Right now, the face of progress in Jasper is a proposed high-density apartment complex that will push parking issues to the brink and house 144 prospective tenants in units so small that developers need special permission to build them.

The face of opposition to that proposal? Octogenarian Helen Schwarz.

Schwarz spent almost four decades advocating for the Arts in Jasper and she’s a long-time volunteer with the Ladies Hospital Auxiliary but never did she think she’d be on the front lines of a protest to local development.

The thing is, she’s practically all alone. Not in her opposition—she’s got 400 signatures (and counting) showing many Jasperites agree with her arguments—but outside of people signing their name on a piece of paper, she’s been pretty much flying solo.

Update: Ms. Schwarz is adamant that she’s had help distributing the surveys.

To be clear, it’s not development of housing that Schwarz disdains. She knows housing is needed. Rather, she’s frustrated by the way that this particular project has been ushered through—specifically, the granting of consequential variances.

And why shouldn’t she be upset? The way the proposal has come to see the light of day has been nebulous at best.

Here’s what I can glean: Parks Canada had a big parcel (GB, 801 Connaught Drive) for the development of rental units, but after receiving no interest they reduced the asking price. Finally, with the help of some connected locals, a developer came along with an offer to build a high-density complex (i.e. many apartments to charge rent for). Parks Canada, citing the Jasper Community Housing Corporation’s 2017 call for more high-density housing while setting aside the JCHC’s suggestion that such housing should be affordable (i.e. rent-controlled, i.e. subsidized), said it will consider the offer based on feedback from the community. The Planning and Development Advisory Committee, a group purportedly representing residents, looked at the proposal and said yes to the variances, despite saying no to a very similar parking variance request put forward by the JCHC itself a year previous.

Why did PDAC say no to one and not the other? How does Parks Canada justify breaking its own rules for apartments that will be decidedly for-profit? Why, if we need quality housing for low-income residents (and of course we do), can’t we do it in a way that gives better options for an already marginalized population (i.e. entry- level workers, the majority of whom are new comers)? Why is a huge complex on the south entrance of town the path we take?

Answers to these questions will only be forthcoming if enough people are asking for them.

But one octogenarian can’t do it all herself. Jasper, please don’t let Helen Schwarz fly solo.

Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com