A south Edmonton homeowner is worried gaping holes left in yards and boulevards could seriously injure children and pets.
Trisha Ladouceur lives in Terwillegar Towne, where Telus has been digging and installing fibre-optic cables to homes.
“Absolutely it’s a safety issue,” Ladouceur said, adding there was no rush to fix a hole on her street.
READ MORE: Edmonton woman pleased with safety fixes after fibre-optic installation
The lines were dug on the other side of her sidewalk and the hole was covered with plywood. She said crews eventually filled it with dirt, but the heavy rainfall over the weekend washed it out.
“A sinkhole has developed large enough for me to fill two flowerpots in it,” she said, adding she estimates the hole is a couple of feet wide. “There was no number to contact.”
Ladouceur told Global News when Telus employees first knocked on her door earlier this summer, she tried to tell them she wasn’t interested in having the fibre-optic cables installed but they kept coming back.
“We were quite polite but firm,” she said, “for the first six or seven times.”
“Telus was sending numerous sales people door-to-door.”
Ladouceur said she stood her ground, but eventually other homeowners on her street agreed to the installation.
At one point, she said she had to talk a crew out of drilling on her front lawn.
Other residents in Terwillegar Towne had also expressed their frustration on the community’s private Facebook page.
Telus spokesperson Richard Gihooley apologized for the problems. He said the door-to-door employees tried to explain the possible impacts as well as the benefits.
Telus touts the fibre-optic line as being the future of high-speed Internet, but said laying the foundation in each neighbourhood could take many months.
“We want to be transparent about the process of installation,” Gilhooley said.
On its website, Telus said the utility lines will be located on or near sidewalks, driveways and lawns.
Telus also stated its priority is to be “as respectful and non-invasive as possible.”
The company said the installation is free of charge whether you’re a customer or not. It is encouraging people to allow the lines to be dug, just in case they change their mind in the future.
“We feel people should be doing it,” Gilhooley said, “to keep up with the rapid pace of technological advancement.”
If Edmonton residents have complaints, Telus urges them to reach a local representative at telus.com\Edmonton.
BELOW: Telus Fibre FAQ document on what to expect during the installation process.
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