Remembering Whistler in the ’90s. - By Alan Forsythe
06 OPENING REMARKS An earthquake felt in Whistler last week serves as a reminder to be prepared, writes editor Braden Dupuis.
08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR In this week’s letters, a reader shares a recent encounter with an American guest to Whistler.
18 THE OUTSIDER In which Vince Shuley escapes the Whistler bubble for a journey into B.C.’s Interior.
38 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST A sudden fainting spell leads to a personal revelation for reporter Liz McDonald.
10 CAMPING CONCERNS Anxiety over illegal camping in Whistler hasn’t dissipated in the winter months, with some residents calling for more action.
11 FEDERAL FUNDS Whistler will receive $2.5 million through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund to help build 62 homes over the next three years and 814 over the next decade.
24 SKY’S THE LIMIT Squamish adventurer Mark Sky recounts his 24,000-kilometre, human-powered quest to Argentina.
28 FILM FRENZY Submissions are now open for the third-annual Sea to Sky Student Film Festival, scheduled for April 15 at Whistler Secondary.
COVER My favourite colours are still neon pink and purple, and I clearly have an affinity for grunge!? All products of being a teenager at the end of the 1900s. - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art
Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com
Founding Publishers KATHY & BOB BARNETT www.piquenewsmagazine.com
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR 2024 SEA-TO-SKY MEDALLION CLUB QUALIFIERS
At Stilhavn, we believe strongly that we all rise together, and our collective commitment to collaboration includes celebrating each other’s successes. We’re proud of our Squamish and Whistler agents who have been recognized among Greater Vancouver REALTORS’ Top 10%. It’s clear that our shared commitment to elevating the level of professionalism within the real estate industry is, in fact, lifting us all. Congratulations to all the agents recognized!
David Wiebe
Neal Sikkes
Kristen Dillon
Jenna Franze PREC*
Tara Hunter
Madison Perry
Waiting on The Big One
IT WAS A QUIET FRIDAY afternoon in the Pique office when a great, disorienting grinding broke the peace.
It sounded something like the downstairs garage door rolling shut, only louder, heavier, more sustained.
But then, why are the windows rattling on the building next door?
It didn’t last long—five or six seconds of
BY BRADEN DUPUIS
low rumbling—before it was over.
Walking outside shortly afterwards, people all up and down Function Junction were standing around looking confused, talking to each other, discussing the rare occurrence.
At that moment, a government emergency alert sent by text (though apparently not to everyone) confirmed it: a magnitude 4.7 earthquake, about 24 kilometres from Sechelt.
Communities up and down the Sea to Sky felt the quake, with hundreds taking to social media to share their experience.
And if you’ve never experienced an earthquake, it’s hard to convey how strange a sensation it truly is. Even from as far away from the epicentre as Whistler.
“It really felt like a big truck had just slammed into the building, and you could hear a boom and feel it shake,” Whistler resident Natalie Rock told Glacier Media.
Mika McKinnon, meanwhile, a field geophysicist and disaster researcher, described it as “a lot like being on the ocean.”
Though people felt the quake in the Lower Mainland, up the Sea to Sky and even out to the Fraser Valley, no significant injuries or structural damage was reported, according to officials.
It’s not unheard of. According to the National Building Code of Canada, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is located within Seismic Zone four, “meaning Whistler is considered at high-risk from earthquake damage,” the RMOW says on its website.
“Fortunately, the majority of the structures in Whistler are wood-frame and reinforced concrete, which are considered reasonably stable buildings in an earthquake due to the flexibility of these materials.”
strong earthquake and we’re not ready for an earthquake that would cause damage ... but it can happen,” Molnar said.
According to the federal government, there have been 22 earthquakes in Canada so far in 2025, nine of them in B.C. Of those, the 4.7-quake near Sechelt on Feb. 21 is tied for the largest with an earthquake near Grand Cache, Alta., on Feb. 20.
But every quake on the list is small potatoes compared to the fabled “Big One”— the megathrust earthquake researchers predict will one day tear apart the Pacific Northwest.
There’s no way to predict exactly when The Big One will hit—it’s possible it doesn’t
Puget Sound. Rescue forces trying to reach the scene would be blocked by fallen bridges and blocked highways.”
While governments and municipalities should be focusing on building resilience into their infrastructure, there are small measures everyone can take to ensure the best outcome in the event of catastrophe.
The Red Cross recommends keeping emergency supplies of food and water handy in case a quake leaves you isolated and cut off from supplies; having lots of flashlights and a battery powered radio, plus lots of extra batteries; keeping extra doses of your mostneeded medications; moving heavy objects to lower shelves and using heavy-duty latches to
“The quake could cause enormous damage along the coast, with a potential death toll in the thousands. Locally, whole sections of Seattle, Tacoma, Portland and Vancouver would be flattened.”
- GORDON WILLIAMS
The Lower Mainland of B.C. experiences a “felt earthquake” about once every 10 years, said Sheri Molnar, an associate professor at Western University in London, Ont., who studies seismic activity in Metro Vancouver, in an interview with the CBC.
Molnar used a 4.7-magnitude earthquake near Sidney on Dec. 29, 2015, and a 6.8-magnitude Nisqually earthquake on Feb. 28, 2001, as examples.
“You should always be ready for an earthquake. We’re not ready for a very
Move -in-ready, renovated2bedroom/2bathroom 800sq feetinvestmenthomeona6969sq ft lotinLillooet ’s desirableVLSneighborhood. Stylishupdatesincludestainlesssteelappliances, raisedpanelcabinets,new countertops,fresh flooring,paint, andmodernlightingonupper level. Thelowerlevel featuresupdatedflooring, butcherblock countertops,and cozy cedar accents. Sharedlaundry for convenience. A rare opportunity combiningmodernupgradeswith stronginvestmentpotential!
Asking Price-$419,000 771 Foster Drive
happen in any of our lifetimes—but most agree the damage will be catastrophic when it does.
“The quake could cause enormous damage along the coast, with a potential death toll in the thousands. Locally, whole sections of Seattle, Tacoma, Portland and Vancouver would be flattened,” wrote Gordon Williams for the American Red Cross, in a Jan. 10 blog post.
“The quake could trigger a tsunami strong enough to send a wall of water racing down
keep closet doors from opening suddenly in a quake; and removing any heavy objects that hang over beds.
In Whistler, the most important thing (in the event of any emergency) is to sign up for Whistler Alert at whistler.ca/whistleralert. Residents are also advised to develop a household emergency plan, prepare a graband-go emergency kit, prepare their homes for earthquakes, and know what to do if one hits: drop, cover, and hold on.
I rode the Blackcomb Gondola the other day with a guest from Seattle and his two children. We were making small talk when the father bemoaned the price of lift tickets (fair) and then said, “No worries, it will be cheaper when you’re the 51st state.”
I was gobsmacked into silence. This guest of our country had a terrible understanding of economics and the exchange rate and an even worse sense of timing—it was Flag Day in Canada. What I wish I’d said was, “If that’s supposed to be a joke, it’s not funny. It’s rude and disrespectful when your president says it, and equally rude and disrespectful when you say it.”
American guests, please go home and tell your friends we like you fine enough, we even like some of you a lot, but we don’t want to be you.
Kelley
Korbin // West Vancouver
Economic development must include Interior
Bob Anderson’s letter ( Pique , Feb. 14, “Traffic solutions ‘hiding in plain sight’”) and a
recent report to Lillooet council both support reinstatement of B.C.’s provincial railroad passenger service. We agree 100 per cent that this route and mode of transportation is of import to all travelling to Whistler, Pemberton and beyond. Options for safe and sensible travel are certainly in the minds of
many throughout British Columbia.
Once upon a time, the public was able to travel with daily return between North Vancouver and Lillooet, including several times weekly further on up to and from Prince George, stopping for passengers all along the way. That sadly ended in October
Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine. Send them to edit@ piquenewsmagazine.com before 11 a.m. on Tuesday for consideration in that week’s paper.
2003. Gordon Campbell “sold out” BC Rail’s operations to (U.S.-owned) CN and afforded the boast that his government had “no fiscal deficit.” The province and its taxpaying residents lost out big time as BC Rail “went south.” That was then, and now that deal remains an utter travesty.
As a result, residents and their relations, with lives and livelihoods up and down the line in Interior communities, suffered a real loss of vital connections with each other and the province as a whole. Access to important facilities in the Lower Mainland became more problematic when BC Rail’s passenger service ceased.
Since then the Rocky Mountaineer has continued to use the railroad. Their clientele can afford the pleasurable scenic, wining and dining trip. Great Railway Journeys , on the Knowledge Network, shows trains all around the world these days accommodating locals and tourists alike. Why here for only a select few and not for all? The taxpaying residents find it a hard pill to swallow being passed by, with a mere “toot” from the engineer, while frequently viewing the rail going rusty! The necessary infrastructure is still existing in plain sight for reliable public transportation. Economic development needs to be inclusive of more of B.C.’s Interior communities and our government needs to move forward onto the platform. Highway 99 now is both congested
and dangerous. Neither a plethora of cars nor a train of buses are the solution in all respects. Tourists and residents alike deserve and need an enviro-friendly, safe, viable, alternative public transportation route provided upon this railroad line. It is there and undeniably needs proper
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
commitment. We all need to add our voices requesting the government and B.C.’s Transportation Ministry to move with providing the necessary rail service into and out of both the hinterlands and the Big Smoke. All aboard!
Mary & Bernhard Thor // Seton Portage n
Backcountry Update
AS OF WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26
Active weather and avalanche conditions have returned. Recent snow sits on a weak snowpack that formed during the cold, clear weather from early February. This is, unfortunately, a recipe for dangerous avalanche conditions, as the buried weak snow will take time to strengthen— which could take weeks. We’ve already seen many large and dangerous avalanches over the past week and we anticipate that riders will continue to be able to trigger dangerous avalanches for a while to come.
What this means is the weather we receive this weekend isn’t as important as the snowpack itself. Anywhere we have a slab of cohesive snow over weaker snow has the ingredients for dangerous avalanche
conditions. Alpine and treeline elevations will be the most likely areas for this setup, but the upper elevations of below treeline could also be suspect.
Anyone travelling to the backcountry should be aware of this dangerous snowpack setup and manage their terrain accordingly. Stick to low-angled slopes and limit your exposure to overhead slopes that could produce large, catastrophic avalanches.
There’s always uncertainty on when exactly the weaker snow will strengthen and bond, but it currently isn’t the time to flirt with disaster.
As always, make sure to check your local avalanche forecast at avalanche.ca. Our avalanche forecasters also write about conditions on our blog at avalanche.ca/blogs. n
CONDITIONS MAY VARY AND CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY Check for the most current conditions before heading out into the backcountry. Daily updates for the areas adjacent to Whistler Blackcomb are available at 604-938-7676, or surf to www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain-info/ snow-report#backcountry or go to www.avalanche.ca.
SHOLTOSHAW
Illegal camping near Whistler continues to concern residents
A DOG OWNER FROM
BY LIZ MCDONALD
CHEAKAMUS CROSSING IS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST A LACK OF ENFORCEMENT IN THE AREA
CHEAKAMUS CROSSING resident
Gabi Möeller usually avoids ski touring up Cheakamus Lake Forest Service Road (FSR) because of the potential for her two dogs to consume garbage left by illegal campers. Her most recent attempt resulted in one of her labs getting sick from what she described as druglaced human feces.
“Within 10 to 15 minutes, my younger dog started to wobble. We realized she needed to go home,” she said. “She could run a bit but then stopped. I had to carry her out for the three kilometres. I have two labs that are troublemakers, but my dog got sick here last year in the same spot.”
While her dog recovered, the incident reiterated the need to have authorities address the long-term illegal campers that present a safety concern.
Last summer, the same area attracted attention from the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), when a resident wrote a letter detailing their concerns to council. In
response, the RMOW discussed the risk of fire from illegal camping in Cheakamus and WedgeWoods to the north of Whistler, also outside of the RMOW’s boundary.
At a subsequent meeting, staff and council detailed their outreach, including a planned site visit from multi-jurisdictional stakeholders and proposed signage.
area, fire and bylaw continue to monitor at Cheakamus and Wedge. This will increase when the snow melts and the fire hazards increase. Fire remains our greatest concern.”
Crompton also said new signage has been placed at the entrance to Cheakamus Lake FSR and pointed to tours politicians and provincial staff have had in Whistler that
“Platforms, generators and propane with no sanitation isn’t OK. We need regular enforcement to stop the regular abuse.”
- GABI MOELLER
In an interview, Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton said patrols have been stepped up over the winter.
“Our fire crews have increased patrols around Cheakamus Lake FSR. They haven’t been called to any incidents because of fires from campers in the area,” he said. “Since we last spoke to the Pique, we received provincial support helping minimize hazards with provincial wildlife officers and natural resource officers increasing patrols of the
detailed the town’s challenges.
“We hope that our continued advocacy brings additional support from the government of jurisdiction… I don’t want to give the false impression that we have enforcement power,” Crompton said. “Our greatest tool is our advocacy.”
Möeller has contacted the RMOW, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, Conservation, BC Parks and Whistler’s MLA. While she understands the area is outside
of the RMOW’s jurisdiction, she said her numerous reports to Conservation have gone nowhere.
“It has a reputation that nobody will bother them. Anywhere on municipal lands bylaw will kick them out, but in Cheakamus, Conservation isn’t acting,” she said.
Pique contacted the Conservation Officer Service and was redirected to the Natural Resource Officer Service under the Ministry of Forests (MOF). The MOF is responsible for enforcing the Land Act, under which people can camp on Crown Land in one location for up to 14 days.
