UW is moving forward with plans to remove its emergency helpline poles, with work expected to begin later this spring and continue over several weeks.

According to Kate Windsor, Executive Director of Safety, Security and Transportation, the exact schedule has not yet been finalized, but the removal process will take place over a short-term period once it begins.

The poles, which have been part of campus safety infrastructure for years, are currently located across a range of areas on campus. These include parking lots such as X, B, A, C, and T, as well as along major pathways near Westmount Road, the Columbia Lake playing fields, and the Village residences.

While the university has not released a detailed public map, officials say a full layout of the pole locations exists internally and was referenced in communications about the removal.

The work itself will not be completed by university staff. Windsor noted that removing the poles requires work beyond what internal teams can handle, meaning the project will be contracted out through a formal tendering process.

Although an exact cost has not been shared, the university confirmed that removing the poles was ultimately seen as the more financially responsible option. Windsor explained that after reviewing the cost of replacing or upgrading the outdated infrastructure, as well as the possibility of installing additional poles, removal was determined to be the more fiscally prudent decision.

The decision follows a broader shift in how campus safety is managed, as universities increasingly rely on mobile technology and other modern systems rather than fixed emergency call stations.

More details about the timeline and process are expected to be finalized in the coming months.