Chippawa residents lament loss of last bank as RBC branch poised to close

Ray St. Jean, proven exterior the RBC department in Chippawa, stated it doesn’t make sense to shut the department at a time when Chippawa is booming. Many different residents of the village really feel the identical.

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Ray St. Jean might perceive the closing of Chippawa’s final financial institution if the village was decaying and its inhabitants shrinking, however like many different residents of the waterfront neighborhood in Niagara Falls, he can’t perceive the transfer at a time when the neighborhood is booming.

RBC despatched a letter to residents final fall saying it is going to shut the longtime department on Cummington Sq. on Could 12, amalgamating it with a brand new department on the nook of Montrose Street and McLeod Street.

The banking large stated it was a logical transfer as extra individuals transfer to on-line and cellular banking and conventional in-person banking at branches dwindles.

“As individuals in our neighborhood proceed to evolve their banking habits, we’ve seen fewer guests every year at our Chippawa department,” the financial institution letter stated.

Quite a few Chippawa residents took to Fb to specific their dismay on the closure of the native department, a few of whom stated they’d had accounts there for greater than 50 years and their dad and mom did earlier than that.

Resident Terrie Sherwood Menzies held out hope that one other financial institution or credit score union would decide to maneuver into the RBC location. “I’ll be a consumer,” she stated.

That may imply residents wouldn’t must journey all the way in which to Montrose Street alongside hectic McLeod Street, which turns into busier and busier as the town’s south finish booms.

“We name that ‘the Gauntlet,’” stated St. Jean of the McLeod Street run. “It’s a horrible stretch of highway and quite a lot of the seniors don’t drive.”

He, like another residents posting on-line, anxious in regards to the impression the transfer could have on seniors who St. Jean stated may be pressured to pay service prices on nook retailer financial institution machines to get money for grocery procuring when RBC is gone.

With development of the big Legends on the Inexperienced townhome improvement on Willoughby Street in Chippawa effectively underway and a proposal for one more large subdivision on the nook of Stanley Avenue and Lyons Creek Street, St. Jean stated Chippawa is within the midst of big development.

“I feel the timing’s simply horrible,” he stated. “It clearly doesn’t make any sense. Chippawa is increasing by leaps and bounds and we’re dropping the one financial institution we now have.

“With the income the banks make, why wouldn’t they seek the advice of the neighborhood?”

Many residents posted on-line how extremely they consider workers within the native RBC department.

“They’re an exquisite bunch of individuals,” stated St. Jean. “I do know all of the tellers and so they know me by first title.”

Stated one other resident on-line: “Undoubtedly probably the most useful and friendliest workers I've just about ever encountered within the banking world.”

Cheryl Brean, director of communications for southwestern Ontario for RBC, stated the financial institution’s department community frequently evolves and modifications because the financial institution serves purchasers the place and the way they want to conduct their banking. That may imply combining branches, relocating sure branches or opening new ones such because the one at Montrose and McLeod opening on Could 15, she stated.

“We made the choice to merge our Chippawa department with Montrose and McLeod after cautious consideration of how we are able to greatest serve our purchasers within the Niagara Falls neighborhood,” she stated. “We stay dedicated to working with all our purchasers to make sure they've banking options that work for them.”

The financial institution stated account numbers and cheques received’t change, and secure deposit packing containers can be securely moved to the brand new department location.

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BEHIND THE STORY: After studying that Chippawa is poised to lose its solely remaining financial institution department, Niagara This Week checked out how residents really feel in regards to the resolution.