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Turner Valley post office to relocate

The former RBC building on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Main Street will soon undergo renovation work to serve as the community’s post office, which has been located at 132 Main Street since 1987.
RBC Turner Valley
The former RBC in Turner Valley will be converted into the town's post office, likely in early 2021. (Tammy Rollie/Western Wheel)

A brick building that served as the hub of Turner Valley for more than half a century will reopen its doors three years after sitting empty.

The former RBC building on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Main Street will soon undergo renovation work to serve as the community’s post office, which has been located at 132 Main Street since 1987.

Vancouver resident David Coon and business partner Keith McRae purchased the corner lot from RBC in March before securing a 10-year lease with Canada Post.

“We’re certainly glad we’re able to do a lease deal with them and keep that service in Turner Valley,” Coon said. “Keith and I are small developers and we have various properties. It was a real estate decision for a couple of entrepreneurs.”

When Coon and McRae inquired about the property, Coon said they were impressed with the community and their dealings with the Town of Turner Valley.

“Everything has moved along very efficiently, something I haven’t found in other municipalities,” he said. “It’s been a real dream to deal with the folks at Turner Valley at the municipal level.”

The RBC ATM, which remained available to the public after the major financial institution closed in Turner Valley in December 2017 and relocated to southeast Okotoks, will stay at the site, Coon said.

He said the post office will occupy about 3,460 square feet and that he was informed by Canada Post’s project manager that the new location will open in early 2021.

“They’re doing a full renovation,” he said. “I have seen the plans and it’s going to be very nice. It’s going to be a brand new post office for Turner Valley.”

Canada Post media relations personnel Nicole Lecompte stated in an email that the new location in Turner Valley will provide the public with a larger space, but that she wasn’t able to give more details as to the reasoning of the relocation.

“We can confirm that the Turner Valley Post Office will be relocating to 104 Main Street, however we are not able to provide a specific date at this time,” she wrote. “Rest assured our customers will be notified well in advance of any changes to their postal services.”

Michelle Ouellette, Turner Valley’s director of development and infrastructure, said the development permit for the new location has been approved and residents will see some activity at the north end of the site and the loading and unloading dock on the west side of the building in the coming weeks.

“Citizens will see some minor alterations of the site as the post office takes up residence there,” she said. “I think largely it will stay the same on the exterior.”

She said Canada Post has two years to complete the conditions of its development permit.

The relocation of the post office, which Ouellette said currently leases space in a privately owned building on Main Street, is a good move for the community.

“The post office will reactivate the northwest corner of Main Street and Sunset Boulevard in the core central business district of the town,” she said. “A little bit of activation and transformation of our Main Street is good.”

Tammy Rollie, OkotoksToday.ca

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