No Movement On Harrowsmith Postal Outlet

Jeff Green | Mar 14, 2013

In late September of last year, at a public meeting in Harrowsmith, Glen Baldock, the Canada Post area manager for Kingston, pledged that he would keep in touch with residents about their local retail Canada Post service.

The meeting had been called in response to the local franchise outlet closing down after the owner could not come to terms with Canada Post on a new contract, and instead communal boxes had been installed at Commonwealth Park, some distance from the centre of the hamlet.

Months have passed and no one in Harrowsmith has heard from Baldock. Finally, in response to requests from Council, on February 20, South Frontenac Chief Administrative Officer Wayne Orr sent an email to Baldock asking a number of questions. Baldock replied on March 6, and his response did not indicate that Canada Post has been particularly active on the Harrowsmith file.

Baldock said that after the September meeting, Canada Post did enter into discussion with two businesses about taking on a franchise but both of them “chose not to pursue the opportunity”. Baldock also said that Canada Post “will certainly consider the possibilities but we are not actively pursuing anyone at this time.”

He also acknowledged that the proposal by the public to have the outgoing mail-box moved to the front of Ella’s variety store has not been acted on by Canada Post, and no business has come forward to sell stamps, although “local businesses can apply to sell stamps by filling out an application form at the corporate outlet here in Kingston.”

Baldock acknowledged as well that winter maintenance “has been a problem” at the site where the post boxes are now located “and I have raised this with the team in charge of this.” However, he said that Canada Post is not planning to “build a shelter over the boxes at this location.”