“No formal enforcement actions have been taken at this time along the Cheakamus Lake FSR as Natural Resource Officers are working with other government agencies, RCMP, regional district and the municipality to achieve voluntary compliance,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests, in a statement.
While Möeller empathizes with people who need housing, she doesn’t accept irresponsible behaviour that poses a risk to the environment, animals and other recreators.
“I think there needs to be regular enforcement on that road,” she said. “I have no issue with people camping for a reasonable amount of time. Platforms, generators and propane with no sanitation isn’t OK. We need regular enforcement to stop the regular abuse.” n
CAMP NOWHERE Campers along the Cheakamus Lake FSR near Whistler in summer 2024.
FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
Whistler to receive $2.5M from federal Housing Accelerator Fund
RMOW
AIMS TO CUT RED TAPE AND ACCELERATE CONSTRUCTION OF 62 HOMES OVER NEXT THREE YEARS AND 814 OVER NEXT DECADE
BY BRANDON BARRETT
WHISTLER WILL receive $2.5 million through the Government of Canada’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), money that will help spur the construction of 62 homes over the next three years and 814 over the next decade.
Sea to Sky MP Patrick Weiler announced the news at the Whistler Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 20, calling it “a really important day” for the resort’s housing landscape.
“This is more than just about numbers. It’s about making housing more accessible, faster and more efficient. It’s about cutting unnecessary delays, rethinking zoning and making better use of the land that is already here or could be better utilized,” Weiler said.
Whistler is the latest Sea to Sky municipality to receive money from Ottawa’s $4.4-billion HAF, an initiative launched in 2023 requiring approved local governments to develop housing action plans.
Local governments are “encouraged to think big and be bold in their approaches, which could include accelerating project timelines, allowing increased housing density, and encouraging affordable housing units,” a federal release said.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) 2023 Housing Action Plan, one of the most significant and extensive housing strategies the municipality has produced, is broken into several core efforts, including a comprehensive review of building fees, charges, and infrastructure needs supporting strategies for future growth. The RMOW will also pre-zone specific areas for multi-family residential developments, with a mix of market and affordable non-market housing. Development review timelines—a persistent headache for local builders, who have criticized the RMOW for its oftenopaque permit approval process and lengthy wait times—will be shortened by prioritizing workforce housing applications and digitizing its permitting process, something the local building community has been calling for for years.
“We have earmarked a portion of the funds—so on the municipal budget this year and in the future—designed to help us reconfigure what we call our back end [of the permit application process]. But this money will really help us accelerate that work and also start our work on the front-end side of that, which is that user interface,” explained Dale Mikkelsen, GM of the RMOW’s Climate Action, Planning and Development Services division. “We often find our system is old, outdated, cumbersome or challenging to deal with and that hurts the efficiency of the application. Because, as we know, if the application is not good and complete, it
becomes harder to process.”
The funds will be spread across various municipal departments to tackle Whistler’s longest-standing challenge. In the engineering department, “it’s going to enable us to accelerate our look at the infrastructure needs” of future housing sites, Mikkelsen said. “So how much water do they need? How much sewer do they need? Do they have the electrical capacity to take on density? And how quickly can we do that?”
In the building department, funds will support the modernization and implementation of a new building bylaw intended to streamline the approval process and better clarify the respective roles of both the municipality and the permit applicant.
In the planning department, Mikkelsen said the funds will be used “in many ways,” including the development of a municipal land strategy identifying future housing sites for non-market units “over the next five, 10, 20 years that we can help accelerate,” he added.
In December, RMOW staff presented the results of a provincially mandated Interim Housing Needs Report, estimating that, based on current population trends, Whistler will require 1,572 new housing units in the next five years, and 5,639 in the next 20.
Although the RMOW has made significant headway on housing in recent years—Phase 2 of Cheakamus Crossing’s development is nearing completion, which, at build-out, will have added more than 500 non-market units to Whistler’s stock—the municipality has reiterated time and again that it can’t solve the resort’s housing crisis alone.
“We knew it was very important to ensure it was easier for builders to build. It can’t just be local government that does it in this town, it needs to be private builders,” Mayor Jack Crompton said. “So, we’re extremely excited and grateful that the federal government and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation has decided that this investment is important to them and to us. It’s going to help us in that important work, and we’re excited to put that money to work.”
The RMOW previously applied and failed to secure funding through the HAF, until Weiler encouraged resort officials to take another look at their application and resubmit.
“He worked incredibly hard for us as a community to ensure that it wasn’t just Pemberton and Squamish that were successful, but Whistler was,” said Crompton.
The federal government has estimated the HAF will fast-track at least 112,000 new homes across Canada by 2028, and an estimated 750,000 new homes over the next decade. Whether the fund will still exist at that point is anyone’s guess. Federal Conservative leader Pierre Pollievre has vowed to end the HAF if elected prime minister, instead planning to remove GST from new home purchases. n
Whistlerite’s Unplugged Canada takes collective approach to curbing kids’ smartphone use
HUNDREDS
OF CAREGIVERS ACROSS CANADA HAVE SIGNED NON-PROFIT’S PLEDGE TO DELAY CHILDREN’S SMARTPHONE USE UNTIL AT LEAST AGE 14
BY BRANDON BARRETT
WHISTLER’S JENNY Perez has seen debilitating addiction first-hand.
Growing up in Peru, one of the world’s leading producers of cocaine, she watched friends and loved ones come and go from rehab. Others didn’t make it that far.
“They’re young and I’ve lost many of them,” she said.
That pushed Perez, a local immigration consultant, to learn more about neuroscience and the impacts addiction has on the brain. Then, after becoming a mother, “I could see people getting hooked to devices,” she said. “Not just adults, but kids.”
By the time her daughter was in third grade, Perez said more and more of her classmates had smartphones at school. But anytime she would bring it up with school administrators, she felt like she was fighting a losing battle.
“I thought at one point I was crazy. People couldn’t understand why I was so passionate about this,” Perez recalled. “Not everyone was on the same page. People told me I needed to
embrace new times.”
It was that sense of isolation that eventually inspired Perez to found Unplugged Canada last year, a non-profit dedicated to delaying the use of smartphones for children until at least age 14 and raising awareness of the growing concerns related to children and smartphone use. The organization also encourages parents to delay their kids’ social media use until at least 16.
“Our movement is basically based on the fact that schools take a lot of time to change,” noted Perez. “Technology has been ingrained in the school system. They have the big tech companies doing their best possible job marketing innovation as the best thing for our kids. As a learning tool, it’s proven to have little benefit compared to the flipside: impacts on mental health and cognitive development.”
According to Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada’s largest mental health hospital, 35 per cent of Ontario secondary students spend five hours or more a day on electronic devices. One in two students report excessive screen time and sedentary behaviours. A report from the U.K. research agency Childwise paints an even starker picture, finding the average British
12-year-old spends 29 hours a week on their smartphones. Heavy smartphone and social media use have been linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, chronic stress and low self-esteem.
“This movement is about prioritizing
“[It’s] about prioritizing our children’s mental health...”
- JENNY PEREZ
our children’s mental health and their social and emotional well-being by delaying smartphones,” Perez said. “We live in the power of collective action. It’s not about rejecting tech altogether but making the right protective choices for our children.”
Modelled after a similar U.S. organization called Wait Until 8th, Unplugged Canada invites parents and caregivers to sign a pledge
committing to delaying their kids’ smartphone use until 14. Currently, 1,670 caregivers from 329 schools across Canada have signed on.
More than mere lip service, the pledge “activates” once five families at a school from your child’s grade sign it. Unplugged Canada will then notify the signatories and share a list of family surnames who have also signed so you can connect, an effort to mitigate worries of isolating a child from their peers for not using smartphones. (The pledges are otherwise confidential, and parents don’t have to use their children’s full names to sign up.)
“By signing the pledge, parents join a community knowing they’re not alone. That’s the power of it,” said Perez.
Along with hosting regular webinars featuring experts in fields such as mental health, education, and tech, Perez also wants Unplugged Canada to play an advocacy role at the government level, particularly after the Liberals’ Online Harms Act failed to pass last year.
“We want to push the incoming federal government to prioritize online safety for kids in their party platform,” Perez said.
Learn more, and sign the pledge, at unpluggedcanada.com. n
New gear store in Whistler aims to be a community hub
MT. WADDINGTON OUTDOORS OFFERS HIGH-QUALITY GEAR FOR OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS, INCLUDING PARAGLIDERS
BY LIZ MCDONALD
A NEW STORE in Whistler aims to provide equipment to suit the needs of Sea to Sky adventurers.
Mt. Waddington Outdoors opened up at 4350 Lorimer Rd, unit 113, in December 2024. The location should be well-known to gear-heads—it’s the former location of Escape Route, a longtime staple that closed Squamish and Whistler locations last year.
Store owner Sam Waddington said his shop aims to cater to adventure sports that are well-known from Pemberton to Squamish. But what will set them apart is their paragliding equipment.
“Paragliding is an interesting sport. It’s always been serviced from a retail perspective by instructors and paragliding schools,” Waddington said. “It’s also been a back-of-thetruck model, buying from an instructor and showing up at a parking lot where they whip out their equipment for purchase. We’d never do that for any other backcountry equipment, so now we’re trying to modernize that experience. There aren’t brick-and-mortar retailers for paragliding here in Canada, given the evolution of the sport.”
Waddington paraglides and owns a guiding company in the Fraser Valley. His experience in instruction and participation meant he understood there was a gap in the market.
“I’m a core user of these pieces of equipment and a participant in the sports,” he said. “The frustrations I feel as a paraglider pilot trying to buy or understand the best equipment spurred my choice … Most instructors have a single vested interest in one brand, whereas we sell all of the best creating a marketplace to pick from.”
Paragliders can try harnesses in a simulator at the shop that mimics how it feels to hang in the air, and shopping at the store reduces delays in equipment delivery that occur when ordering online.
WADDINGTON AND ESCAPE ROUTE
Waddington said the former Escape Route was one of his favourite shops growing up in B.C. He was poised to merge with the company but chose to walk away from the deal because of financial risk.
“In the end to watch the business fail was really tough,” he said. “It’s always hard because the failure of an outdoor business is twofold. It leaves a huge hole for gear, and at their best they provide a community hub for hosting film festivals or supporting outdoor clubs, gatherings and meeting points to swap information. In a very real way, Escape Route did that for many years.”
He fell in love with the idea of running a gear store in Whistler during the process, and said he decided to move forward with the dream by expanding.
A COMMUNITY HUB
In line with his belief about what outdoor businesses can be, Waddington wants to contribute to community building in Whistler.
He’s re-hired a few former Escape Route employees, and has three managers who have local knowledge and community connections. He has nine full-time staff and a handful of casual employees.
“We’re focused on supporting and building the sporting outdoor community in ways that matter to them. We are working with outdoor education programs at the local high school for gear support and discounts for high school students. We’re hosting Banff Mountain Film Festival in March at the Maury Young Arts Centre and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Spearhead Huts Society,” he said.
Waddington said they opened on a compressed timeline, with the lease signing, renovation, hiring and opening in 42 days.
“We didn’t have time to market, we didn’t even have proper signage,” he said. “But the moment we opened, visitors and locals came by to check it out. The reception has been overwhelmingly great, people are happy to have a proper gear store in town.”
The shop is the second store to open under Waddington, with the first location based in Chilliwack. They service climbers, mountaineers, backpackers, tourers, paddlers and paragliders.
“We view our job as taking the best equipment in every sport category across the world, distilling it to our climate, region, users and user cases that exist and offer options in a range of prices that sit in a high-quality category,” he said. n
FIRST ASCENT Owner Sam Waddington employs nine full-time staff and wants the store to be a community hub.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM WADDINGTON
New nature club launches for Whistler kids
WHISTLER NATURALISTS HAVE PARTNERED WITH NATUREKIDS BC TO BRING MONTHLY SCIENCE-BASED NATURE OUTINGS FOR YOUTH AND ARE SEEKING MEMBERS
BY LIZ MCDONALD
KIDS CURIOUS about critters have a new club to join in Whistler.
The Whistler Naturalists are partnering with NatureKids BC to start a club for families with children aged five to 12. Each month, families can take part in Explorer Days where they head out into nature and learn about local ecosystems and connect with likeminded families.
According to a press release, “NatureKids BC is a nature discovery and environmental action organization that helps children form meaningful and enduring connections with nature alongside their families.”
Membership is free for families and includes a welcome package, a magazine subscription and more.
“While NatureKids BC takes the lead on providing resources and administration help, the local Whistler Club will run monthly Explorer Days,” said local coordinator Kristina Swerhun. “I’ve volunteered with the Whistler Naturalists for many years and have been thinking about starting a Whistler NatureKids Club for a while. I’ve had more parents ask about programming for families lately, so this
seemed a good time to start.”
Ideas for Explorer Day events are as diverse as the local ecosystem, with potential outings including pond-dipping for aquatic insects, plant identification in forests or citizen science and stewardship activities.
club can help turn eco-anxiety into ecoaction,” Swerhun said. “When we validate our kids’ concerns and demonstrate how our actions—even the small ones—make a difference, we can transform feelings of anxiety into feelings of empowerment.”
Families are encouraged to sign up regardless of knowing their schedule in advance.
“Getting the NatureWILD magazine alone is a great reason to join. It’s B.C.’s only homegrown nature magazine for kids and includes great articles and features stories of children and youth taking action for the environment, activities, games and contests,” said Swerhun. “And then in the future, who knows, maybe the timing of an Explorer Day will work for you.”
