Londoners4door2door Turns Up the Heat on Canada Post with a "Stop Self-Serve Mailbox" Party on Talavera Crescent -- City Council calls for a Halt to SSMBs.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Stop SSMB Street Party on Talavera Crescent, as City Hall asks Canada Post to stop mailbox installation
Sunday, July 26, 2015
your support for Door to Door mail is needed NOW !
Dear Door to Door supporter,
Our City Council will be considering the whole Canada Post issue on Monday July 27 (in Committee, starting 4 pm) and Tuesday July 28 (full Council, starting 4 pm). This is your chance to help by calling / e-mailing Councillors and the Mayor asking them to support:
- a moratorium (halt) to all installation of new mailbox in London, until at least after the upcoming federal election in October, and
- a full release of all information from City staff about changes made to proposed locations for mailbox installation.
You can find contact information for the Mayor and all the councillors here: http://www.london.ca/
Please e-mail and/or call as soon as you can, on Monday if possible, and keep calling and e-mailing through Tuesday July 28 as well.
In the last few days our campaign has drawn attention to Canada Post's dishonesty. Despite their agreement in March to report back to our City Council prior to the installation of Self Serve Mail Boxes, Canada Post has instructed contractors to begin installing concrete pads for new SSMBs.
By simply stopping one pad from being installed for a couple of days, we helped focus attention on this issue. Some City Councillors are saying that Canada Post misled Londoners.
With your help, we can do more in the coming days and weeks. If you can give a few hours of your time, please contact us at people4door2door@gmail.com.
Together we can help save Door to Door mail delivery!
Londoners for Door to Door
* 2015 – 2018 LONDON CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Matt Brown
519 661-2500 Ext. 4920 (City Hall)
Councillors:
Ward 1 Michael van Holst 314
519 661-2500 Ext. 4001 (City Hall)
Ward 2 Bill Armstrong
519 661-2500 Ext. 4002 (City Hall)
Ward 3 Mo Mohamed Salih
519 661-2500 Ext. 4003 (City Hall)
msalih@london.ca Cell: 226-926-7615
Ward 4 Jesse Helmer
519 661-2500 Ext. 4004 (City Hall)
Ward 5 Maureen Cassidy
519 661-2500 Ext. 4005 (City Hall)
Ward 6 Phil Squire
519 661-2500 Ext. 4006 (City Hall)
Ward 7 Josh Morgan
519 661-2500 Ext. 4007 (City Hall)
Ward 8 Paul Hubert
519 661-2500 Ext. 4008 (City Hall)
Ward 9 Anna Hopkins
519 661-2500 Ext. 4009 (City Hall)
Ward 10 Virginia Ridley
519 661-2500 Ext. 4010 (City Hall)
Ward 11 Stephen Turner
519 661-2500 Ext. 4011 (City Hall)
519 661-2500 Ext. 4011 (City Hall)
Ward 12 Harold L. Usher
519 661-2500 Ext. 4012 (City Hall)
519 661-2500 Ext. 4012 (City Hall)
husher@london.ca Cell: 519-636-3405
Ward 13 Tanya Park 314
519 661-2500 Ext. 4013 (City Hall)
tpark@london.ca Cell: 226-927-1468
Ward 14 Jared Zaifman
519 661-2500 Ext. 4014 (City Hall)
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Who is installing super mailbox pads in London? Please help us watch for them!
Installation of preformed concrete pads for self-serve mailboxes (SSMBs aka super mailboxes) has begun in London, despite Canada Post's well-publicized promise to report back to City Council before any cement went in the ground. Londoners4Door2Door continues to protest these ugly invasions of our neighbourhoods, while Canada Post keeps getting bad press for their bad faith, including on London's CTV, since lots of us (including City Councillors Tanya Park and Virginia Ridley) remember their "commitment" to the march 23 Council meeting (also captured on video)
But who is doing the installation work? We have learned that there are at least four different sub-contractors (way to go Canada Post!) involved in these installations in London, and some of the crews have a quota (for example, five pads to be installed per day). In the Kensington area, we learned about two of them:
At the Cavendish Crescent site we saw a truck and equipment from Stone in Style (interlocking stone hardscaping):
What other companies are involved in these installations? How many crews are out there, in which neighbourhoods? Your ears and eyes (and cameras!) can help us find out. If you spot any of the above, or other companies's trucks or equipment, please let us know (day, time & location) as soon as possible. If you can send us a picture of the trucks & equipment, so much the better.
