A Yorkton woman who has been fighting with Canada Post over the location of a new community mailbox has won her battle.
After an agent showed up on her heritage heights doorstep in February and informed her the mailbox would be on her side lawn, Tisha Ford complained to the crown corporation fearing reduced property value, increased traffic and litter. Those fears have been echoing across the country since Canada Post decided to phase out door-to-door delivery. The company claims they are unwarranted.
For months Ford exchanged emails with Canada Post right up until a day three weeks ago when she got home to find her lawn marked in vivid orange paint.
She complained again to the corporation and also to the City. Michael Eger, a planner with the Planning and Engineering department, did some research and informed Canada Post there is only two feet of City land between the sidewalk and Ford’s property line, whereas the mailbox would take up at least twice that. Initially, that did not budge the corporation’s position according to spokesperson Jon Hamilton.
On August 10, a crew dug up her yard damaging the lawn and sprinkler system, she said. Hamilton said that would be fixed by Canada Post.
Ford did not give up, however. On August 12, they tried to pour concrete four times, she said. With help from her father, she kept them away.
The next day, she got a call from a Canada Post representative.
“They have decided to relocate the box, fill in my hole and re-sod my grass,” she said. “They did, however, feel the need to comment that they did give all the mailbox plans to the City and the City never told them there was any problem until I first heard it [August 10], so maybe a little flaw the city should go over all those placements could save someone else the stress and sleepless nights I have incurred.”
Eger said a new location is in the works.
“We are working with Canada Post to establish another location on City-owned lands,” he said. “We are carrying out due diligence before we accept an alternative location. Nothing has been decided as of yet.”
An email request for a comment from Canada Post was not returned.
Ford believes the logical place for the box would be at the entrance to Heritage Heights Park, but doesn’t really care where it goes as long as it is not on her lawn.
“Thank God this is over,” she said.
