Pique Newsmagazine 2951

Tinsel tales

A trio of Christmas stories to stuff your stocking this holiday season. - By Robert Wisla, Kate Heskett and Katherine Fawcett

14 GIVING SEASON

Whistler charities are wrapping up another successful year of fundraising—but demand for services is only growing.

16 GIMME SHELTER

An amendment to its lease agreement will allow the Whistler Community Services Society to run an emergency cold weather shelter when it’s -10 C or colder.

24

ROLL CREDITS

The rumours are true: Whistler’s Village 8 Cinemas will close its doors for good on Jan. 5.

COVER Happy warm and fuzzy times! - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art

34

HELPING HAMPERS

Sea to Sky Community Services is once again supporting Pembertonians in need with its Holiday Hampers program.

50 LOCAL LEGEND

Twelve years after her Olympic glory, Whistler ski cross legend Ashleigh McIvor is in a “peaceful, lovely place.”

58 OUR LAND

Unceded, a new exhibit at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, captures Indigenous connection to the land, one photo at a time.

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G.D. MAXWELL, GLENDA BARTOSH, LESLIE ANTHONY, ANDREW MITCHELL, ALISON TAYLOR, VINCE SHULEY

The cold shoulder of

Exceptionalism

GROWING UP ON the prairies, I often found myself repeating the same question around the same time each year—usually beginning sometime around mid-January.

“Why does anybody live here?”

It’s a fair question. Why would anyone willingly live where the air hurts your face for several months of the year? Where if you forget to plug your car in overnight, you might be stranded in the morning? Or where a wrong turn down the wrong gravel road could spell disaster, or even death?

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

And then there are those who have to work in it.

I’ll never forget my 20th birthday, if only for the fact that I spent it at a work camp in the far north of Alberta—where on this particular Jan. 28, it was -50 C.

Being the youngest members of our pipeline crew, my friend and I were tasked with driving the line, firing up the backhoes, sidebooms and other machinery to ensure they didn’t freeze and seize for good.

The few trucks on the road that morning left a lingering, mashed potato-thick exhaust in their wake, blinding all behind them.

Simply being outside that day was an exercise in endurance and pain management.

It got worse later that winter, when I began operating a sideboom myself—one with no enclosed cab, or heater of any sort. There is not enough thermal gear in the world to keep you warm in that situation.

All of this to say that, on the prairies, the cold is a legitimate, unforgiving adversary. You take it seriously or you pay the price.

Whistler is obviously a world apart from the prairies, with a different climate and wildly different topography. But cold is cold, and the arctic outflow temperatures seen in the resort this week are proof.

And so recent debate over providing an

extreme cold weather shelter in Whistler has been interesting to hear—even if most of it occurred behind the scenes, off the record or on background.

The gist of it is an argument over how cold is too cold, essentially, with the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) not wanting to open the Whistler Public Library as an extreme weather emergency shelter at -4 C, which is what the provincial Assistance to Shelter Act deems extreme cold for the Vancouver Coastal Region.

Given the fact that it is almost always -4 C at night in Whistler, there must have been concern at municipal hall that the library would become a de facto nightly homeless shelter in the winter.

A cynical take, but fair enough.

Though the behind-the-scenes debate was (is?) reportedly contentious, it was encouraging to see at least a partial resolution on this week’s council agenda.

In short, an amendment to the Whistler Community Services Society’s lease agreement will allow the social-service provider to operate an extreme weather emergency shelter at its

suppose is the word. Go to any public meeting or community event and you might get a sense of what I mean—you would be extremely hardpressed to find a gathering that takes place in Whistler that doesn’t feature at least one person commenting on how special and amazing Whistler is. Hashtag blessed.

And it’s true. Head to the top of Whistler Mountain and try to deny it.

But it is becoming increasingly obvious that this insistence that, because we are special, we can’t do things a certain way, is detrimental to the town in the long run.

As one frustrated local developer put it to me some years back, after trying and failing to get a perfectly serviceable housing project through municipal hall for years, “nothing is good enough for Whistler.”

Our preciousness and protectionism—our insistence on clean, pristine perfection—is actively working against us, ensuring the things that actually make this place special just get harder to maintain.

Can’t have temporary work camps—can’t even start discussing them—because they don’t fit with our image. And what if people

NIMBY has lost their voice from shouting— and when we do, it won’t make a difference, because we waited too long and reduced the development to its bare bones.

It’s ironic that Whistler is so overly protective of its image in certain ways—design guidelines, storefront signage, even lighting— while casually allowing landlords to pack four or more to a room and charge $1,000 a head.

Use ‘em up, ship ‘em home, let the next batch come in to keep the lifts running and the booze flowing for a year or two. Don’t ever dare to address the real problem out loud, because it might make us look bad on the world stage.

Maybe ironic isn’t the right word. It’s tragic, really.

On one hand, we should be thankful that our local government is often thoughtful and measured with its policies, and not prone to kneejerk reactions or pressured approvals.

On the other, it is far too easy to get bogged down in logistics, formalities, red tape, legal pitfalls, and so on.

Whistler must find balance.

It is important to weigh risks, exercise patience and tread lightly when we have the

facility at 8000 Nesters Road, with a threshold of -10 C—the same used in B.C.’s Interior.

In this case, I actually agree with raising the threshold. Maybe that’s my Saskatchewan ice blood.

But it is hard to ignore the familiar tinge of Whistler Exceptionalism colouring this debate.

Whistler Exceptionalism, in this case, is the inherent belief that Whistler is just different or better than other communities—special, I

(gasp) try to make that temporary home permanent? Can’t have that.

Can’t have a cannabis storefront, even though it’s been legal for four years—gotta make everything extra complicated and control every last detail.

Can’t address private suite loss—those second homeowners pay too much in taxes to rock the boat.

Can’t build anything until every last

luxury of doing so.

But when it comes to the long-term wellbeing of Whistlerites, and ensuring this town stays special, we would do well to operate first from a place of compassion—the finer details can be worked out later.

Humanity and understanding over cold and calculated cynicism—empathy over aesthetic. How’s that for a heartfelt Christmas message? ■

Whistler should fine drivers who don’t clear snow from vehicles

As one whose life has been enhanced immeasurably by Whistler, I wish to contribute in a small way by submitting the ideas put forth in this letter.

During each winter, and particularly after Whistler has received a large dump of snow in the valley, we have found the highway both north and south of Whistler to be well cleared of snow, while the highway in Whistler, particularly between Function Junction and Lorimer Road, had a lot of snow on it, even though we knew it had been plowed. I believe that this snow is from vehicles, a few hundred or more than a thousand, on the highway with snow on the roof. Vehicles not under cover will accumulate snow on their roof. When these vehicles are driven, the heat from within the vehicle, or the stopping and starting, will, over a short period of time, cause the snow to fall off the roof. Close friends [of mine] had their windshield shattered and were injured when a block of ice slid off the vehicle ahead of them.

Some Canadian provinces and some U.S.

states have laws that require drivers to remove snow from their vehicle before moving it.

May I suggest that the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) pass a bylaw requiring that

all drivers must clear the snow off the roof, hood and trunk of their vehicle before moving it. Under the Motor Vehicle Act, the RMOW has the ability to pass such a bylaw. Furthermore,

that the fine or penalty be tied to the value of the vehicle, with the proceeds directed to the food bank, housing or a fund for road widening.

Whistler has set goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and working to reduce our collective impact on the environment, yet after every busy day in Whistler, summer and winter, vehicles sit idling or crawl through Whistler as they wend their way south. Given the absence of a magic carpet or a highway in the clouds, down-to-Earth solutions need to be implemented.

May I suggest: Early notice of accidents or impediments to the smooth flow of southbound traffic, along with estimates on the extent of the delay; staggered departures along with both education and penalties to drivers for having their vehicles running while sitting stationary; penalties to drivers of vehicles blocking an intersection; a vehicle may only enter an intersection when it may safely exit that intersection (traffic flow was enhanced in London, England when such a rule was implemented. The implementation of such a rule/law/bylaw could work wonders in the Lower Mainland, too).

Keith Fernandes // Whistler

RMOW lawsuit blaming local contractor is ‘shocking’

Thank you for your article last week about the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) being sued over an incident during the 2021

toad migration ( Pique , Dec. 14: “Resort Municipality of Whistler being sued over Lost Lake bike crash”). A biker was allegedly injured after they hit a road closure barrier that was there to protect the toads. The shocking story here is that the suit took a turn last month when the RMOW filed a notice of application to be granted leave from the case and add a third party, Liz Barrett. I don’t know how many of your readers know Liz, but she’s a longtime

in the successful return of Whistler’s Inside Scoop Tradeshow at the end of November: thank you! After a two-year hiatus, Tourism Whistler surveyed the business community to make sure a tradeshow was still the best format, and the enthusiasm to be back together under one roof was palpable. More than 700 attendees came through the doors to learn from more than 80 businesses and organizations, and the experience was

Whistler resident, nature photographer, and stewardship advocate.

It doesn’t make sense to me that the RMOW is pointing the finger at Liz. My hope is that the RMOW will work to swiftly remove this unjust burden from Liz. If anyone feels the same, please let the RMOW know.

Kristina Swerhun // Whistler

A belated thank you

To all the businesses, organizations, employees and volunteers who participated

augmented by free food samples, door prizes, and the opportunity to connect with colleagues and resort partners.

Our resort community is a truly unique microcosm; we thrive because of our collective approach to sharing Whistler’s mountain culture with the world. The Inside Scoop is equal parts representative and integral to that collectivity. Thanks again, and we look forward to seeing everyone at the summer iteration of the Inside Scoop in June!

Mandy Rousseau, on behalf of the Inside Scoop Planning Team // Whistler ■

Backcountry Update

AS OF TUESDAY, DEC. 20

After a relatively cold and dry start to the season, we are seeing a return to more typical coastal conditions as we head into the Christmas weekend. An intense storm with rising freezing levels has replaced the cold, arctic air we experienced throughout the previous week.