Parents can sign up at NatureKids BC’s website, and they will receive an email from the Whistler chapter requesting which days and times work best for Explorer Days.
“We also understand that some kids are worried about the environment, and they can feel scared, overwhelmed and even hopeless. We’re hopeful this new
The first outing will focus on animal tracks on the last weekend in March, and kids will learn how to identify wildlife that call Whistler home.
The Whistler Public Library has stepped up to provide space during inclement weather as well as resources for the club, and the Association of Whistler Residents for the Environment will also lend a hand. Other organizations or volunteers looking to get involved with the club are asked to contact Swerhun at Whistler@NatureKidsBC.ca. n
JoinusforourAGMontheeveningof March6th
5:15pm -MeetoutfrontofWhistlerPublicLibraryfora5kmGroupRun 6:00pm -MeetinLibraryCommunityRoomforapresentationby CanadianEliteRunnerandHettassponsoredathleteRachelCliff v HettasRunningShoeswillbeavailabletotryforthoseinterested 6:30pm -Whistler TriathlonClubAGM(willfinishby7:15pm)
WORLD OF WONDER Calling all critter kids: the Whistler Naturalists have a new youth-centred club.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER NATURALISTS
Naturespeak: Wedgemount Glacier in 2024—A story of loss and legacy
BY CHLOE VAN LOON
THE WHISTLER NATURALISTS’ most recent Wedgemount Glacier Monitoring Report (2024) reminds us once again that the glacier is a story of relentless decline. The report provides a detailed analysis of the glacier’s recent behaviour, continuing a monitoring program that began in 1973.
Like a shift in the glacier’s edge, this year’s report marks a shift in the report leadership and the end of an era. After 50 years of monitoring Wedgemount Glacier, Karl Ricker retired at the age of 88 and his service will be forever appreciated. The monitoring effort is now led by Rob Tupper, a professional surveyor, and Dave Lyon, sons of two of the project founders (Bill Tupper and Don Lyon).
Glacier monitoring data was collected using a variety of data sources, including realtime GPS surveys of the glacier terminus and measurements of ice thickness. The report highlights several key findings about the glacier’s state:
Continued recession: The glacier continues to recede, with an average horizontal recession of 13.4 metres between 2023 and 2024. Since 1973, the glacier has receded more than 700 metres.
Significant thinning: The glacier has thinned significantly, with a 14.3-metre decrease in elevation at one point near the toe between 2020 and 2024.
Lake update: Above Wedgemount Lake recession has uncovered Tupper Lake. It began forming in 2006 and now covers approximately four hectares.
Future monitoring efforts include using drone technology to create a surface-tosurface model to compare to past models. In 2020, a 3D model was created of the lower portion of the glacier and Tupper Lake. An updated model will allow a five-year comparison model to be created, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the glacier’s changes over time.
As you can probably guess, the report
collaborators predict Wedgemount Glacier will continue to retreat in the coming decades. This will have an impact on the local ecosystem, as the glacier provides water for Wedgemount Lake, and the local ecosystem. In the future, tourism could be affected as the glacier is a popular tourist destination for hikers and climbers for those who can manage the strenuous-but-rewarding hike.
The story of Wedgemount Glacier is a compelling narrative of dedication, scientific inquiry, and the undeniable reality
The glacier’s retreat is a stark reminder of the environmental challenges we face.
of climate change. The data is shared with the National Hydrology Research Centre as they work to better understand and predict the impacts of climate variability. It is a story that needs to be told and retold, which the Whistler Naturalists do through the yearly report and Naturespeak articles, which we hope serve as both a chronicle of ongoing change and a call to action.
The glacier’s retreat is a stark reminder of the environmental challenges we face. Continued monitoring efforts, now passed to a new generation, offer a glimmer of hope that we can learn from the past and work towards a more positive future for this and our other local glaciers. Hope is not the conviction that glacier recession will slow or reverse in our lifetime, but the certainty that working to reduce our impact on the planet is the right thing to do, regardless of how our glaciers change.
Naturespeak is prepared by the Whistler Naturalists. To learn more about Whistler’s natural world, go to whistlernaturalists.ca. n
RAPID RETREAT Wedgemount Glacier in 2020 (left) compared to 2024 (right) shows how much the glacier has receded in only four years.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER NATURALISTS
Growth of Industrial Park changing Pemberton community centre bookings
HOURS OF USE DOWN, NUMBER OF BOOKINGS UP AS TWO LONG-TERM USER GROUPS MOVE ON
BY LUKE FAULKS
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
PEMBERTON’S GROWING Industrial Park is contributing to lower hours of use and a higher number of bookings at the Pemberton and District Community Centre, according to a 2024 fourth-quarter report presented to council.
The centre reported a 32-per-cent decrease in its hours of use in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to the final quarter of 2023. This came after a peak in renters during the second quarter of 2024 at 2,593 hours. The reported decline in hourly usage is mostly credited to the loss of two long-term user groups: Whistler Gymnastics and Tempest Jiu Jitsu.
The decline in usage didn’t come as a surprise to Christine Burns, Pemberton’s manager of recreation. She told Pique the community centre budgeted for gymnastics and jiu-jitsu to stop renting and move towards the Industrial Park.
“We were working closely with some of those long-term rentals, gymnastics and jiujitsu,” said Burns. “We were aware that they
were looking for a standalone facility, and I had anticipated that by September, when we were doing the budgeting this time last year, that they would be moved along.”
Both businesses moved out of the community centre to open their facilities in the Industrial Park in September 2024.
Kengo Hatanaka, the owner of Tempest Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, previously told Pique
and snow clearing within the park. In response, council noted the park’s expanding presence in the valley.
“It’s a really neat, growing area—the Industrial Park—in so many ways, and it’s exciting to acknowledge that and just see how it’s moving forward,” said Councillor Katrina Nightingale during a Jan. 21 council meeting.
Burns said seeing businesses grow big
“We’re in a nice rhythm right now, so I am excited to see what 2025 brings.”
- CHRISTINE BURNS
he wanted to move the business out of the community centre so the equipment used by him and his students wouldn’t have to be taken out of storage and put away each time they ran a class.
“It was just taking too much time,” said Hatanaka.
The Industrial Park’s growth over the last few years has been noted by other community groups. In January, Pemberton & District Chamber of Commerce president Adam Adams wrote to the Village asking for more support on parking options, transportation
enough to need their own spaces is what the community centre is all about.
“Our goal is to take in these individuals who want to be their own entity and help them grow and prosper and get to the point where they can start looking at having their own standalone facility,” said Burns. “And [to] help make them be potentially more viable on their own, just through them being able to grow their membership.
“The whole point of community recreation is to help build community.”
The community centre charges an hourly
rate for users based on a Squamish-Lillooet Regional District bylaw, with an option for a discount in the kitchen based on a day’s booking. The decrease in hours of usage has resulted in a decrease in revenue for the community centre, but Burns said it won’t result in a change in the pricing model for the facility; instead, Burns said the centre has budgeted for that decrease, and that it has opened up new opportunities for community programming. That’s reflected in the fourthquarter report’s findings that facility bookings are up 43 per cent over the previous year’s final quarter, despite hours of use being down.
“What it means is we have more space, so now all of a sudden, we have more smaller users, users who are just using smaller blocks of time and individual contracts for each of those versus one contract for a bulk of time,” said Burns.
She stresses that even with hours of use being down due to gymnastics and jiu-jitsu moving out, service levels are still significantly up compared to pre-COVID levels.
“I do believe everything that is going on right now is just presenting an opportunity for growth in different ways than before,” she said. “When you have a long-term rental that’s taking up a large space, it prevents some of those ebbs and flows from being feasible, but it presents fiscal stability.
“We’re in a nice rhythm right now, so I am excited to see what 2025 brings.” n
Pemberton RCMP investigating sudden death on Prospect Street
POLICE RESPONDED TO THE REPORT OF A DEATH ON SATURDAY, FEB. 22
BY LUKE FAULKS
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING after a sudden death in Pemberton on Feb. 22.
RCMP said they responded to a report of a death on a property in the 7400 block, at the northern end of Prospect Street, just after 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22.
RCMP Sgt. Vanessa Munn told Pique in
an email that “officers are working ... closely with the BC Coroners Service to advance the investigation and determine the complete circumstances surrounding this death.”
She said no additional details would be provided as the investigation is still underway.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Pemberton RCMP at (604) 8946634.
Check back with Pique for more as this story develops. n
Lil’wat using ‘tiny homes’ approach to ease housing crunch
THE SIX NEW UNITS ON MOUNT CURRIE’S MAIN STREET HAVE MOSTLY GONE TO YOUNG, FIRST-TIME RENTERS
BY LUKE FAULKS
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
THE LIL’WAT NATION has completed construction on six brand new “tiny homes” in Mount Currie, just off Main Street before Fish Hatchery Road and the train tracks.
The homes have mostly gone to young, first-time renters in the Nation.
“All the youth are very excited and happy to have their own first home places,” said Gayle Andrews, Lil’wat Nation’s housing coordinator.
The project was in the works for 14 months. Lil’wat Nation provided 30 per cent of the funding, while the remaining 70 per cent was provided by Indigenous Services Canada, which is “responsible for providing and managing housing on reserve.”
That funding can go towards construction, lot servicing, renovation, maintenance, insurance, debt servicing, planning and managing a housing portfolio, and mould remediation.
Construction began in April 2024 and wrapped in January. The result is six, onebedroom suites—two of which are “fully wheelchair accessible,” according to an email from Andrews. The standard units are 459 square feet with 86 square feet of storage room. The accessible units are 484 square
feet.
The Nation held an open house for the tiny homes on Jan. 30. Shortly thereafter, new renters moved in.
“Many of the first renters are first-time renters, young adults moving out of their parents’ house,” said Tom Laviolette, the Nation’s director of infrastructure, in an email.
The tiny homes represent an important opportunity to address the Nation’s needs.
A 2022 report found that 170 new housing units will be needed by 2033—130 for current needs and 40 to account for a growing population. The 2022 report shows the Nation is looking to achieve those targets with low- to moderate-density housing options, mostly consisting of duplexes, along with two sixplexes.
Gail told Pique the Nation already has a waitlist of about 100 on- and off-reserve members looking for housing—split evenly between those wanting one-bedroom and twoplus-bedroom units. The Nation is looking to use the tiny homes approach moving forward to help address that waitlist.
“Now that we built them we think that we have a good plan for more programs,” said Andrews. She noted the size of the homes helps meet energy efficiency and affordability standards required to obtain grant funding for future housing projects.n
UNDER INVESTIGATION Police officers are investigating a sudden death in Pemberton with the BC Coroners Service.
PHOTO BY LUKE FAULKS
Dispatch from the B.C. Interior
ONE OF THE HABITS I’ve tried to stick to over the years is to have at least one ski trip a year where I travel out of my home mountain range. I love the Sea to Sky and still have plenty of nooks and crannies I haven’t skied yet, but stepping out of that comfort zone to explore other mountains will always refresh my appreciation for where I live.
BY VINCE SHULEY
Our season on the Coast has been good, but a tad underperforming. Storms have rolled through and dumped healthy amounts of snow, but we’ve also had weeks without any precipitation at all. And when conditions seem to be the same over and over, changing up the terrain can be just what skiers need to reignite the flame.
One stretch of mountains I’ve recently begun to explore is Rogers Pass. This stretch of highway through the Selkirk Mountains is home to some of the finest ski touring in the world, but like any amazing backcountry zone, it comes with caveats. Rogers Pass is also home to a busy stretch of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway. The massive concrete snow sheds and long tunnels shield vehicles and railroad cars from avalanches, but the area still requires
constant avalanche mitigation during the winter. A team of Parks Canada avalanche technicians work with the Royal Canadian Artillery to knock down unstable snow using 105-millimetre howitzers, often closing the highway for hours (or days) at a time until the pass is considered safe for travel.
I’ll note the obvious here; the avalanche control performed by Parks Canada and the military is to make the highway and railway safe, not the backcountry skiing terrain. Navigating avalanche risk from ski touring is up to the skiers themselves. The added hazard of artillery means skiers have a lot of responsibility to keep themselves and
complex terrain. Glacier travel is required in most alpine areas. Couloirs are long and steep (just what expert skiers want) but come with their own caveats of rocky, windloaded entrances and slide paths that point you straight into terrain traps. There’s also the hazard of plenty of other people, which requires solid communication within and sometimes between groups.
The closest towns to Rogers Pass are Revelstoke and Golden, and while the drive from Revy is a couple of hours shorter, I’ve found myself basing out of Golden the last couple of trips, for a few reasons. First, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is
There’s a reason the Freeride World Tour stops in Kicking Horse—the terrain kicks ass.
others safe. Some slopes in Rogers Pass are prohibited from skiing altogether, since they require frequent control with explosives and/ or their slide paths intersect the highway itself. A few areas are unrestricted and open to skiers all winter, where you are permitted to ski as long as the highway is open. Other zones are “winter restricted,” meaning they may open or remain closed on any given day depending on planned artillery gunfire. The Winter Permit program (managed by Parks Canada and enforced by park wardens and peace officers) requires every skier to take a short online course every season to clearly understand these closure nuances.
Adding to all the navigation of control hazards, Rogers Pass has some incredibly
the perfect warmup for skiing in Rogers Pass. It has quick gondola access directly to the high alpine at 2,347 metres, where you then have your pick of sharp ridges with dozens of double-black chutes. There’s plenty of hikeable side country to get the lungs and legs prepped, all leading to rowdy, no-nonsense lines. There’s a reason the Freeride World Tour stops in Kicking Horse—the terrain kicks ass.
