Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

There's been something in the news about newly built homes having community mailboxes.

The row is about the cost to the developers and that cost being passed on.

But why on earth can't these places have their own mailboxes like the rest of us? They're not in the middle of nowhere and at the end of a long driveway from the road, they're just ordinary houses.

It wouldn't be so bad if the mail was delivered at a definite time. Ours arrives anything from 9.00 am to some time at night. Literally late in the evening.

I check the mailbox at the front door several times a day. I'd hate to be having to walk to the end of the street in bad weather.

Is it really too much to expect front door delivery (or at least at the end of your footpath) in suburbia?

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

A bank of mailboxes reduces the overhead of delivery. I only check mine (which is 4kms from home) a couple of times a week. It's rare that anything I receive can't wait a day or 2 to be picked up.

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

Such are the mysteries of Canada Post. We live in a village where no-one has home delivery, we all have to go to the post office so we collect our mail in Thursdays. That's it.

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

What if you live in a city, with mail sorting offices, several post offices as well as those outlets in pharmacies and supermarkets, loads of mailboxes around for posting mail and where door delivery happens throughout the city but a new street of houses goes up on a new road within the city and much closer to the sorting office than where they are delivering? :p

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

I feel and "it is what it is" coming on. I've seen these boxes around, they aren't a new thing by any means. I can't see it worth getting wound up about but I do feel for those who aren't mobile and have no one to collect their mail for them. What happens then?

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

This is not something new for Calgary. We have lived in our present house for close to 20 years and we have always picked up our mail at the end of the cul de sac in a supermailbox. It is actually quite convenient as it is where you pick up your regular mail but you can also drop off your outgoing mail at the same time. There are also oversized boxes for larger parcels that don't fit in your individual mailbox.

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

"It is what it is in Canadian suburbia".

Not a nice place. But as you point out, in this respect better than small town Canada.

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

I'm not sure they're that common. According to the report I just read, one in four households in Canada use community mailboxes.

That sounds like 75% have their own. :thumbup:

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

I guess it depends on where you live. Around here the new estates tend to have community boxes, in the countryside they have their own at the end of the drive. We have one on our front door. We're British you see.

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

No, that means 75% don't have community mailboxes. Some of that 75% have PO boxes and rural mail boxes at the end of their own driveway.

but do you have a letterbox??

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

Our first home here had a superbox, a few doors down, took less than three minutes to walk there. Our second house we had a mailbox at the front door (older subdivision). Our current house a box on a post at the end of the road 1km away - no locks.

I fully support the idea of superboxes especially in residential areas in town. A postie has to deliver in ALL weather. Unfortunately even though there is a Bylaw that says you have to clear snow, I would say 1 in 3 don't bother. When it gets icy the postie has to risk slipping and breaking bones delivering mail.

I wouldn't have a problem collecting mail from a superbox at a collection point some where on the mail road either as long as it was locked - the locked ones are all booked out atm.

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

It's because letter boxes are so hard to insulate, innit?

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

Several years ago Canada Post decided that, in order to save money, they would no longer deliver to individual houses that were built after that date. Existing boxes continued to get door letter box delivery, and still do, but any new builds would have community boxes. That's why, if you move to a house that was built prior to the CP deadline, you get door delivery.

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

Nailed it. I believe the posties can refuse to attend your house if it is isn't clear and you would be notified to this effect but in reality there are so many uncleared that it's not really practical to do that unless it's a particularly dangerous situation.

A lot of people are quite happy for their confrontational dogs to greet the postie too. :thumbdown:

(My husband is a postie so I get to hear all the tales of woe.)

This is a new development about four years old so it has community mailboxes dotted around it. Our box is a 5 minute walk away but you have to pass it to get to our house anyway so my husband stops off when he's coming home from work each day. I don't mind it particularly. But as mentioned by someone else, it is no doubt a nuisance for older or immobile people. I'm guessing they must rely on family or neighbours to help them out.

Re: Why 'community' mailboxes?
 

Given what comes through the mailbox these days, bills & junk mail, having it delivered to community box is no big deal!