The early season snowpack has generally been shallow and weak, and now consists of several buried weak layers. It is now about to receive a significant amount of new load, which may be a combination of heavy snowfall and potentially rain at lower elevations. The current stormy weather is forecast to continue throughout the week. We will see heightened avalanche danger throughout the Southwest region of B.C.    With the recent cold temperatures, we can

expect the new snow to bond poorly to the underlying surfaces, resulting in widespread natural avalanche activity over the weekend and potentially into next week. The deeper weak layers will also get tested through the weekend. It’s likely we will see avalanches stepping down to deep weak layers, creating large, natural avalanches.

Unfortunately, avalanche conditions are shaping up to be particularly dangerous this weekend. Visit avalanche.ca for the latest conditions. At this time, it’s best to stick to the controlled boundaries of the ski resort and enjoy the fresh powder on your favourite in-bounds run. If you do head into the backcountry, the best course of action will be sticking to lowangle or non-avalanche terrain and avoiding overhead hazards.

Happy holidays from Avalanche Canada!■

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.

Write to us! Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s name, address and a daytime telephone number. Maximum length is 450 words. Pique Newsmagazine reserves the right to edit, condense or refrain from publishing any contribution. Letters re ect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine GOT GOOD VIBES TO SHARE? Send them to goodnews@piquenewsmagazine.com

“My hope is that the RMOW will work swiftly to remove this unjust burden from Liz.”

- KRISTINA SWERHUN

She attained her Master ’s Degree in Business Administration in her hometown and worked in the IT industry, where she gained years of experience working closely with business clients whilst developing strong technical and people skills In January 2015, she moved to Whistler and fell in love with the resort town, its amazing people, and the great outdoors In the las t 8 years, she built close relationships and made this her home. During her time in Whistler, Eva has worked in restaurants where she enjoyed interacting with guests whilst giving them a great dining experience Since the real estate market has always been of interest , she started working in a very successful and experienced real estate team for the last 5 years There she gained a great knowledge of the real estate market and Whistler ’s neighbourhoods.

When not working, Eva enjoys outdoor adventures such as snowboarding our amazing mountains, hiking, paddleboarding, and wakeboarding She also loves spending quality time with the people close to her

A rookie’s guide to skiing Whistler Blackcomb

BETWEEN MY LAST opinion piece and this one, my opinion of Whistler has improved several times over. If you’re wondering why that is, well, it’s simple: I finally got to ski Whistler Blackcomb (WB), and I finally get what all the fanfare is about!

The hype around Whistler makes much more sense to me now, after coasting down the mountain with the sun poking through

BY ROBERT WISLA

the cloudy sky. The snow shimmers as small flakes fall from above. It’s stunning, and the view is breathtaking.

One big revelation was how the mountain ski culture connects so many people in a way I’ve never experienced before in Whistler. Like fitting in a final piece of a puzzle, it just clicked, and suddenly I discovered something we all had in common, be it municipal councillors or the regulars down at the pub: a passion for skiing and experiencing the mountain.

So having finally skied Whistler and Blackcomb, what did I learn?

The biggest surprise from my first skiing experience here was WB’s sheer enormity. I know the ski resort has the claim to fame

as the biggest and best in North America, but I didn’t understand the true scale until I got to the Roundhouse—and realized there’s another chairlift that takes you even higher.

By the end of my first day, on my sixth or seventh run, my untrained legs felt like Jell-O in a laundry machine as I slowly tackled the most accessible green runs I could find down Whistler Mountain.

more time, and by the end of my first ski day, I relished those long gondola journeys back up to the top to rest my legs.

Another lesson I learned is to take a break. My sore shins indicate I should have spent more time soaking in the view at the Roundhouse, and maybe even had a snack at the top. There’s a whole food court up there, after all—another thing I didn’t know.

learned those, too, were nearly full to the brim with just a handful of open spots in Lot 4. Not wanting to pay for a locker, I put on my ski boots while sitting in the back of my trunk, then carried all my gear the kilometre or so up to the gondolas.

The walk up wasn’t so bad, but after you’re tired from skiing, that hike back is arduous. So the lesson there is either take the bus to the village, take the shuttle while it’s running from Creekside (free parking at Creekside Parkade), or get there early so you can ski in and ski out from the Upper Lots and save yourself the pains of the long ski boot hike.

My goals for the rest of winter are simple: Make friends, do sports, and ski better.

And, although it might sound silly, I want to do a shot-ski with many people. I feel like it’s a “classic Whistler” thing to do, and it just looks like a lot of fun! (Any takers?).

Beyond skiing, I also hope to experience the other winter sports mostly unique to Whistler: bobsled, luge, skeleton and biathlon.

I grew up skiing Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops, and don’t get me wrong—Sun Peaks is fantastic. I imagine it’s like what Whistler was before the population exploded and turned Tiny Town into a resort big enough for city status.

The runs at Sun Peaks are substantially shorter and more straightforward. You can easily do a dozen or more in a day. On the other hand, Whistler and Blackcomb took a lot

Yet another lesson was learned in the local parking lots: arrive early or take the bus.

I heard you could park for free at Lots 6, 7 and 8 at the top of Glacier Lane, near where Vail Resorts is planning to build more much-needed affordable employee housing. However, I also learned that everyone is well aware of the free parking, and having arrived at nearly 10 a.m., I was far too late.

To the pay parking lots I went, and soon

If all goes according to plan, my rookie season at WB will culminate with my first successful black diamond run, which I’ve already picked out as the one named after Whistler Councillor and former WB employee Arthur De Jong (Arthur’s Choice). It just makes sense as the council reporter to finish out with the councillor run.

Maybe he’ll join me on the shot-ski afterwards. ■

[A]lthough it might sound silly, I want to do a shot-ski with many people. I feel like it’s a “classic Whistler” thing to do, and it just looks like a lot of fun! (Any takers?).

Whistler charities wrap up another year of giving back

WITH HOLIDAY FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS UNDERWAY, DEMAND FOR WHISTLER NON-PROFITS’ SERVICES—FROM THE FOOD BANK TO WAG AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN—REMAINS STRONG HEADING INTO 2023

BY MEGAN LALONDE

WHEN THE COVID-19 pandemic turned life upside down almost three years ago, it was, in large part, local charities like the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) that helped keep many members of Whistler’s community afloat in one way or another.

But as restrictions gradually eased, borders and offices reopened, and life returned to some semblance of normal across the resort in 2022, the need for those organizations and their services didn’t slow down.

In some cases, like at the Whistler Food Bank, demand has gone up instead.

Visitor numbers—and operating costs— were up throughout the past 12 months, explained WCSS executive director Jackie Dickinson, but peaked in October 2022 when the food bank welcomed 1,400 visitors. It marked the busiest month in the Whistler Food Bank’s three-decade history. Prepandemic, volunteers served about 200 to 250 food bank visitors per month, on average.

Rather than the illnesses and injuries that used to initiate the majority of food bank visits, most visitors are now citing the high cost of housing.

Historically, November was the Food Bank’s busiest month. The fact that October

(WAG), is seeing demand for its services rise post-pandemic, but that demand isn’t coming from people looking to welcome a new pet into their home.

“I think similar to shelters around the world, WAG has been inundated with more

families who suddenly had more time on their hands to care for an animal.

Though WAG is limited in space, the shelter serves a wide range of communities from Whistler all the way to Lillooet, Benbow explained.

“More than 100 animals came through our door this year that needed help, and about 30 of those were critical care cases,” she said. Critical care cases can be emergent or non-emergent, and are defined as animals requiring any treatment above and beyond WAG’s standard spay and neuter surgeries, vaccines and de-wormers.

took over this year suggests that seasonal workers are coming to the resort earlier in the year in order to secure safe, legitimate housing before the winter season, Dickinson said.

The food bank is just one of 30 different programs operated by WCSS.

WAG WELCOMED 100 ANIMALS INTO ITS CARE IN 2022

Like the food bank, Whistler’s not-for-profit animal shelter, Whistler Animals Galore

animals, and definitely a slower adoption rate than we’ve seen before, so animals are spending longer in the shelter,” said Kendall Benbow, WAG’s marketing, events and fundraising coordinator. “We just had an influx of animals, and we have a waitlist of animals trying to come in as well.”

Winnie, for example, is a healthy, approximately one-year-old pitbull mix who has not received a single application since she arrived at the shelter four months ago. Those circumstances stand in stark contrast to 2020, when shelters across B.C. were emptied by

“We have some very generous donors, and we’re very supported by the community, which we’re so grateful for,” said Benbow, but with inflation affecting everything from pet food to vet bills, “even though we might be on par with fundraising and donations, our expenses are higher than a normal year.”

100 WOMEN WHISTLER DONATES $45,700 TO COMMUNITY GROUPS IN 2022

Several of those generous WAG donors belong to 100 Women Whistler. The shelter is one of four community organizations that received funding from the group this year.

The premise of the 100 Women Whistler chapter is simple: 100 (or in this case, more)

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Winnie is one of the more than 100 animals who came through Whistler Animals Galore’s doors in 2022.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WAG

“Similar to shelters around the world, WAG has been inundated with more animals, and definitely a slower adoption rate than we’ve seen before ...”

- KENDALL BENBOW

women gather quarterly to listen to three nominated Sea to Sky-based non-profits each deliver a five-minute presentation. All 100 Women Whistler members in attendance vote to select the winning nominee, and hand that group $100 per member.

WAG received a $12,000 contribution for its critical and compassionate care fund during 100 Women Whistler’s third meeting of 2022, held on Sept. 28.

Other recipients this year included the Whistler Museum and Archives Society, which took home $10,300 on Feb. 23 for an oral history project; the Whistler Children’s Chorus, which was awarded $11,000 on April 27 to stage its “Christmas at Rainbow Lodge” musical; and Pemberton District Search and Rescue, which received $12,400 for member intake and protective equipment on Nov. 23.

The group’s next meeting, which is always preceded by a registration and beverage reception, is scheduled to take place at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler on Feb. 22.

The community collective has raised $181,100 for local initiatives since it launched in May 2019.

