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Security concerns pose questions for future of food delivery

Security+concerns+pose+questions+for+future+of+food+delivery
Emily Forgash

While the construction at Waverley Place entrance progresses, food delivery has been restricted. There is yet to be a consensus reached by the High School Administration, the Senior Leadership Team and the Security Team in regards to whether food delivery will be allowed again after Waverley entrance reopens in December.

Various factors were considered in the decision to ban food deliveries for this semester including road blockage and traffic adjacent to the temporary entrance located next to Grove End Road. This will be looked at when the construction on the Waverley entrance finishes, but it’s likely that road blockage won’t be as significant in the future.

Head of Security Roi Yefet said that the security staff previously faced issues with the volume of deliveries received in a short period of time which will continue to be a concern moving forward. “The security office needs to address every delivery person,” Yefet said. “It was OK for a few deliveries but when it comes to 50, 60 or 70 deliveries per hour, it [was] creating too much work.”

Lindsay Harris (’20) feels that food delivery should be allowed again for high school students once the Waverley entrance reopens. Harris understands that there could be possible security risks that come with food delivery, but she thinks that upperclassmen could save time during breaks if they had the option of food delivery. “Compared to freshman and sophomore year, I’ve had a lot more work and I don’t have time to go out during lunch,” Harris said.  

Along with traffic flow and security concerns, Director of Student Life James Perry believes that food delivery also raises environmental concerns. “I think food delivery is pretty environmentally unfriendly. Whenever you have delivery you’ve got lots of different containers and you get the bag in addition to the napkins and utensils,” he said.

In addition to the logistical and environmental issues that food delivery may pose, Perry believes that ordering food may have negative socio-economic connotations. “That’s awfully privileged [that] we might be to be able to deliver expensive lunches every day,” Perry said. “It’s important to know that not everybody can afford food delivery and so I think that is just one area in which the socio-economic disparity is heightened.”

The security office needs to address every delivery person. It was okay for a few deliveries but when it comes to 50, 60, or 70 deliveries per hour, it [was] creating too much work.

— Head of Security Roi Yefet

The potential permanent ban on food delivery would mean that students wouldn’t have as many food options for on-campus lunch, therefore, Perry believes that the cafeteria must keep releasing exciting food alternatives. “[Catering Managers] Christine [Kent] and Simon [Wigginton] are incredible and if students want something and we don’t have it, we’ll go and get it,”Perry said.

Victoria Figueroa (’22) is another student who hopes that food delivery is allowed again. As a Grade 9 student, Figueroa has lunch options of cafeteria food and packed lunch until they are allowed open campus at the start of the second semester. When buying cafeteria food, she believes that lunch lines often become unmanageable during the times when she needs to quickly pick up lunch in order to do work or see teachers. “A lot of the time, the lunch lines get pretty crowded and they don’t [dissipate quickly],” Figueroa said.

Although a verdict hasn’t been reached yet, the safety of the school will always be the main priority for whatever decisions are made about the future of food delivery. Yefet believes the resolution found will most likely include the perspective of both students and staff. “[The Senior Leadership Team is] going to consult with students as well to hear their opinion. Then, they’re going to make the decision about next semester,” Yefet said.

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About the Contributors
Maddy Whitman, Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Online
Maddy Whitman (’22) is the Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Online of The Standard. Whitman spent her Grade 11 year in the role of Media Director and was a Media Editor and staff writer in the two years prior. Whitman loves that she can combine her passions of photography and journalism to create work for The Standard. Outside of her role, Whitman enjoys baking, running, watching Formula 1 and following her football team, Fulham FC.
Emily Forgash, Editor-in-Chief
Emily Forgash (’21) is the Editor-in-Chief The Standard. She was a staff writer as a freshman, a Media Editor her sophomore year, and the Culture Editor: Print as a junior. She loves journalism as it gives her a way to inform the ASL community and learn more about the world around her.

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