Free admission to Canada’s national parks and a predicted influx of visitors was just one of the points brought up at the annual state of the park address delivered by Alan Fehr, superintendent of Jasper National Park (JNP) on Feb. 14.
The 30-minute presentation to the members of the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce was a sneak peek of what’s to come in the annual park forum next month.
“There will be challenges,” Fehr said regarding 2017’s free admission to all national parks. “But there will also be some great opportunities. We think there will be different groups of individuals that wouldn’t normally come to the park that will have the opportunity to come out and enjoy the national parks and hopefully continue to come back.”
For several years camping and visitation rates in JNP have been steadily increasing. From just 2014 to 2015 camping rates jumped up 20 per cent, according to Fehr. This year JNP staff is expecting that percentage to rise by another 5-15 per cent.
“We don’t know what to expect yet. There’s been a lot of uptake on the free (Discovery Pass),” Fehr said. “We’re thrilled with having the opportunity to welcome new visitors. The concerns that we have are operationally—can we manage the influx of visitors? I think the short answer is yes.”
To help alleviate some of those operational concerns, Fehr said Parks Canada is working to ensure positions like cleaners, campgrounds attendants and wildlife guardians remain filled during the shoulder season.
“We think that we’re going to see the largest increase in the shoulder season because the peak season is already quite full—we’re not expecting a lot more people in the summer,” he said. “So we’re going to be extending the seasons of frontline staff.”
The superintendent also acknowledged it might be difficult to attract new or returning employees as payroll problems still persist within the agency. According to Chris Aylward, national executive vice-president for the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), nearly every summer student working for Parks Canada last year was affected by the federal government’s botched Phoenix payroll system.
“I think we will be able to staff our positions, it just might take more work,” said Fehr, adding that the agency may have to interview more people than usual. “We’ll do what we have to. Worse comes to worst we’ll just have to reallocate our staff and put them into priority spots and maybe close a spot for a period, but hopefully not.”
As the park gets ready to kick it into high gear, Fehr said visitors will be able to enjoy a slew of new infrastructure, including a new amphitheatre at Whistlers Campground, repairs to several bridges and some major revamping to the popular Lake Annette Loop and the Valley of the Five trail and parking lot.
Money for these projects came from the former Harper government in 2015 when it announced $210 million in funding over five years to improve the park’s existing infrastructure.
Other projects slated for completion in 2017 include the installation of traffic lights and an acceleration lane at the Moberly Bridge intersection and repaving parts of Highway 16 and Highway 93.
Work will also be continued at the Mount Edith Cavell parking lot and access road. Fehr said both are being moved up to avoid future flood damage, which had already occurred in 2012 and 2014. Additional parking spots and outhouses will also be added to the area.
Topping Parks Canada’s project wish list for the year is a proposed bike trail from Jasper to the Columbia Icefield. The estimated price tag to build the 107-km trail is $86.4 million.
“I think it’s a fantastic initiative. We’re going to try to build it in a way that has minimal impact on the environment,” said Fehr. “I really think it’s a tremendous opportunity for us and I really encourage individuals and groups with thoughts to share those thoughts when it comes time.”
Public consultation regarding the project is expected to begin sometime in March.
Amongst all the expected visitors and infrastructure plans, Fehr said the true “raison d’être” of JNP is to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
“Ecological integrity monitoring is something we undertake on a regular basis. We monitor three main indicators—the alpine tundra, the forest and freshwater,” Fehr said. “Another component of healthy ecosystems is monitoring species at risk.”
At-risk species like woodland caribou, bats and whitebark pine trees hold top priority in JNP, said Fehr.
To further aid with endangered species, Fehr said Parks will be consulting with the Jasper Indigenous Forum—a bi-annual meeting of representatives from 20 to 25 Indigenous groups to discuss issues and projects of mutual interest.
“Establishing and maintaining relationships with Métis and First Nations Peoples is a high priority for Jasper National Park and all of Parks Canada,” Fehr said. “We are putting a lot of time and energy into bylaw engagement efforts and consultation.”
In light of these partnerships, Fehr said Parks is working on an Indigenous exhibit that will be located near the Jasper Information Centre.
“It’s essentially an exhibit that will create awareness not just for other Canadians, but for First Nations and Métis themselves,” Fehr said.
The annual JNP public forum will be held March 14 at the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre.
Kayla Byrne [email protected]
