Perryvale’s Canada Post dealer has been closed permanently May 18 following a Canada Post investigation.
The postal outlet in Perryvale was closed in late March, according to a June 1 statement from Canada Post media relations Sylvie Lapointe.
The postal outlet was put under investigation, and according to a May 24 letter to Athabasca County Reeve Doris Splane from Canada Post area manager Ross Williams, was closed permanently as a result of the investigation.
“In late March, the postal outlet in Perryvale closed due to reasons beyond our control,” Lapointe said in the June 1 statement. “It would be inappropriate to comment on details or the investigation. We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.”
A person working at the Perryvale Country Store confirmed the shop was previously the postal outlet for Perryvale but declined to provide further comment or their name.
As a result of the closure, Perryvale residents are now getting their mail through community mailboxes located along Range Road 232.2.
“Affected residents were notified of the closure and they are now receiving their mail through community mailboxes. Items that are carded – because the customer is not home, parcel too large for community mailbox compartment, or a signature is required – are available for pick-up at the Athabasca Post Office, which also offers full postal services,” Lapointe said.
Lapointe declined an interview or any further comment on the investigation and directed further inquiries to RCMP.
RCMP media relations did not respond to a request for information before publish time.
Locations under consideration
Athabasca County council voted unanimously in favour of a motion by Coun. Dwayne Rawson during its April 26 meeting to send a letter to Canada Post expressing concerns with the community mailbox placement in Perryvale.
Canada Post Hinton area manager Ross Williams sent a letter to Athabasca County Reeve Doris Splane May 24 which responded to the county’s concerns and discussed a conversation between the two of them.
The letter said Splane had suggested the mailboxes be moved into the parking lot of the Perryvale Community Hall or at the park. Splane said in an interview the current location of the mailboxes is an issue due to traffic.
“Just because of the location and big trucks turning,” Splane said. “If it was in a more open spot, the vehicles that are sitting (by the mailboxes) wouldn’t be interfering with private enterprise.”
The mailboxes were a temporary installation, according to the May 24 letter from Williams. In the letter, Williams said Canada Post’s Community Outreach Committee would look options and decide on permanent mail delivery in Perryvale.
Besides community mailbox delivery, Williams also presented an option for Perryvale residents to receive their mail through a neighbouring community, but Splane said this was not desirable.
“People in Perryvale would have to go off the highway into Colington,” Splane said, adding that highway already sees significant traffic. “Just adding to that traffic load and the inconvenience.”
Lapointe said the community mailbox locations are under review.
“We are reviewing with the County a permanent site location of the community mailboxes and we will notify customers if a change occurs,” Lapointe said in an email.
Athabasca County communication co-ordinator Karl Kopan said the county does not have a timeline for when the mailboxes will be relocated.
