Cell tower worries baby's father.
William Marlatt shows where Bell Canada is planning on building a 130-foot tower 30-feet from his home.
Staff photo/DAN PEARCE
A North York father is worried about possible health risks a proposed communications tower could pose to his baby son.
"Thirty feet from a one-year-old's bedroom, if that doesn't kick you in the gut, what does?" said William Marlatt, who lives on Wild Briarway on the west side of Leslie Street between Finch and Sheppard avenues.
"It is health (concerns) for a one year old. They might as well put the telecommunications equipment in his bedroom. This is ridiculous."
Bell Mobility is looking to build a 131-foot wireless tower somewhere in the parking lot of a medical centre at 4800 Leslie St., Bell spokesperson Julie Smithers said.
While Marlatt said he has measured the preferred spot and said it is 30 feet from his son's bedroom, Smithers said it is at least 65 feet from neighbours.
She said the tower is necessary to address customer requests for better cell phone coverage.
"We're always investing in our network and looking to adjust (customers') requests for coverage," she said.
"It (the present level of service) may not be as reliable as would be ideal for customers."
Bell has thousands of towers across Canada and they meet or exceed federal health and safety regulations, Smithers said.
Meanwhile, Bell is proposing a tower with the least visual impact on neighbours, she said.
"We've designed it to look as a flag pole and function as a flag pole" to make the tower as esthetically pleasing as possible, Smithers said.
But Marlatt is not convinced the tower doesn't pose health risks to his son.
"He will look out his bedroom window and see a tree and beside it a 130-foot telecommunications pole and Bell seems to think this is OK," he said.
"I think there are health concerns there. My wife is inconsolable. I think it is just a bad plan."
Marlatt is worried many residents in the area aren't aware of Bell's plans for the tower.
He wants residents to attend a Bell Mobility information meeting Monday, March 22 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the staff room of Lescon Public School at 34 Lescon Rd.
Marlatt, who moved into his townhouse with his family last July, said he only found out about the meeting from a neighbour.
Neither Don Valley East Councillor Shelley Carroll or Willowdale MP Martha Hall Findlay could be reached for comment.