The tight-knit community of Jasperites is part of why this corner of the Rockies is so special. Locals are generally helpful and nice and easy to talk to, but like many small towns, a unique lingo has developed over the years. For visitors, some terms can be a bit of a mystery.
There are many names that are simply shortened – for example the Jasper SkyTram becomes The Tram and The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is often just The Lodge – but others are a little harder to guess.
Do your research so that you can not only understand Jasper locals, but talk like one.
Places in town
- Sen-ten – Centennial Park; Centrally located at 520 Turret St., this large green space is a popular spot for picnic, recreation and some events. Features include: three baseball diamonds, a soccer and rugby pitch, picnic areas, playground and a log cabin complete with public washrooms.
- The Patch – Athabasca Park; Sometimes also called “the cabbage patch” or “VIC lawn” this term is used to indicate the green space surrounding the Visitor’s Information Center in the middle of town. The nicknames are so widespread that many people don’t even know that its official name is Athabasca Park.
Jasper specials
- Traffic – Bear Jam; Commonly used to indicate a slowdown on the road caused by cars stopping and clogging up the lane to watch a bear or other wildlife that has appeared. (Reminder: always pull over and stay in your vehicle!)
- The City – Edmonton; Being a small town, Jasperites sometimes make shopping pilgrimmages into the nearest metropolis to stock up on unique supplies.
- The Muni – the municipal government; This one might not be hard to guess based on the context of the conversation, but if you hear the mew-nee really did a great job on these street flowers they’re referring to the town government.
- Back East – Eastern Canada; Many people come to Jasper and then just never leave. Many of those people come from Ontario and Quebec.
- Jasper time – Island Time; as a small town, sometimes friends run on their own, more relaxed schedule.
Grocery stores
Many of the grocery and convenience stores in Jasper are still referred to by older business names that used to occupy that spot. Here’s a few.
- Super A – TGP; A cozy grocer in the heart of Jasper’s downtown. 601 Patricia St
- IGA – Nesters Market; The largest grocery store in town (may also be called Robinson’s, another previous name for this store’s spot). 218 Connaught Dr.
- Macs – Circle K; Convenience store chain offering a wide variety of hot & cold drinks & snacks. Might also go by 'Winks'. 617 Patricia St.
Other businesses
- Brew Pub – Jasper Brewing Co; a popular restaurant and the first brewery to open in a Canadian national park.
- North Face – Wild Mountain; this sporting goods store has a great selection of outdoor clothing, footwear and equipment from brands like The North Face (thus the nickname), but also Smartwool, RAB, Fjall Raven and much more. Don’t confuse it with a local pizza spot that also has North Face in its name.
- The B – The Athabasca Hotel; The oldest hotel in the town of Jasper! Might also be called the Atha-B. A note: Athabasca is pronounced AH-thuh-BAH-skuh.
- The Hill – Marmot Basin; Don’t be fooled by the nickname, this popular downhill ski spot is much larger than a hill and in fact has the highest base elevation of any ski resort in Canada.
Mispronounced words
- Maligne Lake/Road/Valley/Canyon – This can be a confusing one for visitors. The word Maligne shows up in many of the named features around the national park, but the local pronounciation for the names is different than how you’d guess. Unlike the verb/adjective “malign” (meaning to slander or harm) which is pronounced mah-LINE and rhymes with define, in Jasper most of the places that have Maligne in the name are pronounced mah-LEEN to rhyme with clean.
- Tonquin – Often mispronounced as TAWN-kin, this word (which is used in the names of a popular valley, hike, and more) is pronounced TAWN-kwin
- Cavell – The highest mountain visible from the Jasper townsite is Mt. Edith Cavell, named after a heroid war nurse. There are a few historic experts in town who say it the way her name was actually pronounced (so that it rhymes with travel) but most local folks pronounce it with the emphasis on the second syllable, so that it rhymes with hell.
