The Jasper Local December 1, 2018

a lt e r n at i v e +

LOCAL + independent

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saturday, december 1, 2018 // ISSUE 134

SPRAY JOB // ART JACKSON WAS GLIDING GLORIOUSLY ON PYRAMID LAKE IN LATE NOVEMBER. PARKS CANADA ADVISES 6 INCHES OF ICE TO SKATE ON LOCAL LAKES // BC

Outdoor stage to honour local railroader's legacy In 1977, Vena joined CN as a brakeman and worked out of Jasper for seven years. He continued to rise in the ranks at CN, eventually being appointed Executive Vice President The Municipality of Jasper and Tourism Jasper announced and Chief Operating Officer in February 2013. Vena retired from CN in 2016. on November 22 that a new community stage, which will help transform Commemoration Park into a focal point for The $800,000 facility will be an open-air, multi-purpose, outdoor festivals, ceremonies and public events, will be scalable venue which will be able to accommodate small called CN Place and the Jim Vena Stage. or large performances. It will include theatrical lights, integrated heaters and an outdoor speaker system.

“We took a look at what Jasper needed, what it lacked,

An exciting future public facility in Jasper will take its name from a local with a storied past.

and what was possible and came up with the concept for a community stage,” said James Jackson, Tourism Jasper’s General Manager. “[This will be] a place that Jasper’s cultural community can be put on display.”

Jackson said Tourism Jasper hopes to break ground on the new facility next year.

In recognition of CN’s shared history with Jasper, the venue will be named after long time CN employee, Jim Vena.

“The big thing is the municipality isn’t contributing anything,” he said. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

CN is paying for the bulk of the costs. James emphasized MOJ would not be on the hook for any expenses.

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page A2 // the jasper local // issue 134 // saturday, december 1, 2018

editorial //

Local Vocal Since my wife and I became parents, we’ve become fairly regular users of the Jasper Aquatic Centre.

I never used to like swimming much, but with a two-year-old, it’s totally different. Cora and I move from the shallow pool to the plunge pool to the lap pool to the hot tub. She likes to see how many toy boats she can fit on a flutter board while I try my best to enforce the house rules on behalf of the lifeguards (“Sorry sweetie, no pool noodles outside of swim lessons!”). It’s a great facility, and the best part is, on most days, we’ve practically got the place to ourselves.

That’s good, because Cora likes to hide in the coin-operated lockers, and when it comes to the pool’s flock of rubber duckies, she’s got a bit of a hoarding problem.

Having the run of the place is great for our swimming experience, but since council has entered into budget discussions, the fact that my $7.32 drop-in user fee probably doesn’t go too far in covering staff wages, the heating of the pools, operating the lights, the water pumps and whatever other overhead costs the Aquatic Centre incurs everyday, has become a bit more top-of-mind.

In Jasper, we have these large rec facilities which are meant to accommodate a great many more people than would normally use them, were we not an international tourism destination. That’s great when visitors are here‚ and can buoy revenues with a boost in user fees, but there’s no doubt who shoulders the bulk of the load: the residential and commercial ratepayers of Jasper.

And its not just the pool. Curlers—all 125 of them—have an amazing facility that is undeniably expensive, for a community of 5,000 residents, to maintain. Same goes for our arena, our bouldering wall and our fitness facility.

These are community assets which operate at a significant loss because we simply don’t have the population to generate a critical mass of users, and thereby user fees.

What am I getting at? Well, only that Jasper is going to be an ever-more pricey place to live if we want to continue to swim, curl, skate and pump iron like we’ve been doing since these facilities were built. Either that, or we start working with our local politicians to make some hard decisions on where and how to cut costs or increase revenues.

I beg of you, however, don’t start charging for rubber duckies. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

What kind of eco lobbyist are you, anyway?

Dear Editor, While I was waiting for my shopping wife in Jasper I started reading your paper.

The write up on Canfor doing some pine beetle logging to clean up wildfire hazard was interesting (Local Vocal, November 15).

Being from B.C. and around the bush all my life, I was surprised you thought rubber tires in the bush made less of a mess than tracks.

Why would you say something so wrong?

Forestry has been using big track machines for decades to minimize the mess, ruts and water drainage damage tires cause.

I particularly didn’t like you using your post to put out Fake News that Canfor and the loggers have it all wrong, when in fact it is you that have it all wrong.

You know, it is mistakes like that which have created the huge credibility problem the established media are facing.