WHISTLER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SEEKING DONORS TO HELP DOUBLE ITS 2023 COMMUNITY FUND

From WCSS to The Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE) to the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council and numerous other arts, culture and recreation groups, a large number of valuable community programs have once again been made possible by investments from the Whistler Community Foundation (WCF) this year.

In 2022, WCF provided $411,364 to Whistler and Pemberton charities through 88 grants and scholarships.

In addition to compiling the annual Vital Signs report (that local data is currently being finalized and is set to be released early in the new year, executive director Claire Mozes explained in an email, and will also be shared with charities ahead of the 2023 grant application process), the foundation acts as a steward of money gifted to the community, and hands those funds out through grants. The money granted each spring comes from the proceeds of previously endowed WCF funds, which have continued to grow in the years since the organization was established in 1999.

Still, the WCF’s Caring Community Grants Committee receives more requests each year than its funds can support.

With that in mind, the WCF is seeking to double its Community Fund this holiday season. The Community Fund features the most flexible granting model of the WCF’s nearly 40 distinct funds, and is due to grant $8,000 to local non-profits in 2023. If the foundation meets its goal, that means the fund would instead grant $16,000 next year. (Any donations that surpass that goal will be used to help build WCF’s Community Fund endowment for future years.)

“This will double the amount awarded to charities whose projects focus on making a significant difference in improving the quality of life for community members in the areas of arts and culture, education, environment, health and social services,” Mozes explained. “When the Community

Fund was created by board members in 2002, they wanted the granting parameters to remain flexible. WCF trusts that charities know best what they need to support community members, and by building the Community Fund, we are able to give more support where it is most needed.”

The foundation is also celebrating a successful “Shop Local Give Local” campaign that took place over a one-day period earlier this month. This year, the campaign saw 14 businesses pledge to give five per cent of their sales to the Community Fund.

Though the final total is still being tallied, “Charities in Whistler will receive more funding due to their participation and those who chose to shop on that day,” Mozes explained. “By chance, while I was shopping that day, I ran into an annual donor in Whistler Kitchen Works who shared she was making an effort to get to as many participating businesses as possible. And so a big thank you must also go out to the community members who made visiting the 14 businesses a priority.”

OTHER WAYS TO GIVE BACK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

If you missed “Shop Local Give Local” day, don’t stress: there are still plenty of ways to contribute to Whistler community initiatives before the calendar flips to 2023.

Though cash donations can typically be stretched further than food donations, Dickinson reminds anyone looking to contribute non-perishable items to check expiration dates and ensure no cans are dented. Among the most-needed items on food bank shelves this winter are canned fruit and veggies, rice, pasta and pasta sauces, cereal, crackers, kids snacks, coffee and tea, milk substitutes, re-usable bags, and hygiene products like toothbrushes, deodorant, shaving supplies, diapers and pull-ups.

Instant meals that don’t require a can opener or stovetop to prepare are also extraappreciated, Dickinson added.

The last food bank day before the holidays is set for Friday, Dec. 23.

Though the holidays are always a popular time to give, the food bank is especially treasuring those donations this month after seeing contributions drop off earlier this year.

“The previous year, we saw a lot of charitable giving from about April to June 2021. We were putting out specific requests and campaigns around the awareness of mental health, and we generated a lot of needed funds to support our outreach services and emotional health services. This spring, we didn’t see that same level of support,” Dickinson explained.

“But the really good news is that has returned … from about October, hopefully all the way up until Dec. 31,” she said. “Like most charitable organizations, we’re really hoping those donations do come our way.”

The charities mentioned are just a few of the many organizations that comprise Whistler’s dedicated and impactful nonprofit landscape. If time is what you’re looking to donate in 2023, the Whistler Community Foundation has a list of volunteer opportunities available across a range of sectors at whistlerfoundation.com/work/nonprofit-network/volunteer-in-whistler. n

New lease agreement empowers WCSS to run extreme cold weather shelter

SIX BEDS WILL BE PROVIDED DURING -10 C WEATHER IN THE WHISTLER COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY BUILDING AT NESTERS

BY ROBERT WISLA

WITH WHISTLER temperatures dropping this week to lows not seen since the 1980s, the need for an emergency cold-weather shelter for those dealing with inadequate housing has never been more critical.

On Dec. 20, Whistler’s mayor and council supported an amended lease agreement between the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) and the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS), which will allow the social-service provider to use its building at 8000 Nesters Road as an emergency cold weather shelter.

WCSS executive director Jackie Dickinson welcomed the move of the emergency cold weather shelter from its current location at the Whistler Public Library, as it will help the socialservice agency run the program more effectively.

“I think being able to house this program in our own building with our staff, and reconfirming to the community that we continue to be a trusting, welcoming place, is really going to be vital to the execution of this program,” Dickinson said.

“We’ve seen some really great community cooperation happen in the interim to support a really important need ... So it means us being able to offer more programming in one space to people who need it.”

For most of Whistler’s history, there have been no emergency cold weather shelters (ECWS), with the RMOW and WCSS operating a taxi voucher program that sent individuals needing emergency housing to the Squamish Helping Hands Society for overnight accommodation. At the same time, the WCSS provides items from the food bank and clothing from the Re-Use-It Centre.

In 2021, the RMOW launched a pilot project to use the Whistler Public Library (WPL) as an overnight emergency cold weather shelter. From Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, 75 people accessed the shelter during the day, and 19 overnight. Due to fire regulations, the maximum capacity for the new shelter is six people per night.

Moving the emergency shelter to the WCSS headquarters will help make running it a more straightforward process, as social services staff—and volunteers from nonprofit Zero Ceiling who have been landing a hand—will already be on site, and do not need to travel into the village to set up the temporary shelter.

After some debate behind the scenes on what temperature should activate the emergency shelter, both WCSS and RMOW compromised with BC Housing at -10 C for the Whistler area—the same threshold used in B.C.’s Interior, and six degrees colder than the -4 C threshold that most communities in the Vancouver Coastal region follow.

“WCSS has worked hard on this, as did our staff with BC Housing on a compromise; the -10 C activation criteria for the Interior region seemed to be a more appropriate level

for building the plan upon,” said general manager of community and corporate services Ted Battiston.

The library ECWS is currently only activated when temperatures drop to -20 C, so the amended lease will allow the shelter to remain open for more extended periods during the winter. The new temporary shelter will consist of six beds on the third floor of the Nesters building.

Exactly how often the emergency cold weather shelter will be open is a difficult question to answer.

“When you look at how BC Housing has approached emergency response, this year they’ve lengthened the process for emergency weather responses throughout the province, so it’s normally Nov. 1 to Apr. 1, and it’s now Oct. 15 to Apr. 15, and that’s primarily driven by climate change,” Dickinson said.

“When we were looking at the stats to think about how often we would have to activate [an emergency shelter] this winter, we looked at it from a -10 threshold and -20. Obviously, these two activations [already this year] are definitely showing us that it’s going to be on the higher side than we anticipated.”

Once all the paperwork and plans are complete, the Nesters emergency shelter location will open to the public, which Dickinson expects could happen as early as the beginning of January in the new year.

For Councillor Cathy Jewett, moving the emergency shelter to Nesters is a step in the right direction.

“The sooner that we can take care of our own people, in our own community, the better,” Jewett said.

“I’m really thrilled for the Whistler Community Services to be able to offer this in their building. I’m also really proud that we’ve been able to do that in our library, and that people don’t have to take a taxi to another town to get out of the cold.”

- with files from Megan Lalonde n

OUT FROM THE COLD A change to WCSS’ lease means the social-service provider can now use its Nesters Road building as an emergency cold weather shelter.

PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA

Celebrate Christmas, Whistler style

HOLIDAY EVENTS ABOUND IN WHISTLER WITH FUN FOR ALL AGES

BY ALYSSA NOEL

WHISTLER IS A PRETTY great to place to find yourself around Christmastime.

There’s the snowy mountains, lights in the village (350,000 LED bulbs on 6,500 strands, to be exact), and, of course, no shortage of events to get you into the holiday spirit.

With Dec. 25—and that strange leisurely week that follows before New Year’s—around the corner, Pique has put together a list of holiday events for you to check out.

AFTERGLOW

> Dec. 22, 23, 29 and 30 from 2 to 5 p.m.

> Whistler Olympic Plaza and Town Plaza Gazebo

Hosted by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), this all-ages outdoor entertainment series includes a “creative zone,” treats and live music.

WINTERSPHERE AT THE WHISTLER CONFERENCE CENTRE

> Every day until Dec. 31, except Dec. 25, from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Dec. 31 from 12 to 8 p.m.

> Whistler Conference Centre

The conference centre has transformed into “the

ultimate winter wonderland experience.” That means free activities like Santa, entertainers, a holiday café, kids’ crafts, and a holiday maze.

SKATING AND TOBOGGANING

> Daily (see whistler.ca for various skating rink hours)

> Whistler Olympic Plaza

Hit the ice at the skating rink for $2 with your own skates or $9 with rentals. If careening downhill is more your thing, check out the nearby Snow Zone where you can enjoy free tobogganing.

WHISTLER EMERGENCY SERVICES SANTA PARADE

> Dec. 22 and Dec. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

> South end of Whistler Village on Dec. 22 and the Village on Dec. 23

This parade started during the height of COVID in an effort to spread some holiday cheer in the community. Back by popular demand, the event is hosted by Whistler’s firefighters.

LAUGH OUT LIVE!:

RESTING GRINCH FACE

> Dec. 22 and Dec. 29, 8 p.m. 19+

> Whistler Conference Centre

This sketch comedy/improv/stand-up event is back for a second season with a holiday-themed show for locals and visitors alike. With prize giveaways, special guests, and even a drink included in the $25 ticket, what more could you ask for? (Tickets at showpass.com/laugh-out-live).

FAMILY HOLIDAY CRAFT TIME

> Dec. 23, 3 to 4:30 p.m.

> Whistler Public Library

A drop-in program for all ages (with caregiver attendance required), there will be plenty of supplies on hand to make everything from homemade gift cards to gift wrap.

