After an announcement that the Grasmere Post Office will be closed, the Regional District of East Kootenay is asking Canada Post to reconsider.
In a letter, the RDEK is asking Canada Post to have a serious look into its rural fee structure.
“We’re concerned about Canada Postal Service in the south country because we’ve had Elko’s close, Galloway closed. The only permanent one we have at the moment is Jaffary. We’re trying to get one in Grasmere, but we haven’t had any confirmation on that yet,” said Regional Director Stan Doehle.
Currently, the only post office in the area is a temporary location in the local General Store. Doehle has hopes of setting up a permanent location in the Grasmere Community Hall.
Doehle said residents are concerned over the implications of not having access to a nearby post office.
“If this all falls through the cracks, there a 100km round trip. It’s 50km to Jaffary,” Doehle said. “With the onset of online shopping, that’s a major concern for residents out there.”
The closure comes as the Grasmere Post office could not come to an agreement with Canada Post to cover the operating cost of the business.
