With the assistance of staff at the RDOS, an opinion poll will be held in the community of Hedley on Saturday August 10, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hedley Community Club, address 956 Scott Avenue.
There have been two petitions and numerous news articles and letters with respect to the Telus proposal to erect a monopole at 796 Scott Avenue in downtown Hedley. While most people are in favour of cell service in general, not all community members are in favour of the proposed location, for a variety of reasons.
The general manager of Telus promised me a number of weeks ago that Telus would consider alternate locations, in the same week that the publicist of Telus told the media that Telus had “pulled out of Hedley”. There have, as a result, been many mixed messages for people in town.
It is not unusual for members of communities to respond with opposite opinion to the placement of utility infrastructure such as a 20m monopole, particularly when it is an area which is both underserviced and old-fashioned in character. There are people who live in Hedley because it is rural and quaint, while there are others here clamouring for a life like that in the cities.
On August 10, 2013, the citizens who would be impacted by the erection of a monopole across the street from the Hedley Senior’s Center (formerly OAPO) will be asked if they support a pole being installed in that location. Polling station at the Community Club (not the OAPO or Senior’s Center) will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
· Like all provincial elections, voters must be 18 years of age or older on voting day;
· Voters may be renters, residents or property owners but must show identification with their home address and their home or property must sit within the affected area. This includes both the town of Hedley and the Upper Similkameen Indian Band Upper and Lower Subdivision, as well as a small area on each side down Highway 3.
A map is attached for your reference.
The question residents will be asked is as follows:
Do you support a 20m monopole for cellular phone and data service at 796 Scott Avenue? Yes or No?
Please pass this information along to anyone who you feel may be interested in the issue and encourage them to come out and vote.