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS EVE CAROL SERVICE

> Dec. 24, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

> Whistler Public Library

Whistler’s long-running Christmas tradition is back in-person this year. Celebrate the night before Christmas with carols, readings, and songs from the Whistler Singers and Whistler Children’s Chorus. Space will be limited this year and entry is first come, first served. n

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW Santa Claus isn’t the only one having fun in Whistler Village this holiday season.

PHOTO BY MIKE CRANE / TOURISM WHISTLER

Re-lighting ‘Jeremi’s Tree’

HOW A GROUP OF FRIENDS IS KEEPING SPIRITS BRIGHT AND THEIR FRIEND’S MEMORY ALIVE, MORE THAN A DECADE LATER

BY MEGAN LALONDE

EVERY SO OFTEN, a question will pop up in one Sea to Sky Facebook group or another about the lit-up Christmas tree perched high above Highway 99, about halfway between Whistler and Squamish.

Each time, it brings a smile to Drew Dodman’s face, and the memory of his friend Jeremi Lindstrom to mind.

“He always said, ‘That looks like the perfect Christmas tree on the cliff,’” Dodman remembered. “After he got diagnosed, I drove him to the city and he went for the first visit with the oncologist, and on the way back up, he said, ‘If I ever pass, you have to definitely turn that into a Christmas tree.’”

That was on a spring day about 12 years ago, when Lindstrom was working as a cook at Whistler’s Westin Resort & Spa. Lindstrom died in an Ontario hospice on July 4, 2011, after a short battle with melanoma. He was just 29.

Three-and-a-half years later, just in time for Lindstrom’s Dec. 17 birthday, Dodman, Andrew Vervaeke, John Wallace and a small crew of friends finally made the steep, arduous trek up to the 30-plus-metre evergreen, armed with hundreds of twinkling Christmas lights, solar panels, batteries and a lockbox.

“One of the other challenges with [the tree]

is that there’s no branches on the bottom, like, 25 feet,” Vervaeke explained. “So to even get yourself up into it is a whole kind of mission.”

Still, they managed to bring Lindstrom’s Christmas tree dream to life. For a couple of years, at least.

“We did get a working product going on up there, but we quickly learned that we needed much better gear, because it gets so

windy and weathered,” Dodman explained. “We quickly realized, ‘OK, we’ve got to put some more money into this.’”

The friends launched a GoFundMe in 2016 to raise funds for higher-quality equipment. The campaign more than doubled its $1,000 goal in just one day, and caught the attention of some professionals who offered to donate time and expertise.

“Now we have a really good setup there, and the only maintenance that we really require nowadays is replacing the lights, because they don’t seem to last,” Dodman said.

With the existing bulbs flickering out within the past year, the friends have recently fielded a resurgence of offers of support, donations, and suggestions to launch another crowdfunding campaign from locals and visitors who’ve come to treasure the tree almost as much as they do. Dodman and Vervaeke say those offers are appreciated, but unnecessary. A self-sustaining system is in place, and earlier this month, Whistler’s Home Hardware donated a few new strings of lights that the friends plan to drag uphill and hang over the tree’s branches as soon as Mother Nature cooperates.

“They’re just standard Christmas lights again, but they’ll probably last us another five years or so,” said Dodman. “It’ll be great to have them on again … It’s just a good reminder. Every time you drive by, you can think of Jeremi.”

For Dodman and Vervaeke, the twinkling tree will forever remind them of one of their closest friendships, forged in a Grade 4 classroom in a small town outside of Hamilton, Ont. Dodman and Vervaeke eventually made the move west, while Lindstrom followed a

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Friends of Jeremi Lindstrom lit up a tree on the Sea to Sky highway in his honour after he died of cancer in 2011.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Whistler’s Village 8 Cinemas will close Jan. 5

IMAGINE CINEMAS COO CITES LABOUR, HOUSING, LOGISTICS FOR CLOSURE

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

IT HAS BEEN the worst kept secret in Whistler over the past several weeks, but on Dec. 20, Imagine Cinemas confirmed it: Whistler’s Village 8 Cinemas will close its doors for good on Jan. 5.

“We’ve been trying to manage this location for a long time. It’s been really, really super challenging,” said Gina Facca, chief operating officer of Imagine Cinemas. “It was challenging before COVID, to be perfectly honest with you … Our home base is in Ontario, and it’s difficult to manage something that’s three [time zones] away and however many kilometres away.”

But operating the theatre only became more challenging with COVID, Facca added.

“It’s been really difficult to get labour,” she said. “A lot of the (seasonals) that would come in from Australia and New Zealand and England, they’re just not available anymore, so it’s just been super challenging.”

Imagine Cinemas has operated the Village 8 since 2015, when it assumed management duties from U.S.-based Metropolitan Theatres.

It currently employs “about 10 parttimers,” Facca said.

“Ideally we would have loved to have had a second full-time manager there, we just haven’t been able to find anybody,” she said.

“It’s been super tough, and obviously we’ve tried closing certain days … and it’s been content, too—content has been hard to come by. So it’s a variety of things, but the distance from our home base is probably the most challenging thing.”

Unsurprisingly, Facca also listed housing as a major hurdle for the theatre.

“It’s pretty easy to find people if they have

a place to stay,” she said.

“These are the things that I knew going in, we just never realized it was as bad as it really is. And it’s gotten worse.”

If there is any interest from other operators in running the theatre, Facca said they should speak up sooner rather than later.

“Because right now it’s a turnkey operation, right? Once we start disassembling

it, obviously that won’t be a possibility, because the cost of rebuilding a cinema is too exorbitant for anybody to be able to move in there,” she said.

While the theatre’s last day of operations will be Jan. 5, there is no set timeline for dismantling it, Facca said.

Pique reached out to landlord Larco Investments, and will update this story as more information becomes available.

Asked if she had a message for Whistler locals, Facca said she wanted to thank them for the patronage.

- GINA FACCA

JEREMI’S TREE FROM PAGE 22

short time later. He lived in Whistler for about five years before his diagnosis.

The men remember Lindstrom as a positive, jolly soul who “didn’t have an angry bone in his body;” a passionate cook and a great friend who left a lasting impression on those who knew him.

The tree has “been a way to share his story and make sure he’s remembered. I think it’s been awesome for his family to know he had enough of an impact on people that they want to

keep going and doing this pretty crazy thing, to keep this tree running,” said Vervaeke.

“When I see people post about it and ask about it, and 12 people jump on and tell them, ‘Here’s the backstory, here’s an old Pique article, and here’s a YouTube video,’ it’s super cool.”

The continued support, he added, “is the reason why I think we’re still so dedicated to keeping it going.”

But the tree isn’t the only way Vervaeke is honouring his friend these days.

“Especially the locals who have supported us for the last seven years,” she said. “We’re sad to go, but unfortunately we’ve exhausted all of our ideas on how to make this work.” n

“Jeremi’s nickname, believe it or not, it was Lily,” Vervaeke explained with a laugh, “which is a long story.”

Vervaeke and his wife welcomed their first child, a baby girl, earlier this year. Her name is Lily.

“That’s given me a little extra motivation to really keep it going,” he said. “Because I think that’ll be such a cool thing one day, to tell her, you know, there’s the tree we did for our friend that you’re named after.” n

Aava the latest hotel to finalize contract with union

THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT INCLUDES 13% WAGE BUMP OVER TERM AND 8 PAID SICK DAYS

BY BRANDON BARRETT

AAVA WHISTLER is the latest resort hotel to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement with Unifor, granting workers a wage hike and additional paid sick days over the course of the deal.

The three-year agreement inked last month between the village hotel and Unifor Local 3000 comes with a 13-per-cent wage hike over the term and a total of eight employer-paid sick days. National Unifor rep Gavin Davies said the deal was several months in the making—although the parties only negotiated in person a handful of days before cementing the agreement. Other tenets of the deal include an increase in compensation for employees commuting to Whistler, and shift scheduling based on seniority.

“What we hear from a lot of the nonunion hotels [in Whistler] is they’ll bring in temporary foreign workers … and then give them the premium shifts in order to retain them,” Davies explained.

A representative for Aava Whistler did not return several requests for comment.

Unifor also represents local hotel workers at the Hilton, the Westin Resort and Spa, the Blackcomb Springs Suites, the Tantalus Resort Lodge, and the Whistler Cascade Lodge.

Collective bargaining agreements have been secured with Unifor at each of these hotels within the past year and a half, Davies said, with workers receiving between 14- and 19-per-cent wage bumps, depending on the respective contract.

“All the hotels have realized they have to pay these people decent pay and it really wasn’t a fight,” Davies said.

Local hotel workers gained significant leverage during the pandemic, added Davies, as employers looked to retain staff that stuck it out through COVID-19 lockdowns and the

related tourism slow-down.

[in Whistler].”

For many resort hoteliers, at least part of that recognition has taken the form of offering staff housing.

“When I speak to my colleagues, they’ve rented places, they’ve provided shuttles if their workers are coming from out of town, so different people have done different things to accommodate their staff,” noted Saad Hasan, chair of the Hotel Association of Whistler.

For the first time in several years, Whistler’s hotel sector is expecting a full staff complement this busy holiday period, said Hasan, a sign of the lengths to which hotels have gone to house their employees (including renting housing in other communities, as the Four Seasons Whistler has done).

AAVAWHISTLERHOTEL.COM

“One hundred per cent, without a doubt they have certainly gained leverage,” he said. “Some of these negotiations were going on with the uncertainty of COVID in the background—especially last year. They could have shut everything back down last year, so they didn’t know and really wanted to reward the workers that stayed.

“I think we’ve gotten to the point where there’s not only a need but also a willingness from employers to recognize their employees

“The hotel association member hotels seem to have optimum staffing at the moment, which goes to show they have accommodated their staff and accommodated the housing need as well,” Hasan said.

In a release, Unifor’s western regional director Gavin McGarrigle said the union is “here to listen to hotel workers who don’t have a union yet.”

Unifor is Canada’s largest private-sector union, representing 315,000 workers across the country—including local transit workers, who went on strike for a record 137 days last spring, shutting down bus service across the Sea to Sky. n

UNION DEAL Workers at Aava Whistler Hotel have just finalized a three-year collective bargaining agreement that will see them get a 13-per-cent wage increase over the term and eight paid sick days.

