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Mailboxes will soon be popping up in a Selwyn township for the first time.
New Zealand Post notified residents of its plan to close the PO boxes at the Kirwee Challenge service station on October 4, giving people who live there about seven weeks to install mailboxes on their properties.
Among those preparing for the change is Kirwee Community Association chair Stu Begg.
Begg said there had been confusion since residents were notified last week, including the rules around mailboxes and where they should be installed.
“A lot of the streets in Kirwee have no footpaths on both sides; some places don’t even have footpaths,” he said.
“I think (NZ Post) are a bit mad. I think they would have been better leaving it with the system they’ve got, personally.”
Challenge owner Vanessa Moore said the closure of the PO boxes would remove a unique part of living in Kirwee.
She said the PO boxes had helped new residents meet people in the community.
“We’re the first port of call and the start of meeting the community ... we’re sort of the hub.”
Moore said there are currently 450 boxes at the station.
NZ Post service delivery general manager Matthew Riordan said the township had outgrown the PO box system.
“As Kirwee has grown, the current PO box system has become unsustainable, and we’ve identified home mail delivery as the best long-term solution for existing homes in the area,” he said.
Moore said the changeover has allowed little time for people to update their addresses with the people and companies they receive mail from.
She would have preferred the PO boxes were phased out over time to allow people to change addresses and install new mailboxes.
But Riordan said people could pre-update addresses by contacting individual organisations or by using NZ Post’s online tool.
Begg said some elderly people with limited online experience may find the changeover difficult.
If people do not update their address before October 5, any mail addressed to the PO boxes will be returned to sender.
Moore said she employs a staff member to help manage the mail.
“That person who does it is going to lose those hours.”
Another Kirwee resident, Ngaire Kent, was sad to see the boxes go.
She lives within walking distance to the Challenge station and enjoys heading down to collect the mail and keep up with what is happening in the community.
Kirwee builder Hayden Walker said he has received a few inquiries but expected more as people figured out what sort of mailbox they wanted.
Walker is planning to put his own mailbox up next week.
“I reckon if I whack one up, a nice, cool one, it gets people motivated to get their letterbox.”
Depending on style, mailboxes can cost anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars.
Mailbox rules
- The mailbox should be deep enough to fit A4-sized items fully inside so mail remains secure and out of sight.
- Mailbox designs can be customised, but must meet minimum size requirements and must not have spring-loaded flaps, which can pose a safety risk to delivery staff.
- Install the mailbox at the street boundary with clear, safe access from the footpath, avoiding slopes, steps, overgrown vegetation, or other obstacles.
- Mailboxes should be large enough to securely hold all regular mail, including multiple A4 magazines without folding, and ideally have a separate compartment for parcels and newspapers.
- Ensure the street number is clearly visible and position the mail slot between 900 mm and 1200 mm above ground level.