Newsletter aims to connect youth 

Copies of the inaugural issue of The Skinny, a bi-monthly newsletter targeted at Jasper’s young adult population, hit the streets on Aug. 8.

The newsletter is one of six proposed resolutions intended to promote community connectedness and curb late-night crime. Its goal is to “promote a healthy lifestyle and pro-social behaviour, and maybe encourage a little bit of reading at the same time,” said young adult outreach worker Ryan Verge. 

The free, eight-page, letter-sized publication was distributed to businesses around town that would set copies out on their counters. “It’s for people in staff accommodations, or people at work, or if they’re in coffee shops,” Verge said. “We want it to be handy so they can take a peek at it.”

The municipality is funding the project at a price tag of $15,000, or $9,000 to start and $1,000 a month for six months, according to the report of recommended resolutions compiled by municipal manager George Krefting.

The resolutions are intended to address the Patricia Street “predicament,” or issues such as vandalism and noise caused primarily by bar-going young adults. The proposed solutions were presented in a report following two community consultation meetings earlier this summer.

The report read: “A newsletter presents an opportune venue to increase education and awareness, address life-stage specific health and safety issues, create, develop and advertise volunteer opportunities for young adults to get involved in their community, publicize a social marketing campaign and publish an alternative (to the bar) social events calendar.”

Community Outreach Services is overseeing the project, with Bob Covey of the Community Action Team as the general editor. 

“We’re including as many human service organizations as we can like HIV West Yellowhead and Friends of Jasper National Park,” Verge said, adding that submissions are welcome. “Hopefully the word will get around once people see the first issue and they’ll be interested in contributing in some way.”

The first issue contains a feature interview, recipe, event guide, and list of volunteer opportunities. It also includes a column called “peak of the week,” which is about tackling area mountains, and freak of the week, which profiles an adventurous local athlete.

A young woman, who asked not to be named, is working in a local restaurant for the summer and seemed excited about the newsletter. “Oh, I’ve seen him around,” she said, pointing to a photo and story about resident Charlie Finley. 

“Honestly it’s awesome, because I come here and obviously want to do a lot of stuff, and it’s kind of like an update,” the 18-year-old said.

Verge said that’s the response he’d like to get. “We’re just hoping that people will get involved in some of these activities going on in town.” The next activity planned by Community Outreach is a social safety fair at Jasper Park Lodge on Aug. 19.

Though a number of summer workers will leave town over the next few months as the tourist season subsides and students head back to school, Verge said production will continue. “Our audience will be more targeted toward the Marmot (Basin) crew when they come,” he said. “There’s always going to be young people in our town, so hopefully we can keep it going.”

The Skinny’s audience will likely comprise both temporary and long-term Jasperites. “The main target is young adults for sure, but we’re not going to limit it to that,” Verge said, adding the term “young adult” refers to people between the ages of 18 and 35. “I hope everyone picks it up and looks at it.” 

Updates for the other Patricia Street resolutions were provided at the town council meeting on Aug. 5. The RCMP will go ahead with the Citizens on Patrol initiative once it gets enough volunteer support and has recruited additional guards to allow members more time to perform their enforcement duties. Attempts to have more officers stationed in Jasper are ongoing.

The Alberta Liquor and Gaming inspection branch has been cooperative and responded to the town’s request for increased inspections, and council has not received a response regarding its suggestion that bar owners voluntarily amend hours of operation and restrict off-sales.