East Rockers: We Won’t Be Bullied On Tower

by VJ Vitkowsky | March 1, 2007 8:40 AM | | Comments (10)

Experts.JPGIf a 120-foot microwave communications tower is not built by May, the city is likely to lose a little less than half of its $7.6 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to public safety officials testifying before the City Plan Commission (pictured). East Rock Alderman Roland Lemar urged all alternatives be exhausted before planting the tower in the city’s landmark park.

The tower would allow the FBI, along with the New Haven and Hamden police, fire, EMS, and 16 other agencies to communicate with one another on the same radio frequency. In addition, the tower would serve as a back-up in case the downtown communications system failed. The $350,000 to construct the tower will come from a DHS grant the city received in 2004.

But in order to get the next round of funding, the city first has to construct the tower, according to Maggie Targove (pictured at far right), DHS deputy director of emergency management. The remaining $3.6 million will go to surveillance around the city’s port, new radios, protective gear, armor, and rescue equipment, Targrove said.

Lt. Andrew Campion of the New Haven fire department (pictured in white sweatshirt) said the city needs a tower for emergency responders anyway.

East Rock Alderman Roland Lemar said public parklands are not for 120-foot communications towers. He suggested exploring the possibility of putting the tower on top of the Financial Building on Church Street, which is roughly the same height as East Rock.

Campion said the idea was explored in the past. The Financial Building wanted to charge $92,000 a year to house the tower. Because the city owns East Rock Park, it would not have to pay rent for that site.

“I think we have to think about if that’s a cost we’re willing to pay,” Lemar said. It might make sense to pay a rental fee to put the tower in a more appropriate location, he later elaborated.

According to Targove, the towers would have no negative environmental impact.

“The very appearance of them is an environmental impact,” Lemar said, echoing concerns raised at a recent East Rock neighborhood management team meeting.

Bob Manfield (pictured above, far left) project manager for the tower, said considerations had been made to avoid an eyesore.

“It’s going to taper off into the horizon,” Targove said. “And without it, if your house is being robbed, we’re not going to be able to respond.”

Lemar didn’t buy it.

“Clearly, when you see a tower as the key to the public’s safety, and you think there is no other place to put it then on top of the city’s nicest park, then you’re going to overlook the fact that a 120 foot tower does not blend into the horizon,” he said.

Mike Tucker (pictured) didn’t buy it either.

Mike%20Tucker.jpg“Don’t be bullied by this May deadline,” Tucker said. “This is a cash cow. That’s why it’s so important to them.”

Architect Fernando Pastor, who was at the meeting on other business, suggested the city have a contest for people to design the best-looking tower. “There is no reason why there should be an ugly tower,” Pastor said. “There is a very nice one in Barcelona.”







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Comments

Posted by: Bruce Crowder | March 1, 2007 9:30 AM

Can't they set a satellite communication system that can be used without putting up redundant towers? It seems to me that we have better technology available and $350k is a lot of money.

Here are a few of links I found with a quick google search:

http://www.eaglebroadband.com/sate_comm.asp
http://www.freelineusa.com/
http://sospdq.com/globalstar-satellite-phones.php
http://emd.wa.gov/1-dir/com/com-idx.htm#tdpchklst

Posted by: Cedar Hill Resident | March 1, 2007 9:36 AM

First we can not turn down the money! We plain and simply need it. I do like the suggestion of having people design it. What about the top of Snake Rock right next to East Rock. There is an access road off of state street?

Posted by: east rock resident | March 1, 2007 10:00 AM

I was there last night and I'm pretty sure that Alderman Lemar didn't say that we should turn down the money to construct this thing. What I heard him say was "before we construct this thing on top of East Rock park, prove to me that we exhausted all other avenues of more appropriate locations"

Very different things.

Posted by: D | March 1, 2007 10:04 AM

You have to love these old Hippies, they will protest anything. Wake up! It's the 21st Century.

Posted by: annabelle blausten | March 1, 2007 10:59 AM

Why does the FBI have to be included in local team efforts to keep the community safe? Also, the only design that I can see that would fit into the landscape of the park would be a tower camouflaged as a big tree.

Posted by: Jay | March 1, 2007 11:06 AM

I love East Rock, but this tower is needed for public saftey, and that must come first. We have the resouces in the community to make this less than ugly.

Posted by: Ned | March 1, 2007 11:59 AM

A 120' tower isn't going to "recede" anywhere. According to the CT Historical Society, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument is 110' tall, so in addition to the existing, smaller, ugly tower blighting East Rock's summit, we're going to have another eyesore dwarfing the historical monument (which the city neglected for decades - so much for honoring veterans). The DHS is notoriously corrupt and has wasted/stolen hundreds of millions of taxpayers dollars - can't we add this project to the "no fly" list? The city needs to change its marketing line from "It all happens here." to "Sh*t happens here." Also, in the most farfetched, fantastical scenario, where someone wanted to attack New Haven, wouldn't they just blow up the tower and destroy the communications ability of all of the "first responders"? Will the tower have it's own power supply? Otherwise someone could just "pull the plug on it... Wouldn't a decentralized communications infrastructure make more sense, from a tactical/defense point of view?

Posted by: Robn | March 1, 2007 12:55 PM

Mr. Pastor is right. The Soldiers and Sailors monument on top of East Rock is an unnatural addition but its an interesting addition because its designed. While I would never open the door for privateers to come in and do telecom towers on East Rock, it wouldn't be unreasonable, for the purposes of public safety, to install a modest telecom tower (if its well designed.)

Posted by: Bruce | March 1, 2007 1:21 PM

This is basically a back-up communication system in case our current system fails. How about a satellite-based communication system? They could probably keep a sat phone in every fire truck and police car for as much as it costs to put up a radio tower. Worth looking into at least.

Posted by: AN | March 1, 2007 1:31 PM

The opportunity for design of the tower is key. The tower could be used as a crowning feature on the top of one of the new towers currently being designed for downtown New Haven. I think it would make sense to develop the skyline rather than compete with the elegant Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

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