The other bonus is your Epic Pass gets you a handful of days at Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, which Kicking Horse is a part of. There’s also plenty of bargain-priced accommodation in Golden if you want to keep your road trip costs down.
When it’s time to hit the Rogers Pass,
planning is essential. Groups need to strongly consider the winter restriction closures, the weather and the Avalanche Canada bulletin before choosing from the vast amounts of available terrain. The Rogers Pass Discovery Centre (where you need to stop on your first day to get your Parks Canada pass) has plenty of great map and terrain photo resources you can use. Unless you’re skiing with a guide or someone experienced in the area, I would recommend keeping it conservative your first few days. Rogers Pass has an inter-continental snowpack, meaning large amounts of mostly dry snow, on average about 10 metres a year at treeline.
That all sounds wonderful, but looming instabilities such as buried crusts and facet layers—as well as surface instabilities like storm and wind slabs—are a constant threat. Skiers in the B.C. Interior have a lot more respect for the snowpack, always wary of when it can catch you off guard with devastating consequences. This is not the Coastal snowpack that often seems to settle out after a few days before you can send it down whatever you want.
While the alpine weather didn’t cooperate on this trip to Rogers Pass, I still managed to get some great skiing in long treeline gullies with the sun intermittently poking out for mesmerizing views of Mount Sir Donald and the surrounding Selkirk Peaks. Every day I ski in Rogers Pass I’m learning and cautiously grow more confident in skiing this Canadian treasure. Vince Shuley is already planning his next ski trip to Golden and Rogers Pass. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider, email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_vince . n
PASS IT ON Rogers Pass offers some of the finest ski touring in the world
PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY
AWARE’S new Zero Waste Campaign for Whistler
PICTURE THIS: A farmer rises before dawn to tend their fields; nurturing crops that take months of care, water, and resources to flourish. After harvesting, those crops are transported across vast distances, stored in warehouses, displayed in grocery aisles, and carefully prepared in our kitchens—only to be left uneaten, forgotten in the back of the fridge, and eventually tossed in the trash.
We might not think twice about throwing away a half-used bag of wilted spinach, scraping leftovers into the trash, or forgetting about the yogurt pushed to the back of the fridge. But every time we waste food, we also waste the energy, water, and land used to
BY ALEXANDRA CUSCHIERI
And when food waste ends up in landfill, it doesn’t just disappear, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide. In fact, food waste generates more emissions than the entire aviation industry— almost five times as much.
Yet, when we talk about climate change, food waste is rarely at the forefront. We focus on cars, factories, and energy grids, overlooking the staggering environmental impact of the food we throw away. This is a problem.
But here’s the good news: tackling food waste is one of the most powerful climate actions we can take to have an immediate impact.
ORGANIC WASTE IN WHISTLER
Whistler is fortunate to have a closed-loop composting system, where food waste collected from households is transformed into nutrientrich compost that supports local agriculture.
Yet, despite this system, nearly 26 per cent of Whistler’s compostable organic waste still ends up in landfill.
Even more concerning, 20 per cent of household food waste is entirely avoidable; perfectly good food that is never eaten. We’re talking about untouched leftovers, overpurchased groceries, and fresh produce that spoiled before it could be enjoyed. This isn’t just scraps; it’s food that could have nourished families or been put to better use.
The reality is we have a tremendous opportunity to do better. By making small, thoughtful changes in our kitchens, businesses, and communities, we can cut waste, lower emissions, and save money—all while making the most of the food we have. It’s time we reconsider how we approach our food consumption.
SMALL STEPS, BIG DIFFERENCE
The Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE) is on a mission to make those changes easy. Through our new
From Waste to Action: Zero Waste Campaign, we aim to divert five per cent of Whistler’s organic waste from landfill by the end of the year.
Food waste isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s hitting our wallets, too. The average Canadian household throws away $1,300 worth of food each year, often due to overbuying, improper storage, or forgetting leftovers.
From Waste to Action will help you save money and waste less by making grocery planning easier, storing food properly, and getting creative with leftovers. Plus, you’ll have access to FREE workshops, composting guides, kitchen caddies, and compostable bag liners to make reducing waste effortless at home.
REDUCE YOUR COST OF RUNNING A BUSINESS
Food waste is more than just a problem for households; it’s a major issue for businesses, too. In British Columbia, food retailers and service industries lose an estimated $1.3 billion annually due to inefficiencies in planning, purchasing, storage, and preparation.
In Whistler alone, 12.5 per cent of food discarded by businesses is still perfectly edible—food that could have been consumed, donated, or discounted. Even more concerning, nearly a third of this waste could have been composted instead of ending up in a landfill.
To address this, AWARE is offering free one-on-one training, customized action plans, and waste audits to help Whistler’s restaurants, hotels, and grocery stores
The reality is we have a tremendous opportunity to do better.
reduce food waste, cut costs, and meet the requirements of the Solid Waste Bylaw’s organic waste separation mandate. It’s a winwin: less waste, more savings, and a positive impact on the environment.
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
We all have a role to play in reducing food waste. Whether you’re a resident looking for waste-cutting tips and community events or a business wanting to reduce costs and stay compliant, there are plenty of ways to get involved.
Join us in building a waste-free Whistler. Find out how you can take action today at awarewhistler.org/blog. Surely, we can do better than the aviation industry.
AWARE works with the community to deliver bold, inspiring, evidence-based solutions to the environmental issues that affect Whistler. Read more at awarewhistler.org.n
here was a time, back in the early ’90s, when (some) locals were thrilled with Whistler being listed at No. 2 on Ski Magazine’s list of best North American resorts.
Then, when the resort made it to No. 1 in 1996, there was definitely a feeling with locals that Whistler was finally being recognized for what a great destination ski area it was. But as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.
In 1990 the Fairmont Chateau Whistler had just opened, Phase 2 of the village was still years away, and Whistler Mountain was still a separate entity from Blackcomb. The idea of Whistler as a jet-setting international resort was not yet fully realized.
While the first “monster” chalets went up in the mid to late ’80s, the early-’90s recession had cooled off the real estate market, and first-generation A-frames and gothic arch cabins continued to make up most of the valley’s single-family homes.
In that environment came (so some say) the last gasp of the ski bums or “dirtbag” skiers who first popularized Whistler starting in the late 1960s through the ’70s.
JOIN THE DARK SIDE
One of those Whistler originals is Jan Simpson, who first came to Whistler in 1969 and was driving the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler before they had even finished paving it.
“Whistler was where I skied. [Then] when Blackcomb was established I skied both. I always had a dual-mountain pass,” Simpson recalls. “We used to call Blackcomb ‘The Dark Side.’ But I think most people were excited to have two first-class ski mountains outside our door—we were the envy of everyone.”
Blackcomb Mountain and the original Whistler Village opened in 1980-81, alongside Whistler Mountain, which opened in 1966. Blackcomb was started by the Aspen Corp, which originally had high hopes for the mountain. But plans change, and Aspen Corp sold out to Intrawest in 1986, which then acquired Whistler Mountain in 1997. In the intervening years, many locals felt a loyalty to Whistler Mountain, such as artist Christina Nick, who arrived in Whistler in 1990.
“There used to be a healthy rivalry between Whistler and Blackcomb, which made it pretty fun to be here. I primarily skied Whistler, and when Blackcomb opened, you could choose to have a ‘Dual’ mountain pass. There were people who even asked where they could find ‘Dual’
mountain, since they could not understand why they only saw the names ‘Blackcomb’ or ‘Whistler.’ It was the start of many jokes,” recalls Nick.
The merger of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains into a single corporate entity has changed the operational dynamics of the resort, but the biggest difference between Whistler now and in the ’90s, according to Nick, is the shift from a primarily ski-focused destination to a more diverse, year-round resort catering to a wider range of visitors.
In the ’90s, Whistler was known for its epic snow winters, and the summer activities that exist now (hiking, mountain biking etc.) were a byproduct, not the reason for being in the valley. The resort was primarily focused on winter-sport enthusiasts, with a strong emphasis on skiing and the emerging snowboarding culture.
Today, Whistler has evolved into a multi-faceted destination with many things to do all year round.
THE DOMINO EFFECT
Former competitive snowboarder turned local business owner Justine Ewart feels (like many who were here then) the influx of money, an inevitable result of the resort’s popularity, is behind the most noticeable changes between then and now.
“I would have to say [it has had] a domino effect. The prices rising … which eventually moved out the heart of this town and its vibe, and since has been replaced with money people who invest in their future or a fun time,” she said. “If you can afford it, that is wonderful. But it would be lovely to see a diverse portfolio up here so to speak. It’s a rat race now. Everything is moving too fast and there is no ‘in the moment’ vibe anymore, or chill.”
Ewart says her first day on the hill when she came to Whistler was on Blackcomb, but after that she became “a true Whistler Mountain rider.” Like many who were here at the time, she wasn’t crazy about the two mountains merging—but thinks it pales in comparison to the Vail Resorts purchase of Whistler Blackcomb in 2016.
“I don’t think it was a good thing (the original Whistler/Blackcomb merger). But I also don’t really know. I feel Vail has done way worse,” she said. “It has overshadowed everything beforehand. However, with Vail as owners the mountain is a lot less busy. Except for holidays.”
Simpson echoes that sentiment, saying the most substantial change from the ’90s till now is the Vail Resorts takeover of Whistler Blackcomb.
“I’m grateful to have had the best days of Whistler before Vail, [with the] congested highway, [frequent] closures due to crashes and fatalities,” she says. “[They were] the good old days!”
David Buzzard, a local commercial photographer/photojournalist whose family owned the old campground in Whistler, agrees money has changed Whistler—not just the practicality of housing costs, and other cost-of-living expenses, but the feel of the resort overall.
“The size of the resort has grown so huge that most of the characters who lived here in the 1990’s couldn’t afford to live here, or probably wouldn’t be interested in living here if they could afford to,” Buzzard says.
He also agrees the Vail Resorts purchase has not been great for Whistler as a whole.
“I think the merger of Whistler and Blackcomb was bound to happen and made Whistler into the truly dominant resort it was until Vail took control,” Buzzard says.
LIVING LODGE
One of the major impacts of the stratospheric real estate market, and resulting development, is the removal of squats. In the ’90s, squatters’ cabins, a part of the Whistler scene from the beginning, were still widespread throughout the valley. Even on the shores of Alta Lake, near Lakeside Park, thrown-together cabins on unowned land were visible.
“I had good friends who lived in Jordan’s Lodge, where The Nita Lake Lodge sits now. It was a crazy place, always a big party on the go. It was sinking into the ground, so none of the floors were level,” says Buzzard.
Nick also remembers many of the Whistler squats back then, some of them near-legendary.
“The [end of] squats in Whistler indeed represents a significant change in the town’s character and culture. The era of squatting in Whistler marked a time of youthful idealism, adventure, and a more carefree lifestyle that seems impossible in today’s Whistler,” she says. “In the 1990s, Whistler had several popular areas for squatters. [They] included the squats near Parkhurst and on the Green River. I visited ‘John’s Garden’ many times in the 1990’s and canoed over from Emerald Estates very often to tend the plants, sketch and hang out.”
The classic ski-bum lifestyle was epitomized by figures like Charlie Doyle, a prominent figure in Whistler’s squatter community and founder of the legendary Whistler Answer, and John “Rabbit” Hare, who lived with his family in a hut at the top of Whistler Mountain, so he could be first on the lifts each morning. Everyone knew Rabbit, and had danced with him at the Boot, or another party in town.
Some dirtbags lived in unofficial settlements, such as the famous Toad Hall at the north end of Green Lake.
The era was known for legendary nights and colourful characters, including Seppo Makinen and his unforgettable parties.
Seppo lived in a massive log house on Nesters Road, which became a local landmark. He built it using recycled materials, including doors from Vancouver’s old city hall and flooring from the former Woodfibre (the old Squamish pulp mill), bowling alley and gymnasium. The house had an eclectic and unique character found nowhere else in town.
It was crammed with old ski equipment, clothing, records, books, games and trinkets, many left behind by transients. His hot tub always had someone in it, often for what seemed like days
or weeks at a time.
Seppo ran the house as an informal lodge, enjoying the company of colourful transients to whom he rented rooms. His parties in the ’90s were always off the rails, and included a tour of the premises by Seppo for first-timers, and a rotating door of Whistler celebrities and wellknown locals. Seppo was a crucial social figure in Whistler, along with Rabbit.
Tragically, Seppo’s iconic house burned down on April 19, 1998, leaving him essentially homeless. We watched the smoke and flames from Nesters, and knew then that an era had passed with the eradication of his home.
Ewart says she doesn’t remember visiting any Whistler squats, though some of the places she lived in back then could be described that way.
“It was simple. There were always 7-10 people per home and rent was decent. Food costs were decent,” she says. “If you weren’t sponsored, you could work part time and ski/snowboard lots.”
THE PLACE TO BE
One of the old Whistler landmarks most missed by locals is the old Boot Pub and Hotel. Located just north of the village, back in 1970 when it opened it was a little off the beaten track. Still, locals flocked to it, and by the ’90s it was a Whistler institution.
“The Boot was always the place to see friends and have a couple of drinks. It wasn’t unusual to have a cowboy on a horse walk through the front door, sometimes even when the strippers were on stage,” remembers Simpson.
Buzzard has his own special memories of The Boot.