But who is doing the installation work? We have learned that there are at least four different sub-contractors (way to go Canada Post!) involved in these installations in London, and some of the crews have a quota (for example, five pads to be installed per day). In the Kensington area, we learned about two of them:
At the Cavendish Crescent site we saw a truck and equipment from Stone in Style (interlocking stone hardscaping):
What other companies are involved in these installations? How many crews are out there, in which neighbourhoods? Your ears and eyes (and cameras!) can help us find out. If you spot any of the above, or other companies's trucks or equipment, please let us know (day, time & location) as soon as possible. If you can send us a picture of the trucks & equipment, so much the better.
Remember: you have a right to photograph trucks & equipment working in public areas. And since this work is proceeding before the City receives any Canada Post report, you are doing our community a favour and helping to protect our neighbourhoods by documenting these installations.
Thanks! Londoners for Door to Door <people4door2door@gmail.com>
Thanks! Londoners for Door to Door <people4door2door@gmail.com>
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Occupation of Canada Post proposed mailbox sites in London begins
For Immediate Release
Canada Post reneges on Commitment to City Council and Londoners by greenlighting the installation of SSMBs (Self-Serve Mailboxes) -- members of the grassroots organisation Londoners4door2door are Occupying an SSMB site at Cavendish near Wharncliffe.
Despite a public promise by manager Andrew Paterson not to install SSMBs until there is a report back to City Council, Canada Post has given the go-ahead to sub-contractors installing SSMBs in the Kensington neighbourhood of London (including Cavendish, Wyatt, Walnut and Forward ave.). This in spite of widespread concern from thousands of London citizens, who unable to get help from Conservative MPs Susan Truppe and Ed Holder, have petitioned the city of London to make their concerns heard.
There have been serious issues with SSMBs across Canada and the sites in London show evidence of the same hurried implementation without regard for citizens concerns about safety,
resulting in the installation of SSMBs in unsafe locations -- such as directly across from driveways and in no parking zones. "Just yesterday we spoke with a man whose mother is a senior and she is very anxious about having to go to collect her mail. We spoke with other Londoners who are very unhappy with Canada Post and want to retain door to door mail delivery," states Wendy Goldsmith with Londoners4door2door. "One of the new sites in Whitehills is located on a bus route, which adds to the traffic hazards."
"Cavendish and the Forward Ave. area has been canvassed by Londoners4door2door since January of this year and residents are very supportive of keeping their door to door mail delivery," says
David Heap. "Canada Post has failed to show due diligence regarding the locations of the sites. We are committed to defending our community spaces against this corporate steamroller." Municpal ratepayers are also concerned that that Canada Post does not pay for the massive cost downloads resulting from SSMBs such as litter and snow removal, and does not provide sound accommodations for seniors and others with mobility issues.
Londoners4door2door, currently occupying a site at Cavendish near Wharncliffe, is demanding due process from MPs and Canada Post.
We expect to be protecting more community spaces starting tomorrow (Friday) morning, if you can help please contact us ASAP:
Wendy Goldsmith 519-281-3978
David Heap 519-859-3579
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Protesters halt Hamilton Mountain super mailbox (The Spectator, July 20, 2015)
PROTEST
John Rennison,The Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton Spectator
Two Mountain men have succeeded in preventing Canada Post from installing a controversial community mailbox at East 34th Street and Brucedale Avenue.
Ken Stone and Henry Evans-Tenbrinke camped out on the weekend on lawn chairs in front of three cement pedestals as part of a protest that began three weeks ago.
Their protest came in the wake of Hamilton police arresting another Mountain resident for a similar action and charging him with mischief.
Canada Post is replacing door-to-door delivery for 36,000 residents on the Mountain and in part of Stoney Creek with community mailboxes. The boxes were all expected to be ready Monday. A Canada Post spokesperson said last week that contractors would work through the weekend if necessary.
