The Jasper Legion is an institution.
Not only did CBC Radio’s Jian Ghomeshi rate it as one of his top five venues in the world, putting it alongside the likes of the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco and Massey Hall in Toronto, it’s also beloved by the community.
But, despite its reputation, the Legion is just barely scraping by, and with Ècole Desrochers moving out to join the Jasper Junior/Senior High School in the new joint school facility, it’s in a bind.
For months the Legion’s executive board has been searching for a new tenant to take over the space, but because of its institutional zoning—which limits what can operate there—it’s struggled to find a suitable fit.
So, with few options left, it’s contemplating the demolition of the former home of Ècole Desrochers to save itself the cost of heating and maintaining an empty space.
In a town like Jasper, with all of its constraints on development and growth, we cannot afford to lose this perfectly good building—nor can we afford to see the Legion struggle more than it already does.
The Legion, as well as being a gathering place for the community, is also an amazing ambassador for Jasper, garnering national attention for being a quality venue tucked away in the middle of the Rocky Mountains.
It’s a venue that’s attracted everyone from Fred Eaglesmith to the Mahones, and that was selected by Blake Berglund as the location for his first live recording. In an interview, Berglund said associating his music with the Jasper Legion adds a level of credibility that you can’t find in any old bar, in any old town.
“[Ken Kuzminski] is known nationally, if not internationally, as offering a venue that has a following, and an appreciative crowd—he brings in quality acts,” said Berglund of the Legion’s president.
But even beyond music, the Jasper Legion has an important role in the community. It’s a supporter of many of Jasper’s local organizations, providing funding or a location for fundraisers, and, of course, it’s also a place for the town’s veterans to congregate.
If the Legion loses the income it gains from renting out half of its space, it’s unlikely it will be able to keep up that impeccable reputation.
It would be a tragedy if such an important institution in our community had to shut its doors because of red tape and rigid bureaucracy. Parks Canada has an opportunity to stop that.
With some out-of-the-box thinking, a solution will surely appear and a tenant will surely be found.
We’re not asking for an amendment to the Canada National Parks Act, to allow for a change of zoning, but we are asking for cooperation and understanding.
There is too much to lose by allowing the Legion to flounder, and demolition is most certainly not the answer to its plight.
