Coming soon to Seagull Lake- 80-foot radio tower for your viewing pleasure!

WHAT? Someone decided it would be a good idea to place an 80-foot radio tower near the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department Hall #3 on Blankenburg Road near the Seagull Lake boat landing. I don’t have all of the details of the proposal but I plan to learn more about the proposed project in the next few days.  Here’s what I found via the USFS website.

Description: MnDOT has requested a communication site facility for the ARMER project located at the existing Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department Seagull Fire Hall #3 station. The site will house an 80′ communication tower, 12′ x 24′ equipment building.

According to the document a decision will be issued in 4/2018 with implementation 5/2018.

I hadn’t even heard about this proposal until this morning! I’m not sure why the project has been kept a secret or why a tower needs to be erected at Seagull Lake. It seems like we just had this argument a couple of years ago and now someone is just trying to push it through before anyone learns about it. Wouldn’t that be an unpleasant surprise for homeowners, cabin owners and visitors to the end of the Gunflint Trail?

An 80-foot tower would be seen from all over Seagull Lake and would not enhance the wilderness experience for the many BWCA users who visit Seagull Lake.  I’m sure the number of people who use the beach at the public landing for day recreation would not want to see a tower either. Nor any of the folks driving the Gunflint Trail SCENIC Byway.

I plan to find out more about this proposed project and will keep you informed. If you have questions or comments I’ve listed the contact information for the project below.

Contact Christina Tampio 218-663-8080 christinatampio@fs.fed.us

There is a meeting tomorrow at the Cook County Courthouse beginning at 5pm with time for public comment and discussion about towers (radio, cell phone service) in Cook County, including proposed towers up the Gunflint Trail.