Editorial

Nomination day has come and gone and the official list of candidates for municipal council is longer than we could have ever imagined.

Jasper’s talent pool runs deep. There is no better example of that than the Jasper Folk Music Festival held last weekend.

The chances are slim that the library and culture centre will be completed on budget. There’s no real surprise there, but the words have finally been spoken by the municipality.

With Labour Day long weekend behind us, we can collectively breathe a sigh of relief. Another summer has come and gone, and now Jasperites can finally exit their hiding places and repatriate our beloved streets.

If you have abandonment issues, Jasper’s not the place for you. That is, of course, unless you’re on the hunt for a tough love cure for those issues. In that case, you couldn’t have picked a better place.

Nomination day for the upcoming municipal election is right around the corner.

One year ago, a piece of land along the Maligne River was blessed. That land was designated as a cultural area for Aboriginal groups with historic ties to Jasper National Park. It was officially opened July 20.

National parks are made for adventure and exploration. They’re the prime location for pushing limits, whether it’s in a raft, on a mountain face, in the backcountry or on a glacier. There are endless opportunities to get your adrenaline pumping.

In the past, Parks Canada has been criticized in this space for engaging the public for the sole purpose of crossing public consultation off its decision-making to-do list. But that can’t be said of the agency’s latest decision.

Tourism Jasper markets our community and park as a place where “the wild has never left the wilderness.” Jasper, according to our marketing organization, is a sanctuary for visitors to retreat to.