The Jasper Local March 15, 2018

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thursday, March 15, 2018 // ISSUE 117

JASPER’S RYAN TITCHENER TAKES THE LAST STEPS BEFORE TOPPING OUT ON THE 2,612 METRE PEAK OF MARMOT BASIN. TWENTY MONTHS AGO, THE APPRENTICE MOUNTAIN GUIDE BROKE HIS BACK IN A FREAK CLIMBING ACCIDENT. DOCTORS SAID HE MAY NEVER WALK AGAIN. GETTING BACK ON THE PEAK WAS THE MOST RECENT ACHIEVEMENT IN HIS REMARKABLE RECOVERY. THE 33-YEAR-OLD BECAME THE FIRST SIT SKIER TO MAKE TRACKS OFF MARMOT’S HIGHEST SKIABLE POINT. WATCH FOR THE VIDEO DOCUMENTING THIS LATEST CHAPTER TO DROP SOON. // CHRIS TOBIAS

Tourism Jasper floats outdoor stage concept Tourism Jasper wants to build the community a stage.

drawings show a wooden inlay ceiling covering a concrete stage and a decorative plaza surrounding the structure.

James Jackson, Tourism Jasper’s General Manager, told Jasper municipal council as much March 12. During a committee of the whole meeting, Jackson outlined Tourism Jasper’s proposal to build an $800,000 community outdoor stage, 75 per cent of which will be paid for by funders already on board, including CN Rail.

“We envision a well-designed space where the community can come together to collaborate,” Jackson said. “From folk festivals to summer camps.”

Jackson presented a concept which would see a multipurpose, outdoor stage built on the exchange lands.

The scalable venue could accommodate small or large performances, would include theatrical lighting, integrated heaters and an outdoor speaker system. Conceptual design

Councillors were, overall, in favour of the proposal.

The cost would be covered largely by donors, including a $300,000 commitment from CN and $200,000 promised to Tourism Jasper from other funders should they secure the “We want to be involved with the community,” Jackson remaining $100,000. Jackson suggested this money should said. “Tourism Jasper’s motivation for this is strictly for the be available through grant funding. community’s benefit.”

“It’s possible, but not guaranteed,” CAO Mark Fercho said.

“I think the project is promising, I’m encouraging municipal staff to work with you guys,” said councillor Scott Wilson. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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page A2 // the jasper local // issue 117 // thursday, march 15, 2018

editorial //

Local Vocal If all the world’s a stage, Jasper’s busiest social media platform is a sad, cynical theatre studded with C-list infomercial personalities.

Tourism Jasper has announced they’d like to build an outdoor stage for the community—a concept while, it might not be correct to say is first on the list of priorities for our town, certainly sounds pretty exciting when you start to think of the possibilities of such a venue.

And here’s the best part: if the appropriate grant money can be rounded up, there’s a very good chance it’s not going to cost us anything.

But well look, here come the naysayers, the peanut gallery members and the self-proclaimed, selfrighteous experts. The story landed on social media at 10 a.m. and by lunchtime there was a contest to see who could make the most disparaging, most insulting, most cynical remark.

First there’s “guaranteed cost overrun guy.” Gee, there’s an original take, as if a comparable project exists, and as if it’s your money on the line. Then there’s “this should be spent on something else” dude, as if enveloped money for specific projects ever work like that. Remember when grandpa left the kids some dough to take a family vacation?

Remember how that money wasn’t meant for your bro-in-law to fix the roof on his shed? Yeah, it’s kinda like that.

This recent troll-fest reminds me of the other geniuses who poisoned the Buy-Sell-Trade forum last week to shout-down plans to build HI’s new hostel.

“This project came out of nowhere!” some nitwit decried. Nope! Considering you can hardly cut your grass in this town without permission, I’m pretty sure plans for a 157-bed hostel weren’t hatched overnight.

Then there’s the “Jasper needs more housing” take.

Dudes, have a look around! There’s plans in the works for all sorts of housing, and if you’d only hunt and peck your way off your keyboard for a moment to learn about them—because heaven forbid you’d actually get involved in a constructive manner— you’d see that other people in your community were attending open houses and providing input for how those projects might eventually look.

We’re all in a race to be the most outraged, and frankly, it’s outrageous! Laughing at, poking and otherwise baiting the people who are actually trying to move this community forward is the domain of immature bullies. Do us all a favour and exit centre stage. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

Funding available for young people Yellowhead youth have an opportunity to engage with their communities through the Canada Service Corps.