“Do I ever miss The Boot. My family owned the old KOA Campground, where the Spruce Grove neighbourhood is now, so we could walk over to it,” he says. “I had a cat who used to wander over to the Boot during the Boot Ballet strip shows and drink beer out of the glasses of the guys watching the strip show. I would get a call from the bartender at the end of the night to come pick up my drunken cat.”
Monday nights at The Boot were epic, Buzzard adds, with kicking live bands, $1 pints and $5 pitchers.
“You would see guys walking around drinking right out of a beer pitcher. It wasn’t uncommon to see someone passed out cold in front of a urinal, so you’d have to step over them to relieve yourself,” he says.
But Nick has perhaps the fondest memories of the now long gone Boot Pub, which closed its doors for the last time on her birthday, April 28, 2006.
“I had a wicked birthday party that night, and helped close its doors. It was a great party, but a sad one as well, the end of an era,” she says.
“I believe the closing of the Boot had a notable impact on Whistler.”
It was a loss of a cultural landmark, since the Boot Pub was more than just a bar; it was known as the “locals’ living room” and played a crucial role in nurturing Whistler’s famed ski culture. Its closure meant the loss of a place that captured the local lore of Whistler across three decades.
Its closure also removed one of the few remaining budget-friendly hotel options in an increasingly expensive resort—and one of its best venues for live music and entertainment. Over the years, The Boot hosted both famous bands like The Tragically Hip (a.k.a. the Fighting Fighters), Michael Franti & Spearhead, Nickelback, Watchmen, DOA and other up-and-coming artists. Its closure left a yawning gap in Whistler’s music scene.
FILE PHOTO
DIRTBAG DEMOGRAPHICS
As these longtime locals have noted, squats and social institutions like The Boot Pub were pretty much at their end as the ’90s drew to a close. As the resort evolved, many of the dirtbag skiers— with their philosophy that if you were just skiing the lifts, then you weren’t skiing—began to look elsewhere.
“The dirtbags were a bunch of young guys who threw off the professional skier scene. They all worked construction or something in the summer and lived in old communal houses or squats that were really cheap, so they could ski through the winter,” Buzzard says. “The dirtbags also combined mountaineering with the beginning of the extreme ski scene. Whistler just became too crowded and expensive to be a dirtbag and most of those guys have moved away to smaller ski resorts.”
Of course, for anyone who was here in the ’90s, it was, in the end, all about skiing (or snowboarding). So what was it like then, before millions of visitors each year descended on the mountain?
“For me the best times to ski were during snowstorms… of course,” says Nick. “But I also recall the wonderful spring skiing we had in the 1990’s, with true corn snow, endless long sunny days, Mouton Cadet festivals, and plain ol’ raucous skiing, with not a worry and no real commitments. That was a wonderful time to be alive.”
SUMMER LOVIN’
One of the major differences between the ’90s and now is the summer season. By the ’90s Whistler had developed most of its lakeside parks, but there weren’t throngs of people filling them.
“Summers in Whistler in the ’90s were great. You could find a party with a huge bonfire in the backyard any day of the week. Now they don’t even let you light fires anymore,” remembers Buzzard.
It was the days when Whistler still experienced a true dead season, as tourists became sparse in the summer months.
“When the skiing ended in the spring, suddenly we, the locals, were alone. Everyone who lived in Whistler came out of the woodworks and we had many, many staff/local/bar wars parties that forged even stronger friendships over that time,” says Nick. “The bars and restaurants that stayed open had a friendly rivalry that encouraged us to come and spend our cash there with very low prices for meals and drinks. If you were still kicking around after the mountains closed, you were a local, and worth knowing.”
Nick and her friends would ride bikes and hang out by local lakes, often staying past dark to watch meteor showers.
“It was all very fluid and organic back then. Whoever was there, was there,” she says. “No one used a cellphone to call people, we were happy to just be in that spot at that moment with those people.”
Ewart mostly recalls the peace and quiet after the craziness of the winter season.
“They were so quiet. The shoulder season lasted for a solid two months, easily. Now we are lucky for two weeks in the spring,” she says. “And at least one month in the fall of quiet time. Lots of parties, lots of lake and activities. The lakes and parks were so peaceful.”
MARKET FORCES
But what about getting into the real estate market then, before prices became out of reach?
Buzzard did just that, although few working mainly service industry jobs could afford, even then, to get into the market.
“When my family sold our business, I had enough to put a down payment on my house in 1997. I was able to pay it off as a photographer, but I think I was the last generation of workingclass locals who could buy a market house,” he says.
Ewart, now married with children, does have a few regrets about not planning a little more for the future back then.
“It was really possible. If we only knew then what we know now,” she says. “We all would’ve scraped together everything we had and made smart investments to get to where people 20 years older than me are now.”
A single-family home could be had for less than $400,000 in the early ’90s. Even at the end of the decade, a two-bedroom townhome could be found for about $200,000. However, as Ewart, who now runs her own business, points out, real estate didn’t appear to be the slam dunk it does today in hindsight. The local real estate market had crashed in the early ’80s, and taken a downturn in the early ’90s. So for those working service-industry jobs to scrape together every last penny for a down payment on an investment that might become a liability, it was a gamble most didn’t want to take.
Nick is fatalistic about what might have been.
“I knew people that bought houses back then in the 1990’s, but most of them were older than me when I arrived, and had their lives figured out,” she says. “I, on the other hand, arrived in 1990 and had barely enough money to pay rent and buy a bag of rice, much less think of buying anything in the valley. That remains true to this day. Sometimes things are about timing. But I still wouldn’t change a thing.”
Simpson, who became a real-estate agent in 1979 while working as a bartender at the
Cheakamus Inn, had already made the jump to home ownership by that time.
“The first house I owned was in Alta Vista on Tyrol Crescent (locally known as Tylenol Crescent). In l972 I think we paid $70,000 for it.”
In the ’90s, or even back to the 1980s, there were many who perceived Whistler as Aspen North. But as those who were there tell it, that was far from the truth.
“I was under the impression that people considered Whistler a rich person’s place, not a place that you could make a home in,” Nick says. “People did not understand about the deep, rich community in Whistler. Many of my friends that did not live in Whistler could not understand my choice of living here, thinking it was a soulless place driven by luxury and fashion.”
For Nick, that was never the case.
“The community in Whistler, I feel, was and is a strong, supportive unique group of people from many walks of life, with a variety of interests and have proven to always be helpful and caring,” she says. “Now, I believe people feel the same way, that it is the place of the rich, and still do not understand about the ‘hidden’ community at its heart.”
She admits back then it was hard to see just how big Whistler would become as a destination resort.
“The popularity of Whistler crept up on all of us,” she says. “But I knew that there was a good thing going, and was not surprised with the popularity of the resort.”
Buzzard says even in the heyday of the dirtbag skiers, Whistler was seen as an international resort along the lines of Zermatt or Vail, and all that brings with it.
“Whistler has always been perceived as an enclave for the wealthy, but in the ’90s the average young person could really make a good life here. [But] even before the end of the 1990’s it was becoming too expensive for most of the traditional locals,” he says.
“I remember the event for when Whistler Blackcomb first broke a million skier visits, and thinking this is getting to be too much. Today I think it’s about four million [visits to Whistler] a year. The ’90s was 30 years ago, so Whistler has evolved into something totally different today. My wife, who moved here in 1999, doesn’t believe me when I talk about the old days.”
Ewart says she felt on some level the Whistler she knew was never going to last, it was just a matter of how long everyone had.
“I never really thought about it. But subconsciously, yes, it was a pretty amazing place, and everyone wanted a piece and everyone wanted to be here,” she says. “So I would say, yup, I knew it was coming.”
But still, Ewart points out, there will always be people here that will say now is the best time, or in the years to come, they will remember their time here that way. Every generation coming through Whistler is experiencing it for the first time, and so it’s all new and exciting, just as it was 30 years ago.
“Back then we all looked at it through rose-coloured glasses. Today they are darker,” Ewart says. “However it is relative, if I was a 20-something year-old travelling here for the first time, this place would rock just as awesome as it did 30-something years ago. It’s all how you want to feel about it.
“Today I am a wife, mother and self-employed hard-working woman in this town. I would change nothing. And I hope those around me at my age would feel the same. You won’t find any other town with this vibe and this much work. You just need to learn how to navigate ‘yours’ without burning out.” n
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES/ WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION
A feat of epic proportions
This past January, at the legendary Kitzbuehel Hahnenkamm World Cup downhill race, two Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) alumni stood on the podium for the first time in history in first and third position. James (Jack) Crawford and Cameron Alexander have forever marked their names in the history books as Whistler legends.
Their success is not only a personal triumph but also a reflection of the WMSC’s legacy of producing top-tier talent.
Jack and Cameron are joined by four other WMSC alumnus on the Canadian men’s World Cup speed team: Kyle Alexander, Brodie Seger, Riley Seger, and Broderick Thompson. The WMSC has a seasoned history of success on the World Cup circuit, a true testament to the incredible community of sponsors and supporters
that have helped these local athletes reach the pinnacle of alpine racing.
Achieving success at the top level requires immense support, and the above athletes would like to highlight those who have played a crucial role in the success of their team.
The WMSC Canadian Men’s Speed Team Athletes would like to thank:
OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS COACHES AND SUPPORT STAFF
THE WHISTLER MOUNTAIN SKI CLUB BC ALPINE ALPINE CANADA ALPIN
WHISTLER CUP
DAVE MURRAY NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER
VANCOUVER SKI FOUNDATION
WHISTLER BLACKCOMB FOUNDATION
WHISTLER BLACKCOMB
WHEATON PRECIOUS METALS
HAYWOOD SECURITIES
COSTAL MOUNTAIN EXCAVATIONS
GIBBONS WHISTLER
COSTAL MOUNTAIN CUSTOM HOMES BLC CONSTRUCTION
BRITE-LITE
MIKE AND LYNDA VANDERBURGH SAFE SOFTWARE
THE FAIRMONT WHISTLER
HELLY HANSEN
MACKENZIE INVESTMENTS
TECK RESOURCES
ANTHEM PROPERTIES
GREG GARDNER GM
Photo Credit: GEPA Pictures
Squamish adventurer Mark Sky travels 24K kilometres on human-powered quest to Argentina
SKY CLIMBED 12 MOUNTAINS DURING HIS UNPRECEDENTED ‘EXPEDITION SQUAGUA’
BY DAVID SONG
EVERYBODY HAS A childhood dream, but relatively few of these come to fruition.
In Mark Sky’s view, we are frequently taught to champion logic as we reach the cusp of adulthood. Passion and aspiration take a backseat as the demands of the real world sink in: get a job, make money, build a sensible career path. Many of us forget all about those youthful dreams when we hit our 20s and 30s. Sky did not. He embarked on a fully human-powered odyssey spanning 15 countries and more than 24,000 kilometres. Bicycles, kayaks and his own four limbs were the only things carrying him on this trip, which began in Squamish and culminated nearly 7,000 metres above sea level on Mount Aconcagua: the Western Hemisphere’s tallest point.
Aconcagua wasn’t the only mountain Sky climbed. He tried to summit the highest peak in every nation he passed through, managing 12 successful ascents.
This mission appeared to be improbable at best. Sky felt every bit of the heat, cold, hunger, thirst, fatigue and loneliness that assaulted him over the course of 22 gruelling months. Nefarious individuals tried to rob him. There were unplanned encounters with crocodiles and Colombian soldiers (more on that later).
Sky, who is known on Instagram as supermarks_adventures, headed out in May 2023 and beat the odds to finish his “Expedition Squagua,” not returning home until late February of this year.
NO SACRIFICE, NO VICTORY
Adventures demand sacrifice, particularly an undertaking of this magnitude.
“As you get older, when you have friends who’ve passed, you realize that maybe you’re not going to live forever like you once thought you would,” Sky said. “There’s never a good or a right time to do something like this. You’re going to have to give up everything in your life: everyone you love, your community, your job, your business, your home, everything.
“It was actually a really hard decision because you sit there and weigh out the pros and cons, but when you’re sure you want to do something in your life … the one thing I definitely don’t want to have when I’m older is regrets from not doing the things I really wanted to do.”
With that resolve in mind, Sky got to organizing Expedition Squagua. The task was harder than anticipated, for numerous factors had to line up: weather patterns, climbing seasons, availability of external resources and so on.
Most would have been content with a bike journey, but Sky is a top-flight adventure racer with events like the Eco-Challenge and the Adventure Racing World Series on his resumé. He knew his physical fitness levels would hold up and wished to do something truly unprecedented.
Mountaineering meant adding a lot of extra equipment to the mix. Sky didn’t just have to ride his bike across thousands of kilometres—he did so with a Gore-Tex wardrobe, three pairs of gloves, climbing boots, harnesses, ice screws, crampons, dual ice axes and his usual camping gear weighing him down.
Phase 1 of Expedition Squagua began in Sky’s driveway and carried on through the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and
Panama. He did, in fact, scale each country’s loftiest peak, including the 5,656-metre dormant Mexican volcano Pico de Orizaba.
Then he reached the Panama-Colombia border. On a map, it looks like a convenient land bridge into South America. It’s anything but.
‘MY ENTIRE LIFE FLASHED BEFORE MY EYES’
The region connecting Central and South America is known as the Darién Gap. It is one of Earth’s most inhospitable areas with diverse terrain, hazardous fauna and fearsome weather patterns. No roads exist through this place, which is also devoid of law enforcement and medical services.
Most who brave the Darién Gap are desperate migrants. Sky knew exactly what he was getting himself into, and with vehicles like aircraft and sailboats out of the question, he had to kayak across 500 kilometres of rough ocean to Colombia.
