Lakeside community asks Videotron to hear its plea to not destroy village with communication tower after municipal council fails to listen

 

Lakeside community asks Videotron to hear its plea to not destroy village with communication tower after municipal council fails to listen
 
Lac-des Seize-Iles, March 29, 2011, at a special meeting of the municipal council of Lac-des Seize-Iles, one of the smallest municipalities in Quebec, a resolution to support the installation of an 87-metre or 282-foot Videotron tower was fast tracked and adopted by a slim vote of three to two, despite some thirty letters expressing opposition and/or requesting a delay to consider alternative high-speed Internet service solutions. The decision has left many taxpayers of this picturesque lakeside community dismayed.
 
“Our association is incensed that the mayor of Lac-des-Seize-Iles has bulldozed a resolution through the council without appropriate community consultation,” stated Chris Campbell, president of Les Amis du Lac/Friends of the Lake. “Even the two opposing councillors could not get a word in edge-wise when they tried to impress upon the mayor to listen to concerns and weigh all options before making a final decision. Residents have not been fully informed and were not given the opportunity to discuss their opinions with the councillors prior to a vote.”
 
Two years ago, Lac-des-Seize-Iles was declared and underprivileged municipality by the provincial government and funds were made available to assist it. From a conference emerged the theme that the community’s greatest asset was the beauty of its mountains, forest and lake, and that ecotourism would be the greatest opportunity for the municipality. The mountain in the village, where Videotron is proposing to build a tower, is at the heart of this asset. In the fall, this mountain is ablaze in colours of reds and yellows from the maples that busloads of visitors enjoy. The aerobic corridor from Morin Heights to St. Remi also runs right past this mountain in the village.
 
Videotron’s large tower would dominate the mountain, village, surrounding forest and lake, marring:

• The view from the aerobic corridor and municipal parks;
• The view from the tourist kiosk being built this year with financial assistance from the MRC;
• The view from the only remaining store in the village, for which nearly 50 local residents purchased shares in 2010 in order to preserve it and encourage tourism;
• The view from just about everywhere in the municipality;
• The view of the pristine night sky over the village and the lake with flashing lights.

 
The president and chief executive officer of Videotron, Robert Depatie, has stated: “Year after year, offering our customers the best possible experience remains the Videotron team’s top priority.” For the residents of Lac-des-Seize-Iles, “the best possible experience” would be to not locate the tower in the heart of the village. Furthermore, if Videotron wishes to “Treat customers like we would want to be treated”, as its value statement notes, then it should treat the citizens of Lac-des-Seize-Iles as they would want to be treated and locate the tower away from the heart of a municipality.
 
Videotron has also stated that “Videotron is not finished making history.” Les Amis du Lac/Friends of the Lake suggests that Videotron let its history be a shining example of environmental stewardship and exemplary corporate citizenship. Building a large commercial communication tower in the middle of a very small village, whose main livelihood is the beauty of its mountains, forest and lake, is neither environmental stewardship, nor exemplary corporate citizenship.
 
Lac-des-Seize-Iles is one of the smallest municipalities in Quebec. Videotron approached the municipality only after it was refused by Montcalm. A large percentage of the residents are seasonal. The residents resent that the mayor fast tracks meetings of importance in the winter season when the population is a fraction of the summer population. Any changes to the zoning bylaws to permit the installation of a commercial communication tower on residentially-zoned land should include appropriate public consultation in July when most of the residents are available to express their opinions.
 
Les Amis du Lac/Friends of the Lake is an association committed to representing the interest of Lac-des-Seize-Iles/Sixteen Island Lake and area through the protection, promotion and conservation of its natural and historic environment.