By Grant Warkentin
It’s taken years to get to this point, but cell coverage in Willow Point may finally be improved.
Last week Campbell River council supported a request to build a 63-metre tower at the city’s south end, at the Holm Road reservoir.
“As part of the city’s application process, the applicant requested the city’s support to surrender a small portion of its leased area so the applicant could apply to the province for land tenure,” says a statement on the city’s website. “The city provided its consent and the required documentation to allow the province’s review to proceed.”
The final decision now rests with the federal government, specifically Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. The city will also need to approve an environmental development permit before construction.
Rogers attempted to get a tower built in 2021 at the same location, but the province put the land tenure application on hold. When the company resumed the process in 2024, the province and city asked for more public consultation, which was completed last year.
Campbell River has struggled in the past to get much-needed telecom towers built in the city’s south end. In 2013, a tower proposed by Telus for Willow Point Park was denied after a community campaign against the perceived dangers of radio frequency emissions resulted in a 125-signature petition against the project. Then-councillor Larry Samson led the political resistance to the tower, and council decided to not enter into a lease agreement with Telus.
There’s no timeline available for when the new tower by the reservoir will be built.
Featured image: The Holm Road reservoir is the planned location for a new communications tower from Rogers. Image from City of Campbell River
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