Dmajackson
Sep 24, 2008, 5:18 PM
THis is interesting:
Uteck calls for mailbox cleanup
By AMY PUGSLEY FRASER City Hall Reporter
Wed. Sep 24 - 12:17 PM
Canada Post should be prevented from installing any new mailboxes until they clean up the existing ones, says a regional councillor.
Coun. Sue Uteck (Northwest Arm-South End) says graffiti-covered letter boxes are an eyesore.
"They are still the worst corporate offender out there," she told fellow councillors at a committee meeting Tuesday morning. "And I don’t want them to have any more boxes until they commit to what Aliant has done with a painting project."
Aliant started a cabinet mural program on its transformer boxes a few years ago in an effort to deal with graffiti, and Ms. Uteck said it has worked.
"(Canada Post should) just paint the box, like Aliant, and be a good corporate citizen," she said.
When she was informed that the federal Crown corporation that oversees mail delivery has a jurisdictional right to put its mailboxes wherever it chooses, Ms. Uteck pressed on.
"Well, let’s just wage a little public war," she said.
Mayor Peter Kelly said staff could alert the Crown corporation that a new public art policy is in the works.
Ms. Uteck said that would do.
"Or I’ll have the whole football team move them out of District 13," she quipped, referring to the Saint Mary’s University team her late husband, Larry Uteck, used to coach.
Coun. Sheila Fougere, (Connaught-Quinpool), who is running for mayor in October’s municipal election, said Canada Post unveiled a new mailbox design during a presentation to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities a few years ago. The Maple Leaf design was meant to counter graffiti, she said.
"I don’t know if they have made any attempt to roll out that new design or to re-decal their boxes, but they have a plan,’ Ms. Fougere said. "They just haven’t done anything about it here."
The discussion came up during debate on a new public art policy for the municipality.
"We’ve only had one piece of public art since amalgamation (in 1996)," said Ms. Uteck, the vice-chairwoman of city hall’s cultural advisory committee.
She was referring to North Is Freedom, by sculpture artists Doug Bamford and Stephen Brathwaite, which was formally dedicated in June 2007 at the Halifax North Library. Public art deters vandalism, fosters civic pride and employs artists, council heard.
"We recognize public art as a means of informing and transforming the public realm," Ms. Uteck said.
( apugsley@herald.ca)
Maybe they'll paint spiderman on them like the one near my house...
Uteck calls for mailbox cleanup
By AMY PUGSLEY FRASER City Hall Reporter
Wed. Sep 24 - 12:17 PM
Canada Post should be prevented from installing any new mailboxes until they clean up the existing ones, says a regional councillor.
Coun. Sue Uteck (Northwest Arm-South End) says graffiti-covered letter boxes are an eyesore.
"They are still the worst corporate offender out there," she told fellow councillors at a committee meeting Tuesday morning. "And I don’t want them to have any more boxes until they commit to what Aliant has done with a painting project."
Aliant started a cabinet mural program on its transformer boxes a few years ago in an effort to deal with graffiti, and Ms. Uteck said it has worked.
"(Canada Post should) just paint the box, like Aliant, and be a good corporate citizen," she said.
When she was informed that the federal Crown corporation that oversees mail delivery has a jurisdictional right to put its mailboxes wherever it chooses, Ms. Uteck pressed on.
"Well, let’s just wage a little public war," she said.
Mayor Peter Kelly said staff could alert the Crown corporation that a new public art policy is in the works.
Ms. Uteck said that would do.
"Or I’ll have the whole football team move them out of District 13," she quipped, referring to the Saint Mary’s University team her late husband, Larry Uteck, used to coach.
Coun. Sheila Fougere, (Connaught-Quinpool), who is running for mayor in October’s municipal election, said Canada Post unveiled a new mailbox design during a presentation to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities a few years ago. The Maple Leaf design was meant to counter graffiti, she said.
"I don’t know if they have made any attempt to roll out that new design or to re-decal their boxes, but they have a plan,’ Ms. Fougere said. "They just haven’t done anything about it here."
The discussion came up during debate on a new public art policy for the municipality.
"We’ve only had one piece of public art since amalgamation (in 1996)," said Ms. Uteck, the vice-chairwoman of city hall’s cultural advisory committee.
She was referring to North Is Freedom, by sculpture artists Doug Bamford and Stephen Brathwaite, which was formally dedicated in June 2007 at the Halifax North Library. Public art deters vandalism, fosters civic pride and employs artists, council heard.
"We recognize public art as a means of informing and transforming the public realm," Ms. Uteck said.
( apugsley@herald.ca)
Maybe they'll paint spiderman on them like the one near my house...