Jasper thrilled and impressed the Communities in Bloom (CiB) judges on July 20, when they received a personal tour of the town.

The day kicked off with a welcoming reception at Robson House on Patricia Street, where members of the community introduced themselves to judges Gerry Teahen and Diane Clasen. After the informal welcome, the tour began with a walk through Jasper’s downtown attractions such as the Jasper the Bear statue, the brand new Two Brothers Totem Pole, the train station and the Mile Zero rock project. 

From there the judges were taken on a whirlwind tour that Clasen said gave them a great impression of the community. They toured the community gardens, library, Yellowhead Apartments, had a session on FireSmart from Parks Canada’s fire and vegetation specialist Alan Westhaver and more. 

Teahen had nothing but kind words to say about Jasper. His first impression was a tidy, clean community that must be welcoming to the two million tourists that come through every year. 

Clasen was surprised at how Jasper is able to be as clean as it is with so many visitors passing through on a daily basis. 

“I’m amazed at how many people are coming through here, and how clean it is,” Clasen said. “When you’re the next person coming through, it’s like you’re the first person coming through.”

Teahen complimented the many great volunteers that helped out the CiB committee, and those that he saw around town participating in a variety of activities. Clasen enjoyed the passion shown by Jasper’s long-time residents. 

Teahen said he enjoyed how people decorated their businesses and worked to preserve heritage buildings. 

“They [the community] are identifying that they need to preserve the past as well as the future,” he said. 

Clasen agreed that Jasper has done an excellent job of preserving its heritage buildings. 

“You’re celebrating your heritage here, and you’re also looking forward to your future.”

Clasen, who lives in Raleigh, N.C., said the decorations helped the businesses promote themselves. A gardener herself, Clasen really enjoyed the community gardens on Connaught Dr. and the ones located at the Yellowhead Apartments. 

“They’re outstanding,” she said. She commended the community gardens, but loved the idea of Yellowhead Apartments following suit and having their own. 

“That’s an important part of community,” Clasen said.

The visible location that allows people to view and ask questions of gardeners, and the donation of two plots to the local food bank were the two stand-out traits for Clasen about the gardens on Connaught Dr. The gardener said it’s important that more organic foods are being eaten, and the community garden is a great way to achieve that. 

Teahen complimented the number of ongoing projects that “will be a great addition to the overall visibility.” He noticed the use of walking and bikes as a big part of the community. 

“That’s certainly encouraging from an environmental point of view,” Teahen said, adding that the underpass was a great addition to encourage walking and biking. 

One of the favourite parts of the tour for both judges was the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Teahen especially enjoyed the beautiful gold course, and hopes to be able to come back and play a few rounds in the future. Clasen also enjoyed JPL, calling the visit “overwhelming.” Teahen loved the idea of skating on Lake Mildred in the winter, and said it was a great addition to the many wonderful activities Jasper has to offer.

One of the greatest things Clasen noticed was the community composting and kitchen waste disposal programs. 

“If you have a garden you can get compost from the municipality,” she said. Clasen has seen similar programs before, but was happy to hear that many Jasperites were taking advantage of it. 

The judges are visiting eight different communities with a few days off in between. They will finish up on Aug. 11. 

“It’s a nice trip,” Teahen said. 

Clasen is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. There her garden was voted in the top 10 gardens in the city. She has spent many hours volunteering and got involved in the America in Bloom program which led to her signing on as a judge.

Teahen said he got involved through his own community of St. Mary’s, Ont., where he helped get the CiB program implemented. He loved the program and applied to be a judge to become more involved. 

“I love judging, I think it’s great,” he said. 

Teahen enjoys meeting people and exploring other communities, while telling everyone about his own. 

“We think we have to go to another country to have a great experience,” he said. “Rather than going away, visit Canada.”

Teahen said that although there is ultimately a winner in the competition, it really isn’t about who comes out on top. 

“We’re not talking about winning and losing,” he said. “It’s not about winning.”

Teahen said that he gets to discover little gems in the different communities he visits, and gets to boast about the neat things in St. Mary’s along the way. 

“How many people know that the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame is in St. Mary’s?” he said. “We [Canadian towns] have those amenities that many people don’t know and don’t realize.”

Jasper will find out how they fared at the National Awards Ceremony in Quebec City, Que. on Oct. 29. Gerry Lettner, Jasper’s CiB co-ordinator, said there is no word yet on whether a representative from Jasper will attend.