Community mailbox 'big fight' brewing in Lachine

Lachine Mayor Claude Dauphin says he plans to mount a "big fight"against Canada Posts plans toinstall community mailboxes in his Montreal borough.

Dauphin says Canada Post recently gave the borougha list of 100 proposed sites for the new group mailboxes in Upper Lachine, many of which are problematic.

Of the list, many spots could be very dangerous, he told CBC Radios Daybreak.

He pointed to oneproposed site on Victoria Street, which he said is an arterial street with many bus lines.

Dauphin said the reality is that most people wont walk to a community box but will drive and have to stop their cars, and that creates riskon a busy street like Victoria.

With buses around thats very dangerous, he said.

Dauphin said the list of proposed sites came as a surprise to the borough, given itsdesire to retain door-to-door service.

Were not there yetThe first thing we want to do is to make a big fight about cutting door to door service. I think we should look at alternatives to modernize the service, or delivering the service two or three days a week instead of cutting it, he said.

Dauphins comments follow complaints from the mayor of Rosemre, Madeleine Leduc, who accused Canada Post of unilaterally installing community mailbox without the towns knowledge or consent.

We discussed the placement, but the list wasnt finished and they began to install the boxes. We had a friendly discussion and set out parameters, and Canada Post did not respect the parameters, Leduc told CBC News.

Canada Post spokesman John Hamilton said the Crown corporation works closely with all municipalities affected by the change to mitigate problems.

We go community by community, respecting the local community, he said.

However, Hamilton acknowledged that not everyone will be satisfied by the process.

When you put boxes in, youre looking to serve 46 neighbours and you may not find an ideal spot for all 46. But were working street by street to find the best locations, he told Daybreak.