The loss of Cache Creek’s main bulletin board over a month ago has caused enough of a stir in town, as well as a flap on Facebook, to prompt a letter to Canada Post from Mayor John Ranta.
“I was surprised and disappointed with Canada Post’s decision to remove all postings on a vacant wall at the post office,” he wrote to C.P. supervisor Rob Klarich in Kamloops. “This wall has come to represent the community’s information source for local events, public notifications and even obituary notices.”
The town’s favourite notice board, which had been in service for longer than most locals could recall, was suddenly stripped bare early in February after a visiting Canada Post trainer pointed out to staff that the notice board was against the company’s policies, which allowed only paid advertising to be posted.
“The citizens of Cache Creek had come to depend on this board for information that is important to them, and as a meeting place to discuss local issues, a vital part of a small community’s lifetyle,” wrote Ranta. “Many seniors, especially those without computers, depend on this board as their only source of community information.”
Village staff are now prohibited, along with everyone else, from posting their Council meeting notices there.
“Ridiculous!” posted Facebook user S.P. “It’s a place where everyone goes for information.”
“I am upset at this as well,” said L.M. “And I do not think it is as easy as simply finding somewhere else. The post office is where people walk to, drive to for a purpose and then, since they are there, a community bulletin board helps to further connect people and our town.”
“The post office is the one place everybody in the community goes. It’s our post office. It is a hub of information for events in the community. This needs to be revisited by the post office,” said B.M.
There are several other places around town where notices can be posted, but none as central or as popular at the Post Office.
“I would request that you reconsider the decision to remove all public postings at the post office so that the citizens of Cache Creek can again enoy the benefits of gathering and sharing information in the community,” concluded Ranta’s letter. “I recognize the decision may have been consistent with Canada Post rules, but certainly it is not a decision that has been made in the public interest.”
“I don’t get it,” said J.C. “Talk about not supporting the rural communities.”
The area that was used to post notices on is now empty corkboard.
Ranta’s letter was sent just over two weeks ago and has receive no reply from Canada Post.
