St. Joachim goes wireless

BY RAFFY BOUDJIKANIAN

raffy.boudjikanian@transcontinental.ca

St. Joachim Church in Pointe Claire will soon be all set up to help you better communicate, and no longer just with the Almighty.

The church is currently concluding negotiations with Bell Canada to install a telecommunications system in its basement that will allow better reception for cellphone users with the company in the area south of Highway 20.

"I know there a lot of people (in that area) that have bad reception on their cellphones and this should help those among them that are customers with Bell," said Pointe Claire Mayor Bill McMurchie as city council approved a zoning amendment last week that would allow the church to go through with the operation.

St. Joachim's steeple rises 135 feet, according to Paul Bourget, an alderman at the church. Last week, it was being taken apart in order to have antennas installed within, and will then be put back together.

"Nothing will be visible from the outside. The architectural integrity of the structure will not be touched," he said.

"We are expecting to make a good amount of money from our negotiations with Bell," Bourget said, although he said he could not disclose the final amount since it was not yet agreed on.

"The revenue should be able to help us out with various projects," he added. Bourget conceded that the number of those who attend mass on Sundays has diminished significantly over the last few years, causing the church to look for alternate sources of revenue.

"There was a minor but vocal opposition to the idea," he said. According to Bourget, several citizens went to city hall meetings and complained to council about the church's plans. "People will always complain," he said. "Some people will complain if you don't do anything, others complain if you do anything."

Bourget said the devices that will be installed in the basement of the church will not be getting in anyone's way, since the location is not currently used by anybody. He said the basement is actually on the site of a former cemetery, with the bodies of several people buried beneath its floor. "Those places will not be profaned in any way," Bourget said.

Bourget said several churches in Montreal have recently accommodated cellphone providers.