The call is for projects that benefit young people and allow them to grow on a personal level by building relationships, learning new skills, and creating a lasting impact on the communities they serve. Specific funding is also available for projects that bring together Indigenous and nonIndigenous youth—allowing them to work together to learn about the

process of reconciliation, as well as identify and address social issues in the community.

The deadline to apply is April 3.

This is an opportunity for local organizations to engage young people and involve them directly in meaningful service opportunities. I encourage all interested organizations to apply.

For more information and to apply for funding, please visit canada.ca/ canadaservicecorps or contact my office.

- Jim Eglinski, MP, Yellowhead

The Jasper Local //

Jasper’s independent alternative newspaper 780.852.9474 • thejasperlocal.com • po box 2046, jasper ab, t0e 1e0

Published on the 1st and 15th of each month Editor / Publisher

Bob Covey.................................................................................... bob@thejasperlocal.com Art Director

Nicole Gaboury.................................................................. nicole@thejasperlocal.com Advertising + sales

rachel bailey.............................................................................ads@thejasperlocal.com cartoonist

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// Local government

thursday, march 15, 2018 // issue 117 // the jasper local// page A3

// DYLAN PAYANT MARCHING ON THE LOVATT SCOUTS LOOP NEAR THE BALD HILLS. // BC

Bench logging cancelled: JNP Annual Forum highlights Parks Canada’s plan to remove dead trees on the Pyramid Bench has hit a log jam.

During Parks Canada’s Annual Forum on March 13, JNP’s Resource Conservation Manager Dave Argument said that the thawing ground has become more susceptible to heavy equipment damage.

“We were hoping to see the work start as early as yesterday but the warm weather has delayed that,” Argument said to the gathering of approximately 100 people.

“The [new] initiative will be to treat that whole area by March 2019.

The Pyramid Bench complex has been on the books to manage the fuel load with fire since 2008, but because it’s rare that the planned burn unit comes into prescription—and because of the risk factor involved when burning so close to town— Argument said the hope was to remove dead stands of trees with heavy equipment.

Now, balmy temperatures have stymied those plans.

“There’s a host of other concerns [when the ground thaws] including weed species, ground damage and trail damage,” he said.

Jasper National Park Superintendent Alan Fehr was doing some damage control of his own as he responded to questions from the public on topics ranging from campground closures, overbooked reservation systems, wildlife conflict mitigation measures and

eligible residency requirements.

“We won’t talk about individual cases at a public forum,” he repeated to one member of the public who confronted Fehr on the JNP Realty Department’s “ethics.”

Instead, Fehr pointed out the accomplishments the local field unit has overseen in 2017. On the housing front, he noted two more five-plex units are in the works. He flagged upcoming repairs to highways and bridges, spoke about plans for expanding the park’s east gate to create a bypass lane and said the Mount Edith Cavell Road will re-open in August, after infrastructure improvements take place.

There was some confusion about how work on Hwy 93A would affect road closures; it was determined the road will be closed just south of Wabasso Campground to near Athabasca Falls, while on the other side of the closure, the Geraldine Lakes Road—as well as a commercial rafting access point— will remain open.

Regarding the Icefields Trail, an $86 million project proposed from Jasper to the Columbia Icefields, Fehr said nothing has been decided.

“It’s still in conceptual planning,” he said.

“We’re working on a detailed impact analysis.”

Members of the public can download a copy of the 2017 Annual Report from Parks Canada’s website. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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page B1 // the jasper local // issue 117 // thursday, march 15, 2018

Local community//

THE MARMOT DERBY: The original

ski mountaineering competition Alex Stieda promises Jasperites and Marmot Basin guests an “unbelievable show” when racers suit up and put on a cardio clinic.

Back in Jack Pugh’s day, there was no such thing as lycra or carbon fibre.

Ski bindings tightened with lugs and cables, and after you climbed up a mountain with 215 cm wooden skis on your “bedroom slipper” lace-up boots, you wrapped your seal hide skins around your waist to descend.

“Because the course is lift accessed, you can really set up to enjoy it,” he said.

In the early 1950s, getting to Marmot Basin’s skiable terrain wasn’t so easy.

Pioneer skiers hopped aboard a snow bombardier where Portal Creek meets Hwy93A, then up a steep road to the Jack will be 90 this year, but back in Martin Cabin—not far from where the 1952, he was one of the guys to beat Paradise (upper) Chalet sits today. in any kind of race that involved skis.

