Jasper National Park turns 100 in less than a year, and organizers are already laying the foundations for a party to remember.

“We’ve been finding that there’s a lot of buzz about it ... I think people are really looking forward to a big celebration,” said Susan Cesco of the Friends of Jasper National Park. Cesco has been working with Parks Canada to develop a steering committee that will define the major themes and events to be celebrated as Jasper marks the centenary of the foundation of the park.

“It’s still in the developmental stage,” she said. “We’re really close to getting a steering committee organized.” 

Cesco wants to include a broad range of groups in the planning process.

“We’d like to go out to the community and collaborate with businesses and individuals who have been in town for a long time, as well as people who are new,” she said. “We’re putting together the general plan without getting too far along, so that the community can be involved in planning.”

Friends would like to see several different themes emphasized over the course of 2007, including the evolution of conservation, the history of tourism, the railroad and a celebration of Jasper’s natural environment. 

“Of course, we’re open to other ideas,” Cesco said. “We have dedicated some staff to this and we are refocusing our programs so that they will have a centennial theme.”

Cesco feels that the enthusiastic response she has received from others in the community, when combined with the fact that planning is taking place well in advance, augurs well for an impressive series of celebrations.

“I’ve heard people say that they want to make sure that it’s a monumental event,” she said. In addition to any activities that take place during the centennial year, the organization is also planning for an enduring legacy project. 

After a poaching incident in the park led to a $10,000 court-ordered donation to the Friends of Jasper, there is some money in the bank.

“It will be something physical, or involvement with a project like the Cavell Meadows restoration,” Cesco said. “We don’t know exactly what it’s going to be and we’re looking for suggestions from our members.”

Tangible legacies are also a priority for Parks Canada itself, said Gisele Danis, the outgoing communications manager for the federal agency.

“We have discussed legacy projects,” she said. “We want the community to now identify some of the legacy things we might be able to do.”

Parks administrators are behind the push to plan a memorable 2007 in honour of the park, she added.

“There was a big desire to celebrate Jasper’s 100th for quite some time now ... what I wanted to do was secure that Parks is behind this and values celebrating and marking this huge event.”

That commitment has been made, with Parks dedicating a part-time staff position to lead the steering committee. The body should be struck by the end of this month, Danis said.

“We’ll get the committee set and then proceed with the strategy, branding and so on but we’ve got to do that as a committee.”

As for Parks’ priorities for the celebrations, Danis said that an emphasis will be placed on revealing some of what goes on behind the scenes.

“We want to mark the 100th celebration by reinforcing that Jasper is part of a family of national parks,” she said. “We want to bring back the wow of these places, tell some stories that people didn’t know and take people behind the scenes with our science and research.”

With groups such as Jasper Tourism and Commerce set to participate in the planning process, Danis realizes that increasing visitation and promotion of Jasper as a destination will be a prioirty. 

“Bottom line, the goal is to raise awareness of national parks and some of the challenges of managing them too,” she said.

“We need to make 2007 a year that we’ll never forget.”

While the centennial will be an occasion to reflect on the past, Danis believes that it should be a time to look ahead as well. 

“We need to ask how are we going to stand out as a community in 10, 50, 100 years ... what are we going to do to get there as a model community of environmental stewards?”

Danis emphasizes that while it is the park that is celebrating an anniversary, the decisions about how to mark that occasion are to be made by the community as a whole.

“Parks doesn’t want to make any decisions alone,” she said. Right now it’s just getting ourselves together before we could go out in the community and put it out there and say who wants to be a part of this?

“For Parks Canada we want this to create new learning opportunities and to strengthen relationships. We’re all going to be able to bond together and have one message for this community.”

Krista Rodger of Jasper Tourism and Commerce said that having that unified message will help market Jasper around the world during 2007.

“It certainly gives us an opportunity to increase traffic but it also gives us the chance to reinforce a message for people who come here a lot and to celebrate the 100 years.”

Rodger is looking forward to working with the other groups and individuals on the committee.

“There’s always challenges in creating new events ... from monetary resources and for volunteer resources,” she said. “It’s good to get people thinking about it.”

A wide variety of groups will need to be consulted as part of the process, Rodger said.

“Depending on what you’re wanting to celebrate, you need to bring in the seniors and other smaller groups as well.”

Another body with an active interest in the planning process is the Municipality of Jasper. 

“We’ve discussed it internally in council,” said Mayor Richard Ireland. “It’s the type of thing we would like to be involved with.”

2005 was the Alberta Centennial and Ireland pointed to several projects that will have a lasting, positive impact on the community. 

“There were some communities that went all out and I’m not sure that was appropriate for Jasper,” Ireland said of the fact that Jasper did not have a  major one-off celebration to mark the centennial. Instead, the town tried to focus on projects that would have a long-term impact on the community, like the Jasper Photo Project and the Town Perimeter Trail.

