The Jasper Local November 15 2016 by The Jasper Local

a lt e r n at i v e +

LOCAL + independent

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thejasperlocal.com

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tuesday, november 15, 2016 // ISSUE 85

STILL WATERS RUN DEEP // JASMINE LIANG TRIES HER LUCK FLYFISHING ON THE ATHABASCA RIVER NOVEMBER 6. WARM WEATHER AND THE RE-OPENED SEASON HAVE BECKONED ANGLERS OF ALL STRIPES. // BOB COVEY

Park technicians rescue lost, exhausted party Two climbers who activated their emergency satellite messenger devices on the Columbia Icefields were brought down to safety by Parks Canada public safety technicians on November 4. The men were exhausted and one was suffering from mountain sickness—a condition caused by reduced air pressure and lower oxygen levels at high altitudes, according to Parks Canada spokesperson Steve Young. The other member of the party was in good health. The party had become disoriented while retreating from the Athabasca Glacier. Fatigued and worried they were becoming more exposed to hazard, the pair decided to sound the alarm.

Satellite messenger devices have GPS chips which determine a user’s location; preselected messages (“SOS,” or “We’re OK,” for example) send communications to satellites, which relay the distress call to appropriate public safety networks. In this instance, rescue technicians could identify the party’s location. Because of the potential serac and crevasse hazards in the area, they were concerned that one or both of the party members were injured. As such, a team of six was deployed, in the event there was significant load-hauling involved. The team was called out at approximately 10:30 p.m. to investigate the distress call. The team had the party down from the glacier safely at approximately 3 a.m. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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page A2 // the jasper local // issue 85 // tuesday, november 15, 2016

editorial //

Local Vocal In 1965, when Jagger and Richards wrote the smash hit “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” it would have been highly

unlikely that anybody believed they were composing a song about the lack of municipal services in their hometown of Kent, England. That, friends, was a clumsy way into an editorial about the Municipality’s Residential Satisfaction Survey. Ta-da! You’re two paragraphs in! Since you’re here, bear with me. I swear there’s a point. First, however, I have a series of rhetorical questions to pose: How do you make a survey on town services sexy? Other than outright trickery (see paragraph one), how do you entice a significant number of people to engage with a document on municipal performance? Finally, how do you ensure that residents will take 10 minutes out of their day to not only fill out the form, but do so in a thoughtful manner so that the information provided is useful? No takers? Fine, I’ll field these queries myself: I think the answers lie in a combination of thickly applied citizen-guilt, a convincing arguement as Dear Editor, experience and history of the to the lesser of two forms of drudgery and…wait for Page Program and explore Each year, 40 students are it…prizes of a practical, workaday nature. the opportunity to be at the selected from high schools First, the guilt. Listen up: By ignoring your survey, centre of the action. Should and CEGEPs across Canada fellow resident and would-be-productive citizen, you be interested in being one to come to Ottawa to work you are shirking your duties as a responsible of the 40 Pages please go to: as Pages in the House of ratepayer. That’s right. Burn. I’m sure your pocket Commons. Pages have the parl.gc.ca/Employment/ protector is quivering at the very thought. opportunity to learn about House/PageProgram/PP_ If that doesn’t send you sprinting to your desktop, the House of Commons while ApplyProcess-e.htm consider that by completing your municipal witnessing the legislative The deadline for the ‘2017-18 survey, you (arguably) have a free pass to skip the process first hand. Page Program’ is December 5, November 28-29 public budget meetings. You’ve Those hired as Pages work on 2016. done your duty, now the night is yours! Instead a part-time basis during their Jim Eglinski, MP – of watching mayor and council crunch numbers, first year of study at one of the Yellowhead maybe you’ll connect a few more pieces on that universities in the National __________________ 1,000 piece puzzle you’ve got sitting in the study! We love letters! Please Capital Region. Ooh, you’re a wild one. send notes our way! I invite you to explore this site letters@thejasperlocal.com Finally, the last ditch attempt: By completing the and learn about the unique survey, you could win a bunch of pool or gym passes, The Jasper Local // Jasper’s independent alternative newspaper Christmas party tickets or up to $150 off your water 780.852.9474 • thejasperlocal.com • po box 2046, jasper ab, t0e 1e0 bill! Umm, hooray? Not that I’m turning my nose up at the chance to save a bunch of cash, but has Published on the 1st and 15th of each month there been a more appropriately-boring prize pack / Publisher in the history of raffles? I’d rather win a freezer-burnt Editor Bob Covey.................................................................................... bob@thejasperlocal.com Cornish game hen at the Legion’s meat draw! Art Director Perhaps I’m being too sassy. Doing one’s civic Nicole Gaboury.................................................................. nicole@thejasperlocal.com duty isn’t supposed to be exciting (said no U.S. Advertising + sales sydnee makowichuk...................................................... sydnee@thejasperlocal.com Republican ever in 2016). However, the point of this goofy rant (I told you I’d get there) is this: cartoonist complete the survey! Because if you don’t sit down Deke.................................................................................................deke@thejasperlocal.com and make yourself heard, you won’t have a leg to facebook.com/thejasperlocal @thejasperlocal stand on when it comes time to complain.