It is all fine and good to expect the best environmental management possible, no problem there at all, and the press has a part to play.

But the tipping point is when it becomes obvious the press, and their assumed saintliness, might just be a bigger problem for the environment.

You should go talk to those loggers and apologize, and have some respect.

I wish more people would speak up when they know you need help, otherwise all you hear back is from people that you share your bathwater with, and that is not healthy at all.

Lee Sexsmith, Prince George, B.C.

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 covey......................................................................... nicole@thejasperlocal.com Advertising + sales

Email us today...........................................................................ads@thejasperlocal.com cartoonist

Deke.................................................................................................deke@thejasperlocal.com

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@thejasperlocal

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//budget

saturday, december 1, 2018 // issue 134 // the jasper local// page A3

heavenly harmonies//The Jasper Community Choir hosts their annual holiday concert December 9, 7 p.m. at the Jasper United Church. // Simone Heinrich

Budget 2019: Council gets ready to get real Jasper councillors faced with enormous borrowing requests to fix and replace aging infrastructure are asking municipal administrators to prioritize the community’s needs.

Administrators are reporting it will cost more than $13 million to fund capital improvements at the Jasper Arena, Activity Centre and Aquatic Centre over the next five years.

“We’re faced with the cost of having to do something about these facilities,” CAO Mark Fercho said. “Services don’t change, revenues don’t change but costs go up because we have to take a loan to service these facilities.”

Most of the figures used in the 2019-2023 proposed operating and capital budgets regarding the recreational facilities come from a detailed assessment presented to council in 2016. That document outlines a laundry list of deficiencies in terms of operational condition, compliance to the Alberta Building Code and suitability of the existing facilities for the programs and functions hosted there.

“The spike in visitation in recent years reveals that those oversized facilities are suffering the effects of aging and over-use, and are in need of major refurbishment or replacement,” said Christine Nadon, Legislative Services Manager, through a recent press release.

Record visitor numbers have put a heavy toll on other departments, too. The proposed budgets reflect the heavy demands placed

on municipal staff to maintain appropriate standards of garbage collection, recycling, water provision, sewer collection, bylaw enforcement, emergency response and other municipal services.

While reviewing the five-year budget, councillors will also wrestle with the 2019 forecast.

The total proposed tax-funded budget increase for next year is $199,939, or a 2.6 per cent increase in taxes. Utility-funded services are proposed to increase by $130,622 (3.2 per cent).

But the five year look-ahead was what was really troubling councillors. Councillor Scott Wilson suggested the group would have to start making unpopular decisions. He asked Culture and Recreation Director Yvonne McNabb about the viability of the curling rink, for example.

“What is the payoff of this investment?” he asked.

Councillors, who will review and discuss the proposed figures in the coming weeks and months, admitted feeling overwhelmed with the numbers.

“We simply cannot deal with all of this,” said Mayor Richard Ireland. “Besides being overwhelming and beyond our capacity, it’s not going to work with the taxpayers.”

Councillor Jenna McGrath asked staff to delineate necessities and items which are more dispensable. Councillor Rico Damota agreed.

“We’re getting faced with harder and harder decisions,” he said. “We’re going to have to cut services at some point.” bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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page B1 // the jasper local // issue 134 // saturday, december 1, 2018

Local cycling //

3 MITTEN LINE Pick a mitten from a mitten line at the Jasper Activity Centre, Parent Link, or the Library & Cultural Centre.

Purchase the items listed on it.

Return your gifts & the mitten to one of the above locations by Dec. 14.

Santas Anonymous Jasper AB santa@town.jasper.ab.ca

WAYS TO SUPPORT SANTAS ANONYMOUS

SHOP LOCAL Buy items with Santas stickers on them, then leave the items at the till for pick up.

Participating stores: Friends of Jasper, the General Store, RX Drug Mart & Pharmasave.

Sponsor holiday food for an individual or a family at TGP.

DONATE CASH Cash is the most versatile & allows us to buy exactly what is needed.

Deliver cash, cheque or gift card donations to 627 Patricia Street, Monday to Friday 9am-4:30pm.

