Bell Mobility yet to make decision on location

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Bell Mobility is saying little for now on where it might build a cellphone tower in Guildwood Village.

The company signed a 20-year lease with a church in the Scarborough neighbourhood last summer for a 35-metre tower at Livingston Road and Guildwood Parkway.

The deal with Guildwood Community Presbyterian Church touched off a protest campaign when neighbours heard of it in December. Late last month, church elders surprised the opponents by asking Bell to cancel the lease.

The church has not had a response from Bell, beyond an acknowledgement the request was received, church spokesperson Bruce Morrison said this week.

The city objected to the tower, but cannot block its construction.

Jason Laszlo, a Bell spokesperson, would not confirm this week if the company will cancel the lease, calling it "a private contractual matter."

But Laszlo said the company continues to review other possible locations for a tower in Guildwood.

Bell Mobility customers in Guildwood have asked for better service and the company is determined to give it to them, he said, adding that he could not name specific sites Bell is testing as alternatives.

"When there's something to speak to, we will."

Though church elders and Bell still maintain no proven risks exist, opponents argued radiation from the tower could threaten the health of residents and children in nearby schools even hundreds of metres away.

Ward 43 (Scarborough East) Councillor Paul Ainslie, who said his goal is "to find a location that works for everybody," could name only a handful of other possibilities in Guildwood.

Ainslie, however, said he was confident Bell has learned a lesson from the residents' reaction and would now be "more community oriented" in its approach. "I think the church is pretty far down their list of options."

One scenario could see a temporary tower on the grounds of the Guild Inn until a permanent location is ready. Ainslie said the city-owned attraction could benefit from Bell rental fees, but the arrangement would require public consultation beforehand.