Sundog Tours appears ready to bridge the gap on affordable transportation for seniors with its already offered Edmonton runs with coordinated taxis for medical appointments in the city. Jasper seniors say they can鈥檛 run the accessible bus in town anymore. | File photo
Fuchsia Dragon | [email protected]
Speed limits in Jasper are going to drop to 30 kilometres per hour, the municipal council voted this week.
All streets in the town will have a 30 km/h limit, apart from Connaught Drive and Sleepy Hollow Road, which will remain at 50 km/h.
At their meeting on March 5, Councillor Scott Wilson brought the issue to attention with a personal story about his son nearly being hit by a car.
Councillor Rico Damota missed the March 5 meeting and encouraged the council to hold off on a decision until the Traffic Advisory Committee, which he sits on, made a recommendation on speed limits.
He said: 鈥淚 am personally frustrated with the way some people drive in this community.
鈥淔or years, I have tried to get speed limits reduced and kept getting put to this transportation plan. People in the community have been working on a plan for a long time.
"I am more in favour to let the community look after this.
鈥淭he next Traffic Advisory Committee meeting is April 4 and there will be a recommendation. 鈥淭he priority is to get this right.鈥�
But his fellow councillors were keen to see action taken on this straight away.
Councillor Helen Kelleher-Empey said she was in favour of reducing speed limits, but thought 30 km/h was too slow for Connaught Drive.
She said: 鈥淚 understand in the summer it naturally goes down to 30 km/h or 20 km/h. I travel to work at different times and can鈥檛 see why you would put to 30 when the streets are not busy. I see CN-ers go to work from midnight to 6am and they would be upset.
鈥淚 am for places like Cabin Creek and Bonhomme going down to 30km/h but I think 30 km/h is too slow for the main drag.鈥�
Jenna McGrath, who owns Jasper Wellness on Connaught Drive, said she has spent a lot of time observing traffic.
She said: 鈥� If the speed limit is 50 km/h, people travel at 60 km/h or 65 km/h.
鈥淭here is a great reduction of bodily harm when struck at 30 km/h rather than 40 km/h or 50 km/h.
鈥淐onsistency is important and could have signs at the entrances to Jasper saying that it鈥檚 a safe community for pedestrians.鈥�
The council approved a motion to amend Jasper鈥檚 traffic bylaw to reduce limits to 30 km/h, with the exception of Connaught Drive and Sleepy Hollow Road.
Sundog will be in seniors transport mix
Living in a rural mountain town, transportation is limited.
And for our elderly population and those with mobility issues that can mean real difficulty trying to get to important medical appointments.
But the West Yellowhead Transportation Working Group has put together a rural regional transportation plan for seniors, and it starts here in Jasper.
Bonnie Dobbs, a professor in family medicine working with the group, told Jasper council on Tuesday: 鈥淎s we get older we are more likely to have illnesses or medical conditions that affect our ability to drive.
鈥淚f people don鈥檛 have a family, how do they get around? What if they have to get to the hospital, go to get groceries, or other things in the community that might help their wellbeing?鈥�
In Alberta, Wainwright, Pincher Creek and Big Lakes are developing rural regional transport services, and Wetaskiwin is implementing a ride-scheduling software.
Here in Jasper we are part of the West Yellowhead Region, which covers Edson, Hinton and Yellowhead County. There are about 30,000 permanent residents in this area, 10 to 15 per cent of which are over 65.
Jasper鈥檚 SunDog Tours already puts on a special service for Jasperites needing to make medical appointments in Edmonton.
Sundog can pick people up from their homes in Jasper and take them to West Edmonton Mall, where a pre-scheduled taxi will be waiting to take them to their appointments.
The service is about to be rolled out across the region.
Councillor Bert Journault said: 鈥淭his service receives the most compliments and the most support. People always compliment that service.
鈥淜udos to Paul Hardy and his company that do this. I think it鈥檚 a perfect example that private business can work for public service.鈥�
SunDog has a special rate for medical appointments to and from Edmonton.
Councillor Paul Butler said: 鈥淚t is interesting to me to discover that in the end, the solution that seems to best fit the region is one we have already in place that just needs to expand.
鈥淭hat is the service that SunDog is providing.
鈥淚t is a considerable discount for those in medical need. It鈥檚 a great example of private-public partnership.鈥�
The working group for the West Yellowhead Region aims to connect communities through transportation services for the well-being of all residents 鈥� supporting people鈥檚 needs to access services.
Kathleen Waxer, director of Community and Family Services in Jasper, said: 鈥淯ltimately, it would be a worthwhile thing for us.
鈥淥ver the years, we have been trying to figure out senior transportation. We are each trying to come up with a solution.鈥�
She said the West Yellowhead Working Group will continue to work on this project until there are ways for people who use wheelchairs or have other mobility issues have better access to transportation services.
Strategies will be discussed at Community & Family Services鈥� monthly Community Conversations on April 24, conversations about seniors will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., and 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. will be the adult session.
