Some West Shore residents will be able to sleep a little better this week knowing that community mailboxes will not spring up in their neighbourhoods anytime soon.
Canada Post has announced it is freezing plans to end door-to-door mail delivery and switch to community mailboxes for hundreds of thousands of households across the country, a reprieve that includes the West Shore.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 absolutely delighted to hear the news,B次元官网网址� said Colwood resident Dar Churcher. B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 anticipate it to be this soon.B次元官网网址�
Churcher, like many West Shore residents, has been voicing her concerns about the transition to community style mailboxes.
Her biggest beef is the safety of the potential location of the box designated for her area. A notification she received from Canada Post stated that the 48-compartment mailbox would be installed on the gravel shoulder of her property on Bunker Road. But along that side of her property she has a hedge and a number of trees that obstruct sight lines, making for what she calls B次元官网网址渁 blind corner.B次元官网网址� SheB次元官网网址檚 concerned that with the speed vehicles travel along Wishart Road, and the number of cars that could be parked just out of view in front of the intended mailbox, it could be a disaster waiting to happen.
B次元官网网址淭he safety factor wasnB次元官网网址檛 taken into consideration,B次元官网网址� she said.
Churcher has been using a wheelchair for 17 years and until recently couldnB次元官网网址檛 even walk to the side of her property. While she is more mobile of late, she admits she still has her bad days and requires the use of her wheelchair to get into her home. SheB次元官网网址檚 concerned that if the proposed community box goes up in its planned spot, it will restrict her access to her property.
She also noted people driving to access the box will have nowhere to turn around and would likely be driving onto private property.
On Monday the Crown corporation announced it is B次元官网网址渢emporarily suspendingB次元官网网址� the deployment, pending discussions with the incoming Liberal government on how B次元官网网址渢o determine the best path forward given the ongoing challenges faced by the Canadian postal system.B次元官网网址�
The Liberals ran on a promise to study and potentially reverse the shift away from home delivery.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a golden opportunity for the Liberals to carry favour with the electorate,B次元官网网址� Churcher said. B次元官网网址淚t gives me hope.B次元官网网址�
But she will take the suspension as B次元官网网址渁 temporary win with the hope that it will be a permanent win.B次元官网网址�
Canada Post said 460,000 addresses across the country are in the process of being converted to community mail boxes and all conversions scheduled for November, December or 2016 will be put on hold.
B次元官网网址淐ustomers impacted by this decision will receive a letter within the next few weeks advising them of the status of their mail delivery service,B次元官网网址� Canada Post said in a news release.
B次元官网网址淚n neighbourhoods where the 10-month internal and community conversion process is complete, customers will collect mail and parcels at their community mailbox. This includes customers set to begin receiving their mail and parcels in their boxes in October. We remain focused on maintaining reliable postal service to all Canadians without disruption.B次元官网网址�
Community mailboxes have been the target of criminals across the West Shore, with residents in many neighbourhoods voicing concerns their mail is too vulnerable to theft. The conversion has also been fought by the union representing postal employees.
B次元官网网址揃次元官网网址� with files from Jeff Nagel
katie@goldstreamgazette.com
