Elated residents of the Hammond Bay area in North Nanaimo are celebrating an announcement that cellphone service is coming soon after a dozen years of lobbying and in the wake of the death of a retired teacher in 2023.
“That’s such great news. … People will feel safer,” said Becky Lloyd, a member of the Rocky Point Neighbourhood Association executive and organizer of the latest petition calling for cell coverage. “Hopefully the cell tower is able to get that whole area out of the dead zone.”
In 2014, Nanaimo council voted against allowing a Hammond Bay cell tower.
A 2023 petition collected 2,000 signatures advocating for cell service. A petition started this month had 400 names as of Friday afternoon.
“Our community’s inability to make and receive calls due to lack of cell service during medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other urgent situations puts our lives in jeopardy,” Lloyd said on the Change.org petition.
Top of mind for many residents is Ken Gillies’ death in July 2023 and his wife’s inability to get a cell signal to call 911 on Hammond Bay Road.
Ken Gillies, 72, had chest pains and the couple headed to hospital. But the car veered off the road and driver Gillies slumped over.
Kathy Gillies reached for her cell phone to call 911 but couldn’t get a signal.
She flagged down other drivers, who were forced to drive off to seek a signal. Eventually one got through to 911 and paramedics were dispatched.
They worked on Ken Gillies for about an hour but he could not be revived. Kathy Gillies, who spoke out after his death, called that night “horrific.”
She wondered if her husband might have survived if the area had cell service.
“All that time was lost with people trying to drive somewhere, get into a cell reception area.”
Issues with poor cell coverage date back more than 12 years in the Hammond Bay area, where some residents had earlier worried about possible health implications from cell towers.
In 2014, a majority of Nanaimo council voted against a cell tower and a landowner decided against permitting a tower on their property.
Mayor Leonard Krog called Friday’s announcement “wonderful” for people living in the area and those who drive through it.
“This is exactly what everyone has been waiting for.”
It is too bad that the tower was turned down in the past when it didn’t get the support it deserved, he said.
Today, attitudes have changed about cell towers, Krog said.
Telus Communications Inc., Rogers Communications and the Regional District of Nanaimo have reached a land use agreement to allow a tower on district land at the Greater Nanaimo Pollution Control Centre.
There would be no tax implications for residents, the district said.
Telus and Rogers will pay construction, operating and maintenance costs.
The designated land is not needed by the pollution control centre, the district said. The tower would not interfere with daily operations or employee activities.
A public consultation process is expected to start in September.
“We are excited to partner with Telus and Rogers to bring reliable cellular service to the Hammond Bay area in Nanaimo,” Vanessa Craig, Regional District of Nanaimo chairperson, said in a statement
“Many people use mobile phones for both personal and professional communications, making access to cellular coverage essential for both day-to-day living and emergencies. We are pleased that the project for this much-needed service is moving to the public consultation phase.”
Partnering with the district allows Telus to prioritize investments in communities needing critical cellular coverage, and once the new tower is built, the improved network capacity will enable us to stay ahead of the demand for connectivity as the population grows,” Tony Buu, company spokesman, said in a statement.
Mark Kennedy of Rogers said, “We are always looking to expand to connect more Canadians when and where they want.”
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