Jasper’s spot in the 2015 Tour of Alberta is in the hands of Tourism Jasper and Parks Canada.
Council has already committed $60,000 toward the rights fee for hosting a finish line—contingent on further support from its community partners—and now it has to wait.
In order to host a finish line, Jasper needs to come up with $150,000, and if it wants to host both a start and a finish it needs $250,000.
During the Nov. 18 regular council meeting, community members Wendy Wacko and Bert Journault were in the gallery to express their support for the event and to offer assistance organizing the race.
“I personally think it’s a huge opportunity for this community and I’d just like to have this on public record: I would certainly like to be on the committee,” said Wacko, owner of Mountain Galleries, which is a member of Tourism Jasper. “I think we should commit and just go for it and come up with a creative solution, whether or not Tourism Jasper is in or not. I think we can raise this money.
“It’s a chance for the smaller local businesses who don’t get any say with Tourism Jasper whatsoever to step up and make sure this happens.
“I don’t think it’s an unsurmountable amount of money, especially when you’ve already committed $60,000.”
So far, Parks Canada and Tourism Jasper have been silent as to whether or not they’re interested in financially supporting the tour. When the Fitzhugh reached out to each organization, it received non-committal answers.
“At this time all partners involved are working together in discussions regarding the Tour of Alberta’s interest in coming to [Jasper],” wrote Tourism Jasper’s CEO, Mary Darling, in an email.
“With regards to Tour of Alberta, Parks Canada is currently reviewing the details of this initiative,” wrote Kavitha Palanisamy, Jasper National Park’s interim public relations and communications officer. “An event of this nature would be subject to appropriate consultation and be reviewed through the environmental assessment process. There are no further details to share at this time.”
Despite the lack of concrete support, Mayor Richard Ireland indicated that, judging by the Nov. 13 meeting of the Jasper Partnership, things are progressing positively.
“But,” he added, “it’s all subject to confirmation from Tourism Jasper and Parks Canada, so that’s where it sits.”
The Tour of Alberta courted the municipality last month, pitching its plan to make Jasper the mountain stage for its 2015 bike race. The plan is to have the tour’s world class cyclists complete Stage 2 in Jasper on Sept. 4, 2015—the Friday of Labour Day long weekend.
The Tour of Alberta is the highest ranking cycling event in the country, attracting the same cyclists that compete at the Tour de France. The inaugural event was held in 2013, taking cyclists from Edmonton to Calgary—in 2014, the route was reversed.
Now that the event is established—attracting 200,000 spectators and 41 million international television viewers—the hope is to showcase other areas of Alberta, including Jasper National Park.
Journault told council he thinks Jasper needs to take advantage of that opportunity—the chance to “be put on the global map.”
According to Ireland, Tourism Jasper was to meet on Monday, Dec. 1 to discuss its role and possible support.
Nicole Veerman
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