There appears to be a disconnect between the municipality and the public these days. Issues and programs trotted out by the town are subject to backlash, as the flow of communication between the public and council is fragmented.

Somewhere between idea and execution, something is lost in translation.

Who is out of touch?

The municipality points to the draft community sustainability plan (remember that) as a sign of community consultation, which is expected to be passed soon. The plan identifies a number of key priorities and directions for the town, and is based on community ideas and public feedback. There were ample opportunities for the townspeople to participate and help shape the direction of the town and many participated, creating an interesting document.

But twice last week, priorities identified in the sustainability plan received large opposition.

Increasing bike usage was generally supported in the sustainability plan. It decreases carbon emissions, promotes a healthy lifestyle and reduces traffic congestion. This was easy to support in the sustainability plan. However once the program became a $600,000 proposal without consulting with bike shop owners, it quickly crumbled. One could argue the pedestrian underpass also falls into this category. The townspeople support plans that encourage ease of connectivity for cyclists, runners and walkers, but when the pricetag comes in, the community is divided. Coming out of a recession, the public is painfully aware of the need for fiscal responsibility.

More community gardens are called for in the sustainability plan, but again the town heard a backlash. While some of the opposition appears to be based on confusing information regarding the size and scope of the project, almost 100 people signed a petition to stop a proposal for a small garden, citing loss of green space and playground space. Once again, the community sustainability plan, based on the will of the people, called for more community gardens. But implementation and communication breakdowns mean it is unlikely shovels will be in the ground this summer. 

The community sustainability plan lays out a blueprint for the community. But execution is up to the municipality and many of those who did not participate in the process could be in for more rude awakenings in the coming years, unless a better dialogue is fostered.

But even participation in the process does not guarantee results. Some segments of the population who did participate were ignored. Most notably, a group of high school students who attended many, many meetings advocating a youth centre were completely shut out when the draft plan was released. Young citizens of Jasper who chose to engage in a planning process to shape their community saw no progress. A frustrating sight indeed. 

While the municipality must figure out better ways to engage the public, community members must take advantage of opportunities to stay involved and help turn Jasper into a place they want to live. Many governments secretly grumble about the tyranny of the majority and the split personalities that emerge. But that’s democracy.  The individual or special interest group may at times propose backwards ideas, but as a collective, there is no better source of knowledge than the public.