Ok Jasper, this is your opportunity.

The draft sustainability plan has been released by the municipality. Based on the concepts that the town should be a green, tourism-based mountain town with a high standard of living with an effective governance model, it has laid the framework for the future of the town. It is the most important document the municipality has produced, and will affect residents and visitors alike.

Town staff and working group models have worked hard to produce a relatively clear and concise document that the community is now able to pick apart. The plan definitely has a strong environmental streak and several action items, however there are questions if it goes far enough.

The document also begins the debate on the transfer of land use powers from Parks Canada to the municipality. While there are many instances in which Parks and the town work well together, such as with the implementation of the Firesmart program, Jasper has long felt handcuffed by the lack of land use powers. It is only one of two municipalities in the country that need approval from Ottawa for simple land legislation. Banff, which has had its bumps along the way, opted for land use planning powers, resulting in varying levels of success.

But the plan has now been thrown to the public, and there is much to debate. Is perpetually affordable housing, a model of home ownership that caps price appreciation, truly the way to go? Should the town widen its commercial base? Is it prudent to believe the town will only grow to a size of 4900 in 30 years? Where will a push to create a more pedestrian-friendly town end up? Is paid parking really something Jasper wants? Does the town want/need a cultural centre? Should we have elk in town?

These are all in the plan, and if any of these questions cause you to worry, quick, pick it up or attend the public meeting on Oct. 28 at the Jasper Activity Centre.

There have been a number of construction projects in the town over the past year, but the plans outlined in the draft sustainability plan will do more to shape the community than a summer’s worth of work. It’s about what sort of town Jasperites want to live in. 

Take some time, pick up the plan and let the municipality know what you think. It’s called participatory democracy, and it may just save a headache or two over the next 30 years.