By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Since the Town of Essex wrote to Bell Canada in the late summer, asking that its damaged Bell boxes be repaired, there has been movement in getting the infrastructure updated.
But, Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy knows there are more out there and is asking residents to report them. ‘
At the August 12 meeting, Council supported Mayor Sherry Bondy’s motion to direct Administration for the Town to send a letter to Bell, requesting attention be focused on its damaged pedestal boxes. The focus was to address concerns of safety and aesthetics within the Town of Essex.
At the time, Bondy noted she had received a number of complaints from the public regarding damaged Bell pedestals and their unsightly appearance and risk to public safety.
When presenting the motion, Bondy suspected some of the pedestals could potentially become a liability and that some of them look “hideous.”
Last week, Bondy said Essex Council and Administration, in addition to the business community, worked hard to clean up the town, and this is just another piece of the puzzle.
“We want our town to look nice, and we want our infrastructure to not be in disrepair. When I saw the Bell boxes, I approached Administration, and got their support and ideas on how to write a letter to Bell. It seems to be a success.”
This program is now dependent on residents providing Town staff with locations of Bell pedestals that are in disrepair.
“It is one of those things where we think little things matter, too,” Bondy said. “We have done some really big-ticket items and we are in pretty good shape on those big-ticket items, but those little frills – whether it is an outdated sign or some garbage somewhere, or a Bell box – I just want to keep continuing on the path to making the Town of Essex beautiful.”
When the letter was first sent, Bondy admits she wasn’t sure what the outcome would be. Now, however, the Town of Essex has a relationship with Bell.
“The Town has been communicating regularly with Bell to report any damaged Bell boxes and we have seen some action from Bell to make the repairs. We have sent reports of over 70 boxes that require repair and suspect that there are still some more out there. Residents are encouraged to use the Report a Problem tool on the Town’s website at www.essex.ca to report any damaged Bell boxes so that we can work with Bell to get them all repaired,” Kevin Girard, Director of Infrastructure Services for the Town of Essex, noted.
Now, since news of the motion Essex Council moved to send the letter to Bell has circulated, public engagement has been good. There are, however, more damaged Bell boxes located throughout the municipality and Bondy hopes residents will inform the Town of their locations, so that information can be forwarded to Bell.
Residents noticing a damaged Bell box can relay that information through the Town of Essex’s online “Report a Problem” portal under the “other section,” on www.essex.ca, or use the “Bell Pedestal Repair Form” at https://webforms.essex.ca/Infrastructure-Services/Bell-Pedestal-Replacement-Program. They can also call the Town at 519-776-7336.
Residents in other municipalities have also been reaching out to the Town of Essex staff and Council on locations in their areas. If there are damaged Bell boxes outside of Essex, Bondy encourages those individuals to contact their own municipalities. She also urges neighbouring town staff to form a relationship with Bell Canada, as well. It is good to form those relationships, she added.
Bondy said Bell Canada often approaches municipalities in wanting to form agreements to use town rights-of-way for its infrastructure or access to them, so it has to be a two-way street.