It’s been months since the snow melted, yet numerous road signs along Highway 16 and the Icefields Parkway remain broken and in disrepair.
Within 15 kms of the Jasper townsite, the Fitzhugh spotted five dilapidated road signs, including a crucial sign just before the intersection of Highway 16 and the Icefields Parkway telling drivers which way to turn to get to Edmonton or Prince George.
“It’s definitely a concern,” said Pattie Pavlov, manager of the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce.
“It affects visitor experience and aesthetically it’s not very pleasing to see broken signage.”
Parks Canada said there would be an announcement about new investments in Jasper National Park on July 2, but declined to provide more details.
Mayor Richard Ireland said he was aware of the damaged road signs and was hopeful Parks would come up with a plan soon.
“Wayfinding is important,” he said. “It was important before these signs went down and it continues to be important, so hopefully we can speak with Parks and find out where that program is at.”
In the meantime, it appears Parks has come up with some creative solutions to remedy the situation so signs are still visible to drivers. Some are propped up against broken posts, while others are bolted to rusty metal supports or supported by rocks.
Both Pavlov and Ireland said the issue would be raised during the next Jasper Partnership Initiative meeting on July 2. The Jasper Partnership is a collaboration between the municipality, Parks Canada, Tourism Jasper, the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce, Marmot Basin and the Jasper Hotel Association.
“It’s not a decision-making body, but it’s a venue where we can share concerns, share ideas and share information,” said Ireland.
Pavlov said she hopes Parks will soon receive some of the federal infrastructure funding announced in November and use a portion of it to replace the damaged signs.
“We’re hopeful Parks Canada can get some funding from this infrastructure program and utilize it to get signage improved and/or replaced because it’s critical to the visitor experience,” she said.
In November, the federal government announced it would spend $2.8 billion over six years to improve and maintain heritage, tourism, waterway and highway assets located in national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas.
The money is part of a larger plan to spend $5.8 billion on infrastructure projects across the country over the next six years.
Paul Clarke
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