Page program a unique opportunity

bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

Local government //

tuesday, november 15, 2016 // issue 85 // the jasper local// page A3

Survey says: MOJ looking for feedback

The Municipality of Jasper wants to know: are you satisfied?

Jasperites are being encouraged to complete the 2016 Residential Satisfaction Survey. The results will help guide municipal council and staff during the 2017 budget deliberations on November 28 and 29, said Communications Manager Christine Nadon. “The idea is to gather feedback on what residents think are valuable services— what they want and how satisfied they are,” Nadon said. The online survey—which takes about 10 minutes to complete—inquires about residents’ general quality of life in Jasper before drilling down into more specific details. Staff are looking for performance reviews not only on longstanding departments and services such as fire protection and culture and recreation, but asking for feedback on the summer’s various pilot programs, such as the busking initiative and Jasper’s experiment with sidewalk seating. Parents wanting to weigh in on whether or not—and how, exactly—the Wildflowers Childcare Centre should start providing meals to kids should log on before the November 23 cutoff. Ditto for folks lobbying on their teenagers’ behalf to improve the skatepark (the survey is designed for ages 18-and-up). Bylaw services are put under the survey microscope, as are Community Dinners, tennis courts and planter boxes. Would you maintain MOJ’s snow removal services, cut them, or improve them? And if you’re going to make them better, how do you propose MOJ earns revenue? From taxes or user-fees? “This is an opportunity to provide your input in and participate in the budget process,” Nadon said. Not only is the survey critical for councillors looking for budget-crunching direction, the document is also a chance

// Welcome wagon // Amy West is MOJ’s newest staff member. The 29-year-old native of Picture Butte, AB has been a firefighter for nearly 12 years, having joined her hometown department on her 18th birthday. You could say it runs in the family: her dad’s a former chief and both of her brothers ride on the big engine, too. Hitting the ground running in the brand new assistant fire chief/training role, West will eventually share the command with Chief Greg Van Tighem and Deputy Chief Don Smith. “It’s an exciting career,” West says. “It’s always growing and changing, and constantly presenting new challenges.” // Bob Covey

to remind Jasperites of the services their income tax (or rent money) supports. Respondents can leave their anonymous praise or condemnation about those services they forgot the municipality provides (does the Library and Cultural Centre ring a bell?). And if you’re part of a small but passionate user group (tennis, anyone?), best speak up. “We have lots of services that are very important to small groups in the community,” Nadon explained. The survey is online at www.jasperalberta.com. Paper copies can be picked up at most municipal facilities. As incentive to fill the survey out, the municipality will enter names of those who complete the survey into a prize draw. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

page B1 // the jasper local // issue 85 // tuesday, november 15, 2016

Local research //

JNP's approach to consultation flawed: researcher A researcher at York University has penned a highly critical paper of Jasper National Park’s Aboriginal consultation processes. In her article for York’s Department of Geography, PhD candidate Megan Youdelis argues that instead of empowering exiled First Nations communities, Parks Canada’s approach to reconciliation further entrenches colonial-capitalist power dynamics and reinforces existing inequalities. “There are a lot of gestures in Jasper but it’s a one way street,” Youdelis said. “Reconciliation can’t be dictated by one party.”

