Eighty years ago, Colonel Thomas Jefferies Avarne Walkeden and his wife Naiomi signed their names to their first lease in Jasper National Park. The plot of land nestled in the woods of Cottonwood Creek Road would quickly become known as the Pine Bungalows.
During their first few decades of ownership, the Walkedens built 50 log cabins鈥攑roviding a pristine place for visitors to come and get away from it all. Fast forward to 2016 and not much has changed. Sure, buildings and cabins have come and gone, but the main principles of what the Pine Bungalows were built upon remain intact, said current owner and operator Michal Wasuita.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 build character into a building鈥擨 couldn鈥檛 build crooked floors, shaky windows or antiquated heating systems, but I have tried to keep it as true to Walkeden鈥檚 original vision,鈥� Michal said. 鈥淭his place is a real positive spiritual experience that can help people who are desperate for a simpler way of life.
鈥淗ere, you can take a break from life鈥攖ake a break from that concrete, asphalt, glass jungle out there.鈥� 聽
Michal first showed up at Pine Bungalows when he was only six-months-old, however, the business went through a few hands before his family was finally able to call it their own.
After the Walkedens had finished building the hotel they sold the property in 1957 to Morris Stevenson and Cliff Treadway. Within the year, Treadway stepped aside leaving the estate with Stevenson and his wife Jean. It was in that same year that Jean鈥檚 brother Victor Wasuita and his wife Connie moved themselves and their newborn son to the bungalows鈥攎aking it not only a place of employment, but also a place to call home.
鈥淚鈥檝e spent my whole life here,鈥� Michal said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so connected to this place spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. This is my home. I don鈥檛 have a wife or kids, so this really is my baby.鈥�
After the property was sold once again at the end of 1964, the Wasuita family finally took over in the spring of 1974. They continued to renovate until the late 鈥�70s鈥攅ventually expanding to 72 cabins and eight motel-type units.
鈥淚t was then that we really started to notice a tilt in visitation. By 鈥�78 we were on a steep incline,鈥� Michal said. 鈥淎nd things have been steady ever since.鈥�
After Victor鈥檚 death in 1997, Michal and his mom took over full operations of the business. Since then, Michal has been busy fixing up the place so it can last another 80 years.
In 2005, the hotel received approval from Parks to go ahead with a nine-phase master plan to refurbish the property. In the past decade, they have overhauled cabins, built a conference centre, signed a new 42-year lease and worked on other infrastructure projects in between.
鈥淎s a young man growing up I always thought I wanted this job,鈥� Michal said. 鈥淚 wanted to be the owner and take it over from my dad, but I didn鈥檛 realize the rocky road it was going to be. But I am happy with the progress of the renovations.鈥�
The plan is currently going into its seventh phase, which will see more cabins updated.
Despite the changing times, the log cabins continue to stick to their original simplistic designs and don鈥檛 include televisions or Internet access.
鈥淚鈥檝e talked with some architects and they鈥檝e wanted to turn this place into the Taj Mahal or fancy chalets and fourplexes, but that鈥檚 just not us,鈥� Michal said. 鈥淚 just want replicas of what was here.鈥� 聽
However in other aspects, Michal does recognize that some things do need to change. As the business continues to move forward, it鈥檚 been his goal to further decrease its ecological footprint鈥攎aking many of the recent renovations eco-friendly. Last fall, the bungalows became the first Alberta business to receive a gold rating for environmental management and corporate social responsibility from Green Tourism Canada.
Over the years the bungalows have racked up numerous other green business awards.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to make a major investment to pay off down the road. If everyone did that then the world would be a better place,鈥� Michal said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not trying to change the world but rather the message鈥攈ere I am in the backwoods of Canada, but we鈥檙e still being progressive.
鈥淲e can still be up with the times and do our part to help the environment.鈥�
Aside from the calming views of the Athabasca River and the revamped green cabins, it appears the business also stands out among Jasper鈥檚 sea of accommodations because of Michal himself.
Rather than your usual anonymous check-ins and outs, Michal makes it a priority to become acquainted with his many guests鈥攃alling each one by their first name while remembering their likes, dislikes and preferred cabin. 聽
He said he鈥檚 been fortunate to attract a faithful customer base. 聽
鈥淚鈥檝e watched four generations of one family from Edmonton come here every year. They rent the same two cabins for a week,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e watched their old man pass away and I鈥檝e watched the kids become adults and have kids of their own.
鈥淚鈥檒l probably see a fifth generation of them before I鈥檓 done here. So it鈥檚 been cool that I鈥檝e been able to deeply connect with all these people over the years.鈥�
At the age of 57, Michal knows he can鈥檛 run the bungalows forever. He recognizes that one day he鈥檒l have to pass on the torch, but said he will do so with reservations.
鈥淭he way this place is built I鈥檝e guaranteed that it will be almost impossible for someone to come in here and start building huge fancy chalets鈥攖hat鈥檚 just not what was meant for this place,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got no desire to sell this place and just hand over the keys and turn my back on this place.
鈥淭his place will always be home to me.鈥�
Kayla Byrne [email protected]
