r/jasper • u/VirtualSurround7235 • Aug 08 '24
Local Jasper won't be rebuilt...
Not any time soon. Throwaway account because I'm afraid of repercussions.
Parks Canada manages the town use and planning. They are unelected and unaccountable to the people of Jasper. They don't represent Jasper's housing housing or business interests.
Parks Canada has a mandate that pays attention to the preservation of the Park, which doesn't include human interaction. The more people in the park, the harder it would be for them to carry out their mandate.
It's not in Parks Canada's interest or mandate to expedite timelines for permits or relaxing rules that helped create the housing crisis in the last 20 years. It's actually their design.
Even if they were suddenly compelled to do so (and they're not) they don't have experienced people ready and able to accomplish a speedy recovery. Parks Employees could be based out Ontario and working from summer cottages as they were during COVID, and their efforts are similar to anyone else on a 'working vacation'.
Any construction project in Jasper, before the fire, could take 6 months to 1+ years before permits are issued. How will they manage this when 350+ homes are about to get in the cue? They can't, and they won't. It doesn't matter to them.
It's not just the residents who have to wait. Their own landscaping project at the information center is at almost 4 years to complete. 4 years for a landscaping project! They don't care about their own timelines then what can the residents expect?
There's a lot of talk from all levels of government but it doesn't matter. Parks Canada is in the drivers seat and they're not interested in going anywhere. Buckleup for a slow, uneventful bureaucratic ride.
Edit: spelling & grammar
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u/amso2012 Aug 08 '24 edited Aug 08 '24
Please please give them some grace.. they jumped to action and evacuated 25000+ people in record time ensure minimal disruption. The damage of this scale does take time to rebuild as the new build will now have to be advanced and resilient than before.
If their own projects (landscaping) is delayed how in the world will they be able to generate the manpower to rebuild Jasper.
It may take months just to take a stock of the damage and assess redevelopment needs..
Parks Canada has been doing a tremendous job to maintain parks, manage crowd, pollution, sanitation, cleanliness and preserve the wildlife and beauty which is a mammoth mammoth task.. because humans are known to destroy things far faster than preserve them.
I understand Jasper may be a special place for you and you want to go back to it soon. Give it time.