Bell cell tower plan meets opposition in St. John's

Some St. John's residents arespeaking out against a proposal to build a cellphone tower intheir neighbourhood.

Bell Mobility wants to erect an almost 15-metre structure in the citys west end, in the McLoughlan Street area.

Wednesday night the company held an information meeting to provide more details.

Area resident Cathy Hogan says she's seen research about potential health risks from cell towers. She says the onus is on Bell to prove cellphone towers are safe.

"There are studies that suggest there's cancer, and they don't have long-term information to really establish the fact that this is not a health problem for people over a long period of time," said Hogan.

She says residents only learned of Bell's plan through a notice in a newspaper. If its built, the tower would be near a seniors home and elementary school.

"The bottom line of it is - it's near a school, it's near an old-age complex and they'll argue that it doesn't affect real estate values of homes around it. Well, you don't have to look out from your front lawn and stare at this thing," she said.

Bell Mobility hasnt yet formally applied to the city to build the tower.