From the Martin Cabin, it was a selfThat year, he won the Marmot Derby. powered affair; “It was a pretty there were back-woodsy kind of thing “They’re so fit, their skill no ski lifts in those days, at that time,” level is unbelievable” and Jack says the life-long getting two Jasperite said. runs in a day “There was no was considered money involved.” ambitious.

Back-woodsy or not, the Marmot “You’d take off your stuff, get in that old Derby was a long course. It took snowmobile and get back up there,” he competitors from just below the peak, said. down the mountain towards Slash Jack remembers duelling with famed and culminated about half way down ski instructor Tom McCready for the Marmot Basin Road. It was a top honours in the Marmot Derby. spring race that, in a sense, looks a bit McCready obviously considered the like a predecessor of the upcoming Derby an important event: his widow Ski Mountaineering Canada event: Faye said the couple moved their 1953 Marmot’s Revenge. wedding by a week just so they could On March 17 the Canadian SkiMo race take part. circuit will bring dozens of competitors “I didn’t mind,” Faye said. “It was the to Marmot Basin to skin up, ski down life we lived.” and bootpack more than 1,800 metres of vertical gain in less than three hours. On March 17, Ski Mountaineering Canada is inviting anyone who wants Retired pro cycler and SkiMo athlete

// LEGENDARY MARMOT BASIN SKI INSTRUCTOR TOM MCCREADY ON HIS 210 CM SKIS (MCCREADY WAS 5’ 4”) COMPETING IN THE MARMOT DERBY. MCCREADY IS DEMONSTRATING THE “WEDELN,” OR REVERSE SHOULDER ROTATION TECHNIQUE, WHICH WAS POPULAR WITH SKI ENTHUSIASTS IN THE 1950S. // FAYE MCCREADY COLLECTION

to get a taste of the SkiMo life to register in the event’s recreational category. The course is shorter and contains less elevation gain than the track the pros will follow, which Stieda likened to the equivalent of competing in a triathlon.

“There are Tour de France-level athletes,” he said. “They’re so fit, their

skill level…it’s unbelievable.”

Perhaps that how spectators would have described a young Jack Pugh when he was winning the Marmot Derby in 1952. Sixty six years later, he still remembers the burn in his quads.

“You were pretty pooped by the time you were done,” he said.

Bob Covey // @thejasperlocal.com

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Olympic athletes to put on a show Course officials will be putting the finishing touches on a world class freestyle ski facility at Marmot Basin this week.

The four-lane, 215 metre long, 26-degree mogul course will play host to some of freestyle skiing’s best and most decorated athletes March 22-25 when the Canadian Championships come to Jasper.

the event, it doesn’t get any bigger than this for Jasper ski competition.

“We’ve never had national team members ski here, let alone 12 of the 13 on the guys’ side, and most of the ladies as well,” Jenkins said.

The week’s most highprofile guest will be PyeongChang Olympic For Cam Jenkins, the chief of competition for gold medalist, Canada’s own Mikael Kingsbury.

Visit Screen Test in Kingsbury Jasper is mogul skiing’s most decorated April 13 - 18 athlete; besides his recent gold medal and a silver in Sochi in 2014, Call for an appointment 1-800-667-0604 (toll-free) Kingsbury has recorded 48 World Cup victories in his young career ***Volunteers needed*** and he has been awarded the FIS Women aged 50 to 74 Everyone who loves Linda is should plan to have a screening crystal globe for top overall athlete glad she got a mammogram. mammogram every 2 years, Because her breast cancer was in six consecutive seasons. and can self-refer. found early, she is alive and well today.

www.screeningforlife.ca

Women 40-49 may be screened annually with a referral for their first mammogram.

Jenkins said four other Olympians are confirmed for the event.

//GOLD MEDALIST MIKAEL KINGSBURY WILL BE IN JASPER ALONG WITH OTHER NATIONAL FREESTYLE SKI TEAM ATHLETES TO TAKE PART IN CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS MARCH 22-25. // SUPPLIED

“It gives the competitors the opportunity to ski with the best in the world,” he said.

It also gives spectators the chance to see the sport’s top athletes.

“People will be amazed at how high, how far they jump and how they can ski four moguls, spaced seven metres apart, every second,” Jenkins said.

“To be able to watch, in person, what we watched on TV during the Olympics live will be really special.”

