By the time you’re reading this, I’ll probably be in Wawa, Ontario - if my car doesn’t break down that is. On the edge of Lake Superior, just north of Whitefish Bay (made famous by Gordon Lightfoot’s The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald), Wawa is a community rich in history, not to mention that some of my ancestors, driven from Toronto, settled in the Wawa area. 

Like Wawa, Jasper is a community possessing a rich heritage, although settled on the shores of the Athabasca, not Gitche Gumee - sorry in advance about the Gordon Lightfoot references. Nevertheless, there’s something admirable about a collective of people - whether in Wawa, Jasper, or Moosonee - undaunted by the prospects of living in harsh, but naturally seductive environs.

Jasper seems to have a magnetic quality, drawing people from across the globe, planning to stay the summer and ending up staying for a lifetime. Somewhat sadly, I don’t fall into this category. 

Being a small town reporter is both rewarding and draining at the same time. Newspapers are not only for reporting the news (both positive and negative), but for sparking debate, which can be an extremely daunting, not to mention delicate task in a place where people - and rightfully so - forsake questions from the outside. Keep in mind that papers aren’t supposed to be cheerleaders.

Despite a few threats, accusations of racism and some calls for my dismissal, I’ve immensely enjoyed my time in the heart of the Rockies. Complaints come with the territory, but I do wish that people who disagree with something found in the paper would write a letter to editor (with your name). It’s one thing to call me up and go nuclear over the phone, but if you think you’ve got a legitimate point, write a letter.  

I would hope that in a very modest way, some of my reporting has left a tiny mark - or large stain depending on who you talk to - on Jasper. I’ve gained a lot of experience, learned a ton and met some really wonderful and unforgettable people. 

In what other place could I have driven a snowplow, dangled from the tramway, seen the top of a totem pole, learned how to keep a lake smooth for skating, watched forests burn (in a controlled manner), fly in a helicopter, drive the electric truck, and write an April fools article, all for work? 

When outsiders think of Jasper, they picture the mountains, rivers and wildlife, but a community is not about the scenery, it’s about the people. Getting to know many locals (real or imagined), has, in all sincerity, been a pleasure. 

Ontario is home for me. My family, friends, cottage and canoe are all there. But as I’m returning to Wawa and will - unlike the Edmund Fitzgerald - make Whitefish Bay, I will undoubtedly return to Jasper at some point for a visit.