Several streets could receive new names in Jasper, as the municipality moves to improve emergency response in town.

“This will standardize addressing in Jasper all at once,” said deputy fire chief Ron Stanko.

Several streets will see name changes. For example, a part of Pyramid Lake Road will change to Bonhomme Street in order to avoid the sudden change in street names. Cedar and Pyramid Avenues will be changed to Pyramid Lake Road.

Finding homes in Cabin Creek has been problematic for fire crews in the past, Stanko said. Cabin Creek was originally seen as a temporary housing solution, but is now much more permanent. Because of this, lot numbering appears to be out of order.

“It’s indiscriminate. There’s no logical order to decide where the lots will be,” Stanko said.

Several homes in Cabin Creek have confusing addresses.

The proposal will see a portion of Cabin Creek Drive change to Bonhomme St., and the trailer park will be called Snape’s Hill, and referred to as the 1000 block of town. The addresses will change accordingly. Cabin Creek Drive will now begin at Patricia Street and end where it crosses Cabin Creek going north towards the trailer park.

Addresses on Connaught Dr. will also be changed for easier use.

“A location across the street from 626 Connaught Dr. should be 627 rather than 611,” Stanko said in his report.

Jasper RCMP relies on dispatch out of Edmonton. Those dispatchers aren’t necessarily familiar with the layout of the town, and the residents have more than one name for the same location, Stanko said. For example the difference between Patricia Place, Patricia Circle and Patricia Cres. can prove difficult.

Stanko said in the event of a major emergency incident, responders would come from outside of the community.

The plan will also serve to eliminate confusion for tourists, who often have a hard time finding the museum or RCMP station because the name of the street changes. This will also be partnered with a new signage program, designed to facilitate travel in town.

“If we get it correct, we could eliminate some accidents as well,” Stanko said.

The changes could also change traffic volumes on the street.

With the Caribou Creek development slated to begin this year, Stanko said the time is right to fix a number of addresses in Jasper.

Council is looking for public comment on the proposals, which will affect many homes in the community. Stanko said the idea of completely changing the system to grid addresses was explored, however the town prefers to work with the current system.

The changes will come into effect on Jan. 31, 2011, which is expected to give residents plenty of time to change their information.