“These were somewhat ‘behind the scenes’ projects,” Ireland said. “The Photo Project wasn’t a big splashy thing but you don’t always need splashy things ... the town trail is a lasting thing that the community will always be able to enjoy.”

Construction on the town trail was not specifically supported by centennial funds, but council had hoped to be able to incorporate its opening into a centennial celebration.

“The season just ran out,” Ireland said.

The group preparing for the 2007 centenary are determined to avoid time running out on their plans.

“What we’re really happy about is that we’re out of the gate early. It’s a year in advance so we’re on target. This is good,” said Danis. 

After a poaching incident in the park led to a $10,000 court-ordered donation to the Friends of Jasper, there is some money in the bank.

“It will be something physical, or involvement with a project like the Cavell Meadows restoration,” Cesco said. “We don’t know exactly what it’s going to be and we’re looking for suggestions from our members.”

Tangible legacies are also a priority for Parks Canada itself, said Gisele Danis, the outgoing communications manager for the federal agency.

“We have discussed legacy projects,” she said. “We want the community to now identify some of the legacy things we might be able to do.”

Parks administrators are behind the push to plan a memorable 2007 in honour of the park, she added.

“There was a big desire to celebrate Jasper’s 100th for quite some time now ... what I wanted to do was secure that Parks is behind this and values celebrating and marking this huge event.”

That commitment has been made, with Parks dedicating a part-time staff position to lead the steering committee. The body should be struck by the end of this month, Danis said.

“We’ll get the committee set and then proceed with the strategy, branding and so on but we’ve got to do that as a committee.”

As for Parks’ priorities for the celebrations, Danis said that an emphasis will be placed on revealing some of what goes on behind the scenes.

“We want to mark the 100th celebration by reinforcing that Jasper is part of a family of national parks,” she said. “We want to bring back the wow of these places, tell some stories that people didn’t know and take people behind the scenes with our science and research.”

With groups such as Jasper Tourism and Commerce set to participate in the planning process, Danis realizes that increasing visitation and promotion of Jasper as a destination will be a prioirty. 

“Bottom line, the goal is to raise awareness of national parks and some of the challenges of managing them too,” she said.

“We need to make 2007 a year that we’ll never forget.”

While the centennial will be an occasion to reflect on the past, Danis believes that it should be a time to look ahead as well. 

“We need to ask how are we going to stand out as a community in 10, 50, 100 years ... what are we going to do to get there as a model community of environmental stewards?”

Danis emphasizes that while it is the park that is celebrating an anniversary, the decisions about how to mark that occasion are to be made by the community as a whole.

“Parks doesn’t want to make any decisions alone,” she said. Right now it’s just getting ourselves together before we could go out in the community and put it out there and say who wants to be a part of this?

“For Parks Canada we want this to create new learning opportunities and to strengthen relationships. We’re all going to be able to bond together and have one message for this community.”

Krista Rodger of Jasper Tourism and Commerce said that having that unified message will help market Jasper around the world during 2007.

“It certainly gives us an opportunity to increase traffic but it also gives us the chance to reinforce a message for people who come here a lot and to celebrate the 100 years.”

Rodger is looking forward to working with the other groups and individuals on the committee.

“There’s always challenges in creating new events ... from monetary resources and for volunteer resources,” she said. “It’s good to get people thinking about it.”

A wide variety of groups will need to be consulted as part of the process, Rodger said.

“Depending on what you’re wanting to celebrate, you need to bring in the seniors and other smaller groups as well.”

Another body with an active interest in the planning process is the Municipality of Jasper. 

“We’ve discussed it internally in council,” said Mayor Richard Ireland. “It’s the type of thing we would like to be involved with.”

2005 was the Alberta Centennial and Ireland pointed to several projects that will have a lasting, positive impact on the community. 

“There were some communities that went all out and I’m not sure that was appropriate for Jasper,” Ireland said of the fact that Jasper did not have a  major one-off celebration to mark the centennial. Instead, the town tried to focus on projects that would have a long-term impact on the community, like the Jasper Photo Project and the Town Perimeter Trail.

“These were somewhat ‘behind the scenes’ projects,” Ireland said. “The Photo Project wasn’t a big splashy thing but you don’t always need splashy things ... the town trail is a lasting thing that the community will always be able to enjoy.”

Construction on the town trail was not specifically supported by centennial funds, but council had hoped to be able to incorporate its opening into a centennial celebration.

“The season just ran out,” Ireland said.

The group preparing for the 2007 centenary are determined to avoid time running out on their plans.

“What we’re really happy about is that we’re out of the gate early. It’s a year in advance so we’re on target. This is good,” said Danis.