Jasper’s Maligne Lodge owner shocked, saddened, after hotel burns down

As wildfires engulf a “national treasure” — Jasper National Park — images emerging on social media have left people in shock. The damage from the flames has left a devastating impact on some of the most recognizable destinations, including Maligne Lodge.

Karyn Decore, whose family owned Maligne Lodge for over 60 years, is mourning the loss of their establishment and heartbroken for her staff. The lodge was among the buildings that burned on Wednesday night.

“We are devastated by the fire that ripped through the town of Jasper, destroying so many homes and buildings including our own beloved Maligne Lodge. When I first found out about our hotel through social media, I was shocked. We have another hotel on the east side, and that part of the town is still standing. So, as tragic as it is, it is not all bad news,” said Decore.

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Seeing the hotel up in flames brought back fond memories for Decore. “Like so many other Albertans, I grew up enjoying time in Jasper—hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. My parents bought the Maligne Lodge (then the Diamond Motel) in 1961. When I was old enough, I started cleaning rooms in the summer. When I was 16, my parents let me work at the front desk. I have hosted several people in Jasper, taking them to experience the gem of the Rockies, and now seeing it all burned down… we’ve lost landmarks, businesses.”

Speaking about her employees, Decore told CityNews, “We are a family-run business, and have employees from all over the world including Ukraine, Australia, Philippines, Morocco, and others. They made sure all guests evacuated. I am extremely proud of them.”

Decore believes Jasper is going to bounce back as they are a very community-oriented town. “It is a generational business, and we will build it back up as soon as we can, and we will soon have a new Maligne Lodge. It is optimistic.”

Speaking about videos on social media Decore said, “I have been watching several videos on Twitter especially the west side of the town that is completely devasted and the east, that is still standing. It looks like a killer bomb went off, and I can’t recognize the blocks they are driving through.”

But for now, as she collects her thoughts, checks in with others, and assesses the damage to the hotel, Decore is confident that they can build it back up to its original glory.