Prolific Canadian adventurer Frank Wolf joined in for this leg of the voyage, which yielded a harrowing episode worthy of Hollywood.
Sky and Wolf had planned to bed down at an Indigenous village built on stilts in the Darién jungle. The settlement’s chief evicted them just before dark, forcing both men to paddle an extra 10 to 15 kilometres across open water. A thunderstorm rolled in as they held onto each other’s boats for dear life.
Eventually washing ashore, Sky and Wolf found themselves amidst numerous modestly-sized crocodilians. The former picked up his machete and went to investigate the nearest building, a lighthouse.
Men bearing automatic firearms rushed to confront him.
“At that moment in time, my entire life flashed before my eyes,” Sky recalled. “I was like, ‘why did I even start this trip?’ I thought it was the cartel, but it turned out to be a secret Colombian military base and we got taken captive that night. We didn’t know if we were going to be shot and killed. We didn’t know if we were going to be held for ransom. We had no idea.”
More than two dozen soldiers detained the travellers for about 24 hours, but ultimately released them without further incident.
By April of last year, Sky and Wolf had successfully navigated the Darién Gap.
EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL AND SPECIAL
Super Mark proceeded to tackle mountains in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile before the climax of his grand quest. At least one such foray up Ecuadorian peak Chimborazo failed due to avalanche conditions, but he soldiered on toward the Andes’ crown jewel: Mount Aconcagua.
Once again, the Squamish native upped the difficulty level. Most climb Aconcagua by its relatively unchallenging northern route, but he opted to try the Polish Glacier Direct: a technical path with a maximum slope of between 45 and 60 degrees. Hailing originally from Poland, Sky embraced the excitement of pushing himself—with nobody to render aid if things went wrong.
Finally he found himself on top of Aconcagua, alone. No other mountaineers were on the Polish Glacier Direct at his time of summitting.
“I remember just breaking down. I was full of emotions running through me like I can’t even explain,” Sky said of the moment.
SKY HIGH Mark Sky stands atop the summit of Mount Whitney.
Whistler Kendo Club wins senior team event at Steveston Tournament
CLUB FOUNDER HIROAKI YANO THREE-PEATS AS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION
BY DAVID SONG
THE WHISTLER KENDO Club (WKC) has reached an impressive milestone: prevailing at the 61st Steveston Kendo Tournament on Feb. 8 for the very first time.
Club founder Hiroaki Yano and his unit rose above 30 other teams to win the senior division, grinding out a tiebreaker over Hawaii. Four of the Hawaiians represented their state in last year’s World Kendo Championship, but weren’t able to overcome the feisty Whistlerites.
A total of 10 WKC members saw action in Steveston, with five of them (four adults and one high school student) making up the senior team roster. They weren’t able to train as a group much due to various work and academic commitments, but rose to the occasion nonetheless.
Yano added to his own trophy case with gold in the 4th Dan-plus category, joining a very short list of athletes to three-peat in Steveston: North America’s most historic kendo contest that draws approximately 300 participants to the Richmond neighbourhood each year.
“I am truly proud that we were able to achieve victory with our small Whistler dojo,” said Yano. “Three years ago we started gathering members, and at that time simply participating in tournaments was our biggest challenge. Over time, our team grew, we began winning matches, and now we have achieved victory.
“There are many famous legends’ names engraved on the [Steveston] trophy, and I am proud to add ‘Whistler’ to it. Moreover, the trophy had been held by U.S. teams for the last four tournaments but we finally brought it back home to Canada.”
Another WKC practitioner, Mizuki Shigeta, finished second after a hard-fought run through the 3rd Dan event.
“He is a sincere, humble, and patient individual, and I believe these qualities were reflected in his kendo … leading to this result,” Yano said of Shigeta. “He focused on each match, gave everything he had, and secured second place. I am truly proud of him. Although he hasn’t been able to train as much as he would like, his dedication to kendo serves as a great example for other students.”
MARK SKY FROM PAGE 24
“I was trying to process the fact that I rode my bicycle from Canada for almost 600 days and never, ever gave up. I realized this dream didn’t start [in 2023] when I started the trip. It started a couple years before that, when I was planning. Just a very emotional, spiritual and special experience for me.
“I thought I would never get to the finish line, and then fast forward 20 months… I was afraid to go back home. Life is very simple out there—it’s not easy, but it’s simple. Every day is a new environment: new people, new culture, new food.”
THE WAY OF THE SWORD
Whistler’s final match against Hawaii was quite the nail-biter.
In kendo’s team format, five athletes compete in sequence and the winner is determined based on the number of individual victories, followed by total points scored.
The Hawaiians jumped out to a 2-1 edge in wins, but Yano was able to establish a tie by notching one point in his initial matchup.
Yano stepped up again to decide the podium. After a climactic six-minute bout, he landed the winning blow on his opponent.
“This triumph was made possible because each team member stayed focused, trusted their teammates, and continued to support one another even in moments of defeat,” Yano said. “The atmosphere remained positive throughout the competition. Behind us were not only our Whistler members, their families and friends, but also other Canadians who came to cheer for us.
“Their encouragement gave us the strength to push forward. I really appreciate their support. It wasn’t just individual effort—it was the combined energy of everyone involved that led us to this incredible team victory.”
Steveston was the inaugural tournament experience for two of the WKC’s underage members. They lost each match, but Yano says they displayed potential as both returning juniors got into the win column.
Nowadays the club is home to more than 20 martial artists from Whistler and Pemberton who vary in age and experience level.
“Kendo is a lifelong pursuit with no end to its training. It can be started at any age, and approximately six million people across more than 70 countries and regions practice,” said Yano. “In Japanese, [the word ‘kendo’] literally translates to ‘the way of the sword.’ Winning matches is not the sole purpose of kendo. I am honoured to have reached this milestone [of a three-peat in Steveston], but I remain committed to continuous training and growth.
“I have been fortunate to achieve good results in several tournaments, but those victories are just one part of my journey. As long as I live, I believe that true kendo is about striving to improve—not only through daily practice but also in life, work and school.”
Check out the WKC Facebook and Instagram pages for more information. n
HiltonWhistlerResortandSpa hasaliquorprimarylicenceattheir establishment with a capacity of128personsand hoursofservice of9amto1amMondaythroughSunday. Thelicenseehasapplied tothe Liquorand Cannabis Regulation Branch(LCRB)and Resort MunicipalityofWhistler(RMOW)topermanentlyincreasetheliquor primarycapacityby169personsforaproposedupscalebar. Residentsandownersofbusinessesmaycommentbywritingto: ResortExperience,PlanningDepartment ResortMunicipalityofWhistler 4325Blackcomb Way Whistler, BCV8E0X5 planning@whistler.ca
PETITIONSWILLNOTBECONSIDERED.
To ensurethe consideration ofyourviews,yourwritten comments must bereceivedonorbefore April6,2025. Yourname(s)andresidence address(orbusinessaddressifapplicable)mustbeincluded.
Pleas e not e thatyourcommentsma y bemadeavailabl e toth e applicantandlocalgovernmentofficialsasrequiredtoadministerthe licenseprocess.
One thing Sky did lack, other than perhaps rest, was fellowship. He elaborated: “After being on the road for that long on your own, you realize—even though you meet a million people—how lonely you really are. That was definitely one of the hardest things for me, and one of the biggest life lessons is how important community is.”
Sky’s community is no doubt eager to learn more about Expedition Squagua. They won’t have to wait much longer: his book, The Professional Kid , is due to be published this spring. n
Please—take some comfort
A DASHING WIN, A DOLLOP OF COMFORT FOOD AND A ZING OF DIRECT ACTION SOOTHE FEVERED BROWS
THERE WAS SOMETHING equal parts comforting and invigorating about the multiGrammy winner Sheryl Crow very publicly selling her Tesla last week then donating all the money to National Public Radio in the States— the equivalent of CBC, our own dynamic national public broadcaster much maligned by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
“Comes a time when you have to decide who you’re willing to be aligned with,” she posted on Instagram. Indeed.
BY GLENDA BARTOSH
At least Sheryl didn’t use toxic X to post. Still, methinks her action would have delivered way more “pow” if she’d posted it on the decentralized, ad-free, self-described benefit corporation Bluesky instead of Meta’s Instagram.
From dumping their Teslas—along with Amazon, Facebook, and even their Costco and Netflix memberships—to penning op-ed articles and postings, people are showing the U.S. billionaire/oligarch tech bros along with their newfound messianic leader how they really feel these days. And, if it’s of any further comfort, it ain’t only Canadians—as proven by the Missouri-born Ms. Crow, along with Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat.
Westneat recently penned a “sorry” piece for his newspaper that also ran in the Vancouver Sun. “Americans have also been blindsided by Trump,” he wrote, largely in response to Pete McMartin’s viral opinion piece I mentioned last time in Pique. Besides
apologizing for their impetuous bully of a leader, Westneat also reminded us of that inscription atop the stalwart Peace Arch monument straddling the Canada/U.S. border near White Rock: “Children of a Common Mother.”
Wonder how “mom” felt watching the kids and all the exuberant fallout after Canada beat the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off. (Salut, Connor McDavid!)
Hard to picture that was also only last week, what with all the nasty news spewing out of the U.S. faster than a flood from a busted sewage line. And while we Canucks are understandably mostly reacting to the
Stephen Harper subsequently followed that up with his own “Keep calm and stand on guard” urgings in a recent National Post piece
All of this proud flag-waving and standing on guard “that only us command” (thank you, Winnipeg-born singer/songwriter, Chantal Kreviazuk) has been accompanied by a nation riding high on new spending habits. It’s been “Buy Canadian” all the way for weeks. (Again, see my last column.) And along with the exuberant flag-waving, it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. In fact, even 10 per cent of Canadians cancelling U.S. vacations would cost the American economy as much as US$2 billion.
[P]eople are showing the U.S. billionaire/oligarch tech bros along with their newfound messianic leader how they really feel these days.
sovereignty threats and tariffs we face—yep, those U.S. tariffs are a-comin’ faster than a northbound CN freight train—they seem almost trivial in the face of other U.S. voltefaces. Like Russia’s horrific war in Ukraine and the entire post-Second World War order, to name two “small” ones.
Has all this got your heart pounding faster than a horse caught in the headlight of that same oncoming train? If so, we can take a little comfort in the flurry of very practical, and tempered public stances by some former prime ministers. (After all, there’s no Canadian like a mad Canadian!)
First, we saw that unifying public letter from five former PMs, from both sides of the aisle, urging us all to fly the beautiful red maple leaf on Flag Day Feb. 15—a day declared in 1996 but one most of us, in our usually mild mode, seemed to have forgotten.
A BIT MORE COMFORT IN FOOD
It’s comforting to consider how all this newfound unity is strengthening our resolve and soothing our fevered brows, so let me add another spice to the dish, inspired by a recent reader poll on Pique’s own website.
“What’s the ultimate Canadian comfort food?” it asked, and more than 6,000 readers responded. The winner? Poutine, with just over a third of the votes. The perfect and perfectly Québécois comfort food of cheese curds and gravy over fries that popped up in Central Quebec in the 1950s, and Canadians across the country subsequently adopted as their own. One Montreal eatery serves more than 30 different varieties, so you’re sure to find a variation you like at Whistler. Like everything else in life, we all have our favourites, but Splitz Grill, Zog’s Dogs, Southside Diner, Black’s Pub and Hunter
Gather all rate right up there.
Coming in second, that all-Canadian classic—the butter tart. Yep, butter tarts (with or without raisins) are Canadian, not British, like many think. The first known recipe dates back to 1900 in the Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook. But I can tell you from experience that my mom makes the best ones in Canada.
Next—and a lot of Whistler lifties will connect with this because they basically live on it—is Kraft Dinner, a.k.a. KD. Now here we might get a little kickback because KD was simultaneously introduced in both Canada and the U.S. in 1937. Think cheap food in the Depression.
Today, Canadians consume 55 per cent more boxes of KD per capita than Americans, but KD is essentially an American product— invented by an American from St. Louis, Missouri. While it’s packaged in Quebec with Canadian wheat and milk, some ingredients are from the U.S. KD is complicated, much like Tim Hortons with its largely U.S. ownership and cross-border ingredients. But there’s no disputing Kraft Heinz is a U.S. company, owned by a giant multi-national headquartered in the U.S. So you might want to cross it off your all-Canadian shopping list, at least for now.
Rounding off the top Canadian comfort foods there’s tourtière, another Québécois classic; Nanaimo bars (yes, they’re from Nanaimo!); and those tasty-pastry BeaverTails, created in 1978 in beautiful downtown Killaloe, Ontario, and available in beautiful downtown Whistler today.
Got a hankering now for some more real Canadian comfort? You’ve got a lot of inspiration to keep you going, and as Sheryl sang back in the 1990s, “If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad.”
Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist who reminds you the Canada-Ukraine Foundation is one of the most effective ways to support the people of Ukraine. Roméo Dallaire agrees. n
COMFORT CURDS Poutine is the ultimate Canadian comfort food, according to a recent Pique poll.
PHOTO BY LAURIPATTERSON / E+ / GETTY IMAGES
MEADOW PARKSPORTS CENTRE
FITNESSCLASSSCHEDULE
F FLEXIBLEREGISTRATION Flex-reg’classeshavea separate feeand allowyou to register for classesonthedays that fit your schedule
R REGISTEREDFITNESS Registeredfitness classes have aseparatefeeanda definedstartandenddate. Pre-registrationis required fortheentire setofclasses. I INCLUDEDFITNESS Theseclassesareincluded with yourpriceofadmission fornoextra charge
Submissions open for third-annual Sea to Sky Student Film Festival
WHISTLER SECONDARY SCHOOL SENIOR
BY DAVID SONG
IN 2023, Whistler Secondary School (WSS) student Crystal Brooks watched her older brother Sho co-found the Sea to Sky Student Film Festival (S2SFF).
