Public consultation. It’s never open and shut, and the process rarely shapes out the same twice.

One of the most determining factors on how an information session plays out is the amount of people that are paying attention. When that information involves the living conditions of our seniors, you can usually count on a good turnout. Such was the case on May 29, when a scrupulous group listened attentively and queried intently for almost two straight hours. Most heads in the room were adorned with white fluffy hair, but that’s only natural (the white hair too): those people are the most immediately affected by the changes Evergreen has afoot for long term care in Jasper. 

However, that’s not to say that these particular citizens didn’t have anything better to do — it was noted that those who choose to get themselves informed rather than sit around and wonder why no one’s telling them what’s happening are inevitably always more up to speed.

But the encouraging thing about this information meeting was that those who came to get informed, left that way, and those who were supposed to do the informing, showed up.

Donna Grier, director of health for Aspen, was open about her board’s message: Aspen doesn’t compromise its health care centres; and so too was she accountable in telling the few nurses who showed up (another good sign) that no, she didn’t have all the answers — specifically with regards to the union question. Negotiations in that regard are still a year away, Grier surmised.

Evergreens had representation from executive director Dennis Puchailo, who showed himself capable of thoughtfully responding to questions both pointed and vague, and the municipality’s commendable representation from all departments concerned — including four members of council — proved that there was a desire to stay on the level with its taxpayers, and hopefully set a few rumours at bay in the meantime (like where long term care patients will stay during the building process). Parks also showed up in case there were any questions regarding land use or right to reside policy — which there were.

The format wherein mayor Richard Ireland asked questions on behalf of Janet Barker and thereby on behalf of a larger network of seniors, worked diplomatically, even if Ireland’s stepping in was by chance (Barker was ill). By methodically going through a long list of questions that Barker had prepared, Ireland got a sense of just how enlightened his constituents were on this project, as well as he got a good sense of the all-important details for his own, and council’s, benefit. And councillor Gloria Kongsrud made it clear she wants people to know she’s accessible. She’s a phone call away, she emphasized.

The only grievance that was palpable at the end of the meeting had to do with how the darned thing is going to look — there has been much speculation on how the designated assisted living units, the lodge units, the Aspen health unit and the Cottage Clinic will all fit on that parcel — and what services will be slotted where. 

What’s bothering some seniors is that they can’t see the plans as the blueprint is being conceived — it’s a design-build construction method, and the best design hasn’t been drafted yet, let alone been given the go-ahead. That’s supposed to come in late August, Puchailo said. His confidence that the plans will exceed people’s expectations wasn’t condescending; he is proud of the Evergreens facility that passed similar scrutiny in Grande Cache.

Still, the seniors’ trepidation is understandable; it’s only natural to want to see the car before you buy it.

Unfortunately, they’re going to have to wait, and so are the doctors, the nurses and the rest of the staff, all of whom by the end of this project will have tested their skills in this department. They’re trusting that Evergreens and Aspen’s track records merit their faith; trying to change Jasper’s long term care for the better is a gamble mostly because what’s in place now is highly revered.

Unlike other public projects that have failed to shake Jasperites out of their apathy (see the Activity Centre renovations, up until very recently), the Evergreens project has a lot of people tuning in on their own initiative — albeit there was little representation from anybody that wouldn’t see the possibility of living there themselves in the foreseeable future.

For now, it’s a heavy weight off many seniors’ shoulders to have some of their most urgent questions answered and be able to put a few faces to a few names, should they want to phone someone up with additional questions.

Councillors, who will be the most obvious link for seniors and any other concerned Jasperite, are encouraging it.