Update: Dianne Snyder of Rosedale tells the Mail she has been contacted by Canada Post. Which indicated it is reevaluating its stand on the community mailboxes. This could take a week. Snyder is continuing with her petition which has about 90 signatures.
Residents of Rosedale, unhappy with the direction Canada Post is taking with mail delivery, are launching a petition for local community mailboxes.
The Mail reported in September of last year, the Post office in Rosedale was temporarily closed, and residents were directed to Drumheller to pick up their mail.
The Mail noted in December that Canada Post decided in October to install community mailboxes for the more than 180 affected by the closures.
It appears they have changed course as residents of Rosedale began hearing at the Drumheller Post office they would no longer be getting community mailboxes, but residents would have to continue the 7 kilometre Highway 10 trek to Drumheller to pick up their mail.
“I am past being a little concerned,” said Rosedale resident Dianne Snyder. “All the rumours were flying so I went this morning to hear myself, and it is exactly like people were saying.”
The message from the post office is residents will be getting a new post office box in Drumheller and Canada Post will be forwarding mail sent to their Rosedale address to the new mailboxes located at the Drumheller Post office, free of charge for one year.
Snyder said they were looking forward to having community boxes because of the convenience and because it is an important part of the community.
“When you take away a post office, you throw away a community. I don’t care if it is the green boxes where Joe and Fred meet every morning at 10 o’clock and say 20 words to each other. That’s the community,” said Snyder
She said it is an inconvenience for residents and businesses, especially when they would have to change their addresses. this could mean everything from letterhead to shipping logistics.
The Town of Drumheller has been in contact with Canada Post throughout this ordeal.
“The town has been working with Canada Post for several months with the expectation that a community mailbox will be placed in the neighbourhood,” said Drumheller CAO Darryl Drohomerski.
The Mail reached out to Canada Post but has not heard back as of press time.
Snyder too, has been in contact with Canada Post through customer service as well as the Ombudsman. They have begun a petition. This petition deals with the lack of proper advertising to find a new site in Rosedale, the removal of the community boxes that were promised in December, and the complete lack of community communication by Canada Post. The petition will be sent to the office of the Canada Post Ombudsmen, as well as the office of MP Damien Kurek. She says if residents would like to include a personal letter stating how this has affected their life, that it can be included in the package. For information on how to sign the petition, contact Snyder at Dsnyder885@gmail.com.
“It’s not going to happen without a fight.”