to delve into how First Nations communities are consulted on the aforementioned projects in the park. As she researched the methods used by Parks Canada to improve consultations with First Nations, she became increasingly convinced that not only were many First Nations communities dissatisfied with how they were consulted and how their input was applied, but that the entire power structure was flawed, in that by accepting the terms imposed by the federal government, First Nations are admitting the Crown has sovereign rights to bestow benefits on them.

“Philosophically, that’s a backwards way to think about it,” Youdelis said. “First Nations were “Reconciliation can’t be sovereign nations before the Crown.”

In 2014, Youdelis came to Jasper to look at the dictated by one party.” influence of Putting that corporate interests larger issue aside, on public policy Youdelis said the decisions. She bi-annual Aboriginal Forum—created was looking at developments such as Brewster in 2006 to help re-integrate First Canada’s Glacier Skywalk and the proposed Nations into the park and improve (and ultimately rejected) 66-room hotel at Indigenous engagement in park Maligne Lake. She was investigating how planning and decision making— power is distributed in these decision-making lacks organization and meaningful processes, especially in light of strong public engagement. Speaking to groups sentiment against the projects. that have participated in the Forums, While she was investigating how corporate interests affect public policy, Youdelis decided

Youdelis found that many First Nations communities felt ignored, disconnected and felt that their presence was cursory.

MEGAN YOUDELIS, A PHD CANDIDATE FROM YORK UNIVERSITY, HAS PUBLISHED A PAPER THAT SUGGESTS FIRST NATION MEMBERS OF PARKS CANADA’S ABORIGINAL FORUM FELT UNHEARD AND CURSORY. // FILE

“Some felt they had no voice, that [Parks Canada] said ‘OK we’ll talk to you once a year because we have to,’” Youdelis said. Part of the challenge for Parks Canada when it comes to consultation with First Nations and Métis groups, Youdelis acknowledged, is the large number of stakeholder communities involved (there are more than 20). However, charges that Parks Canada used the Forum to inform groups of developments on their traditional territories, in lieu of proper, one-on-one consultation, were common. “We just felt it was really inappropriate that the Forum be used for consultation. They’ve always been adamant that it’s not, but it was starting to shake out that way,” a member of the Aseniwuche Winewak Nation (AWN) told Youdelis. These problems, inevitably,

led to some groups feeling left out. Moreover, most First Nations groups Youdelis talked to said that even if their input was recorded, it was treated as superfluous. “With the Skywalk…we went in there frustrated and we left even more frustrated,” a member of the Confederation of Treaty Six Nations told Youdelis. “It’s really sad when you know that all that’s happening is they’re going to ask us for the sake of asking. Just so they can give the appearance of ‘Yeah, we asked them.’’’ Not all First Nations communities interviewed by Youdelis felt this way: respondents from the Alexis Sioux Nakota Nation and Sucker Creek First Nation sought out, and were given, one-on-one consultation meetings, specifically on the Skywalk development. However, these positive reports were the exception, not the rule. For the most part, the onus was placed on First Nations to come forward to request individual consultations. “[That] removes accountability from JNP and represents a loose interpretation of the Crown’s Duty to Consult,” Youdelis writes. Along with First Nations members of the Aboriginal Forum, Youdelis interviewed upper park management officials, including former CAO of Parks Canada, Alan Latourelle. The Jasper Local will attempt to get a response from Parks Canada. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

tuesday, november 15, 2016 // issue 85 // the jasper local// page B2

Local environment//

Shining a light on solar energy you were laughed out of the room,” Uyeda said.

Paul Uyeda has had a lot of jobs in Jasper, but as far as job satisfaction goes, his new gig outshines them all.

