New life for an old smokestack
A smokestack that has outlived its original use has been converted into a cell tower.
By ANDY PORTER of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
It almost sounds like a trick question, but what can you do with an old, unused smokestack?The answer, if you are a cell phone company, is turn it into an antenna.
That's what has happened to an abandoned smokestack at the Avery Industrial Park over the past few weeks, although not many people may notice the change.
Perched 110 feet above the traffic on Poplar Street, Mitch Music and Wade Elwood of Towercom Inc., Tuesday bolted on the antenna elements which will enable the smokestack to fulfill its new role.
Bob Hillweg, project manager for Inland Cellular, said the idea for using the smokestack as a cell tower popped up one day as he was scouting for a new antenna site.
Hillweg said he stopped at the Grab On manufacturing plant on Avery Street and met with Mike Tillay, company president. The company occupied the land the smokestack is located on and Tillay had used the towering structure as an impromptu flagpole.
``I was looking for a piece of property and (Tillay) said, `How about we use the smokestack?''' Hillweg recalled.
After a lease was worked out with the Port of Walla Walla, which owns the property, work began in February.
This involved cutting an access door in the base, bolting a ladder and safety harness equipment to the inside and installing a triangular framework over the top of the smokestack to support the antenna elements. A small building was erected by the smokestack to house transmission equipment.
Then employees with Towercom Inc., a Kamiah, Idaho, company, installed the antenna elements.
Compared to other cell towers which have drawn the ire of local residents, the recycled smokestack promises to not be a source of controversy.
In fact, an ordinance passed by the Walla Walla City Council in February encourages the use of existing structures, such as the smokestack, for cell towers, said Linda Kastning, city planning supervisor.
``We do like to see that antennas be put there rather than a new tower be built,'' she said.
Andy Porter can be reached at aporter@ubnet.com or by calling 5253300, ext. 282.
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