Whistler men have cocaine seized before being released

RCMP

BRIEFS:

HIT-AND-RUN IN CHEAKAMUS; CHARITY TOY DRIVE A SUCCESS

BY BRANDON BARRETT

SEVERAL MEN were arrested for alleged drug possession this week before the drugs were seized and the suspects released, according to a release from the Whistler RCMP.

On the evening of Monday, Dec. 19, police said officers on foot patrol in the village arrested five males for possession of suspected cocaine in the 4000 block of Whistler Way, in two separate encounters.

Mounties said four of the five men are locals, and all five were released unconditionally “given they had not had prior police contacts and the quantities of drugs they had were small,” the release went on. The drugs were reportedly seized and disposed of.

POLICE EXPECT REPORTS OF MISCHIEF TO DIE DOWN AFTER MOUNTIES MEET WITH YOUTH

Local police are hopeful a recent sit-down with several local youth will have its intended effect after Whistler RCMP have received “numerous reports” in recent weeks

of youngsters throwing rocks and snowballs at property, and setting off fireworks.

Last week, Mounties noted they have dealt with several mischief-related incidents of late, including three separate reports of rocks or snowballs being thrown. While those incidents didn’t result in any injuries or damage to property, “the calls use unnecessary police resources as members actively follow up with each report, and the incidents cause inconvenience of each complainant’s time,” police said in a release at the time.

With the help of a community-minded resident, officers organized a meeting with some of the youth and spoke to them before turning them over to parents.

While police are not convinced all the incidents are related, they do anticipate a decline in mischief moving forward.

The public is encouraged to continue reporting any instances of mischief they witness by calling either the detachment at 604-932-3044, or, to remain anonymous, Sea to Sky Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

HIT-AND-RUN REPORTED IN CREEKSIDE

Whistler RCMP continues to investigate an

SUBMITTED

apparent hit-and-run in Cheakamus last week.

Sometime overnight on Thursday, Dec. 15, police said an SUV parked in the 2700 block of Cheakamus Way was hit by an unknown driver, denting the vehicle’s right rear panel.

That was one of 89 calls the detachment dealt with between Dec. 13 and 19, including two theft-from-vehicle calls, seven collision

investigations, and two three-day driving prohibitions issued at two separate road checks.

WHISTLER PACKS A CRUISER WITH TOYS AND FOOD

Sea to Sky RCMP joined forces with several local organizations and the wider community last week to pack a police cruiser with toys and food for those in need.

On Thursday, Dec. 15, the annual event returned to Marketplace, hosted in front of Fresh Street Market, with multiple partners pitching in, including the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS), the Whistler Fire Rescue Service, BC Ambulance—and even Santa himself.

The donated food, toys, gift cards and cash will go to the WCSS, Whistler’s social-service provider that runs the local food bank and operates more than 30 community programs.

“Thank you so much for your support to raise funds, food, and toys for community members in need,” said WCSS executive director Jackie Dickinson in a release. “I witnessed first-hand how supported and stoked our staff were to receive these items, and most importantly got to see families receive much needed items.” n

CRUISER WEIGHT The Whistler RCMP joined forces with several local organizations to pack a police cruiser with toys and food on Dec. 15.

PHOTO

Sea to Sky MP Weiler talks housing, labour and priorities for 2023

STILL NO WORD ON WHETHER WHISTLER WILL BE EXEMPT FROM PLANNED FOREIGN HOME BUYER BAN

BY BRANDON BARRETT

PATRICK WEILER, Liberal MP for the Sea to Sky, is understandably a busy guy. As we conduct this interview, he is riding the train back from Ottawa after his last meetings in the nation’s capital before the holidays, doors whooshing open and closed and stop announcements chiming in the background.

When you’re the elected representative for a riding as diverse in demographics as it is in geography, busy is par for the course, and after a year marked by a plethora of issues, from tourism’s continued COVID19 recovery and Canadians’ worsening affordability crisis, to that two-headed monster—housing and labour—that has bared its fangs in Whistler for years now, it’s clear Weiler will have a lot on his plate in the new year as well.

With that in mind, Pique spoke with Whistler’s federally elected MP for a wideranging interview about the challenges impacting the resort and his priorities for the Sea to Sky heading into 2023.

The following has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

PIQUE: First things first, there is still no word on whether Whistler will be exempt from the federal ban on foreign home purchases that is supposed to go into effect next month?

WEILER: There is no final word on that. There was a consultation done on that in the summer and early fall and the proposed exemption was that there would be an exception for recreational properties such that areas not in census agglomeration areas would be exempt.

I’ve heard from a lot of real estate agents and brokers that are concerned about the potential liability involved in a transaction with a foreign buyer.

Unfortunately I don’t have an update at this point but it will have to be released very, very soon as it goes into effect on Jan. 1.

Staying with housing, between Canada’s $72-billion National Housing Strategy and the feds’ new Housing Accelerator Fund, there are plenty of funds available for new affordable housing projects. Do you think Whistler is well set up to access some of that money?

Absolutely, and I think if you look at it on a per-

capita level, Whistler has probably been the largest recipient of National Housing Strategy funding of any community in the country.

There’s a huge need, and Whistler’s need is for purpose-built housing and workforce housing, so absolutely Whistler fits the bill. The WHA [Whistler Housing Authority] has been a

recipient for a number of different projects, and that model is looked at across the country as an effective way to access funding for affordable housing that makes a big difference.

The WHA is only eligible to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and there’s been much talk of late in Whistler about the need to service the community’s entire spectrum of housing needs, including our seasonal residents and foreign workers, something identified in Whistler’s provincially mandated Housing Needs Assessment and being worked on by the revamped Whistler Valley Housing Society. Does it feel to you like there has been a shift locally to better understand the housing needs of our most vulnerable?

I do. I definitely think there’s a need there. There is a federal program called the Rapid Housing Initiative … specifically meant for housing that can be built very quickly for our most vulnerable.

The housing needs to be built within one year, and you can build new housing or

PRESSING PRIORITIES Sea to Sky MP said Whistler is well positioned to access federal funding for affordable housing projects in 2023.

FILE PHOTO

“David - a big thanks to you from all of us. You did a great job on our sale and pegged the market perfectly, resulting in a very successful transaction for us. Well done and cheers to you.”

- James G, Vancouver BC

“Working with David made first time home buying a very pleasant experience! He was always there to answer my questions and encouraged me to make smart decisions. I highly recommend David Lewis to anyone looking for a smooth and easy home buying experience!”

- Noah B, Whistler BC

YOU ARE HERE

“Thank you for all of your assistance and enthusiasm! The information, and superior level of service you provided were refreshing.”

- Ross S, Whistler BC

“Working with David was an absolute pleasure!  He not only helped us navigate the purchase of our Whistler home from out of province, but he’s stayed in touch and connected us within the community.  We highly recommend David for his expertise in the market and his outstanding client care.“

Susan & Andrew.  Toronto, ON

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful family of clients here in Whistler, and around the world, for your continued trust. We are so fortunate to call this little corner of the planet home, and I look forward to connecting again in 2023. Happy holidays, and best wishes for an inspiring year ahead.

See you on the hill!

- David

convert existing housing.

That stream is just about to open up for applications in the coming weeks.

We’ve been hearing from the local construction industry just how costly getting projects done here has become. Do you think Whistler is set up to get new developments in the ground given these challenges?

First and foremost, I think it’s making sure that you can build quickly, because the longer things drag on, the higher the costs will be. That has particularly been an issue this last year with rising interest rates, so it’s really put pressure on affordable housing projects and has had a chilling effect on developers wanting to do new housing projects, generally. So, just making sure we can go through that permitting and development permit process quickly is important.

The Housing Accelerator Fund will provide tools for communities to hire more, whether it’s urban planners or permitting folks, to get things built quicker.

One of the other things that’s really pushing up the costs of construction is the lack of construction workers, which is exacerbated in the Sea to Sky … and has gotten more acute this year. That has subsequently ramped up our immigration plan. We are targeting 500,000 people within two years … and specifically targeting people in three sectors: health-care, construction and transportation.

There is still the lasting impact of COVID and what that’s done for supply-chain disruptions. Also, just supplies as well coming from places like Russia … That’s really thrown things for a bit of a loop so hopefully those things will dissipate over the next year. It’s really squeezing the margins.

How does that immigration strategy factor into Whistler’s labour shortage?

We’ve seen over the course of the pandemic that there have been people from across the country coming to Whistler to work, but having that international labour force is so critical.

There has been an increase in the working holiday visa program, so that will be much bigger this year than it has ever bene before, and that will certainly help with seasonal workers.

We know there’s a longtime, persistent labour shortage in Whistler, and I think that’s one of the things that’s made it so amazing to see the revenue for tourism this year. Even with the labour shortage, it’s a record year for Whistler. But imagine if we had all the workers we needed.

A big part of [Whistler’s workforce] is going to have to come from immigration, and early next year, we’re going to be launching the trusted employers aspect of the temporary foreign worker program, which will be an accelerated process for people who have used the program before. Between that and the holiday working visa increase, it will make a dent in the labour shortage, but I think it still comes back to having adequate housing in place.

One of the big issues that happened during the pandemic is a lot of businesses that did have rental housing let them go when the pandemic first hit. Those homes ended up being rented by people, including people

working remotely in Whistler that were in the city, so when those same businesses went to go rent those homes a year later when they were opening up a bit, they weren’t available. That’s been another thing that has flown under the radar a little bit that’s really driving the housing crisis.

Prior to the pandemic, Whistler talked a lot about managing its continued growth and mitigating the impacts of overtourism. Now that the tourism taps have turned back on, it seems the floodgates have opened again. Obviously we’re hungry for business after the past few years, but how do we balance that desire with the need to manage growth?

It’s a big challenge. I think part of it is just making sure we’re minimizing the environmental footprint of it, and making sure we’re leveraging and supporting sustainable transportation is a big part of it. That’s a big priority for me next year, to green our transportation system.