Bob Covey // @thejasperlocal.com

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thursday, march 15, 2018 // issue 117 // the jasper local// page B2

Local business//

Winter grit: Walking to where the waters are born My last thought before falling asleep after a long, cold day on the trail was “heaven is a lasagna of sleeping bags.”

At least that’s what my last thought was supposed to be. Instead, as I zipped myself into three layers of down-lined, thermal quilts, supported by two air mattresses in a finally-warm tent, rather than the sweet relief of rest washing over me, I realized I forgot to take out my contacts.

Irritated, and exposing myself to the freezing air outside of my nest, I unpacked the saline solution I’d packed in a small vial for this very purpose. I found it frozen solid.

“Idiot!” I said aloud.

Fortunately, I had brought a thermos to sleep with.

The container’s contents represented the fruit of my waning patience from earlier that evening as I waited for a poorly-performing Whisperlite stove to do its work. Melting the saline solution was easy enough; not spilling the hot water all over my seal skin mitt and down sleeping bag was apparently more difficult.

ZAK DUNN-ALLEN IN RANGE OF COLUMBIA LAKE—AND SOME TUCKED AWAY CLIMBING ROUTES // FERN YIP

discharging through the Mackenzie River system into the Arctic Ocean.

a moment to see the dusky alpine glow on Mount Columbia. At that moment, everyone knew we had arrived in a special place, a place visited by Because of the Athabasca’s hydrological And so instead of warm, delicious thoughts about few. The spirit of big mountains saturated the importance, the my sleeping quarters resembling a layered pasta atmosphere—the Twins excitement of my first dish, my last utterance that night was a woeful: Tower, Mount Columbia “ And so instead of warm, delicious backcountry winter “What have I signed myself up for?” and Mount King Edward thoughts about my sleeping quarters camping trip and the loomed above—and that Dunn-Allens’ idea that resembling a layered pasta dish, my evening the Dunn-Allen The answer was a nine-day winter camping journey there might be interesting last utterance that night was a woeful: brothers launched into into the upper Athabasca Valley. ice to climb back there, “What have I signed myself up for?”” their familiar comedic my desire to take part had The next morning, having skied 15 km the day banter and there was lots before to Athabasca Crossing from Sunwapta Falls, overridden the only trip of laughter around the guarantees: extreme cold, tough trail breaking and Zak Dunn-Allen, Josh Dunn-Allen, Grant Sikkes fire.

I slept well, knowing that the next day I would and myself gathered around a small fire pit. The fire endless chores. not have to break camp and that I was only 10 was too small to provide much warmth or inspire Movement was the only reprieve from the freezing kilometres away from the Athabasca headwaters. much conversation, and from one look at the frozen weather but travel was not easy. I had to conjure bottle of whiskey Grant had brought along, we up my inner endurance athlete to make it through knew we better get moving. hours of shuffling skis in deep sugar snow while On day five I woke up completely exhausted hauling a sled full of gear and food. By day two, yet full of anticipation. Zak and I were going to Grant had named his sled ‘the pig.” At that point I Columbia Lake and leaving our heavy packs Our destination was Columbia Lake, the had my own cynical mantras to keep rhythm with behind. The weather, compared to what we’d been headwaters of the mighty Athabasca River and the my ski strides. experiencing thus far, was mild. Our exploration beginning of a 1,231 km journey its waters take the day previous was marked by battling wicked “Death march, death march, death march,” I before draining into the Peace-Athabasca Delta winds, breaking through river ice and earning chanted, as I looked down at the snow. When I near Lake Athabasca. From there, the AthaB joins more blisters. Now we were going to where the looked up, however, the beauty of the place would the Peace River to form the Slave River before Athabasca River waters are born. This is the overcome me—the curves of beginning of a watershed which feeds an entire a mostly-frozen river running ecosystem of life, from the American dippers through an open valley, whizzing in and out of its mountain streams, to surrounded by majestic peaks. entire communities of plants along its winding Many moments on the trip were course. Here begins the flow which ensures tens like that: a contrast of utter of thousands of people downstream can get fresh, drudgery and total gratitude. clean water from their taps. On this last day of One moment I would resent our pilgrimage, determination sped us along. having to expose my fingers Mount Columbia, the highest mountain in Alberta, to the cold to undo a zipper; was our guide, its impressive A-frame standing the next I would be eternally triumphant in the blue sky. A couple of kilometres thankful for having brought from the lake the river flats began to crumple into along my “she-wee.” Seemingly unsorted glacial till until finally, on top of one of small tasks such as dressing the moraines, there lay the frozen tarn. The lip of blisters, chipping ice out of Columbia glacier hung high above. Zak and I stood ski bindings and perpetually there silent for some time, filled with reverence. I thawing things became was also overcome by a feeling of guilt and dread, monumental chores. Everything seemed hard and the cold simply for although the Athabasca is the source of life THE DUN-ALLEN BROS DON’T SHY AWAY FROM BIG DAYS OR BIG PACKS. // FY for so many living things, I knew that these pure had no mercy. What kept me waters eventually end up polluted in oil sands going forward was the river tailing ponds. Living in a protected area, it’s easy singing beside my tracks and take for granted how intact the ecosystem here is. the beckoning peaks that grew With the downstream fate of these nascent water larger with every stride. droplets, I almost wished that the Columbia glacier would stay frozen.

