2003: Residents want park to remain spot for recreation

It is now 2016, and the residents, parents, teachers and principal that live, work and play at and around Summit Hall Elementary School still want their park land to remain a spot for recreation.  They still do not want a cell tower in the middle of the fields.  

So why is the City of Gaithersburg Council ramming this construction project through when absolutely no one, not even the cell tower vendor, has publicly spoken in support of this project? 

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Residents want park to remain spot for recreation
Aug. 6, 2003
Brooke W. Stanley
Staff Writer
Cell tower proposal fails in fourth attempt

A proposal for a cellular tower at Morris Park is not likely to be approved following a City Council work session last week where several residents criticized plans, saying the tower would eliminate recreation space, reduce the park's natural beauty and pose a potential health risk to residents.

The plan, which calls for a 130-foot tall cell tower and stadium light combination to be added next to the bleachers on the park's upper baseball field, was the fourth attempt by Milestone Communications to bring forward a plan that the community and council would approve. The plans also call for a 25-foot by 50-foot stone shelter to be built around other equipment that would have to accompany the tower. The park is located in the West Deer Park neighborhood.

The tower will help make area cell phone reception better for residents and could bring the city an estimated $10,000 per year for each phone company using the tower, said Len Forkas of Milestone Communications.

But residents did not think the money was worth the intrusion on their life.

"It's going to be an ugly, ugly structure," said Bruce Johnson, a resident of Summit Hall Road.

Johnson said he sees no reason why a tower has to be put at the park.

"It's not something that's going to go away for me because I'm going to see it every day," he said...

http://www.gazette.net/gazette_archive/2003/200332/montgomery/news/171486-1.html