Jasperite Candice Davis can relate to that attitude. Her father, Cliff, was skeptical when she told him she wanted to put solar panels on her home. But after Uyeda— who had his hair cut by Cliff for 20 years—explained how PV modules work, the solar skeptic had turned into a solar supporter.

Harnessing the power of the sun will do that, apparently. “I’m not a treehugger by any stretch,” Uyeda says from behind dark sunglasses while sipping a coffee. “But when I do this work I’ve never had more job satisfaction.”

ELECTRICIAN PAUL UYEDA HAS INSTALLED SOLAR MODULES ON CANDICE DAVIS’ PATRICIA STREET HOME. UYEDA WILL HOST AN EDUCATIONAL DISCUSSION ON SOLAR POWER AT THE LEGION ON NOVEMBER 19. // B COVEY

Twenty-six years ago, Uyeda worked in tourism transportation. Next, he got into hotels. After a lengthy stint working his way up the corporate ladder he decided, with the help of three friends, to change gears and become an electrician.

Now, 10 years later, he’s specializing in solar module installations. More than endorsing the services of the Edmonton-based company that he works for, however, Uyeda wants to get the word out that transitioning to solar power isn’t as difficult, expensive, or complicated as people might think. “There are a lot of myths out there,” Uyeda says. “But once it’s explained you start to ask: ‘why isn’t everybody doing this?’” Uyeda loves to talk solar modules—or photo voltaic (PV) modules, for those in the biz. He revels in the details of how many kilowatthours a particular home could produce and loves discussing the emerging green economy in Canada. He knows the mere consideration of alternative energy raises eyebrows in oil-happy

Alberta, but sitting in 15-degree sunshine on November 11, Uyeda believes the time is right to start discussing in earnest the tangible measures Albertans can take to help combat global warming. “I think it’s important for the country as a whole,” he said. “We can’t keep relying on fossil fuels.” To spark that conversation in Jasper, on November 19, Uyeda and fellow red seal electrician Randall Benson are hosting Solar and Beers, an informal and informative discussion about solar power systems. Speaking within an Alberta context, they’ll cover everything from the technology itself, to the permitting process, to the surprisingly numerous options homeowners have for buying their power in Jasper. They want people to make better-informed decisions. “People ask ‘why don’t we know about this?’ But in 40 years of talking about energy if you didn’t have coal, oil or gas in the conversation

Looking up at her roof, where Uyeda has installed nearly two dozen solar panels for an eight kW system, Candice said solar just makes sense.

“It seems like the most obvious choice,” she said, eyeing her garage roof where she plans to install the next set of panels. In Alberta, where the price of natural gas-fired electricity is presently extremely low, Uyeda admits that the cost-recovery angle of solar can be a tough sell. Even though with a microgenerator, anything not consumed can be sold back to the power provider, there is a noticeable gap between investment and cost recovery as the Alberta government works on creating renewable energy incentives for residential and commercial systems (as it has for farms and First Nations communities). Regardless, for most early adopters, Uyeda says, a big part of the reason they’re moving to solar is because it feels like the right thing to do. Which is exactly why he’s in it. Uyeda and Benson will host Solar and Beers at The Jasper Legion on November 19, 7-9 p.m. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

Municipality of Jasper

Resident Satisfaction Survey 2016 Which services do you value? Are you satisfied with them? The Municipality of Jasper is asking for your input on municipal priorities and services to support upcoming budget discussions.

Complete the survey on our website or pick up a paper copy at municipal facilities Complete the survey and enter a draw to win: • • • •

One of five 10-punch passes for the Fitness Centre; One of five 10-punch passes for the Aquatic Centre; A pair of tickets for the Community Christmas Party; or 50% off your next residential water and sewer bill.

Survey open until November 23. Respondents must be at least 18 years of age and reside in Jasper.

www.jasper-alberta.com

page b3+B4 // the jasper local // issue 85 // tuesday, november 15, 2016

LOCAL FEATURE // STORY BY BOB COVEY // PHOTOS BY SIMONE HEIN

Bearing Witness

In a little more than a decade, Simone Heinrich has gone from awestruck nature watcher to dedicated wildlife photographer. Just don’t call her Crazy Bear Lady!

