One day soon, or maybe already, the pay phone at Roberts Lake Resort will be used for the last time.

The sign above the booth has a maple tree growing alongside it, and the edges of the booth itself have begun to show signs of lichen from the rains last winter. But stepping into the booth feels like stepping in to the past. It害羞草研究所檚 clean, well taken care of and, for now at least, functional.

Also inside the booth is a notice posted on the phone by Telus, saying the phone is slated for removal on May 13, 2024.

害羞草研究所淟et害羞草研究所檚 let害羞草研究所檚 put it this way. It害羞草研究所檚 a good emergency phone.害羞草研究所� said Lorna Duncan, the owner of the Roberts Lake Resort.

Duncan has owned the resort for 46 years, and said that the phone gets regular use for emergency communications: people waylaid by weather in winter, or reporting accidents on an empty Vancouver Island highway strip between Campbell River and Sayward that does not have cell service.

害羞草研究所淭his is the halfway point between Campbell River and Sayward,害羞草研究所� Duncan said. 害羞草研究所淪o if you have an accident and are out of cell range, this is what people use. There isn害羞草研究所檛 anything around. What do they do?害羞草研究所�

Many community members posted to the Sayward community Facebook group in the past few days, saying they害羞草研究所檝e contacted Telus about their safety concerns.

害羞草研究所淲hen I saw that I just decided I害羞草研究所檇 write to Telus,害羞草研究所� said Terry Kluytmans, a resident of Sayward. 害羞草研究所淚 hope that public pressure (will) either stop them from removal of the phone booth or make them consider putting in a cell tower like they害羞草研究所檝e done it by Woss.害羞草研究所�

Kluytmans used to drive to and from Campbell River daily for work. She said that on one occasion she witnessed an accident and stopped to lend a hand.

害羞草研究所淭here was nobody around so it took probably 10 minutes for the first car to come by,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t was almost an hour before we got personnel there to actually be on scene because it was just so far between two locations 害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 scary and when it害羞草研究所檚 winter and those curves are bad when you害羞草研究所檝e got black ice in place, you know, it害羞草研究所檚 a scary road.害羞草研究所�

The Mirror reached out to Telus, who said in an emailed statement that 害羞草研究所淎fter careful consideration, we are replacing the existing pay phones at Roberts Lake Resort and Sayward Valley Resort on Vancouver Island with community phones, at no charge to the person calling. The pay phones will remain operational until the community phones are installed.害羞草研究所�

Telus害羞草研究所� statement went on to say that the phones will connect to 911, 988 (suicide crisis helpline), and other N11 services, and will have free calling to anywherein B.C. as well as toll free within the region.

害羞草研究所淏oth community phones will remain in place until cell phone coverage becomes available.害羞草研究所�

The notice left on the payphone, however, does not mention this.

害羞草研究所淲e have invested heavily to connect rural highway corridors to a reliable wireless signal to enhance the safety of travel across our province,害羞草研究所� the Telus statement says. 害羞草研究所淲e are thoughtful about removing payphones and often work closely with local businesses, municipal governments, and the community to ensure there are alternate options within a reasonable distance before a payphone is removed.害羞草研究所�

In March 2023, the province announced funding for highway cell coverage, specifically noting the dangerous corridor north of Campbell River. As of May, 2024 much of the road still does not have coverage.

Phil Adams is a frequent traveller of the highway. He posted on Facebook about the closure of the booth.

害羞草研究所滻害羞草研究所檝e always driven past and thought that it害羞草研究所檚 a cool novelty,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 pulled over and saw that it was working. It brought back a bunch of nostalgia from growing up when I was using those phone booths.

害羞草研究所淚t was pretty cool to pick up the phone and hear the big clunky click of the receiver, and then hearing the dial tone and putting it back down,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 called my wife from it as well. I actually ran back to my van to see if I had a quarter 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 an end of an era.害羞草研究所�

Telus said that they recognize people have feelings of nostalgia towards the phones.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e working with the community and local organizations to decommission the payphones for display purposes to ensure they can stay within the community as an acknowledgement of a shared piece of technology history,害羞草研究所� their statement says. 害羞草研究所淎ny residents who are interested in seeing these payphones showcased as a piece of history in a local museum or community centre can email us at telustickets@wimactel.com to learn more.害羞草研究所�

For at least a little while, North Islanders can make a trip north of Campbell River to make a call from the phone. Adams said that he was informed by the contractor in charge of removing the phone that the date of removal has been pushed back.

But, some day soon, the pay phone at Roberts Lake will make its last call.

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