I think it’s also creating higher value for tourism products, and that’s one of the things we saw this year: people are willing to spend for expensive vacations, and even though there’s less people this year, there’s been more revenue.

It’s also making sure we maintain a very strong local culture, and Whistler definitely has that … A lot of the tourism assets in Whistler, like the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, really reflect that, and increasingly that’s what people are looking for.

On the island, DMOs have stopped marketing, because what their communities have been telling them is they don’t need more tourism coming in, so they’ve really focused on helping communities deal with the influx. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more of that in Whistler and I know Tourism Whistler has been really focused on this issue.

What are some of your main priorities for the Sea to Sky in 2023?

For me, it’s making sure that we can improve our health-care system in Canada. It’s an issue right across the country. In B.C., it’s a major issue, where 20 per cent of people don’t have a family doctor … Getting that figured out for me next year is a big priority, and particularly ensuring we have the workforce in health-care.

Continuing to tackle the opioid epidemic is another. One of the things coming into effect the next couple months is the decriminalization of simple possession of small amounts of drugs, and it will be interesting to see how that will impact people getting the help they need without getting prosecuted.

I want to see the continued improvement of our immigration system. We’ve hired 1,250 new people in immigration and we’ve already processed double the amount of applications this year as we did last year.

[I’m also focusing on] legislation I’m working on right now to modernize the Environmental Protection Act. That’s being completed right now.

I would say other legislation coming up very soon is tacking online harms and disinformation, so this is going to be a very important piece, and that’s something we can expect in the new year as well.

Then, of course, housing is always top of mind, too. n

Pemberton ‘Holiday Hampers’ initiative continuing to provide for locals in need

THE DONATION-BASED PROGRAM IS OPERATED BY SEA TO SKY COMMUNITY SERVICES AND DEPENDS ON COMMUNITY FINANCIAL SUPPORT

BY DAVID SONG

FOR SOME, Christmas is a time of joy and fellowship, but for others it can be a time of need and isolation. Pemberton’s Sea to Sky Community Services (SSCS) branch continues to be part of the solution, operating the “Holiday Hampers’’ initiative to help disadvantaged locals meet their needs over Christmas.

Loralee Seitz has overseen the program since 2012, and volunteered with it for years before that. Today she fills multiple roles with SSCS, coordinating the Pemberton Food Bank and facilitating the Healthy Pregnancy Outreach program. Seitz emphasized that Holiday Hampers is not funded by either of those initiatives, instead relying solely on community donations and fundraisers.

“I want to clearly say how thankful and grateful we are for those donors, because [our program] wouldn’t run without them,” she said.

Rising costs of living in the Sea to Sky area, combined with plateauing donations and heavy demand on local food banks, make Holiday Hampers more important than ever to the community. The initiative tends to serve different people from year to year, as some leave Pemberton or find stability while others arrive or fall on hard times. In 2022, Seitz has seen a notable uptick in new families with young children signing up for the program.

“I don’t know if you’ve been to the grocery store lately, but buying food for Christmas dinner right now is a super struggle for some, especially if you have a larger family,” she pointed out. “Or even if you are a single senior, it’s a challenge to put food on the table.”

While advertised as providing “dinner and a child’s gift” to families, Holiday Hampers takes a wide array of donations. Toys for kids of varying ages are always welcome, but parents are also invited to submit lists of needs that may not be front of mind on a child’s wish list, such as clothing.

Furthermore, the initiative also serves seniors, which means that items like winter boots, mittens, blankets, gift cards or even cash can be very impactful.

As of Dec. 19, 68 individuals of various ages have applied for assistance through Holiday Hampers, but Seitz expects that many more could sign up in the coming days. In her experience, many who are struggling will wait until the last moment to seek aid as they try to take care of themselves first.

“It takes a lot sometimes [to admit that you need help], but that’s why we’re here,” she said.

Fortunately, a “wonderful group of people” have already chosen to sponsor others through Holiday Hampers this winter. Sponsors are provided with lists of needs for underprivileged families who get to remain anonymous. They join Seitz and her peers in buying the requested items and handing them off to SSCS staff.

Once all donations have been obtained

and arranged into bags and hampers, they are normally delivered to recipients by Pemberton firefighters. These volunteers try to make their deliveries before the school day ends so that kids can come home to gifts waiting for them. Seitz and her colleagues will occasionally bring hampers to families who wish to maintain a greater level of confidentiality.

While Holiday Hampers once provided food directly to those it served, the program now offers grocery store gift cards to help people shop for themselves. The current model—resembling the approach taken by Pemberton’s food bank—has received “overwhelmingly positive” feedback for

the program has perennially had on disadvantaged locals.

“Although these families that are sponsoring other families don’t necessarily get to meet each other or know a whole lot about each other, I can say from personal experience, I am so privileged to be able to hand these presents and gift cards off,” she said.  “I don’t even know if I have the words to express the gratitude that comes from the families accepting these presents.

“It’s overwhelming, it’s heartbreaking. It’s heartwarming. I have a hard time finding the words because it is so emotional, and so wonderful.”

HELPING HANDS Another batch of holiday hampers ready to head out the door to Pembertonians in need.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

High-vibe holidays

THERE ARE MORE than a few trope expressions that float around the action sports world. Remember when the word “epic” actually had some meaning? And no, I don’t blame Vail Resorts for commercializing the term. Epic had lost most of its lustre well before the Epic Pass became a constant reminder

BY VINCE SHULEY

in your inbox that prices are about to go up. Epic was once the word used to describe the long narrative poems about legendary heroes, the kind delivered by revered storytellers like Homer and Herodotus.

Hey, how was the hill today?

Epiiiic…

Another trope that  made its way into popular culture is “stoked.” Yeah, that one. Dictionary.com infers that this term first surfaced as Californian surfer slang in the 1950s or ’60s. So yes, stoked has definitely outworn its welcome, especially when people butcher their English with phrases like “a

season I was really stoked on.” Get a new adjective, folks. There are plenty out there and new ones are getting invented all the time. Just ask Gen Z.

One particular expression that has been thrown around Whistler in early-season conditions is “low tide, high vibes,” usually in the context of someone making the most of the poor snow conditions with a positive attitude (think of making a delicious, sugary drink out of sour citrus fruit.) While low tide, high vibes didn’t take long to turn into a trope (thanks social media), it doesn’t grind my gears as much as the aforementioned clichés for a few reasons.

First, it’s more genuine. Locals are known for telling more than a few tall tales (“must have been at least 30 feet…”), and some of the tallest tales come out on the wet days of 30 cementi-metres with a 1,900-metre freezing level and no alpine. Yeah, it was skiable, but does that pow photo you captured of your buddy really tell the whole story of all that rained-out schmoo? Tourists and first-year seasonals get a pass on the overstoke, of course. They’re here for a good time, not a long time, and poor conditions may be all they know of Whistler.

The other reason I don’t mind low tide, high vibes is that it’s positive. I realize I just jeered locals for over-inflating the sub-par days, but there is also the contingent of vocal minority trolls that can’t help themselves from blaming weather conditions on anything but the weather. Those who recall the viral photo

of Glacier Express submerged under a couple of feet of water know what I’m talking about. Skiing on the coast comes with the occasional rain event. Some years when we get weeks of seemingly endless rain events, bitter ski bums (many without rainy-day hobbies) spend way too much time bitching on the internet. But low tide, high vibes? I’ll take that sentiment any day of the week.

The mountain conditions this week have been challenging, to say the least. With lows in the mid -20s (with a dash of wind chill for good measure) and enough rocks sticking out of the ski runs to build Hadrian’s Wall, it’s one of those weeks when the truly dedicated skiers and riders rule the mountain. And power to them. If groomers, lifties, snowmakers and all the other workers are freezing their asses off, someone has to be up there skiing.

Thankfully, this arctic outflow is on the way out, but the next incoming weather system next week could turn everything on its head with some of that rained-out schmoo we mentioned earlier. But with all those rocks exposed—from the wind blowing away that

frigid fairy dust snow lately—cement may be exactly what our mountains need. The point? After a certain amount of time living in Whistler, your perspective changes, and good snow years and bad snow years start to melt together. A season is just another season, so get up as much as you can when it’s good, skip the days when it’s terrible (or ski those days too, if you want) and don’t worry about your pow-day-to-non-pow-day ratio. Every day on the mountain has something to offer if you look hard enough.

The holidays can be great, but for the overworked and underpaid souls here away from their families, they can also be hard. Whether you’re skiing in Whistler on your well-earned vacation or you’re enjoying your local hill on some well-earned days off, keep the vibes high these holidays and let the mountain workers know you appreciate them.

Vince Shuley is feeling the good vibes these holidays. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider email vince. shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_vince. ■

PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY

Tinsel Tales

this holiday season

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and I’m not just talking about the fluffy mounds of fresh snow that always seems to transform Whistler into a real-life snowglobe.

For the first holiday season in three years, the resort will experience visitation levels on par—if not greater— than those now distant-seeming years before the Capital P word took over our lives, while most businesses will be as close to a full staffing complement as Whistler’s tight-as-a-drum rental market can accommodate.

Maybe not quite business as usual, but about as usual as we’re gonna get for now. And for us here at Pique, sharing the Yuletide tales of local writers every holiday season has been our business for years now, and one that we’re proud to fill these pages with every Christmas. And isn’t that the true joy of the holidays? The warm familiarity of tradition, the keen observing of ritual with family and friends and friends who’ve become family, reminding us along the way the importance of simply slowing down, maybe with a cup of nog or mulled wine on the side, and just being with each other?

However you celebrate the festive season, we hope you enjoy our triumvirate of tinsel-flecked tales and get to spend some quality time with the people who matter most . Merry Christmas and happy holidays from our Pique fam to yours!

- Brandon Barrett

seems to transform Whistler

Only a sleigh away

By Robert Wisla

t was a quiet evening and almost Christmas day.

No birds were chirping; they had all gone away.

The forest was empty as the snow came down.

With a wave of his hand, a blizzard did form, and he chuckled to see it was one nasty storm.

The snow whited out nearly all they could see, And after an hour of slow driving, it was nearly three.

