Morson area could have a cell tower

Ken Johnston

It appears that the efforts of the Morson Women’s Institute (MWI) may have made a connection; a cell phone connection that is.
Barb Zebleckis, a lobbiest with MWI, said that last week’s public meeting to try and get a cell phone tower erected in the Morson area was very positive. Representatives from the community met with Norwest Mobility, Rainy River Future Development Corporation and Ministry of Northern Development and Mines officials last Tuesday.
Zebleckis said that Morson’s neighbour, Big Grassy First Nation has been trying for about three years to get a cell phone tower built out there to allow Morson to be linked to the network installed a few years ago that brought cell service to the Rainy River to Thunder Bay highway 11 corridor.
Original plans by Norwest Mobility of Thunder Bay, included Morson from the network. However, before the system was built a Morson tower was removed from the plans. At the time it was thought that there would not be enough usage to support a tower in Morson. Residents have however thought differently and have been trying to get a tower put up there.
“We met with Ken Boshcoff, our new Member of Parliament about a month ago,” said Zebleckis. “He was very helpful and told us how to get the ball rolling.”
The word they received last week was that if the community could get about 300 users signed up for phones there, they could get a tower.
MWI has been doing its homework. There are 640 cottages in the Morson area, many of which are on the lake and can not get regular phone service. “There are also 21,352 people in Morson between summer and winter (staying at cottages, resorts etc.),” said Zebleckis.
The cost of tower there would run around half a million dollars. However, after meeting with the RRFDC and MNDM officials, Zebleckis said MWI is confident that the communities there can apply and receive some grants to help with the costs. “Big Grassy has been very helpful on this project,” she noted, adding that MWI is confident that the permanent residents will through a great deal of support behind the project.
“In my mind this is mostly a safety issue. It is almost criminal not to have a cell phone on the road in this day and age,” said Zebleckis.
MWI is beginning a phone campaign this week to try and get the 300 commitments from local residents and cottage owners for the cell service. If you wish to support the project by committing to getting a phone once the tower is in place you can call Cindy Miller at 488-5943.
“We are really hopeful that the tower will be up and running by next summer,”concluded Zebleckis.