At the end of day three, after plowing through endless snow How much longer can we accept the sacrilege of and performing awkward the Athabasca River? When will Canadians take acrobatic maneuvers for several a stand for its waters? When will we, as a people, creek crossings, we reached realize that water is a source of life, and not a base camp. Everyone launched resource? If more people could understand the into the litany of daily duties: fragility and the ferocity of the environment which stomping out a tent platform, surrounds the Athabasca headwaters, I think we digging out a fire pit, gathering could begin to appreciate the water we take for wood, heating water. In the granted for the water which connects us all. midst of the flurry of preparing for the night, I stopped. “Look THE AUTHOR AT THE ATHABASCA RIVER’S PRISTINE HEADWATERS.//SUPPLIED fern yip // info@thejasperlocal.com up,” I said, and we paused for

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page b3+B4 // the jasper local // issue 117 // thursday, march 15, 2018

FEATURE //

1910: Evicting the

PA20-23 ADAM JOACHIM ON A HUNTING TRIP. // JASPER YELLOWHEAD MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

PA20-29 EWAN MOBERLY AND FAMILY IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME IN GRANDE CACHE. // JASPER YELLOWHEAD MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

In 1907, Ottawa established Jasper Park. One of management’s

present when McLaggen made these and other pointed promises about relocating.

subm provi

early objectives was to remove the people who were living within the park’s boundaries, some of whom had been there a long time. The manner in which these people were pushed them out remains a source of contention to this day.

Yet apparently, McLaggen had no authority to promise anything. He was simply using language to get these families to leave their homes. In part, the Metis families agreed only because they’d been assured that they’d easily be able to maintain their preferred lifestyle at new locations.

As fa were speci their refus

Seven family homesteads operated in the region, owned by John and Marie Moberly; Ewan and Madeleine Moberly; William Moberly; Adolphus Moberly; Adam and Friesen Joachim; Isadore Findlay; and finally, Lewis and Suzette Swift. Most were Metis. Except for Lewis Swift, their common language was Cree.

The remains of two Moberly homes still exist in the Park. One, along the Overlander Trail was intact until a fire swept through in 1989.

Only the ruins remain. The other home—Ewan Moberly’s—is just off Celestine Lake Road.

In an attempt to force an eviction of these families a Park Official named McLaggen was sent to appraise the settler’s buildings and holdings, and then to get them to leave the Park.

The families were moved by an Order of the Privy Council, and relocated to Grande Cache, Edson, and Hinton. In instances, they were literally escorted out of the Park by the NorthWest Mounted Police.

At the time, McLaggen made promises indicating that these families could move anywhere outside the park they desired.

James Shand Harvey, the famed Scottish-born guide and packer later wrote that he had been

Only one of the settlers living within the boundaries of the new Jasper Park was not Metis, that was Lewis Swift. Swift was born in Ohio and had taken a Metis wife before settling in the region.

The r becam by bu he’d fi

Rece MLA the 19

“The remains of two Moberly homes still exist in the Park.“ Swift wasn’t evicted. He even gained title to his land, which was well within the Park’s boundary. He was the only settler who had previously applied for homestead rights. He became Jasper’s first game warden and as such, played an official role with his former neighbours when it came to sealing and locking their abandoned homes.

Some of the families relocated to Grande Cache, settling on open Crown land. Yet government officials in the region quickly decided that they wanted the Moberlys evicted.

