Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Born and raised in Jasper, Ron Stanko left town for a few years after he graduated, but life directed him this way again.
Stanko was born in 1959 to Lydia, who arrived from Switzerland in 1952 and Steve, who came from the Ukraine in 1949. Stanko shared many adventures growing up in Jasper with his two brothers, Mike and Steve.
The trio had fun at a picnic site where their mom and dad ran the Palisades Bungalows in 1962 and 1963. Stanko's dad also worked for CN Railway.
Their dalmatian, Spot, always went along with the brothers as they explored the area.
"If he'd lose his collar you'd tell him to go find it and he begrudgingly found it," Stanko chuckled.
The family moved into town in 1964 and Lydia managed the Diamond Motel (now the Maligne Lodge), which was the edge of Jasper in those days, while Steve continued to work for CN Railway.
"There was always something to do. We couldn't wait to get out the door," Stanko said.
"All our adventures were spent in the bush, with Spot in hand. If mom was looking for us, she'd call Spot and she knew where we were according to the direction Spot came from."
The Stankos lived in a small, one-bedroom house that adjoined the hotel.
There was an office for the motel, a store room, a combined living room and kitchen with a pull-out couch which mom and dad slept on. The brothers shared the bedroom and slept on a double bed, which would have been a narrow fit for three, but their clever mom simply turned the bed width-wise so they all could fit comfortably.
Stanko said at that time there was a big field where the underpass is now.
"The Whistler and Pyramid trams and the ski hill were all under construction," he said.
The helicopter pilots who were helping with the construction stayed at the Stankos鈥� motel, parking their Bell 47s in the nearby field.
"This was the first moment of my employment - I was four years old," Stanko said. "My job was to get up with the pilots in the morning and do pre-flight inspections. Every once in a while I'd get a quick flight - that was my payment.
鈥淭hat's probably where my flying addiction started."
Stanko recalled a day when he was "being a terrible little (gaffer)" and his mom told him he couldn't go.聽
鈥淚 thought my life had ended that day," Stanko laughed.
For fresh air, "Mom used to kick open the door to let house air out. I remember two occasions when a bear came in and ate all the peanut butter and jam in the cupboards," he said.
On one of those times Stanko was outside at the back door when a bear strolled in to have a bite to eat.
Brother Steve was in the washroom.
Stanko said, "Steve was yelling, 'What should I do!?' I told him, 'Stay in the washroom!'"
The brothers did chores at the motel like helping fold laundry, bag laundry, sweep the sidewalks, water plants, and water the lawn.
When Stanko graduated from high school in 1977, there weren't many jobs available. A friend, Bob Dowling Jr., from Edmonton, encouraged him to move there, and after pounding the pavement, Stanko picked up a job with CN Railway.
He started as a labourer and then got into an apprenticeship program for repairing locomotives, and was the supervisor for two years.
Stanko applied for another job but when he showed up for the interview he was told the job was gone. That wasn't the finish of it though: he was offered and accepted a position in Jasper doing maintenance for the Telecommunications Department with CNCP Rail (the companies had amalgamated).
Stanko said it felt wonderful returning to Jasper.
"There's something about hitting the Fiddle River bridge that makes you feel you're at home," he said.
Stanko鈥檚 primary work was to repair the tram and telecommunications system up on Pyramid Mountain, at the summit. He said from the end of May to October you could drive the 13 kilometres to the base of the mountain, then take a six-passenger gondola to the summit. Equipment was shipped separately.
"That's how we brought up diesel fuel to operate the engines,鈥� Stanko noted, adding that he was lucky to work with Kevin MacDonald and Ron Czobitko throughout the years.
Stanko volunteered with the Jasper Fire Department, moving through the ranks from firefighter to safety officer, captain and then deputy fire chief.
In 2001, when CNCP decommissioned the tram and microwave system at Pyramid, Stanko was laid off.
But it just so happened that the town was looking for a full time deputy fire chief and Stanko was hired for the position.
In 2011 he switched careers, working at ATCO Electric as a maintenance technician until he was laid off in June of 2019.
Stanko shares his life with Lorraine and thoroughly enjoys hiking, exploring and photography. "One of my favourites is the Victoria Cross Range hiking area," he said. He's a paraglider pilot too, and an avid history buff.
He and his family deeply miss brother Steve, who passed away a year ago.
Stanko has travelled a lot - to Switzerland, Botswana, Namibia - but he said Jasper is still at the top of the list. Jasper is the place to be, Stanko said, especially when you can step out the door and begin one of a multitude of adventures.
Nominate a Jasper Treasure for next week's feature! Email [email protected].
