CALGARY – A Calgary homeowner who lives overseas was shocked to learn Canada Post had dug up land to build a community mailbox next to her backyard without speaking to her about the plan.
“I was actually quite shocked and very much in disbelief that something like that would go ahead without any notification to me,” said Dawn Wright on the phone from Dubai.
She said her tenants contacted her property manager, who then reached out to her.
“On the weekend all of sudden they were digging here, and my husband said, ‘they’re going to put the post box here’ and I said, ‘no they’re not,’” said tenant Lori McNabb, a student who’s been renting since Aug. 1. “I called the real estate company and they said they were not aware of them digging here.”
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The superbox is set to go up against her fence in Calgary’s Southwood neighbourhood, despite what Wright calls an “open area not on anybody’s property” about 64 metres away.
Wright said she had to email the office of the head of Canada Post before she got a reply that she would be contacted “shortly.”
For its part, Canada Post said staff made three attempts to knock on Wright’s door and explain why the company chose that plot of land, which it said is on the city easement. A spokesperson said the first attempt was in February.
“There was nobody home, so we left a pamphlet for them to call us back,” said Canada Post spokesperson Anick Losier.
“We did not hear back, so we assumed that it was OK to proceed. We’re currently in the process of trying to reach the homeowner and talk about her concerns, and see if we can find a resolution.”
Losier said Canada Post is hoping to reach a compromise with Wright.
“It can always be changed,” she said, noting 30 per cent of proposed superbox locations have already been moved so far. “What we try to do is find a location that is centralized to all those it serves, so if there is a suitable alternative location and we can make the change, we will.”
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Wright is concerned about vandalism if the superbox goes ahead in the spot next to her fence.
“I’m quite concerned that this will devalue my property. I’m also concerned there’s going to be a lot of garbage, as people receive flyers or whatever, they’re going to just drop them right beside my fence. People taking their dogs for a walk, you know if the dog decides that there’s a deposit that needs to be left, it’ll be right there.”
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With files from Tony Tighe
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