Flag raising to mark day to end homophobia
The rainbow colours of the pride flag will be raised outside the Emergency Services Building on May 17 to mark the International Day to End Hompoboia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
The flag will be raised at 11 a.m. and members of city council are expected to be in attendance.
“It’s to make people aware that we’re not going to stand for homophobia, transphobia or any kind of phobia,” said Mychol Ormandy, community relations director for the Jasper Pride Festival Society.
“The support that we have for the gay community is unbelievable,” he said referring to the support in Jasper.
In addition to the flag raising, Whistlers Inn will also fly a flag in support of the international day.
Volunteers help clean up the park
Twenty-four junior forest wardens from Stony Plain, Alta. and three volunteer leaders with Parks Canada and the Jasper Trail Alliance helped pick up garbage and clear sightlines in the Pocahontas and Punchbowl Falls area on Sunday.
The group collected five bags full of trash over the course of three hours, said Kevin Gelding, a partnering and engagement officer with Parks Canada.
“It went really well,” he said. “They worked really fast and really hard and got a lot of good things accomplished.”
Parks Canada helps to facilitate and organize volunteer clean up days and trail maintenance throughout the park.
“If groups want to do their own dates we can set those up for people as well, depending on the number of people,” he said.
To volunteer, people can contact Parks at [email protected] or contact the Friends of Jasper National Park at [email protected].
Parks Canada adjusts operating hours
With spring upon us, Parks Canada is adjusting its hours of operation.
On May 16, the Parks Canada information centre will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until Sept. 13.
The information desk at the Icefield Centre is also now open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will remain open until Sept. 27.
The Miette Hot Springs reopened on May 8 and can be used from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily until June 18 when hours are expanded to accommodate the influx of tourists.
Celestine Lake Road also reopened for the summer and will remain open until September. Located on Highway 16, approximately 15 km east of Jasper, Parks recommends only cars with a high clearance use to the road.
