Sometimes you need to walk a block over from the main strip to find gem’s like this in small towns. Coco’s Café is one of those great finds. While I was there, I did see pride cupcakes, cookies and macaroon’s that were made in house with other baked goods. They also specialize in vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options.

During the gay media meet and greet, I did get a chance to see that they have lots of different features available for breakfast which is served all day long. Someone in our group had bagels and cream cheese topped with lox. Another had the Huevos Rancheros Breakfast which was scrambled eggs with red sauce and cheddar, mashy beans, served with corn tortillas and hash browns. Everyone enjoyed what they had ordered. From what I have been told, their Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich is very popular too.

While waiting for your order, they have a community bulletin board for posters of upcoming events in and around Jasper. You can check out artwork that is hung around the café from a featured local artist. For Jasper Pride, they decorate their front window, cater and host some of the events too.

This little café in Jasper has an owner with a huge heart. I sat down to do a one on one interview with owner Lynn Wannop. She talked about Jasper Pride and the local support from the community of Jasper. She has been part of the Jasper Pride board for most of the 9 years that it has been running. She took one year off to have her child who is enthusiastic when Jasper Pride happens.

The café had opened in 1991 and Lynn took it over in 2007. She envisioned Coco’s to be an inclusive comfortable safe space, so everyone can hang out. Prior to Jasper Pride starting, she helped spearhead with other young business owners to come together to get gay pride to happen in their community.

As a straight ally, "I don’t care who you are sleeping with. It does not matter. It bothers me that people are mean to other people for no reason. There no reason that it should matter on who you are dating or going out with. It does not change anything. Growing up on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton in the 90s, I would hang out with a lot of gay men. On Christmas Eve, we would hang at Boots and Saddles for the all-night Christmas Dinner. I would sit there and see all these people being so thankful that they were having dinner with their friends because their families have disowned them. It just bothers me."

Last year there was a diversity project where one of the posters created said ‘I am proud to be gay’ with a photo of one of the locals from Jasper. "If you put something like that up in the city, the backlash and bullshit that would come from it, is yet another reason why Jasper is an amazing place. Even though Jasper is a small town in Alberta, the population has a lot of open minded people and a strong young population that feel the same way as I do."

"Because of the way the world is, you need allies since there are so many shitty people out there.  I have a really hard time accepting compliments. A couple years ago someone yelled at me because I said, ‘I am only an ally.’ I was told to stop saying that. ‘Like you are not just only an ally. It is really important.’ So, I really thought about it and now I try not to say that I am only an ally because it takes a village, and this is so important. I am lucky because I have a platform for me to do this. I can feel the way I feel."

During the 9 years that Jasper Pride has been happening, there has only been one protest towards pride. With openly gay MLA’s in the Alberta NDP Party being at Pride events and being a positive image for queer youth, Lynn had a very proud moment in Coco’s Café. "Having the support of Estefania Cortes-Vargas, Ricardo Miranda and Michael Connolly in the media, and having them at the GSA event at Coco’s Café with Kate Reid, talking to the GSA kids, was so cool that this was happening in my town."

Lynn is proud of her daughter who was 4 when the interview with GayCalgary occurred. Her daughter gets totally into Jasper Pride. She painted one of the windows of the café for Pride and drew rainbow tattoos on body. She even dresses up in rainbow clothes during the days leading up to pride.

"It helps that everyone in town knows each other as either business or as friends. It has helped Jasper Pride grow since people on the board or someone close to them can easily plan room bookings, event locations, and work directly with the community. The board that we have built and having the community involvement help bring the people out to Jasper Pride. It makes other businesses want to be involved."

Lynn puts her heart and soul into what she does at Coco’s Café, for Jasper Pride and the community.

Related Articles

Contributor Steve Polyak |

Locale Jasper |

Topic Food | Jasper Pride | Travel |

Photo Gallery Jasper |Travel |