Out of the stormy sky, a shape descended from afar.

Down he came with a loud “Ho, ho, ho, ho!”

A chubby white man with a beard as white as fresh snow. With eight reindeer and Rudolph leading the way, Santa came down in his shiny red sleigh.

covered

Speck by speck, it covered the ground. It kept on snowing like never before, and started to even block the front door.

Little Robbie Whistler watched the snow build up high, and with a deep breath, he let out a sigh. What could cause such sadness and sorrow? He was worrying if his grandparents would arrive on the morrow.

The plan was quite simple if you can believe: Grandma and Grandpa would drive out for a visit this Christmas Eve.

But it was nasty, cold and quite wet, the wind howling in a way Little Robbie would never forget.

In a tiny town several hours away, Little Robbie’s grandparents thought they’d be OK. They were tough as some nails, and ready to go, Never afraid of a fair bit of snow.

They packed up the car with presents galore, so many gifts, they could barely close all the doors.

Their journey would take them through mountains and peaks; if you walked the road, it would probably take weeks.

Down the road they went, crawling at first.

The snow was coming down hard but surely wouldn’t get worse.

Two small tire tracks guided their way.

If the road continued like this, they would make it OK.

Into hypnotising swirls the wind stirred the snow; it was a tough drive, but the only way they could go.

Yet Jack Frost noticed their car inching its way, and decided it was time to make mischief that day.

Half an hour went by, and twilight was near. They should have left earlier, on one of the shortest days of the year.

As they drove, a rumbling sound drew closer, as if the mountain was growling in the midst of a snowstorm.

The rumble was quiet at first but began to grow louder, then the snow tumbled down in a thunderous shower.

Grandpa slammed on the brakes with all of his might, but the car slid like a curling stone down the turnpike.

They thought this could be the end, but their fortune was kind. Their vehicle got traction, and they stopped just in time.

They sat frozen and frigid, nearly covered in snow. An avalanche had come down and there was seemingly nowhere to go.

There was only one route to reach all their kin, and Jack Frost was a meany who made those plans verboten.

They thought and thought about what to do next. An avalanche this size would take days to address.

Back they went to the last tiny town; the streets were empty, with no one around.

Beside the only gas station, they found a lone phone, called in the avalanche, then sat inside their car all alone.

They drove around town, but everything was closed, the village had lost its mill, and no one was home.

Debating their options in the empty parking lot, no other choice but turn around and drive home with all the gifts they had bought.

Yet as they began to lose hope, they heard something near, the faint sound of bells and—could it be?—a big herd of deer. Bewildered and stunned, they leapt from their car.

It’s hard driving reindeer on slippery streets. Grandma nearly got run over, almost losing her feet! Santa said, with a joyful smile and face full of glee, “Hey, would you like to go on a sleigh ride with me?”

They looked at each other, then at the sleigh. Santa said, “Come on now, I don’t have all day.”

With a crack of the reins and the reindeers’ names said, the sleigh rushed forward and leaped up ahead.

Up in the sky, the sleigh soared so fast, up over the valleys and the closed mountain pass. In no time at all, they made their destination quite quick, Thanks to the holly jolly man they call Saint Nick.

At home all tucked in, Little Robbie was napping in bed, while dreams of Minecraft and newspapers danced in his head.

Suddenly he woke up with a feeling of glee, when he heard bells jingling at a quarter past three.

He jumped out of bed to see what was the madness, seeing his grandparents were here, ended his sadness.

Before they could knock, Little Robbie opened the door, and in front of him stood Grandpa and Grandma with presents galore.

With a huge hug, they all gave a wave, and Santa was off, flying away in his sleigh.

Robert Wisla is a reporter with Pique Newsmagazine. This poem is based on a true story of the time his grandparents had to make their way from Hinton, Alta. to Ashcroft, B.C. for the holidays. His Grandma told him Santa gave them a ride, when it was actually a Greyhound bus driver. (Shout out to all the transit drivers working on Christmas Eve.)

RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER NOTICE OF DISPOSITION OF LAND

Pursuant to section 24 and section 26 of the Community Charter and in accordance with section 94, notice is hereby given that the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), at the direction of Council, intends to dispose of by way of lease, a portion of 4333 Main Street legally described as:

PID: 017-371-180

Lot 20 District Lots 3483 and 5275 Plan LMP219 and that portion of Florence Petersen Park dedicated by plan LMP219, as both are shown in the below sketch, to the Whistler Museum and Archive Society (WMAS). The term of the lease shall be sixty (60) years commencing on January 1, 2023, with a right exercisable by WMAS to renew the term for a further fifteen (15) years. WMAS shall use the premises for the purpose of constructing and operating a museum and archives open to the public. The price paid to the RMOW is annual rent of $1.00 plus other good and valuable consideration.

The Lease will enable WMAS to initiate a fundraising campaign for the capital required to construct and equip a new museum on the land. The Lease requires that WMAS must raise 80% (eighty per cent) of the estimated costs of constructing a new building on the premises within six (6) years of the day that the lease is entered into. If 80% of the estimated costs have not been raised by that date the Lease the RMOW may terminate the Lease. The Lease also requires that prior to issuance of any permits, the RMOW will require proof of complete fundraising and the continued assurance of a risk transfer mode for the construction of the new facility. This is NOT an offering for sale or a disclosure statement, but merely a municipal statutory notice. This is the second of two notices respecting this matter.

A gift from t mount n

“But he’s soooo slooooow.”

“Alright then, where’s the meeting place?” Andy asks. “At the top?”

CBy Kate Heskett

hristmas morning, 7 a.m., and Lisa’s alarm is going off. She pulls her phone under the covers, trying not to wake her roommates. The girl in the bunk above her grunts and rolls over. Across the room, the other two girls are sleeping soundly. They only went to bed a few hours ago.

Back home, on the other side of the world, her family is also asleep, having already finished their Christmas celebrations. It feels strange to be starting the day in the pitch dark. At home, she’d roll out of bed to the sun already high in the sky, and pad barefoot across the tiled hallway to the loungeroom with the plastic tree that sags under the weight of years’ worth of kiddie craft decorations. She’d eat mince pies for breakfast, cold ham, salads and prawns for lunch, then devour microwaved plum pudding slathered with Paul’s pouring custard for dessert. Best not to use the oven when its 40 degrees out. With any luck, there’d be a pavlova topped with passionfruit and banana, or a spiked trifle for second dessert, and she’d drink gin and tonics and play backyard cricket until the summer sun finally went down at about 10 p.m. Inevitably, Paul Kelly would play on repeat, after someone put “How to Make Gravy” on for a third time and no one bothered to change it. This year, she’s decided to make the most of her white Christmas and spend the morning skiing. She’s heard from the locals it’s the best day of the holidays to go up, as hardly anyone does, so the lift lines should be mostly empty. Which is good, because she has to start work at 11 a.m.

Lisa checks the snow and weather report. It’s -10 in the village, colder on top, with clear sunny skies and 15 centimetres of fresh snow. She decides to treat herself to some disposable hand-warmers, and adds a shot of Baileys to her morning coffee. Well, almost a shot. Should have asked Santa for more Baileys, she thinks, as she throws the bottle into the recycling bin.

on the mountain today.

“Family tradition!” he’d cried, but she just rolled her at eyes at him.

“You’d all better be back in time for lunch.”

On the gondola, the kids settle into their usual routine.

“How much farther?” Xander wonders.

“How long until the top?” Millie asks.

“Can I have a snack?” Xander says.

Andy checks his watch. Two hours until lunchtime, they should be able to get a few runs in. He fiddles with his new goggles, a Christmas present to himself, because his wife would’ve said no. A collaboration with Fender, the goggle ad had promised “rockstar style.” The strap is supposed to look like a guitar strap. He puts them on and eyes his reflection in the glass. They definitely make him look cooler.

As the gondola grinds its way up the mountain, the sun rises over the crest of Blackcomb, beaming golden morning light onto snow-laden pines.

Xander jumps up on the seat. “Look Dad! A sun dog!”

“Nope. Wrong answer.”

Millie scrunches her forehead in concentration. “At the bottom?”

“Where at the bottom?”

“Ummmm…”

“Do you go all the way to the bottom?” Andy says. “No…”

“Is there a colour you go to?”

“Green! At the bottom of green.”

“And how do we not get split up?”

Both kids in unison: ’Stay in control!’

Andy carries all three sets of skis through the parking lot. His eldest, Millie, strides out ahead. At seven years old, she knows the drill—no presents before skiing. His five-year-old, Xander, is fussing about his boots being uncomfortable, but thankfully he’s still walking along behind them.

It’s going to be OK, Andy tells himself, I just need to make it to the gondola.

There’s no way he’s going to admit his wife was right, that the kids have had way too much sugar and not enough sleep to be

Lisa rubs her hands together on the chairlift. She only brought one packet of hand-warmers, and she already used them waiting at the bus stop. Her thin mitts don’t do much to protect her frozen fingers, but at least the sunrise looks warm. She was supposed to meet a friend on the hill, but they haven’t shown up, and are not answering her calls. When she checks their Facebook, she finds a group photo from last night’s house party. She’s disappointed, but not surprised. Whistler friends are so flakey!

A pang of homesickness ripples through her. No one talks about the loneliness of living your best life.

After yet another toilet stop, Andy has finally got his kids on their skis, and is kneeling in the snow in front of them for a safety talk.

“OK, I need two safety rules from both of you. Xander you go first.”

“Umm, you…have to stay together?”

“Yep, good one. What else? What happens if we get split up?”

“Umm, you, you…”

“Go to the meeting place!” Millie says.

“Mill, it was Xander’s turn!”

To say that Lisa is a beginner skier is an understatement. She’d never seen snow until coming to Whistler. Walking along her icy street is enough of a challenge, and adding giant planks to her feet is far worse. At least she hasn’t broken anything yet—touch wood—not like some of the people at work, who come to Whistler for a season but end up leaving after a month in a cast, or a moon boot, or both. She told herself by her second season she’d get the hang of it, but she always ends up working more than she wants to. At least she has her own gear now, including a new helmet she bought with her tip money, and can make her way down the mountain without an instructor.

