Fifty years ago a diverse group of friends, partners and colleagues with a common interest in Jasper and skiing decided if they were going to continue enjoying their winter passion at Jasper then they should have their own place to stay.
So seven families each invested $17,000 to build the Lobstick Lodge, which became the lynchpin for Mountain Park Lodges investment and commitment to Jasper. As John Day, chair of the MPL Board of Directors says, they did okay on their initial investment.
MPL is celebrating its 50 years of operation this winter with the same families still involved, constantly investing in Jasper and Marmot Basin and operating today as they have always: not just like a hotel chain but like a member of the community.
“Family and community, those have been the hallmark of the first 50 years of Mountain Park Lodges in Jasper,” long-time Jasper mayor Richard Ireland said at a recent celebratory event in Edmonton. “MPL is and always has been a huge part of the community.”
Ireland said the intention of the MPL family “was and remains, an investment in community, the building, the prosperity of our community.”
Since the Lobstick opened in 1968, MPL has expanded its stable that today also includes the Crimson, Chateau Jasper, Marmot Lodge, Pyramid Lake Resort, Pocahontas Cabins and their most recent acquisition, 50-per-cent ownership in the Sawridge. As well, MPL is a partner in Marmot Basin, which is in its 55th winter of operation, and the Jasper Tramway.
Personally, I’ve stayed in all seven MPL hotels and have enjoyed their hospitality every time.
When I had a car accident last winter while driving to Sun Peaks and had to return to Jasper, as soon as MPL general manager Kevin Henderson heard me explain why I was back in town he immediately offered a room for the night. In all my years of dealing with MPL, its hotel managers and staff it’s always been the same: friendly, always helpful and forever accommodating.
“In the competitive world in a country as small as Canada, in a town the size and location of Jasper, we’re acutely aware of all the choices of destinations that people have,” says Day. “The loyalty of our customers and the dedication of our staff and management to earn that business year after year after year is something that we, the owners, are very grateful for.”
And so are their clients and Jasper itself.
“Over the years, through the seasons, through the generations, MPL evolved as its stable of properties expanded to include, for a time, actual riding stables,” says Ireland. “That same family focus has remained, that same family continuity has remained.
“MPL has helped create indelible community memories by helping in both local events, with foreign delegations from Japan, China, Germany, Russia, the U.S…. their generosity has extended to the entire community.
“MPL has become a binding strand in our community fabric.”
As an added benefit to the town, through the years many people who went to Jasper to work in one of the MPL hotels, thinking it was a one-summer of one-winter job, have become full-time residents.
So, what is it that binds the families in such a manner that their company has not only survived, but blossomed?
“I think it is our shareholders’ ability to see something more important than themselves,” explains Day. “The founding shareholders were friends, partners, colleagues and filled different yet valuable roles as architects, builders, investors, restauranteurs and even a few medical doctors just in case of emergencies. This diverse group of people found common interests early and they never lost it.”
In his 23 years as president and 36 years as an MPL board member, Day says he has never experienced an argument among the shareholders, or even a voice raised in anger in a meeting.
“There’s always been a sense of integrity, congeniality, and a willingness to reinvest for the future. From the Lobstick … to MPL Place (staff accommodations), to Pyramid Lake resort and this year … 50 per cent ownership of Sawridge.
“That willingness to invest in the long term took us into the ski business in 2003 and this was our first partnership beyond Mountain Park Lodges. In 2014 we partnered with the same investment group that included the Jasper Tramway.”
To truly appreciate how committed the MPL shareholders are to Jasper and its future, one has to look at how it has managed to expand through the years, from building the Lobstick, to doing major renovations to all its properties, to the expansion of Marmot Basin, to building staff quarters … all within the confines of a national park and its strict regulations.
“I’m often asked, ‘How do you operate in such a highly-regulated and challenging environment in a national park, how difficult is it to meet the challenges of Park Canada regulations, environmental groups and special-interest groups?’ “says Day.
“My answer is always the same. We have to understand who we are and where we are. We operate on leased lands, dedicated to a national park. We are tenants of the land, we are stewards of the environment and this carries with it responsibilities that are quite distinct from ownership in conventional areas.”
Dealing with Parks Canada takes time, patience and a mutual respect, which has developed between parks management and MPL.
“At the end of the day we really do enjoy a quality relationship with Parks Canada and we have for 50 years,” continues Day. “That relationship is one of the reasons we’re still around after 50 years and we feel very confident about the future.”
A future that includes major renovations at Pyramid Lake Resort and perhaps another new hotel and staff accommodations.
So what will MPL look like in another 50 years?
“In the next few years I anticipate we will be looking for more strategic partnerships to give our guests more experiences, more services and more ways to experience the beauty of the Canadian Rockies,” explains Day. “We will continue to invest in the park.”
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