Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Wearing a face-covering or mask is now compulsory in indoor public places and some public outdoor places in downtown Jasper.
The mayor and councillors agreed that they have a responsibility to Jasper residents and visitors to make wearing face coverings mandatory and voted unanimously to pass a new bylaw and adapt an existing one at their August 4 meeting to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Face coverings are now required in all public indoor spaces, including all businesses, facilities, patios and indoor areas that are open to the public.
You must also wear a mask or face covering outdoors on the west side of Connaught Drive between Hazel Avenue and Aspen Avenue; on Patricia Street between Hazel Avenue and Pyramid Lake Road; on all connecting public sidewalks between those streets; and on all public sidewalks where a two-metre distance cannot be maintained.
There are several exceptions to the rule, including children under two, people prevented from wearing a face covering due to medical conditions, and people eating or drinking while at assigned seating within the establishment from which they obtained the food or drink.
Christine Nadon, legislative services manager, said: "The bylaw comes into effect immediately but won鈥檛 be enforced until we give businesses a few days to put signage up, and give the general public a chance to become aware of the legislation.鈥�
The municipality will communicate with businesses and visitors extensively over the next few days, and work towards compliance before enforcement, as is ongoing practice with the bylaw department.
Not following the new bylaw - not wearing a mask in indoor public places, or a business failing to display signage - comes with a fine of $250.
You could also be fined $150 to $500 for not wearing a mask or face-covering on public sidewalks in the specified areas above, and public outdoor places where maintaining a two metre distance is not possible under the municipality鈥檚 existing Conduct in Public Places bylaw.
Details of the outdoor restrictions are still being confirmed.
At Tuesday鈥檚 meeting, Jasper mayor Richard Ireland pointed out that the bylaw couldn鈥檛 be passed without certification from Parks Canada.
He worked with Alan Fehr, superintendent of Jasper National Park, to find a way to do the three readings required and have it passed the same day.
Ireland said, "We still need people to wear masks, take responsibility for themselves.鈥�
He emphasized that in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission, "all those other measures are equally important鈥�.
鈥淲e're all in this together,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e all have a role to play.鈥�
Coun. Paul Butler said he was disappointed that a bylaw was necessary to motivate people to wear them.
Council received more than 20 letters this week from concerned Jasper citizens urging the municipality to follow the lead of other communities that have already made wearing face coverings mandatory.
In one letter, Nathan D'Heer wrote that he is well aware of hurdles that other communities are facing when implementing mandatory mask usage, but "if cities like Melbourne, Miami, Orlando and Calgary are doing it, then what is our excuse?"
The Jasper community, he continued, needs to stop taking reactive measures and start taking preventative measures.
"No bylaw is as urgent as this one at this time," said Jack Bennett.
In their letter, Louise Colman-Bradford and Wes Bradford wrote, the soft approach council had taken to motivate people to wear face coverings - signs at the entrances to town, along streets - isn't working and wearing face coverings needs to be mandatory.
The bottom line for Lorna Corneyko is "as a resident of Jasper National Park, I would sooner be able to look back and say 鈥楳aybe we didn鈥檛 have to mask鈥� than have to look back and say 鈥楳aybe we should have masked.鈥� It is the one thing we can all do to help." She asked for both a mandatory ruling and enforcement of it.
Ireland thanked those who contacted the town about the issue.
Increasing public services
Council approved spending of $9,000 to increase custodial services for the public washrooms along Connaught Drive and the Log Cabin washrooms.
The public washrooms reopened in June and there has been a big increase in the number of visitors, as well as use of the playground, sports fields and public washrooms at Centennial Park.
In the request for decision, administration wrote, because of the increased use the washrooms are in bad shape and a part time position would focus on cleaning the Log Cabin washrooms on weekends and additional cleaning of the Connaught public washrooms.
Administration also said there has been a greater than usual amount of vandalism in the form of graffiti which has been reported to the RCMP.
