A new cell tower operated by Bell Mobility is now active after a lease agreement was made with the city to locate it at Bellevue Marina.
A decision by the previous city council in March of 2022 allowed for the relocation of a Bell Mobility cell tower to a 9.5' by 9.5' area in the vicinity of Bellevue Marina to be leased to the company. Construction began in July and on Nov. 7 a representative for the company said it went operational "about a week ago."
"The tower was relocated as the lease at the previous location had ended," said Rachel Jaskula, Bell Mobility's manager of public affairs.
Bell Mobility is responsible for construction costs and maintenance of the tower, with rent for the space charged at a rate of $6,100 annually. The five-year term of the lease can be renewed if Bell Mobility chooses, at which time rent will increase to $6,700 per year.
The project was approved in March of 2022 and construction was supposed to begin that spring, but work on the tower didn't begin until this past summer.
The company committed at the time of negotiation to include city branding on the tower.
Bell Mobility also leases space from the city for cell towers on Des Chenes Drive, West Street and on GFL Memorial Gardens.