Thirteen years ago, if you asked Simone Heinrich to describe what she loved most about Jasper, she’d tell you it was watching wildlife— particularly bears.

The German ex-pat came to Jasper in 2003 and got a job at Maligne Lake; a dream-come-true for a wildlife lover like Heinrich. “I remember thinking ‘This is amazing,’” she said about that first summer in Jasper. “I’m surrounded by moose, bears and incredible scenery.” When she wasn’t working in the ticket office or sharing interpretive information with German

tourists, Heinrich was snapping pictures with her point-and-shoot film camera. The results, however, were often disappointing. “I had taken pictures of a black bear and its cubs but when I went to get the film developed they were all underexposed,” she laughed. “I thought ‘maybe there’s some technique to this.’” More than a decade later, Heinrich’s technique has improved markedly—as has her equipment. What hasn’t changed, however, is her love for photographing bears. “The cubs are just so unbelievably cute,” she said. “I could just sit there and watch them play all day.” Indeed, when Heinrich takes a holiday, more often than not it’s with furry friends in mind. Three times she’s photographed grizzlies in Alaska, she’s snapped sloths (not really a bear, but just as cute) in Costa Rica and most recently, captured polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba. “They snooze a lot,” she said of the huge white bears. “But when they “Sometimes you get start to move around, you rewarded, sometimes it might not work out” can’t believe how agile they are.”

//POLAR BEARS OUTSIDE OF CHURCHILL, MANITOBA // SIMONE HEINRICH

It’s not that much different than the routine of a wildlife photographer, where the difference between a series of stunning shots and an empty memory card can be a photographer’s willingness to wait around. Heinrich says that besides learning the capabilities of one’s camera, capturing that perfect shot takes an incredible amount of patience. “Sometimes you get rewarded, sometimes it might not work out,” she said.

//BABY BLACK BEAR PLAYING IN A JASPER MEADOW // SIMONE HEINRICH

The first time her photography patience paid off was a rainy day in the spring. She had a tip that there had been grizzlies spotted on the Marmot Basin road, but it took some time for her to locate them. The bears weren’t up to much, and she didn’t have much of a shot through the trees. Suddenly, there was movement. The next thing Heinrich knew, three bears were standing up on their hind legs, like ballerina dancers in graceful unison. She was so

feature //

NRICH

make her own amigos—fellow photographers. Soon she was soaking up tips and making plans for photography trips outside of Jasper National Park. It was with people she met while waiting for wildlife at the side of the road, that she planned her polar bear expedition. Her Alaska adventures originated in a similar way. Now she takes annual photography excursions with photographers from all over Canada and the U.S.

// SIMONE HEINRICH IS AT HOME WITH HER CAMERA BY HER SIDE. SIMONE’S WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY IS AVAILABLE FOR SALE, AND SHE JUST LAUNCHED HER 2017 CALENDAR IN TIME FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. // SUBMITTED

While Heinrich will shoot tens of thousands of wildlife photographs this year, only a fraction of those photos will rise to the top and qualify as something extra special. Typically, the common denominator in those five star images are what Heinrich calls the “story” of a photo. It might be an animal’s expression, something unique about the way it’s posing or simply an overload of cuteness, but whatever it is, it tells a story. “It needs to have that special moment,” she says. “Anyone can take a photo but it’s special when the photo tells the story of the moment.”

