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Senior students at École Victor Brodeur will transfer from their five-year-old school to a heritage Page A3 building this fall.
The Victoria International Cycling Festival wraps up this weekend with Jumpship and other events. Page A22
Friday, June 22, 2012
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Residents worried about effect of cellphone antennas
Decision imminent on Esquimalt policing Erin McCracken
Non-profit housing operator insists cell tower revenue is important to keep rent affordable for tenants
News staff
Roszan Holmen
governments have the ability to respond to this type of concern. Giovanni Borella pays $375 The short answer is no. per month for a top-floor apart“Courts have held that ment with all new fixtures and parameters such as the height a great view. and location of the antenna But he’s willing to give it all sites are vital to telecommuniup to get away from what he cations,” stated a staff report fears are damaging radio fre- discussed at Monday’s council quencies overhead. meeting. The Greater Victoria HousTherefore, local government ing Society, which runs his regulations do not apply if they 52-unit building in impair the ability “I’m literally Esquimalt, leases of telecommuspace on its roof- 15 feet from this nications comtop to three telepanies to place communications conglomeration of antennas in opticompanies, which cellphone towers.” mal locations, it have set up numercontinued. – Giovanni Borella ous cellphone Esquimalt antennas. council found the “Some of the research I’ve answer unacceptable. been doing on my own indi“Municipalities should have cates that there is a potential jurisdiction, just as they do health hazard for so many of over all other land-use decithose cell phone towers to be sions, over the location and in close proximity to people,” level of these telecommunicaBorella said. tions antennas in their commu“I’m literally 15 feet from this nity,” Coun. Tim Morrison said conglomeration of cellphone on Tuesday. towers.” “Municipalities would then Several current or past resi- be able to set an appropriate dents of Constance Court, community consultation and at 1325 Esquimalt Rd., have approval process, which curbrought their concerns recently rently doesn’t exist.” to Esquimalt council. PLEASE SEE: Council directed township Subsidized, Page A14 staff to look into whether local News staff
Don Denton/News staff
Constance Court resident Giovanni Borella is concerned about the cellphone towers installed on the roof of the complex.
Esquimalt will soon learn whether it will be allowed to contract RCMP services for policing or told to stick with the Victoria Police Department. “We are in the final stages of discussions with Victoria and Esquimalt,” Justice Minister Shirley Bond said. “I can assure you this process will be completed soon, and we will be in a position to release the mediator’s report and announce a policing plan shortly.” Esquimalt’s policing and law enforcement advisory panel hoped to hear back late last year, after it submitted its RCMP recommendation to Bond’s office in June 2011. Instead, the province called for a third-party mediator to review the funding, governance and dispute-resolution issues plaguing the Victoria Police Board. That report was submitted in late January and presented to board members in recent months. “(That report has) been confused as a solution (for the) long term,” said Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins, chair of the township’s police panel. The panel is advocating for more control of its policing costs and to be consulted on the style of policing delivered in the community. Residents are more than ready for any decision. “(They’re) at a point where, ‘let’s just make a decision and move on,’” said Nick Kovacs, co-chair of the Esquimalt Residents Association. “(Residents) feel like the position has been debated to death.” Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin, who chairs the Victoria Police Board, declined to comment. emccracken@vicnews.com
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