Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Jasper Municipal Council is still undecided on whether or not to make mask-wearing mandatory in public outdoor spaces.
At their July 28 meeting, councillors directed administration to start drafting such a bylaw, with the intention of 鈥済etting groundwork done for future decisions about a bylaw鈥�.
But no firm decision has been made yet.
Councillors discussed increasing concerns with public health and what measures the town should continue to take to keep the community and visitors safe from COVID-19 transmission.
They referenced the masking bylaw that was recently approved in Banff. From noon on July 31, wearing masks or other face coverings will be mandatory within enclosed public spaces and a section of Banff Avenue and Caribou Street.
Councillor Jenna McGrath said a large percentage of people in Jasper have been calling for mandatory mask-wearing, but said she grapples with putting a bylaw in place.
"How will we enforce this?鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat resources do we have to see this through?鈥�
The municipality has encouraged people to follow the province's public health guidelines, including physical distancing and wearing masks, through signage, messages on social media and on the municipality's website.
Posters and stickers were distributed to businesses recently and distribution of information leaflets at the park gates started on July 28. Christine Nadon, legislative services manager, said the local messaging was well-received.
Councillor Helen Kelleher-Empey said, "I really like the education we're doing. I see a lot of our residents wearing masks."
She added she has seen a lot of people in businesses wearing masks too.
"It's been really well done in Jasper," she said.
Mayor Richard Ireland said he fully supports increased use of masks in the community and noted the educational awareness campaign is showing results.
But like McGrath, he said he is concerned about the municipality鈥檚 ability to enforce a mandatory mask bylaw.
"Bylaw officers are already stretched and subject to abuse for enforcing bylaws," he said.
He suggested leading by example rather than edict.
Councillor Paul Butler said, "Wearing masks is fast becoming the social norm."
He pondered the effectiveness of using a bylaw to change behaviours and said a bylaw will be more effective if it is "very clear and very inclusive".
Having a bylaw cover the entire municipality rather than applying it to specific sites would present less confusion, McGrath noted.
Ireland concurred, and said suggesting people walk down a street and take their masks off and put them on according to where they are is not a good plan.
In a letter to council, Susan, Dwayne and Nathan D'Heer with Patricia Lake Bungalows said they believe that masks should be compulsory in Jasper inside all commercial buildings and where social distancing is not possible.
They said they closed their doors for May and reopened in June, 鈥渁t a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue鈥�.
"We made a choice for the health and safety of our town and community. Now many of us are asking our town council to make masks mandatory,鈥� they wrote.
"Please act in our town's best interest for the health and safety of our community, our staff, and our front line workers."
Activity Centre reopening discussed
In a discussion about reopening the Activity Centre, councillors Butler, Damota and Kelleher-Empey agreed that it needs to coincide with the installation of the ice, sometime in October.
Butler said the opening of the curling rink, the arena and the activity centre should be seen as one facility opening. A decision is scheduled for council's Aug. 4 meeting.
