs said SaskTel has been working with the city to find a spot and this is the only viable one identified.

“Other locations are too close to residential areas; other locations otherwise don’t conform to the City of Saskatoon’s antenna system policy.”

The city’s policy strongly recommends that the base of a tower be located a distance of at least the height of the structure away from the property line of any surrounding residential area.

Article content

It also prefers these structures to be 200 metres from any residential area, on private land when feasible, but says city-owned land or infrastructure could be considered if it “can be demonstrated to be conducive with the operations of the City.”

Jacobs said there are very few locations where cell towers can be placed in a developed area like Saskatoon.

SaskTel doesn’t want to impede the use of the park and is trying to keep the tower close to other utility buildings that are already located in the area, he said.

SaskTel follows the guidelines of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), which has done research that found no indication of a direct correlation between property values and proximity to a cell site, he added.

The tower site doesn’t yet have approval. Jacobs said SaskTel will go through consultation with the city once the public consultation process is finished.

Darryl Dawson, manager of the city’s development review section, said the final decision to approve and operate cell towers falls to ISED. Towers like the one proposed are necessary infrastructure for the city, he added.

Article content

Ward 6 Coun. Jasmin Parker attended the public meeting and said she’s been learning and bringing herself up to speed with the process, noting she wasn’t the councillor for the area when it began.

“I’ve been spending the last month learning where this project has come from and what the process is when it comes to these cell towers, and what the city’s role and responsibilities are,” Parker said.

“If this goes forward, I really want the city to work with SaskTel to minimize the visual impacts of the project, because there are some pieces I think could use some softening … I think there’s still some work for us to do to help the neighbourhood.”

The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark thestarphoenix.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.

Article content