The Forest Supervisor for Grande Cache was frustrated because the families refused to

claim estab co-op enter sold

Stua Stua histo of Hi him k histo anot

Emai

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Metis from Jasper

S

PA20-17 GRANDE CACHE METIS VISITING JASPOER NATIONAL PARK 62 YEARS AFTER THEY LEFT THE PARK // JASPER YELLOWHEAD MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

mit to forestry bylaws, permit isions, or collection fees.

ar as the former Jasper residents concerned, they’d been given ific promises before abandoning Jasper homes. As such, they sed to recognize local authority.

resistance of Ewan Moberly me legendary. When approached ureaucrats or enforcement officers, fire rifle shots in the air.

ntly, Bob Dowling, the one-time A for Grande Cache, said back in 970s the Metis families who’d moved from Jasper to Grande Cache received a form of land tenure from the provincial government.

He explained that the land settlement at that time resolved outstanding land ms and that the agreement blished four Metis land peratives and two land rprises that could never be or taken away.

uart Taylor // art Taylor is an amateur orian and former member inton Town Council. Let know what you think of his orical features or suggest ther subject for him to cover.

il: info@thejasperlocal.com

Aseniwuche Winewak: Rocky Mountain People “I think life could be described in some ways as good, but many elders would say life was hard. Some people romanticize the traditional way of life, but the reality is people had to work very hard to live a subsistence lifestyle. Surviving took a lot of effort, it took a lot of time.”

this area. His community certainly will never forget it.

“People should know that we had our ancestors living in the Jasper area long before Jasper became Jasper Forest Park,” he said. “Our graves are still there, our cabins are still there.”

Today, like many First Nations communities, - Tom McDonald, PRESIDENT OF McDonald said the AWN faces staggering THE ASENIWUCHE WINEWAK NATION challenges, including poverty, opiate The Aseniwuche Winewak have never addiction, unsafe water and inadequate had it easy. housing. Most Albertans don’t realize the AWN have never had constitutional status— Before coal was discovered near Grande they aren’t recognized as a treaty band, Cache in the 1960s, Cree and Metis as a Metis settlement—so they’ve had communities living in that area were living in nor great getting any type of funding complete isolation from the rest of Canada. supportdifficulties from the provincial or federal Nearly six decades earlier, of course, they governments. had been evicted from lands now known as Jasper National Park. Adding to their “The standard of living in our community hardship, when Grande Cache was founded, can best be described as fourth world the Rocky Mountain People’s pastures and living conditions,” McDonald said. hayfields were bulldozed to build the town.

“We lack so many basic things other Albertans take for granted.”

Recently, the Canadian government has spurred efforts to reconcile with Canada’s But the story is not all sad, McDonald First Nations and communities such said. Out of necessity, the AWN has as the Aseniwuche Winewak have been been pragmatic—the nation owns involved in discussions about recognizing resource extraction and environmental Indigenous rights, self-determination and corporations, profits from which go land claims. Those talks are still very young, back into the community. but AWN president Tom McDonald says the conversation means a lot to his community. Furthermore, the Liberal government’s recent announcement—that it intends “This is the first time we’re sitting to implement a Recognition and down with the federal government and Implementation of Rights Framework as the actually discussing land claims. That basis for all relations between Indigenous means a lot to us,” McDonald said.

Peoples and the federal government—gives McDonald hope for the future, because it The AWN has also been involved in Jasper addresses the past.

National Park’s Aboriginal Forum. That working relationship is important, McDonald “We often hear from elders who talk about said, because not only does it mean First how people had to leave [Jasper National Peoples can begin to conduct traditional Park].” he said. “They’ve never forgotten activities in JNP, it helps remind the that’s where their families come from.”

Canadian public of the AWN’s connection to Bob Covey // @thejasperlocal.com

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page B5 // the jasper local // issue 117 // thursday, march 15, 2018

Local energy //

//GREG VAN TIGHEM IS GETTING BACK IN THE SADDLE, THIS TIME TO FAT BIKE 500 KMS ON ALBERTA’S ICE ROAD, BETWEEN FORT SMITH, NT AND FORT MCMURRAY. THE CHARITY HE IS PARTNERING WITH IS THE SHEEPDOG LODGE, A MENTAL HEALTH RETREAT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AND VETERANS. // VAL DOMAINE

Fire chief to fat bike Alberta's Ice Road Greg Van Tighem is getting back on the bike for charity.