Joined by his friends Jayden Inniss and Kenta Tanaka, Sho teamed up with Whistler Film Festival (WFF) founder Shauna Hardy and WSS vice-principal John Hall to build a successful debut. How successful? They raised more than $5,000 for their own graduating class.
Another student, Soren Weetman, took point on last year’s festival. Now Crystal has adopted the role of Grade 12 producer as the S2SFF returns for a third iteration.
“I wanted to do the film festival to carry on my brother’s legacy,” says Crystal. “Sho and I are really close as siblings, which I’m really lucky to be able to say because I know a lot of siblings aren’t. I have always been following in his footsteps, it felt like, so this is an opportunity for me to take something he started and do my best to make it better. Maybe next year, someone else can take over and make it even better.
CRYSTAL BROOKS IS PRODUCING THE EVENT TWO YEARS AFTER HER BROTHER SHO HELPED FOUND IT
“It feels like one of the last opportunities for me to connect with Sho through something other than just each other.”
The event again invites teens in Whistler, Squamish, Mount Currie and Pemberton to craft a three-to-five minute film in virtually any format: live-action, stop-motion, animation, documentary and so on. Footage must have been shot in 2025.
regarding his approach. Therefore she feels equipped to helm the ship: planning meetings, organizing logistics and coordinating with various stakeholders.
Of course, this is no one-woman show. A group of students including Megumi Takaishi, Diamond Richardson and two-time festival winner Isa Guerrero help Crystal get things done while Hardy serves as mentor and the
“I wanted to do the film festival to carry on my brother’s legacy.”
- CRYSTAL BROOKS
New for this year, contestants are required to use licensed or royalty-free music.
Movies must be submitted by April 4, and professional filmmakers will judge the entries. Ten finalists will have their work premiere on April 15 at WSS.
‘I WANT TO BE THE REASON SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT REALIZE THIS IS ONE OF THEIR PASSIONS’
Crystal helped Sho make his own S2SFF project two years ago, gaining valuable insight
event’s parent lead.
“I honestly could not do this without her. She has been life-changing,” admits Crystal. “Our families are very close because Sho and Shauna’s son Callum played hockey together their whole childhood. Shauna and I have been close since I can remember, but this lets me see her professional side and how she executes the Whistler Film Festival every year flawlessly, it seems.
“Seeing how difficult planning something like this is and getting her insight on it changes everything. If I didn’t have [Shauna] and if Sho didn’t have her, the festival [wouldn’t be
nearly as good].”
Crystal also recognized Hall for providing administrative support and contacting other schools on her behalf, saying: “Even outside of the Student Film Festival, he’s been with WSS since I started and you can tell he really brightens everyone’s day. He does give really good insight on what should be in letters and announcements and all that.”
Handling the S2SFF gives Crystal something to do for her senior year capstone project, which is governed by the British Columbia Ministry of Education. Having said that, she doesn’t envision herself going too far down the filmmaking rabbit hole.
“If I’m honest, I’m not a very creative person,” Crystal remarks. “I have a lot of ideas running through my head, but I’ve never been able to apply that into my real life. Sho is definitely way more creative than I am … but I’m the kind of person who loves to be able to give other people the opportunity to express their creativity.
“Even though I won’t personally be using filmmaking in my life, I want to be the reason someone else might realize this is one of their passions and possibly pursue that in the future.”
According to Crystal, Sea to Sky schools and communities have been engaging robustly with the event. Her lofty aim is for the 2025 S2SFF to be grander in scale than the first two combined. Head to the website filmfreeway.com/ SeatoSkyStudentFilmFestival for more details. n
FILM FRENZY The Sea to Sky Student Film Festival (2023 edition pictured here) returns for a third time in 2025.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHO BROOKS
Sea to Sky String Orchestra to stage first concert of 2025
THE PEMBERTON LIBRARY WILL HOST THE FREE EVENT ON MARCH 6, FROM 7 TO 8 P.M.
BY LUKE FAULKS
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
FRESH OFF CELEBRATING its 10th anniversary, the Sea to Sky String Orchestra is amping up for its first concert of 2025. The group will bring 11 pieces to the Pemberton & District Public Library on Thursday, March 6, at 7 p.m.
Carolyn Klassen, from Squamish, joined the orchestra as a violinist in 2023. She said she was hooked from the moment she first heard the group start tuning.
“To be able to play with an orchestra ... it’s so different than playing by yourself; it really is a team sport [where] you’re boosted by the other people around you,” she says. “And the interaction with an audience is so special.”
The group was founded in 2014 by Yuko Iwanaga, and features musicians from Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton on violin, viola and cello. Over the last decade, they’ve performed at concerts, fundraisers, galas and special events throughout the corridor.
Iwanaga is a teacher, first and foremost. She coaches violin to musicians of all ages across the Sea to Sky, including a handful of members from the orchestra. Klassen remembers how surprised she was to learn Yuko is an alumna of the Suzuki method’s highest level (postgraduate No. 4). Iwanaga said she remembers the school not for the titular method, however, but for a different lesson it imparted.
“Some of my students said to me, ‘Hey, your teacher must be really good,’ she recalls. “I said, ‘Yes, but more importantly, what it taught me was how you play through your heart.
“It’s not just the technical stuff that we learn.”
She told Pique part of the joy of teaching and of running the orchestra for more than a decade is gaining an appreciation for just how much her fellow musicians are capable of. Over the years, she’s come to expect more from them—and they’ve risen to the task.
“I’m learning how much I can push them because I want them to reach their limit like
the most,” she says.
Klassen feels that pressure, and revels in it.
“Yuko isn’t a conductor at heart, she’s a unifier,” she says. “She brings a lot out of people that they didn’t realize they had.”
Part of pushing her orchestra involves tackling a diverse range of musical genres. For their first concert of the year, the group’s setlist encompasses classics like Vivaldi and Handel alongside contemporary pieces from Coldplay and Hans Zimmer. That spread of genres and composers is designed to appeal to the widest audience possible.
“I always think about who we are playing for and how much they are familiar with classical music,” says Iwanaga. “I know that I need to mix things up. If I want to engage younger people or people who did not grow up listening to classical music, I need to have more contemporary [pieces].”
Maayan Hochberg is the newest member of the orchestra. He moved to the area in November 2024. And while he’s no stranger to orchestras—having played in groups back home in Israel, and in Ireland and France during his travels—he says the Sea to Sky Orchestra offers a unique welcoming atmosphere.
“The first thing I noticed in this orchestra is just that people are really warm-hearted and supportive,” he notes. “Especially in classical music, it’s often super competitive. And in [the Sea to Sky Orchestra], it’s the opposite… everyone is just cheering you on.”
Over the years, the group has expanded beyond string instruments; Iwanaga is working with guest musicians on the flute and oboe, and even an opera singer. She’s currently looking for a cellist.
She’s grateful to be in the roles she has now; both as a teacher and as the leader of the orchestra.
“I’m really thankful that I get to do this now,” she says. “I’ve been playing music since I was a child, and now I get to pass it on more to the people here.”
Attendees are asked to RSVP through the Library’s website. A maximum of 75 people will be seated, but a waitlist is available. Be sure to follow the orchestra on its Facebook page for information on upcoming events.
STRINGS ATTACHED The Sea to Sky String Orchestra marked its 10th anniversary in September 2024.
PHOTO BY NINA LAFLAMME PHOTOGRAPHY
Searching for answers
BY ALLYN PRINGLE
WHILE NEWSPAPERS have long been a place for readers to express opinions through letters to the editor, the Whistler Question introduced a new feature in 1981 that shared the thoughts and opinions of three to six residents or visitors to Whistler on one specific topic. The very first “Whistler’s Answers” was published on Nov. 5, 1981, and the Question would continue to publish these answers for more than 30 years.
The Question described the new feature as “an opportunity for you, the community, to express your views and opinions” and explained that each week there would be a question “on an issue pertinent to Whistler” and that a “random six Whistler visitors or residents” would be interviewed. Their answers and photos would then be published in the weekly paper and readers would be able to suggest their own questions by contacting the Question office.
It happened that the end of October 1981 was more eventful than the Question had necessarily expected and so their first question was in fact two questions: “What do you think the provincial government can do to make the Squamish highway safe?” and “Do you think the recent floods and the tragedy at M Creek will make people think twice before visiting Whistler?”
On Tuesday, Oct. 27, water, mud and debris wa shed out the M Creek bridge on Highway 99, resulting in the deaths of nine people. Another rainstorm led to further flooding throughout the Sea to Sky region on Oct. 31, and by the end of Nov. 1 the area was cut off from the rest of the province by washed-out bridges to the south and a culvert washout to the north. Within Whistler, Brio was the hardest-hit subdivision, though the Whistler Creek area at the base of Whistler Mountain was also quite damaged. Ted Pryce-Jones, Helene Moran, Hugh McMillan, Shelley Heidt, Rod MacLeod and Jane MacPhail all had their own thoughts on making the highway safer and whether visitors would be deterred, but most agreed either the wooden bridges should be replaced with stronger concrete ones or the highway should be rerouted.
The topics of the “Whistler’s Answers” questions included everything from local bylaws (there were some strong opinions about neon signs in the 1980s) and global considerations to philosophical debates. Some weeks the questions were specifically meant for visitors to Whistler, asking about their experiences in the resort or how they had heard of it.
While some questions were timeless, such as asking about New Year’s resolutions, others are much more tied to the time in which they were asked. Throughout 1982 and ’83, many of the questions had to do
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries author Anne Lamott articulated a thought that’s perfect for you to hear right now: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” I might amend her wisdom a bit to say “for a few hours” or “a couple of days.” Now is a rare time when a purposeful disconnection can lead you to deeper synchronization. A project or relationship will improve after a gentle reset. Your power mantra: “Renew yourself with quiet inaction.”
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Beavers are the engineers of the natural world. The dams they fabricate not only create shelters for them, but also benefit their entire ecosystem. The ponds and marshes they help shape provide rich habitats for many other species. Boosting biodiversity is their specialty. Their constructions also serve as natural filters, enhancing water quality downstream. Let’s make beavers your inspirational symbol for the coming weeks, Taurus. In their spirit, build what’s good for you with the intention of making it good for everyone whose life you touch. Ensure that your efforts will generate ripples that nourish your tribe and community.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I predict you will soon have reason to celebrate a resounding success. You will claim a well-deserved reward. You may even shiver with amazement and gratification as you marvel at how many challenges you overcame to emerge triumphant. In my view, you will have every right to exude extra pride and radiance. I won’t complain if you flirt with a burst of egotism. In accordance with my spirituality, I will tell you, “Remember that this wonder you have spawned will live for a very long time.”
CANCER (June 21-July 22): When you see the stars in the night sky, you’re looking at the ancient past. Light from those heavenly bodies may have taken as long as 4,000 years to reach us. So we are beholding them as they used to be, not as they are now. With that as your inspiration, I invite
you to spend quality time gazing into your own personal past. Meditate on how your history is alive in you today, making its imprint on all you do and say. Say prayers and write messages to yourself in which you express your awe and appreciation for the epic myth that is your destiny.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I mourn the growing climate calamity that is heating up our beloved planet. Among many other distortions, it has triggered yellow forsythias and blue gentians to blossom during winters in the Austrian Alps—an unprecedented event. At the same time, I am also able to marvel at the strange beauty of gorgeous flowers growing on the winter hills of ski resorts. So my feelings are mixed— paradoxical and confusing—and that’s fine with me. I regard it as a sign of soulfulness. May you be so blessed, Leo: full of appreciation for your capacity to hold conflicting ideas, perspectives, and feelings.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The quietest place on Earth is a room at Microsoft’s headquarters near Seattle. It’s made of six layers of steel and concrete, and its foundation includes vibration-dampening springs. Within it, you can hear your heartbeat, the swishing of your clothes, and the hum of air molecules colliding. The silence is so eerily profound that many people become flummoxed while visiting. Here’s the moral of the story: While you Virgos are naturally inclined to favour order and precision, a modicum of noise and commotion in your life is often beneficial. Like background sounds that keep you oriented, minor wriggles and perturbations ensure you remain grounded. This will be extra important for you to acknowledge in the coming weeks.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): To make a Mobius strip, you give a half twist to a strip of paper and attach the ends. You have then created a surface with just one side and one edge. It’s a fun curiosity, but it also has practical applications. Using Mobius strips, engineers can design more efficient gears. Machinists make mechanical belts
with the economic impact of a recession on Whistler, whether they be about pay cuts or unfinished building lots or what to do
with the stalled Resort Centre. Looking back today, the answers reflect a lot of uncertainty and remind us it was not guaranteed Whistler, still a new municipality, would be a success.
In 1982, the six randomly selected interviewees dropped to three and there are some weeks when, based on the photos taken of those who provided answers, it appears the selection was mainly of patrons of Tapley’s Pub and Village Square businesses. Nevertheless, most people who provided answers appear to have given the questions some thought and the feature provided an interesting insight into what was important to those living in and visiting Whistler at the time. Every now and then, however, there was a more tongue-in-cheek answer, such as when Ted Pryce-Jones was asked in 1982 if he thought the Whistler Resort Association should endorse candidates in the municipal election and responded, “I don’t think they should endorse anyone.”
