High school construction update
The Jasper Joint School Facility is on schedule to be completed in time for the 2014/15 school year, according to the Grande Yellowhead Public School Division鈥檚 Dec. 4 newsletter.
As of Nov. 28, 98 per cent of the reinforcing steel was complete; the coloured metal roof was nearly complete; 95 per cent of the steel stud exterior walls and exterior gypsum board was complete; 70 per cent of the heating lines were complete; the steel framing for the operable walls was in place; patching of municipal streets where service were run was complete; and a number of other projects had begun.
Board trustees will tour the facility Jan. 14, 2014.
Possible Gran Fondo for Jasper
Professional cyclist Alex Steida recently met with representatives from the municipality and Parks Canada to discuss the possibility of bringing a Gran Fondo to Jasper.
The idea is to have 150 to 200 cyclists competing in a road race in 2014, said Coun. Brian Nesbitt, who attended the meeting.
Peter Waterworth, chief administrative officer for the municipality, said that race would be like a pilot project, with the intention that in 2015 there would be a larger event.
Waterworth noted, though, that Steida, the municipality and Parks are in 鈥渁 very early, preliminary discussion and the next stage is for Mr. Steida to make an application to Parks Canada.鈥�
Steida, who鈥檚 company Alex Steida Cycling organizes Gran Fondos in Banff, Kelowna and Whistler, operates a road skills camp in Jasper each summer.
Christmas theatre
Jasper Theatre Company and Habitat for the Arts present Charles Dickens鈥� A Christmas Carol tomorrow, Dec. 13, at the Jasper Activity Centre.
The classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge will be told by local thespians beginning at 6 p.m., along with dinner by Elizabeth Prinz.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are on sale at Tekarra Color Lab for $55.
Festival of Trees
The Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives will wind down its Festival of Trees fundraiser Dec. 14, but there is still time to visit the museum and bid.
Dec. 12, the museum will hold a wine and cheese reception, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and will feature a cash bar. Along with a chance to secure your bids, attendees will be able to donate to Santas Anonymous and the food bank.
Money raised at the auction will help support the museum, as well as the community dinner program that will begin early next year.
According to museum manager Karen Byers this year there are 35 trees up for auction, an all-time record.
鈥淲e just love the support of the community,鈥� she said, 鈥渢he trees are all from their hearts.鈥�
She added anyone who can鈥檛 make it to the reception Thursday has until Saturday to finalize his or her bid.