Send e-transfer donations to jct@jaspercommunityteam.ca

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Local mountain culture //

saturday, december 1, 2018 // issue 134 // the jasper local// page B2

GHASTLY GIVING //COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICES WORKERS, TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY AND FAMILY SERVICES STAFF, DONNED THEIR BEST/WORST UGLY SWEATERS TO PROMOTE THE ONGOING SANTAS ANONYMOUS CAMPAIGN. ON DECEMBER 14, COS IS CHALLENGING JASPERITES TO DO THE SAME WHILE LAYING DOWN A DONATION TO THE FUNDRAISER. OTHER SANTAS ANONYMOUS INITIATIVES INCLUDE THE WORLD TREE LIGHTING IN ROBSON PARK ON DECEMBER 7 AND THE SKATE WITH SANTA DAY AT MILDRED LAKE DECEMBER 16. CHECK OUT THE MITTEN LINE IN THE JASPER ACTIVITY CENTRE, PARENT LINK OR LIBRARY AND SHOP AT LOCAL SANTAS ANONYMOUS RETAILERS AND CHOOSE ITEMS SELECTED BY THE SA COMMITTEE. THE PROGRAM HELPS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE A JOYOUS HOLIDAY. // BOB COVEY

Campfires meet TED Talks: Night of Lies returns award winner; while another is a mountain culture history expert. The combination of presenting personalities, all coming Welcome to the Night of Lies. together under the raucous roof of the The evening where dubious yet NOL brand, will resonate with audiences distinguished mountain characters cook respectively looking to learn, laugh and let up a coarse combination of campfire loose, Darrah said. chronicles and TED Talks, is back for a “Laughing through potential tragedy is second instalment. helpful, it’s healing,” she said.

Rockaboo Mountain Adventures’ Lisa The event has Darrah is the energetic organizer behind roots in the Bow the event. She’s keeping the slate of Valley but last year speakers close to her chest but promises a diverse line up with one thing in common: travelled north to Jasper where local they’ll all be uniquely entertaining. speakers such as “This is not your typical story-telling evening,” Darrah said. “It might get dark. It Steve Blake, Ryan Titchener and Deryl might get dirty.”

Kelly had the crowd While Darrah wasn’t coming clean with her alternately gasping, lineup of orators, she did offer a few clues: crying and cringing. one speaker is an acclaimed author who This year, Darrah overcame drug addiction before finding hopes to keep the new waterfall routes in the Rockies; another irreverence factor is an ultra athlete who used to kick asses high. But there’s on Winnipeg’s skid row before kicking a good cause at ass in the world’s toughest marathons. work, too: NOL is A third is a Piolet d’Or mountaineering Saucy stories, trumped-up tales and fantastical fabrications.

a fundraiser for the Kees Brenninkmeyer Foundation—a non-profit resource for alpine industry professionals seeking orthopaedic medical care.

Night of Lies keeps the oral tradition alive on December 3 at 7 p.m. at Four Peaks Nightclub. Find out if there are tickets still available via Facebook. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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page b3+B4 // the jasper local // issue 134 // saturday, december 1, 2018

FEATURE // STORY AND PHOTOS BY BOB COVEY

CLUNKERS WELCO ICE WITH THE JA JALOPY: AN OLD, DILAPIDATED AND OFTEN DAMAGED VEHICLE IN A BARELY FUNCTIONAL STATE. Hockey in Jasper is a mixed bag at the best of times—every team, no matter what level, has a motley collection of players with varying degrees of skills, ambition and temperaments.

Nowhere is the bag more mixed, however, than at the twice weekly dropin ice time organized by the Jasper Jalopies.

While competitive games are entertaining to watch and organized hockey can be a wonderful place for

kids to learn about teamwork and fair play, the true beauty of the sport is most readily found on the shinny rink. This is where kids of all ages come together, throw their sticks in the middle to create teams and form fast friendships over the excitement of a developing play or a shared hockey moment.

Jalopies takes to the ice in the spirit of shinny: $20 buys admission for an hour and a half of ice time, shared with whoever shows up, no matter what the players’ experience, skillset or commitment level. You’re a former major junior player whose job on the railroad limits your time to stretch your legs? Show us what you got. You played minor hockey 20 years ago but got into metal as a teen and haven’t skated since? Come get back into it. You’re an Aussie ex-pat whose only experience with ice has been to cool your cocktail? Welcome, mate.

All ages, all genders, all levels.

That’s the Jalopy way. Sure, you might be lining up against the Bongs’ top three forwards while your right winger still has his skate guards on, but by the time the buzzer rings that line-mate might well have invited you to stop by the restaurant he owns where you’ll be introduced to a whole new fraternity of friends.

At least that’s what happened with Adam Hvisc, a relatively new Jasper transplant who found

footing into the comm skating with Jalopies “Within a handful of Jalopies, I felt more w Hvisc says. “I couldn help but think I cracked some magica small town code.”

