A 96-year-old London woman and her 71-year-old son don’t have to worry about getting their mail delivered after Canada Post complained the top step leading to their mailbox was two inches too high.
Bob Williams said he and his mom, Edith, received a letter on August 10 saying their front steps couldn’t be more than 8-1/4 inches high because it was a “health and safety issue.”
“We find it laughable now, but we weren’t very pleased initially,” said Williams.
Their top step was 10.5 inches high, he explained, and the Crown corporation’s letter gave them until August 23 to “repair the hazard.”
But when Williams looked into replacing the steps, he was told it would cost $1,800.
Global News Radio 980 CFPL’s brother station, FM96, discussed the predicament on-air Friday morning. Then, they received a call from Ilderton-based concrete company Brosco Concrete, offering to get the steps up to Canada Post’s standards for free.
“Wow! Wow! That’s just great. I’m over the moon,” said Williams, when FM96 hosts Taz and Jim delivered the news.
Shortly afterwards, Williams told 980 CFPL he’d been in contact with Brosco Concrete and that someone was coming to their Seeley Drive home in east London on Saturday to see what kind of work needed to be done.
“I imagine they’ll put in four 8-1/4 rise concrete steps,” he explained.
Williams had already come up with his own solution. He went out and bought a $19 mailbox, and placed it on the front steps for the mail carrier on Monday.
He tells 980 CFPL he got a second letter from Canada Post already, thanking him for complying with their rules, but that he’s happy to receive the free repair anyways.
Williams wasn’t the only house to get a complaint; he said Canada Post delivered letters to 35 houses on their street.
Canada Post has not yet returned 980 CFPL’s request for comment.