OUT Jasper co-ordinator Abner Brown recently spent the afternoon showing OUT TV why Jasper is his favourite place. 

The TV station, out of Vancouver, contacted Brown in February to film an episode of their show Favourite Places, which tours towns and cities that are welcoming to LGBTQ communities throughout Canada. Jasper was the only small town on the TV station’s route – the other cities filmed for the next season included Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton. Brown got to show Jasper to the film crew over a gruelling 12-hour day of shooting, where he toured places that mean something to him. Brown’s choices were Pyramid Lake, Alpine Village, Coco’s Cafe and the HIV West Yellowhead office. 

“Jasper just fits in with the lifestyle that I like,” Brown said. 

He enjoyed getting to show off Jasper to a camera regardless of his or anyone else’s sexuality. OUT TV tries to choose places that have a budding LGBTQ community – just like Jasper. 

“People don’t really judge too much and let people be [in Jasper],” Brown said. “I guess we have enough space.”

With so many unique people coming to enjoy Jasper, Brown said it makes for a great place to be open and accepted. 

“It’s the diversity of Jasper that makes it so great to live here,” he said. 

The episode doesn’t air until February, but Brown is happy with the timeline, as it falls into the same month as Jasper’s pride weekend. He hopes to have a premiere during the weekend if the episode is available in time. OUT TV is available on all satellite providers, but the episode will also be posted online at www.outtv.ca

The episode will put Jasper into the spotlight, and possibly encourage LGBTQ travellers to see Jasper as a potential destination where they can be open. 

“I think it’ll definitely boost Jasper to the LGBTQ population,” Brown said. “It’ll really highlight what a gem Jasper is.”