The Jasper Legion is an institution.
Not only did CBC Radio鈥檚 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鈥檚 also beloved by the community.
But, despite its reputation, the Legion is just barely scraping by, and with 脠cole Desrochers moving out to join the Jasper Junior/Senior High School in the new joint school facility, it鈥檚 in a bind.
For months the Legion鈥檚 executive board has been searching for a new tenant to take over the space, but because of its institutional zoning鈥攚hich limits what can operate there鈥攊t鈥檚 struggled to find a suitable fit.
So, with few options left, it鈥檚 contemplating the demolition of the former home of 脠cole 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鈥攏or 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鈥檚 a venue that鈥檚 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鈥檛 find in any old bar, in any old town.
鈥淸Ken Kuzminski] is known nationally, if not internationally, as offering a venue that has a following, and an appreciative crowd鈥攈e brings in quality acts,鈥� said Berglund of the Legion鈥檚 president.
But even beyond music, the Jasper Legion has an important role in the community. It鈥檚 a supporter of many of Jasper鈥檚 local organizations, providing funding or a location for fundraisers, and, of course, it鈥檚 also a place for the town鈥檚 veterans to congregate.
If the Legion loses the income it gains from renting out half of its space, it鈥檚 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鈥檙e 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.
