Here’s a final report on the internet referendum.
The referendum passed by a landslide vote – 1,192 voting “Yes” and 81 voting “No”.
- There were 547 voters at the Denman polls, 439 at the Hornby polls
- There were 287 ballots cast by mail-in vote or at the advance poll in Courtenay.
The indications are that the “Yes” vote was 96% on Denman, 90% on Hornby.
Thank you to everyone for voting.
We look forward to hearing when CityWest will install fibre-optic service along our roads, and when the capacity of the Connected Coast undersea cable project will reach our islands. Our communities eagerly await the benefits of high-speed internet, as well as a 300-channel television option and a hard-wired telephone service, all at more reasonable prices than our present providers offer.
Every household on our islands should know one vital bit of information before CityWest begins its installation. CityWest will install a connection from the road to the wall of our house (a “Drop”) without charge if the property owner has signed a “Drop Approval form”. In cases where the property has a long or otherwise difficult driveway, the owner must advise CityWest of the situation and the two will work out an installation arrangement. Signing a Drop Approval is not committing to subscribe to CItyWest services – it is just bringing the capacity to your house. Drop Approval forms are available at the Denman Store, Abraxas, the Hornby Co-op store, or online at https://www.citywest.ca/dropping-in.
If a property has not provided a signed Drop Approval before fibre is installed along its frontage, CItyWest will not install a Drop to that property. If, later on, that property decides that it does want to obtain service, a Drop will have a substantial cost (perhaps in the $000s) and there may be a delay of many months before installation can be arranged.
This is critical information that every household should know. It is estimated that about one-third of Denman properties have not signed Drop Approvals. If you know of someone, a neighbour, a friend, who you think has not signed a Drop Approval, please help to ensure that they understand the significance of not signing one of these forms.
People who don’t understand today may be very sorry later.
Hornby/Denman Internet Committee.