Code? Maybe.

Camaraderie, more likely. Hockey at the pick-up level gives participants the chance to cut through a wide crosssection of normally ri A quick scan of a typi bench includes an accountant, a public safety specialist, two cooks, a biologist, a CNer, a snowboard instructor, a heavy equipment operator, a land use planner, a drywaller, a helicopter pilot and an out-of-work raft guide. Almost as diverse as their job titles are the home nations of those present: besides Canada, Jalopies have regular representation from England, Czech,

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OME: TAKING THE ASPER JALOPIES

munity via his s. outings with the welcome in Jasper,” n’t

Mexico, Australia and Greece.

Some of them, like Tristan Tomkins, had never skated before joining Jalopies. A year ago, the Englishman was getting lessons on what order to put his al equipment on. This past ““Within a handful of Tuesday, Tomkins potted outings with the Jalopies his first goal. And then a few shifts later, he got I felt more welcome in another.

Jasper.”

“I should have had a hatty but choked on the igid social circles. shot,” he laughed. ical Jalopies Therein is the essence

of Jalopies—it takes a certain amount of stick-to-itness to get over the hump, but once you bag that goal (or assist, or poke-check) bragging rights are all yours. In its own, testosterone-laden kind of way, Jalopies hockey might not be nice to watch, but it is indeed nurturing. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

Jalopies hit the ice every Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. and every Thursday at 9:30 p.m.

Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

TOLFA Law Office & EED

Barristers | Solicitors | Notaries

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780 852-2242

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780 865-1070

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page B5 // the jasper local //issue 134 // saturday, december 1, 2018

local community //

Turning a bad decision into a learning experience For the longest time, Terry Neufeld has been a truck guy.

“I love to drive,” the 30-year Jasper local said. “I haven’t driven since May, and I miss it, big time.”

Neufeld, 49-years-old, isn’t behind the wheel of his beloved pickup these days because in the spring, he was charged with impaired driving. Neufeld was drinking beer at a slowpitch game, had another at a local bar, and then got in his truck to head home.

Before he could do so, however, the police stopped him. Local RCMP members tested his bloodalcohol content with a breathalyzer and discovered he was over the limit. Neufeld was taken into custody, where he had his mugshot and fingerprints recorded and was informed of an impending day in court to face the charges.

At first, Neufeld was mad at the police.

“I thought ‘how dare they wreck my life?’” he said.

“For the longest time, I hated the cops.”

But gradually, he came to accept his responsibility in the incident. What helped him change his perspective was a one-day mandatory course for individuals who have been charged with impaired driving. The course, called Planning Ahead, helped him see that it was his own fault that he was facing criminal charges, increased insurance costs and all sorts of other financial and social burdens.

Moreover, taking the course showed him that, considering what could have happened, he got off lightly.

“I met people who injured other people, injured themselves and worse,” he said. “That was eyeopening.”

Now, Neufeld is telling his story so that he can open other people’s eyes. He hopes people who might find themselves in a similar situation will think twice.

MOVING FORWARD //TERRY NEUFELD WAS CHARGED WITH IMPAIRED DRIVING. NEUFELD WANTS TO SHARE HIS STORY SO OTHERS WON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE. // BOB COVEY

“[Driving impaired] is so easy to avoid,” he said.

“It’s so easy to plan ahead. Because if you don’t, and something happens, your whole world can come crashing apart.”

Neufeld works in the transportation industry. Since the incident, he’s been assigned duties which don’t require driving. The fact that he was able to keep his job is not something he takes for granted.

benefitted, too). Even more impactful, however, was when he got a call from his son, who lives in Salmon Arm. “He said ‘when are you coming to visit?’”

““I met people who injured other people, injured themselves and worse, that was eye-opening.”

“Ninety per cent of the people in the driving industry would lose their job on the spot,” he said. “I keep reminding myself how lucky I am.”

He’s had other reminders, too.

Since he lost his license, Neufeld bikes and walks everywhere, giving him newfound appreciation for how easy it is to keep the vehicle in the driveway (his waistline has

With inspiration from his course, he’s planning to do so—albeit, with an alternate driver. Same thing with checking in on his aging mom in Saskatchewan.

“If anything happens, I have a plan,” he said. “One phone call and away we go.”

While the impaired driving charge has cost him a lot financially, and even more emotionally, Neufeld says when it’s all said and done, he’s glad to have lived through the experience. He needed a hard lesson when it came to driving after having a drink, he said, and even if his story convinces one person to call a cab, it’s worth telling publicly.

