Work to build temporary housing begins in Jasper

Jasper's beloved bear mascot, named for his town, appears safe in this photo posted by Parks Canada on July 27, 2024. (Source: Parks Canada)

Construction work has started at several temporary housing sites in Jasper.

Crews are beginning service work on two housing sites in the northeast corner of the Jasper National Park townsite and two more in the southwest.

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Wildfire in late July devastated the national park. It destroyed a third of the town.

The municipality is starting a 30-day public consultation on another housing location called Site 2B just outside the townsite. It is working to extend temporary housing contracts with hotels until the end of February, when it expects the new sites will be complete.

"We are targetting essentially 40 units per hectare on the land that we have available to us, and using that and a rough calculation of what we expect to be the total of the interim housing program," Michael Farks of the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday.

"We have anticipated we will need all of these sites."

Starting Wednesday, staff will greet visitors at the east and west entry gates to Jasper National Park.

Park passes will also be available for purchase.