Stone, a well-known activist, said Sunday night that police came by on Saturday, about 75 minutes after the contractor had arrived and left.
"It looked pretty scary. I thought we were going to get arrested … It looked like they were trying to rendezvous with the contractor to put in the boxes, but that didn't happen."
Stone said police did not show up Sunday. He believes Canada Post will have to meet with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to discuss the situation because it did not meet the July 20 service conversion deadline.
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5741594-protesters-halt-hamilton-mountain-super-mailbox/
Monday, July 20, 2015
yes YOU can help with MailBox Watch!
Dear Londoners:
You have probably seen the recent news stories suggesting that self-serve mailbox installations are to begin soon.
Our current information is that Canada Post's Andy Paterson has still not reported back to City Council about community consultations, as he committed to do in an earlier Council meeting.
While we are watching the political scene closely, we could use your help in watching targeted neighbourhoods.
Please let us know ASAP at <people4door2door@gmail.com> if you observe any of the following signs that mailbox installation may be starting in your area:
Signs to watch for :
1. Orange or yellow paint, marking the area on the ground.
2. Piling up of cement pads.
3. A tractor or other earth-moving equipment for digging holes.
Thank you for helping us save door to door mail delivery in our communities.
If you are wondering what locations are targeted for installation of mailboxes, you can have a look at the proposed sites here or access the lists of proposed locations by postal codes or by lists of addresses. Some of these sites may have changed since we obtained this information: please ask your City Councillor and the Mayor's office to release updated information.
If you are wondering what locations are targeted for installation of mailboxes, you can have a look at the proposed sites here or access the lists of proposed locations by postal codes or by lists of addresses. Some of these sites may have changed since we obtained this information: please ask your City Councillor and the Mayor's office to release updated information.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Map of proposed 'super' mailboxes sites
Earlier this year we published data we had received about sites where Canada Post Corporation proposes to locate the 'Self-Serve Mailboxes' (SMBs) in London neighbourhoods targeted for these cuts.
Now you can visualize what that looks like on a map of London:
You can zoom in on this linked map and see where Canada Post Corporation plans to impose SMBs in your neighbourhood, if you live in one of the targeted postal codes (N6G, N6H, N5V, N5W, N5X or N5Y).
It must be noted that this map is based on data from earlier this year:
We would really like the map to show updated locations, and as soon as we receive information about changed or modified locations we will be very happy to update this map.
And don't forget about the Community Town Hall Meetings to discuss these issues and more. There as already one for the targeted neighbourhoods in eastern London (Wednesday May 20, 7 pm at the Victory Legion Hall), and the next will be on the west side of London: Thursday, June 11. You can watch this space for details, and please stay in touch with us at Londoners for Door to Door.
Now you can visualize what that looks like on a map of London:
 |
| Screen capture of map showing initial proposed SMB locations in London |
You can zoom in on this linked map and see where Canada Post Corporation plans to impose SMBs in your neighbourhood, if you live in one of the targeted postal codes (N6G, N6H, N5V, N5W, N5X or N5Y).
It must be noted that this map is based on data from earlier this year:
Locations of proposed SMBs in six London postal code areas, as of spring 2015. Location data as accurate as possible BUT PLEASE NOTE that certain words (like "opposite" "adjacent" etc.) had to be stripped from the files in order to make the data geocodable. Other location data (unit numbers etc.) was also omitted. For greater precision, please refer to source tables (spreadsheets).So the general location is as accurate as we can make it, but if you zoom in really close, there may be minor discrepancies. The spreadsheet data obtained earlier this year is of course based on these preliminary proposed sites, and we know that Canada Post has had to change between 25% and 50% of the proposed locations in some municipalities where they have imposed SMBs.
We would really like the map to show updated locations, and as soon as we receive information about changed or modified locations we will be very happy to update this map.
And don't forget about the Community Town Hall Meetings to discuss these issues and more. There as already one for the targeted neighbourhoods in eastern London (Wednesday May 20, 7 pm at the Victory Legion Hall), and the next will be on the west side of London: Thursday, June 11. You can watch this space for details, and please stay in touch with us at Londoners for Door to Door.
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