As far as Heinrich’s own moments, a recent photograph on her Instagram feed tells the story of where she’s at right now. The photo is a closeup of her face, tightly wrapped in a fur-lined parka, with a bright pink wool toque under the hood. Her green //NUZZLING GRIZZLIES NOT TOO FAR FROM WHERE SIMONE FIRST EXPERIENCED JASPER’S WILDLIFE. // SIMONE HEINRICH eyes are squinting against an obviously biting cold and the white, barren landscape in the startled she almost forgot to press the shutter. background indicates there’s no respite from the “I didn’t realize they did that,” she recalled. wind. Despite the frigid scene, it’s Heinrich’s smile When she showed the photograph to her friends that dominates the image: you know her camera is and colleagues, she understood she had something close by and there are bears to photograph. special. For that reason, there’s no place she’d rather be. Not long after her encounter with the bears she’d dub “The Three Amigos,” Heinrich started to

Bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

page B5 // the jasper local // issue 85 // tuesday, november 15, 2016

Local health//

Battling stigma, continuing the conversation J9 Sparkle Foundation planners decided to branch out.

A group of Jasperites are rekindling a storytelling tradition during a time of year when a little community spirit goes a long way.

“We want to stay in touch with all demographics,” Nunes said. “We want to come together with events that are inviting and open to all.”

November is usually a bit of a down month in Jasper. Business is slow, the park’s summer attractions have shut down and the snow has yet to accumulate in slidable quantities. It’s also a time when people susceptible to depression can experience acute symptoms.

Writing Through It will be hosted by local scribe and deep thinker, Janeen Keelan. Trauma-Sensitive Yoga will be led by yogi and artist Alisen Charlton. Spaghetti and Stories will be hosted by the unflappable Christopher Read. The theme of the story telling event is “Things That Happen in the Dark.”

“This is a time when seasonal affective disorder can be prevalent,” said Lourdes Nunes, a local RMT and health professional. To combat those forces, to help remember a fallen friend and to shine a light into the blackness that represents the stigma of mental illness, Nunes and members of the J9 Sparkle Foundation are hosting A Day For Mental Health. On November 20, events will include Writing Through It, an expressive writing/journaling workshop to help reduce the emotional and physical events of trauma; Trauma-Sensitive Yoga, a 90-minute yoga class incorporating simple postures, breathing techniques, and body awareness exercises in a safe space; and Spaghetti and Stories,

MORNING GLORY // ON NOVEMBER 20, LOURDES NUNES AND THE J9 SPARKLE FOUNDATION WILL COME TOGETHER FOR A DAY FOR MENTAL HEALTH, A CULMINATION OF WORKSHOPS AND STORIES TO REDUCE THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS. SHE WEARS A BOA IN MEMORY OF HER FRIEND JEANINE D’ANTONIO. // B COVEY

an evening of homestyle cooking “This isn’t an easy time to deal and homespun with it,” she said. entertainment to “And the upcoming help ward off the ‘‘This is a time when holidays don’t winter blues. make it any easier seasonal affective for people living Nunes says disorder can be away from home.” everyone can

prevalent" be vulnerable A Day For Mental to bouts of Health began as loneliness and an idea to emulate depression. Recognizing that the the highly successful StoryNight battle gets more difficult during events organized by parents of the onset of winter is part of local sports teams. Wanting to reducing the stigma, she said. make the day more participatory,

Nunes said that the more we talk about mental health, the easier it becomes to address mental illness.

“We aren’t expected to just suck it up when we have cancer or diabetes,” she said. “Why should we be expected to do that when it comes to depression and anxiety?” A Day For Mental Health takes place November 20 at The Jasper Legion, starting with the Write Through It workshop at 10:30 a.m. See Facebook or j9sparkle.com for details. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

Taking the plunge: Local submerged in lacustrine lunacy It’s six o’clock and getting dark. The mid-November sun has already dipped behind Pyramid Mountain. the wind has picked up, and the temperature hovers around five degrees Celsius. “Conditions are not ideal” Ethan Brunt says begrudgingly as he strips down to his underwear. A few short steps later, Brunt wades into Patricia Lake. Then, steeling his nerve, he dives in. After a brief moment, Brunt resurfaces. He then commences 15 strokes out towards the middle of the lake. He returns just as quickly, triumphant.