Jasper’s fat biking Fire Chief has skirted the skinny shoulders of Route 93, traversed the transport truck-heavy Highway 16, eaten dust on Texas thoroughfares and chewed icicles on an arctic ice road, all in the name of fundraising for the fight against Multiple Sclerosis.

Now he’s staring down another ridiculous roadway from the seat of a fatbike—the ice road connecting Fort McMurray and Fort Smith, NT. Instead of raising money for MS, however, this time Van Tighem is riding for mental health— specifically, for the Sheepdog Lodge, a retreat centre near Wetaskawin, Alberta, catering specifically to first responders and military veterans.

“The Sheepdog Lodge helped my brother and a few other people I know,” Van Tighem said.

“It’s extremely beneficial. It works. People come out of it feeling better.”

Van Tighem hopes he comes out of his weeklong Great White North fundraiser feeling better—about the money he plans to raise, for one thing, but also about the increased profile he hopes to give to the Sheepdog Lodge.

“The bottom line is I’m trying to help them expand and help them make their services available to more people,” he said.

But first he has to bike 500 kilometres along a road made of ice.

“Once I plan these adventures, tie them into a fundraiser and put it out there to the public, there’s no turning back,” he said.

Van Tighem’s journey will begin in Fort Smith, a small community at the border of Alberta and the Northwest Territories. He plans to bike south to Alberta’s first settlement, Fort Chipewyan, and from there to the boom city of Fort McMurray. The journey will take him through a significant portion of Wood Buffalo National Park.

With the ice road’s melt-out beginning every year in mid to late March, Van Tighem hopes

he isn’t starting his journey too late.

“The weather and road conditions are a bit unpredictable,” he said. “If the road’s closed and no one can come in, no one is coming to get you.”

“Once I plan these adventures and put it out there to the public, there’s no turning back.””

After scoring a donated flight to Fort Smith from Northwestern Air, Van Tighem was on the phone last week talking with locals about the likelihood of ice bridges collapsing or wild bison approaching him.

“I’m not really sure what they’d do if they run into a guy on a bike,” he laughed.

As for his fellow bi-pedals who spy him while on his latest fat bike adventure, Van Tighem said he hopes people will support the cause.

A fundraiser at Wood Buffalo Brewery is planned once the chief arrives safe and sound.

“If you know someone struggling with mental health issues who’s a first responder or a veteran, spread the word,” he said.

“When you get to a place like the Sheepdog Lodge you can get away from the baggage, you can find a fresh voice.”

Donate to Van Tighem’s cause at www. sheepdoglodge.com/great-white-northfundraiser or by contacting Van Tighem directly.

Bob Covey // @thejasperlocal.com

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thursday, march 15, 2018 // issue 117 // the jasper local// page B6

local hockey //

Could the Beavers gnaw their way into the A? This hockey season has been a tumultuous swim for the Crisp Pil Beavers and as this paper goes to press, lodge members (Beavers fans, duh) are excitedly imagining a scenario wherein the team makes it back into the A Final to match up against the (dreaded) Brew Pub for the third time in four years.

A week ago, Jasper commercial league hockey watchers (bless all nine of you) would have been seasick from the intense eye rolling they would have had to do if it was suggested les Castors were going to catapult themselves into contention for the second most coveted trophy in local athletics (the first obviously being the Chilli Cook Off Cup).

But then what pie-in-the-sky Pollyanna would have predicted the team with the most bird cages in the JHL was going to come back and beat the favoured Bonestars with 1.6 seconds remaining in the second-to-last round robin game of the playoffs?

The very 13 Beav-lievers that suited up and went to battle at 9:45 p.m. on a Wednesday night, that’s who!

Full disclosure: your trusty reporter is a full fledged, fully invested, fully-paid-up member of the colony.

I played for the Beavers when the Liquor Lodge, SunDog Tours and the Bear Paw Bakery first shelled out for a rack of shiny orange jerseys almost a decade ago (thanks, sponsors!) and have strapped on my 25-year-old hand-me-down hockey equipment underneath that sweater ever since. That makes me one of the old guys on the bench, which I’m only now realizing (crap!), but it also means I have come to know that Beavers are an exciting team to see play well if only because there have been so many years of seeing them play terrible. Not like Outlaws terrible, obviously, but pretty darn bad.