“If I could go back in time and change things, I wouldn’t,” he says. “Because of the learning experience of this, because of the new perspective I have, I want to share this with other people.

“I’ve learned to accept blame and accept the consequences. The weight that’s off of my shoulders because of that feels unbelievable.” bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF TREES FUNDRAISER IS BACK AT THE JASPER MUSEUM. THE SILENT AUCTION FUNDRAISER WILL HAVE A RECEPTION DEC 6 AT 7 P.M. AND DOZENS OF DECORATED TREES WILL REMAIN ON DISPLAY UNTIL DECEMBER 15. // B COVEY

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local hockey //

saturday, december 1, 2018 // issue 134 // the jasper local// page B6

Junior A hockey league taking aim at Jasper

The Western States Hockey League wants to come to Jasper National Park.

The U.S.-based league, which this year expanded into Canada with four franchises in its Western Provinces division, thinks Jasper and Junior A hockey could be a perfect match.

collegiate hockey ranks through its “Western States Shootout,” an annual all-league showcase held every December in Las Vegas.

The event attracts scouts from teams all over North America looking to bolster their rosters for the following season.

“Junior A fundamentally exists to move players to the next level,” Prue said. “Players play full time.

They’re looking for scholarships.”

“It’s a natural,” said Derek Prue, director of international expansion for the WPHA. “Jasper In the meantime, the community gets to watch high level hockey is the right size, you’ve got a and enjoy the fruits of being a captive audience with folks sports town. coming off “It becomes of the ski hill a community and from a thing, these recruiting “Jasper is the right players spend a standpoint, size, you’ve got a lot of time doing Jasper’s a other things in dream.” captive audience with the community In fact, the folks coming off of and it’s good WPHA was for local minor the ski hill and from a trying to hockey, too,” make inroads recruiting standpoint, Prue said. into this

Jasper’s a dream.”

Prue is aware of community Jasper’s unique last year, but challenges— there wasn’t namely, our enough time tight housing market. With teams to negotiate an arena lease, Prue reliant on out-of-town players said. He said the league is in planning mode for 2019/2020, and forming the roster, billeting may be harder to arrange here than in has its sites set on Jasper.

Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, for “We definitely plan on having example.

Jasper in the division next year,” he said. “We’re looking at what a potential ownership group may look like.”

Prue says the league is prepared to come up with unique solutions if it has to.

On November 11, the Jasper Arena hosted the Hinton Wildcats as they played the Seattle Totems.

Despite the lopsided score (Seattle won 10-5), Prue and other league officials were impressed by the turnout. The near-sellout crowd tipped the scales for Prue, he said.

“In the worst case scenario we’d reach out to an adjacent community,” he said. “Hinton has 15 billet families on the wait list and 45 minutes isn’t an unreasonable commute.”

of moving players onto the

b covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

Prue, who has played and coached hockey at the junior and professional level, is “That definitely renewed interest,” excited to move forward with lease negotiations with he said.

Jasper Arena managers. He’s Prue is confident an ownership committed to getting a Junior group will step forward, however, A team in Jasper by next year. in the event that doesn’t happen, the league is prepared to manage “Once we know we want to be in a market we go ahead and start the franchise, he said. This is the that up,” he said. current case in Cold Lake. Most teams, he said, are run at a profit. If readers have questions about Junior A hockey in hockey “Franchises increase in value in Jasper or would like to based on their business model indicate their interest in getting and local sponsorship,” he said. involved, reach out to Prue The WSHL is a league primarily known for being a stepping stone via email, derek@wpha.ca or through the WPHA website, for young hockey players and www.wpha.ca. has a successful track record

SPEED FINES DOUBLE IN PLAY ZONES// JASPER ATOM BEARCATS PLAYERS TOOK PART IN A SKILLS COMPETITION NOVEMBER 24 WHICH INCLUDED A FASTEST SKATING DRILL, JUDGED WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY BY JASPER RCMP MEMBER CPL TIBOR LICHTER, WHO BROUGHT HIS RADAR GUN TO THE RINK. THE EXPANSION OF THE WSHL JUNIOR A LEAGE TO JASPER NEXT YEAR WOULD HAVE POSITIVE IMPACTS ON LOCAL MINOR HOCKEY PROGRAMS, SAY LEAGUE OFFICIALS. // BOB COVEY

"BECAUSE IT'S CHRISTMAS"