Calgarians are expressing their frustration with Telus, accusing the telecom of damaging their properties during the installation of fibre optic internet cables. The company has been digging into lawns and sidewalks over the past few years, a move that has left some residents feeling upset and turning to the media for help.
While Telus is technically allowed to dig into private properties due to municipal right-of-way utility policies, the company is expected to follow clean-up standards. However, several residents believe that Telus has failed to do so, reports CTV News Calgary.
Michelle Huynh, a resident of Beddington Heights, is particularly angry, despite not being a Telus customer. She claims that Telus contractors ruined her landscaping and left noticeable holes in her lawn and driveway. “Telus walked all over my home and they didn’t even care,” Huynh told CTV News.
Huynh alleges that her numerous calls for help were ignored by the company. When Telus finally agreed to a property check-up, the remedial actions were far from satisfactory. “When I asked them to repair it, they came and they threw rocks on my lawn,” she said. “They threw compacted soil, sprinkled some grass seeds on top and called it a day.”
In response to the allegations, Telus declined an interview request but issued a statement promising to complete all remediation work by the end of the month. The company also mentioned the establishment of a point of contact between Telus and the City of Calgary for residents with build-related questions.
However, Huynh remains skeptical about Telus’s commitment to resolving the issue. She has resorted to hiring a lawn maintenance company at her own expense of $400. “At the end of the day, I don’t care about my internet speed: I care about my home,” she said.
Looks like whoever the contract was hired by Telus is not doing their job or not using the right topsoil and overseed mix to restore lawns. Anyone who cares about their landscaping knows how much work is involved when trying to grow new grass and keep out weeds. Seeing a chunk of your precious lawn cut out for a service box to be installed can be painful indeed.
One complainant alleges that Telus asked her not to involve the media in her property clean-up, a message that reportedly came after CTV News contacted the telecom company.