Some topics were repeated often, though from different angles, and some are still discussed in Whistler today, such as questions about affordability and finding accommodations or snow conditions and predictions for the winter season.
For anyone interested in past Whistler thoughts and opinions, each Thursday the Whistler Museum’s Whistorical blog has been posting a “Whistler’s Answers” from the past—we are currently in 1986! n
that are Mobius strips because they wear out less quickly. There are at least eight other concrete functions, as well. Let’s extrapolate from this to suggest that a similar theme might be arising in your life. What may seem like an interesting but impractical element could reveal its real-world value. You may find unexpected uses for playful features. One of your capacities has dimensions you have not yet explored, but are ready to.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Sandra Cisneros is a visionary writer with Sun and Mercury in Sagittarius. She is always in quest of the next big lesson and the next exciting adventure. But she also has the Moon, Venus, and Saturn in Scorpio. Her sensitive attunement to the hidden and secret aspects of reality is substantial. She thrives on cultivating a profound understanding of her inner world. It took her years to master the art of fully expressing both these sides of her character. I bring this to your attention, Scorpio, because you’re primed to go in quest for experiences that will open your heart to novel amazements—even as you connect with previously unknown aspects of your deep self that resonate with those experiences.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The Moeraki Boulders are spread along a beach in New Zealand. Many of the 50 big rocks are nearly perfect spheres and up to six feet in diameter, so they provide a stunning visual feast. Scientists know that they have steadily grown for the last 4 million years, accumulating ever-new layers of minerals. I propose we make them your symbols of power until July 1. In my astrological estimation, you are in a phase of laying long-term groundwork. What may seem to be a tedious accumulation of small, gradual victories is part of a grander undertaking. Like the Moeraki Boulders, your efforts will crystallize into an enduring foundation.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A Japanese proverb says, “The bamboo that bends with the wind is stronger
and more resilient than the oak tree that resists.” That’s true. When storms bluster, oak branches get broken and blown away. Bamboo may look delicate, but it is actually strong and capable of withstanding high winds. It flourishes by being flexible instead of rigid. That’s the approach I recommend to you, Capricorn. Challenges may emerge that inspire you to stay grounded by adapting. Your plans will become optimal as you adjust them. By trusting your natural resilience, you could find unexpected chances for interesting transformation. Your potency will lie in your ability to bend without breaking.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Seattle’s Space Needle serves as an observation tower. It’s 184 metres high. For years, there was a restaurant with a rotating floor at the top. In its early days, the movement was so brisk some visitors got dizzy and nauseous. Engineers had to recalibrate the equipment so it was sufficiently leisurely to keep everyone comfortable. Your current situation resembles this story. The right elements are in place, but you need to adjust the timing and rhythm. If there are frustrating glitches, they are clues to the fine-tuning that needs to be done.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Octopuses have three hearts, each with a different function. Every one of their eight limbs contains a mini-brain, giving them nine in total. Is there any doubt, then, that they are the patron creature for you Pisceans? No other zodiac sign is more multifaceted than you. No other can operate with grace on so many different levels. I celebrate your complexity, dear Pisces, which enables you to draw such rich experiences into your life and manage such diverse challenges. These qualities will be working at a peak in the coming weeks. For inspiration, consider putting an image of an octopus in your environment.
Homework: Make a promise to yourself that’s hard but not impossible to keep. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.
FLASH FLOOD The first published “Whistler’s Answers” coincided with significant flooding throughout the Sea to Sky, including at the base of Whistler Mountain.
WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION, 1981
RENT SELL HIRE
Classifieds Where locals look
CALL OR PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED WITH OUR ONLINE SERVICE FOR EITHER PRINT OR ONLINE...OR BOTH!
DEADLINE FOR PRINT ADS Tuesday 12pm
Î Secure & scamless
Î Fully searchable
Î Targeted online community
Î Categorised listings
Î No reposting
Î Trusted by locals
Î Make your listing stand out with featured locations
Come build and grow with the best team.
Our team of people is what sets us apart from other builders. As we continue to grow as the leader in luxury projects in Whistler, our team needs to expand with us.
We are currently hiring:
Labourers ($20 - $30 hourly)
Carpenters Helpers/Apprentices 1st to 4th year ($25 - $35 hourly)
Experienced Carpenters ($30 - $45 hourly)
Carpentry Foremen ($40 - $50 hourly)
Rates vary based on experience and qualifications. Red Seal is a bonus but not required. Crane Operator experience considered an asset.
EVR is committed to the long-term retention and skills development of our team. We are passionate about investing in our team’s future.
WE OFFER:
• Top Wages and a Positive Work Environment
• Flexible Schedule - Work Life Balance (We get it, we love to ski and bike too.)
• Training & Tuition Reimbursement (Need help getting your Red Seal?)
• Assistance with work visa and Permanent Residency (We can help!)
BENEFITS & PERKS:
• Annual Leisure & Tool Benefit – Use toward ski/bike pass, tool purchase, etc. – you choose!
• Extended Health and Dental Benefits for you and your family
We promote from within and are looking to strengthen our amazing team. Opportunities for advancement into management positions always exist for the right candidates. Don’t miss out on being able to build with the team that builds the most significant projects in Whistler.
Send your resume to info@evrfinehomes.com We look forward to hearing from you!
Î
Î Bolding ...........................................50¢/word
Position Overview: The Family Preservation Worker, part of the Child and Family Services team, implements culturally appropriate programs to support family development. They coordinate resources to enhance family collaboration and provide support services aimed at promoting children’s safety, reducing vulnerability, and assisting caregivers.
Qualifications:
• A Social Service Diploma/or equivalent in Social or Human Studies Discipline (or in process) or a combination of experience, education and training 3-5 years.
• Knowledge of the Child, Family and Community Services Act
• Experience working with vulnerable children, youth and families
• Experience and ability to work with family groups
• Demonstrated cultural competency and sensitivity of First Nations Peoples
See full job posting on the careers page/website: sshs.ca/careers/
Knowledge & Abilities:
• Support Prevention and Early Intervention programs to minimize child care placements, emphasizing family preservation and reunification.
• Provide access to supportive services like parenting workshops, counseling, treatment options, and cultural healing activities for family well-being.
• Promote collaboration among family members, interim caregivers, MCFD, specialized services, and community resources for a cohesive support network.
Special:
• This position is requires travel to indigenous communities served by SSHS, accessed by Forest Service Road
• SSHS offers a competitive benefits and employment package to full time employees
offer opportunities for growth,
a comprehensive benefits package, company cell phone plan, and plenty of fun social events. gavanconstruction.ca/careers
2. Lee Sadie 2004 Jeep Liberty VIN: 1J4GL58K04W174530 $3297.00
3. Harpreet Singh X 2006 Chrysler 300C VIN: 2C3LA63H36H187502 $3402.39
4. Bartosova Zuzana 2007 BMW 3 Series VIN: WBAVT73587FZ35350 $2362.92
5. Harrison Sarah 2004 Dodge/Ram 1500 VIN: 1D7HU18D34S629840 $1974.00
6. Gerken Flynn 2006 Chevrolet Equinox VIN: 2CNDL13F666120573 $1753.50
7. Fargher Oliver 2004 Dodge/Ram Durango VIN: 1D4HB48N84F230394 $1281.00
8. Lee Peter 2008 Audi A4 VIN: WAUKF68E88A089538 $1706.88 The vehicles are currently being stored at Cooper’s Towing Ltd 8065 Nesters Road Whistler, BC, V8E 0G4 For more information, please call Cooper’s Towing Ltd. @ 604-902-1930
Child & Family Services
ÚlÍus Community Centre
• Social Worker ($80,371.20 - $91,673.40 per year)
• Transition House Support Worker ($20.90 to $29.45 per hour)
• Director of Human Resources ($93,475.20 to $101,556 per year)
Lil’wat Health & Healing + Pqusnalhcw Health Centre
Child & Family Services
• Custodian ($17.40 to $20.90 per hour)
• Operation Manager ($59,878 to $73,564 per year)
• Program Manager ($57,330 to $64,610.00 per year)
• Receptionist ($31,122 to $38,038 per year)
• Operations Manager ($59,878.00 to $73,564.40 per year)Would you please highlight/emphasize this position?
• Social Worker ($80,371.20 to $91,673.40 per year)
• Family Mentor ($38,038 to $53,599 per year) - Would you please highlight/emphasize this position?
Lil’wat Health & Healing + Pqusnalhcw Health Centre
• Health Care Assistant ($38,038 to $53,599 per year)
• Early Childhood Educator ($20.90 to $29.45 per hour)
• Early Childhood Educator ($20.90 to $29.45 per hour)
Xet’òlacw Community School
Xet’òlacw Community School
• Elementary School Teacher - Grade 3 ($60,015 to $109,520 per year)
• Custodian ($17.40 to $20.90 per hour)
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
• Elementary School Teacher - Grade 3 ($60,015 to $109,520 per year)
• Camp Counsellor ($20.90 to $29.45 per hour)
• High School English and Humanities Teacher ($60,015 to $109,520 per year)
Community Development
• Language Resource Worker or Language Teacher ($46,683 to $109,520 per year)
Please
• Cultural Camp Supervisor ($46,683.00 to $63,973.00 per year)
Please visit our career page for more
Employee Health & Wellness Plan available
HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR – Minimum 5 years or 5,000 hours operating experience on excavator. Full-time, Monday – Friday. $33-$42 per hour.
HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC – Commercial Truck & Transport, Transport Trailer, Class 1 or 3 air brakes preferred. 4x10 or 5x8 schedule. Red Seal certified receive $200/month tool allowance. $39.70- $47.90 per hour. 5% premium on hourly wage for Lead Hand position. CONSTRUCTION LABOURER – Great opportunity to learn on-the-job. Stamina for physically demanding work and perseverance to brave inclement weather required. Previous experience preferred but not required. Training provided. $25-$32 per hour.
HYDROVAC OPERATOR – Valid Class 1 or Class 3 with air brakes required. Manual transmission. 2 years experience preferred. $35-$40.45 per hour.
Give me drugs or give me anxiety
IT’S 6 A.M. when my alarm clock’s screaming beep reaches my eardrums. I traipse downstairs to make a tea, sitting down at the kitchen table as the kettle boils. Staring out the kitchen window into a dark November sky, the quiet beauty of a silent morning is pierced by incessantly bubbling thoughts.
BY LIZ MCDONALD
emcdonald@piquenewsmagazine.com
Work deadlines. Housing needs. Family to call back. Unreplied texts and emails. No food prepped for the day.
The kettle heats to 100 C and shuts off. I stand up and suddenly feel weak, shaky, dizzy and cold. Breath quickening, I sit down and try to self-regulate by practicing breathwork. It’s a tool I know intimately, having lived with social and generalized anxiety for at least 10 years. Still unwell, I nix the tea and decide to lie in bed. Two steps, I turn the kitchen light off. As my hand falls to my side, my body collapses to the ground.
I come to and wonder why I’m lying on
the floor with an ass that hurts. Befuddled and terrified, my roommate, who could help, is still fast asleep. I stagger down the hallway, worm my way upstairs and make it to my bed.
A day later, doctors at the Whistler Health Care Centre ran a series of tests ruling out heart-related problems before telling me I likely experienced vasovagal syncope, otherwise known as fainting, which they believe is linked to my anxiety.
The news confirmed what I’d already
didn’t have a family doctor. That doctor said two sentences which changed my life.
“You’ve had anxiety for a decade.”
Something about hearing that timescale from a physician hit home. Then came, “Have you considered medication?”
In all honesty, I had not. Despite having a diagnosis, I approached the symptoms with a slate of other tools. I went to therapy regularly, took up running, practiced yoga, eliminated alcohol for a long stretch of time and journalled. I did everything I could to
At some point in my life, I assumed I was somehow “successful” in managing my
I had an internalized belief that medication meant I was a failure.
Googled, but I felt shame instead of relief. I’d grown to accept fearing conversations with friends or strangers, the constant background noise of anxious thoughts, rare panic attacks and sweating. These seemed like reasonable ways to live for many a year. But to entirely shut down and keel over? Turns out, I found my limit.
The doctors suggested I set up an appointment to discuss my anxiety with a general practitioner at the walk-in clinic, as I
improve my anxiety, except for one.
At some point in my life, I assumed I was somehow “successful” in managing my anxiety without pharmaceutical treatment. I had an internalized belief that medication meant I was a failure. Letting go of that warped belief was far from easy, with many tears shed. I started speaking with people close to me to reframe my thinking, and in a moment of health-care serendipity, a nurse practitioner (NP) was available in Squamish
to take me as a patient. I suddenly had access to primary care.
My NP and I chatted about my symptoms, and they provided a list of potential selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). I researched on Reddit for other people’s experiences, focusing on side effects and benefits for women who used SSRIs.
More than two months after my fainting spell, I started taking sertraline. The results have been life-changing. I somehow lucked out and found medication on my first attempt that has vastly improved my quality of life. To be clear, this is not what happens for most people. Usually, it takes multiple kicks at the can to find what works for you.
My anxiety hasn’t disappeared entirely. I still have some generalized anxiety, but in social situations, I’m not terrified of what someone else is thinking of me. I can tune into their experience and not just my own. I feel more confident and content.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association of B.C., anxiety disorders affect 12 per cent of the population in B.C., and it is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder. I write this column not out of a desire for sympathy but in the hope that it could help someone else. I wonder what my life could have been like if I’d started on medication earlier. While I’d never tell anyone they should take medication, as it’s a decision between them and their doctor, I firmly believe it’s becoming an essential tool in my mentalhealth toolbox. n
