A team “mobilized” Thursday to remove a utility pole that was raising safety concerns for some White Rock residents, Telus officials have confirmed.
The quick response followed a resident’s tweet describing a seemingly precariously balanced telephone pole at Oxford Street and Thrift Avenue, and Peace Arch News’ inquiries to BC Hydro and Telus.
Despite appearances, the pole “was properly secured and never posed a risk to the public,” Telus media relations spokesman Doug Self said in an email to PAN just after 6:30 p.m.Thursday.
It had been described in the resident’s tweet as a “#MickeyMouse electrical pole setup.”
READ MORE: Safety concern raised over White Rock telephone pole
BC Hydro officials later said the configuration – of “TELUS cables on a concrete pole that is strapped to a new BC Hydro pole” – was part of a pole-replacement procedure when a joint-use pole is charged by BC Hydro and Telus.
Utility spokesman Kevin Aquino told PAN it was “a safe and common practise,” and that it was up to Telus to finish the job.
Self said BC Hydro alerted Telus to the concern Thursday and the pole was removed that afternoon.