For the last two seasons, however, The Beaver dam has been pretty sturdy. As mentioned, they chewed their way into the A last year by defeating the Bonestars in the semis and the first half of 2017/18 was going swimmingly until a couple of key players went down with injuries. When the beastly, brainy d-man, Jo Nadeau, took three months off for hernia surgery after too many straight sets of rolling truck tires up hills, followed by the gamecontrolling, fine wineappreciating Jacob Clarke getting his knee clipped by some asshat from the BrewPub (oops, is my bias showing?), it was clear the Beaver lodge had sprung a few critical leaks. December and January were pain-

// Pierre McGuire would call Paul Crane a Monster! Come playoffs, will The Beavers sink or swim? // Bob Covey

ful in Beaverville as the team was only getting an average of eight dudes a game and one of them was me.

Luckily, however, another one of them was a guy named Paul Crane and darn it if during those tough times Craner didn’t bend down a little, look over his shoulder, point to the number 22 on his back and say stoically to the group: “hop on boys, here we go.”

It’s hard to calculate the effect one player can have on a team, but suffice to say when seven sorry saps getting dressed in silence suddenly burst into euphoric applause as the player in question comes through the door, you know the dude’s a difference-maker. That actually happened to me once, but that was back when dressing room brews were tolerated by rink officials (RIP shower beers) and I brought the lads a two-four of Steam Whistle.

Truthfully, however (cue clichéd wrap-up), the Beavers have found a way to win not because their star players score most of their goals (although certainly that doesn’t hurt),

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but because they’ve been willing to play as a team. The d-core, including Cole Catney, the club’s most improved member (and who’s still working on his chirps) and Mike Nutt, the owner of the team’s most impressive moustache (and who should probably stop with the chirps), have been moving the puck aggressively. The Hutterite-bearded Clayton Gagnon and collar-popping Tahlon Sweenie have provided skill down the middle while Webb Bousquet, who like any farm boy from Ontario can be forgiven for wanting to get his jollies out on the ski hill after moving west, is looking like his old self, that is: a farm boy from Ontario.

It wasn’t an easy journalistic choice to naval gaze so shamelessly, but with a 6-5 comeback win against the B-Stars still coursing through my creaky body and the thought of landing in the A Final still a possibility for les Castors, it’s been like that time I drank from a stagnant creek while camping—what I mean here kids is the beaver fever is real! bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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thursday, March 15, 2018 // ISSUE 117

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JASPER’S RYAN TITCHENER TAKES THE LAST STEPS BEFORE TOPPING OUT ON THE 2,612 METRE PEAK OF MARMOT BASIN. TWENTY MONTHS AGO, THE APPRENTICE MOUNTAIN GUIDE BROKE HIS BACK IN A FREAK CLIMBING ACCIDENT. DOCTORS SAID HE MAY NEVER WALK AGAIN. GETTING BACK ON THE PEAK WAS THE MOST RECENT ACHIEVEMENT IN HIS REMARKABLE RECOVERY. THE 33-YEAR-OLD BECAME THE FIRST SIT SKIER TO MAKE TRACKS OFF MARMOT’S HIGHEST SKIABLE POINT. WATCH FOR THE VIDEO DOCUMENTING THIS LATEST CHAPTER TO DROP SOON. // CHRIS TOBIAS

Tourism Jasper floats outdoor stage concept Tourism Jasper wants to build the community a stage.

drawings show a wooden inlay ceiling covering a concrete stage and a decorative plaza surrounding the structure.

James Jackson, Tourism Jasper’s General Manager, told Jasper municipal council as much March 12. During a committee of the whole meeting, Jackson outlined Tourism Jasper’s proposal to build an $800,000 community outdoor stage, 75 per cent of which will be paid for by funders already on board, including CN Rail.

“We envision a well-designed space where the community can come together to collaborate,” Jackson said. “From folk festivals to summer camps.”

Jackson presented a concept which would see a multipurpose, outdoor stage built on the exchange lands.

The scalable venue could accommodate small or large performances, would include theatrical lighting, integrated heaters and an outdoor speaker system. Conceptual design

Councillors were, overall, in favour of the proposal.

The cost would be covered largely by donors, including a $300,000 commitment from CN and $200,000 promised to Tourism Jasper from other funders should they secure the “We want to be involved with the community,” Jackson remaining $100,000. Jackson suggested this money should said. “Tourism Jasper’s motivation for this is strictly for the be available through grant funding. community’s benefit.”

“It’s possible, but not guaranteed,” CAO Mark Fercho said.

“I think the project is promising, I’m encouraging municipal staff to work with you guys,” said councillor Scott Wilson. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com