20 lakes by the end of July; as such, he increased his goal to 30. Then came the rain. “The last 10 have been a lot harder to complete,” Brunt admits. At Herbert Lake, in the pouring rain and surrounded by umbrella-toting tourists, Brunt stripped down and jumped in. “People told me I was crazy,” he laughed. Crazy-determined! Despite the occasional reed-wading, leech bites and regularly having his sanity questioned by honking cars and passersby, Brunt was committed. With or without friends by his side, he splashes in mountain waters not just for the bragging rights, but for the beneficial health effects.

To Brunt, as far as the drill’s rejuvenating effects, five Last summer, Brunt hiked EVENING SHIFT // JASPER’S ETHAN BRUNT DOVE INTO 30 DIFFERENT MOUNTAIN LAKES THIS SUMMER. IT’S strokes out and in is “better A RECORD AS FAR AS WE KNOW. NEXT YEAR HE’S DETERMINED TO BREAK IT. // SUBMITTED up Whistler mountain and than coffee.” Leaping in lakes was amazed by the number “truly makes you feel alive,” he counts as swimming if you take 10 strokes, that of local lakes visible from the says. Having met his challenge by checking means five strokes out and five strokes in.” top. Inspired, he set a goal of swimming in 10 off dips at Patricia and Talbot Lakes (well after By solstice of 2016 his goal was complete, but different waterbodies, but by the end of the the first fall frost, mind you), Brunt is looking the swimming season was not. As such, Brunt season had only managed a measly four. This forward to planning his next swimming season: increased his goal to taking the plunge into year, in early spring, Brunt pledged to redouble in 2017 he hopes to jump into 100 different 20 pristine pools. Exploring remote locations his efforts. bodies of water! such as the Fryatt valley enabled him to reach “The rule I created for myself is that it only FERN YIP // info@thejasperlocal.com “Woohoo! Thirty lakes!”

tuesday, november 15, 2016 // issue 85 // the jasper local// page B6

Local history //

Pocahontas: Coal Mining in Jasper National Park

Trunk Pacific laid track up the Valley. (The Pocahontas coal was too crumbly to burn in locomotives, but it was suitable for powering ships during the First World War. It burned with very little smoke.)

The town of Pocahontas used to be just inside Jasper National Park. It was a mining town near the turn-off to Miette Hot Springs, where Pocahontas Bungalows are located today.

There were water taps in the street and modern electric lights. Some people kept a few cows and chickens. In the evenings, the miners and their families would sit on their porches or visit in the street. Punchbowl Falls was a favourite place. Many would go by horseback or walk up the Fiddle Valley to soak at the hot springs.

// JASPER YELLOWHEAD MUSEUM & ARCHIVES

Many would go by horseback or walk up the Fiddle Valley to soak at the hot springs. The Pocahontas post office opened in 1911, and closed in 1937. It was named after a coal town in Virginia, which had in turn been named after the Indian princess. The earliest postmaster was a fellow named Chadwick. The last postmaster was Robert Stone. The town had as many as 300 people at one time.

The town had soccer and baseball teams that travelled to Jasper and Brule to compete. The train that travelled between Jasper and Pocahontas was called the “The Bed Bug Flyer”. // // JASPER YELLOWHEAD MUSEUM & ARCHIVES

In the early 1920s, the mine closed—low market prices and poor quality of coal were the causes. Since then, no further mining has ever been allowed in the park. The original mine entrance has been sealed, but can still be identified.

There was an upper town and lower town. At the lower town you could find a tipple (for loading coal cars), power house, mine and post office, and a playing field. The upper town is where you could find the homes—about 70 of them. Workers used to walk up and down a covered stairway that reached from the Upper Town to Punchbowl Falls. There was a church, school, telegraph office, and even an RCMP post. Today, if you walk the Coal Mine Trail you’ll pass some old buildings and abandoned concrete foundations. The first coal claim in the area was filed in 1908. Work started on the mine by 1910, with supplies packed over the Old Jasper Trail. In 1910, Grand

Service Directory

// // JASPER YELLOWHEAD MUSEUM & ARCHIVES

Stuart Taylor // Stuart Taylor is an amateur historian and member of Hinton Town Council. Let him know what you think of his historical features or suggest another subject for him to cover. Email: info@thejasperlocal.com