Open House Summary
December 1, 2025 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Wye Community Hall, 151 Bailey's Subdivision, Sherwood Park
We attended the Telus open house and spoke with representatives from Strathcona County, Telus, and Cypress Land Services. Below is a summary of what we learned, along with photos of the display boards presented at the event.
Key Takeaways
Sconadale Site Unlikely to be Approved
Representatives from both Cypress Land Services and Telus indicated that the 74 Sconadale location is not their preferred site. Cypress stated they believe approval of the Sconadale tower is "unlikely."
Deermound Remains The Preferred Location
Telus confirmed that the Deermound location is their preferred site. Cypress stated if concurrence is granted for Deermound, they would "build tomorrow."
No Property Value Compensation
Telus representatives confirmed they will not compensate homeowners for any decrease in property values resulting from the tower installation.
No Petition Submitted Yet
County representatives confirmed that no petition has been submitted for the Sconadale location yet. The best outcome would be non-concurrence from the County.
Your Comments Are Still Critical
While this news is encouraging, nothing is decided yet. The strength of community opposition is what gives Telus and the County reason to reject this location. Every comment submitted to Cypress reinforces that this site is unacceptable.
Submit your comments before January 15, 2026 to ensure your voice is counted.
Conversations with Representatives
Strathcona County (Chris G. & Jana J.)
- No petition has been submitted for the Sconadale location yet
- The County can only encourage companies like Telus to follow Bylaw 6.20 (Wireless Communication Facilities), but cannot enforce it due to federal jurisdiction
- The best outcome for residents would be non-concurrence from the County
- Indicated it's too premature at this point to speculate on outcomes
- Did not provide information on the concurrence/non-concurrence status of the Deermound location
Telus (Dan Johnson)
- Deermound location is Telus's preferred site
- The Deermound site is restricted to the parking lot area because the tower foundation cannot be dug into the landfill (liability concerns about disturbing materials that would require proper disposal)
- Telus has not yet received concurrence from the County on the Deermound location
- Telus will not compensate for any decrease in property values
- They need a landowner to agree to host the tower; 74 Sconadale was the only willing landowner they could find in the required coverage area
- Submission date to Cypress is January 15, 2026, which is then forwarded to the County for concurrence/non-concurrence
- No aviation lighting is required by Transport Canada
- No available co-location options exist in this area
- ISED (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) strongly encourages companies like Telus to work with municipal governments, and will send them back to continue discussions if needed
- In his experience, Telus will follow the County's letter of concurrence or non-concurrence
Cypress Land Services (Justin Rockafellow)
- Agreed that 74 Sconadale is the wrong location
- Described "radio silence" from the County regarding the Deermound location
- Stated that if the County gives concurrence on Deermound, they would "build tomorrow"
- Believes approval of the Sconadale tower is unlikely
Cypress Land Services (Chelsea St. John)
- Handles public consultation emails
- Reported a major negative response from residents regarding the Sconadale location
- Confirmed Sconadale is not their ideal location for coverage
Telus RF Engineer
- 5G on the tower operates in the 2.6GHz frequency range
- Cannot guarantee no impact on 2.4GHz Syban radio equipment used by some residents
- Would need to investigate the "shoulders" of the radio frequency to assess potential interference
Display Boards from the Open House
The following display boards were presented by Telus at the open house. Click any image to view it larger.
Proposed Network Improvement
Tower Design and Location Plan
Expected Visual Changes to Landscape
Expected Coverage Improvements
Note the significant overlap in coverage. Moving the tower further south towards Deermound would actually improve coverage in the gaps shown.
Project Phases & Timeline
Why Is Another Tower Necessary?
How Demand Impacts Tower Performance
Health and Safety (Safety Code 6)
Tower Safety
A Resident's Perspective
Telus's "before and after" rendering shows the tower from a distance. Here's what it would actually look like from a neighbouring kitchen window:
AI-generated visualization based on the proposed tower location.
What You Can Do
The comment period is still open. Submit your concerns before the January 15, 2026 deadline.