CENTRE WELLINGTON — Two new telecommunication towers intended to improve service in Fergus and Elora are headed for federal approval with council support.
Proposed for 800-840 Tower Street South in Fergus and 7646 Colborne Street in Elora, Centre Wellington council offered its concurrence to both applications at a meeting Monday evening. Concurrence represents the conclusion of the municipal consultation.
Rogers' proposal would see a 25-metre tower at Cherry Hill Shopping Centre in south Fergus while SLI Towers proposed a 65-metre tower at Gerrie's Farm Market along the property's tree line within a square-shaped fence compound, to the east of an existing garden centre.
Both companies say the poles are "needed to address service deficiencies in a growing part of the community."
"Given the current climate of many residents working from home, there has been an increasing demand for cellular and internet coverage," said SLI Towers, in the report. "The proposed installation is required to improve wireless coverage and network capacity to the community of Elora, the residents along Gerrie Road and Colborne Street, and to vital emergency traffic for Groves Memorial Community Hospital."
Rogers said they received one resident comment related to the location which has since been addressed.
When Councillor Jennifer Adams asked whether the community's landscape is considered in the staff's application review at the meeting, Centre Wellington’s managing director of planning and development Brett Salmon said it's not in their jurisdiction.
The applications will now head to Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada for approval.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
