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A survey of businesses in Jasper鈥檚 downtown core shows general support for expanding sidewalks.
The Municipality of Jasper heard this week that Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce conducted a six-day survey, contacting all businesses between the 400 and 600 blocks of both Patricia Street and Connaught Drive to gather feedback on the proposed plan.
51 respondents were in full favour of the proposal, 26 said yes with certain values upheld, and 26 were definitively opposed, said Pattie Pavlov, general manager of Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce.
鈥淰irtually all of them said with values applied they would be willing to make compromises,鈥� she said.
The proposal was first brought to council by Brett Ireland, co-founder of Bearhill Brewing, May 12, as a solution to help local businesses reopen and allow for social distancing on sidewalks.
The adapted idea is, businesses could use the sidewalk outside their property for displays or added seating and pedestrians would walk in the parking spaces, with traffic still able to flow through the downtown core.聽
All expenses would be on the individual businesses.
Last week, council received two letters supporting the proposal and four against. This week they received two letters of support and eight of opposition.
Councillor Scott Wilson said this week: 鈥淚 am very supportive and want to move forward.鈥�
Pavlov said there was some concern from retail stores about possible damage and theft of stock, as well as potential additional staff required.
Councillors said the proposal would have to be something that works for all businesses - not just food and beverage.
And Mayor Ireland suggested the solution could be as simple as adjusting the municipality鈥檚 Commercial Use of Public Space bylaw, which allows downtown restaurants to use the public sidewalk immediately in front of their business, to include other types of business like retail.
Councillors expressed interest in a Canmore-style set-up - businesses using sidewalks and pedestrians using parking stalls, possibly built into a boardwalk.
Mark Fercho, chief administrative officer for the municipality, said: 鈥淭he businesses would have the responsibility to build the walkway in the parking stall in front of them and [pedestrians] would walk out into the parking stall and back in.鈥�
And businesses that don鈥檛 want to take part wouldn鈥檛 have to - pedestrians would use the sidewalk as usual.
The administration department will bring further information about Canmore鈥檚 sidewalk set-up to council at their next meeting for further discussion.
