By Gary Dickson

Drivers on Sioux Point Road and Dakota Dunes Boulevard may have been straining their necks trying to figure out what is being done to the Dunes water tower this last week. There was a boom and a person doing something to the structure.

Was the tower being painted? Is there a leak? What else could be going on?

Actually, it was new telecommunications equipment being installed for T-Mobile. More specifically, the company is upgrading the current 4G cell tower with a 5G one.

T-Mobile and other cellphone providers contract with the community of Dakota Dunes to use their water tower as a structure to place their cell towers on. As older equipment needs replacing, the companies need to get up on the tower and make the changes.

In this case, T-Mobile and Dakota Dunes have contracted with a specialized company out of Forest Lake, MN by the name of Vinco to do the equipment switch.

Last Thursday, Vinco’s site supervisor Bill Gower was watching from the ground as welding subcontractors finished securing the antenna into place 100 feet above him. There welder Doug Sommers affixed the antenna in place 100 feet in the air with the assistance of welding helper Mason Medved, who was inside the water tower.

Gower said the welders would be finished that day and he and another Vinco worker would take over the remaining installation, including wiring.

“I hope we can finish this project up on Monday,” Gower said. “We’re supposed to get quite a bit of wind, which might make going up in the boom tricky.”

Gower said there were ladders and a few steps inside the water tower where the installers were able to go up to the top areas, but indicated they still needed to utilize the boom to reach the external parts of the tower and the cell antenna.

“When we’re done – hopefully in seven days – everyone out here will get better cell service from T-Mobile,” he said.

And now drivers in Dakota Dunes won’t have sore necks anymore, either.

Note: A version of my story appeared in the Oct. 5 edition of the North Sioux City Times with the headline “What Are They Doing To the Dakota Dunes Water Tower?”.

If you are interested in purchasing these or any of my photos, you can go to my store at garydicksonphotography.pixieset.com There you buy prints and related items and have them shipped directly to you.