It doesn’t take long to get two warm-up laps done. There are almost no lift lines, and the kids seem to have remembered their lessons from last year. Andy takes a selfie of the three of them having fun on the chairlift, and sends it to his wife.

“What do you guys think? Time to try something different?” Andy says.

“Harder!” Millie says.

“Mill, it has to be something your brother can do.”

“He’s fine.”

“Yeah, I’m fine!” Xander says.

“OK, well, when we get off the chair this time, let’s go left.”

Lisa rides Green Chair, feeling a bit warmer after a few successful laps. She has time for one more run before work. Maybe something different? She checks the map on her phone.

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Thank you to all my valued clients for their continued support.

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It looks like the people below her are on Green Acres. The map says blue, but it doesn’t look too bad.

In Xander’s defence, when his Dad said to go left off the lift, he did not say, “Go left and stop,” or “Go left and wait.” He just said, “Go left,” which Xander does, and then points his skis straight downhill and is gone.

“Mill, wait here, I gotta go. Shit.”

“But…”

Dad is gone.

Millie tries to follow but they’re too fast. She tucks down low to gain speed, like she does with the kids at ski school. She doesn’t see Dad and Xander take a right around the trees. And she also doesn’t see Lisa taking a selfie at the top of Green Acres…

Thwack! Millie slams into the back of Lisa’s knees, knocking her flat and propelling them both forward. Millie’s skis pop off, but Lisa’s are stuck under her bum, and they gather speed, a tangle of limbs plummeting down the hill. Lisa tries to pull Millie closer, to shield her small body with her own, but the child thrashes and writhes, screaming in her ear. When they finally stop, Millie bursts into tears, and Lisa holds her.

Having chased him down successfully, Andy gets off the top of the chairlift with Xander, but Millie is nowhere to be found.

Shit.

Andy asks the lifties, “Did you see a little girl here? Green jacket, pink helmet?”

They shrug, shake their heads no. “Maybe she’s at the bottom?”

“I told her to wait!”

Shit, shit, shit.

Lisa takes Millie’s hand and together they walk back up the ski run to collect the gear they’ve lost: one of Millie’s gloves, Lisa’s goggles. Another skier stopped Millie’s skis and brings them over.

“You two OK?”

Lisa thanks the skier, and sits back in the snow, a little dazed but miraculously unhurt.

“I want Dad,” Millie sniffles, a giant booger hanging from her nose.

Andy and Xander take the shortest route back to the bottom of Green Chair, but still no Millie. What if she’s hurt? What if she went into a

tree? Maybe she kept going down to the village?

Panicked, he pulls out his phone and dials for ski patrol.

“Dad, look!” Xander points up the hill to a small figure in a pink helmet, wiping her nose on her green jacket.

“Millie! I thought I lost you!”

Lisa stands awkwardly while Dad and daughter hug. She should already be at work.

“I crashed!” Millie bursts into a fresh round of tears.

“Are you hurt?”

“No,” Millie sniffs, “but I broke Lisa’s goggles.” More tears.

“How did you …?”

Andy trails off as he looks up at Lisa, her hair and helmet full of snow, holding a sad pair of goggles with a broken strap.

“It’s OK,” Lisa says. “I mean, she didn’t mean to. I probably needed a new pair anyway.”

She sounds younger than she looks; early 20s maybe? And the accent, is it Australian or English? Her ratty, ill-fitting clothes remind him of himself 20 years ago, a ski bum in a resort town, trying to make do with whatever he could find. But he can see the snapped plastic; those goggles are toast.

“I’m sorry, I have to get going, my shift started 10 minutes ago. Bye Millie!”

Lisa turns to leave.

“Wait! I didn’t get your name.”

“Lisa.”

“Thank you so much, Lisa. Please, take these.”

Andy holds out his brand-new goggles, the blue chromatic lenses glinting in the sun.

“No, it’s OK. I’m just glad I could help.”

“Please take them. I don’t want to start the year already on Santa’s naughty list. Consider them a Christmas present from the mountain.”

Lisa takes the goggles. She wouldn’t say it, but she clearly needs them more than he does. And she still has to ski out. Hopefully her boss won’t be too mad.

Andy bribes the kids with Rocky Mountain chocolate so they don’t tell Mom about Millie getting lost. When they finally open their presents after lunch, his wife surprises him with an extra package.

“I know you had your eye on these,” she says, kissing him on the cheek.

Andy opens the box to find a brand-new pair of rockstar goggles.

“Merry Christmas, honey.”

Kate Heskett is a writer, poet and canoe guide happily stuck in the Whistler bubble. They are currently working on their first novel.

The Apprentice s hat

SBy Katherine Fawcett

o you’d like to work with me, would you dear child?

Tonight, of all wild and wondrous nights?

I admire your courage. Ambition. Your guts. Some people might say you’re a little bit nuts. But, join me you wish? Then join me you shall!

Don your red mittens, your scarf for protection, take a sip of plum syrup for strength, In order to work at my side this long night, you must find: The Apprentice’s Hat: “What is that?” you may ask. “The Apprentice’s Hat?”

It’s a Hat that is hidden away in the Chest of Cold Magic, ‘neath a pile of tinsel at the end of an icy blue cave.

The Apprentice’s Hat’s not been worn since it sat ‘pon my own head, when I, too, was wee, some hundred years back —I was just a young hack— being trained by the one before me.

Through the Peppermint Forest, you’ll pass a small tavern, where friends laugh and dance and make merry. They’ll beg you to join them—but— Keep walking.

I’m counting on you, this night.

You’ll pass the cinema, where onscreen plays a film of your parents when they were your age, and already in love.

The ticket-master offers free popcorn and begs you to enter—but— Keep walking.

Others are counting on you, this night. You’ll pass a choir of angels who can’t remember the lyrics to their own hymns. They’ll offer to you their halos and wings to stay and sing—but— Keep walking.

The whole world is counting on you, this night. Soon, you’ll see the moon, rising, swollen like a balloon, and there will be a tall evergreen tree with a tiny heart carved on its trunk.

Spread the boughs of this tree, and a golden eagle you’ll see, grab on to her talons, and hang on as tightly as a champagne bottle holds its cork,

and fly, fly, fly over the Snowy Lowlands, where reindeer, —all eight— play chess while they wait.

You’ll know that you’re close when the snow blows in triangles and the temperature drops to 29 degrees below pleasant.

From the sky, you’ll see the mouth of the ice cave, so blue it looks like the wink of a girl you once knew.

Let go your hands and curl into a ball. The fall never hurts, (though the landing can really sting).

But you are unbreakable, unshakeable, unmistakeable. You know where to go!

And just what to do!

I believe, my child, I believe in you! Slide down the ice shaft —on your belly is quickest— to the depth of the cave where the darkness is thickest. But beware!

The tinsel that guards the Chest of Cold Magic is alive!

And will bite at your fingertips just to survive! Unless, unless, you feed it sweet crystals from the three sugar cubes you collected along the way.

What?

Check your pocket! There! There! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Three sugar cubes! You can silently thank the drunks, the movie-goers and the angels.

For you passed the test. And there are strangers who love you and wish you the best.

Now the key to unlock the Chest of Cold Magic is tucked behind one of your ears, (where it’s been for some years).

Turn the key slowly, open the chest, and there, on a nest of caramelly velvet is, yes, you guessed, the Apprentice’s Hat.

Give it a brush and a vigorous shake. It might be quite dusty, the red fabric musty, the magic, some rusty.

Then carefully, tenderly, put that hat on. And if it does not fit, I’m so sorry, dear one. You won’t want to hear, but this isn’t your year.

And you’ve quite a long way to get home. But if that hat fits snug and warm on your brain, if it squeezes your ears and causes no pain, if it keeps your head cozy the long, winter night, then raise up your gaze to the brilliant moonlight!

Clap your mittens three times, put your ear to the ground, and listen for the jingly, jangly sound of bells!

On the sleigh, as we pull in to get you. Oh no, young apprentice, we’d never forget you. From the mouth of the cave, glowing blue in the night, where (eight times four?) 32 reindeer hooves unite!

Saddle beside me, on cushions of fur. Hold your hat tight, off we go, in a blur!

It’s a magical sleigh ride, a magical flight. The children are waiting. We don’t have all night. We’ve a long way to travel, and much work to do.

The Apprentice’s Hat, I believe, suits you.

Katherine Fawcett is a Squamish-based author, playwright, teacher and musician. Her newest play, “Blustery Ever After,” a follow-up to last year’s “Once Upon a Cold Snap” was staged in Squamish by Between Shifts Theatre this month. ■

Twelve years after her Olympic glory, Ashleigh McIvor is in a ‘peaceful, lovely place’

WHISTLER SKI-CROSS LEGEND TALKS MOTHERHOOD, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND OLYMPIC LEGACY

BY DAVID SONG

IT HAS BEEN 12 YEARS since Ashleigh McIvor won the first women’s ski-cross gold medal in Olympic history, but the mountain still calls to her, and she still answers.

After retiring from sport in 2012, the former Olympic and World ski-cross champion has shared her passion and expertise with a myriad of people near and far. She is prominently featured in Whistler Blackcomb’s “Ski with an Olympian” program, where clients can spend a day on the mountain with her or one of several other Team Canada veterans. McIvor also partners with Fairmont Chateau Whistler to ski with guests through the aptly named “Fairmont Gold” package.

Few things excite her more than the prospect of connecting with others over thousands of acres of pristine white.

“This is the best,” she beamed. “This is what I want to be doing.”

‘IN THE MOMENT’

One of Whistler’s favourite daughters, McIvor has made significant changes in her life over the last few years. She would formerly spend

winters in Hawaii with retired Vancouver Whitecaps FC soccer player and ex-partner Jay DeMerit and their son, Oakes, but as Oakes began grade school, they realized he would need a more permanent home base.

Although she and DeMerit have kept their Hawaiian residence and find the islands “lovely,” the choice was clear when it came to raising their son.

“Of course, home is Whistler,” said McIvor. “It’s always Whistler, it always will be Whistler.”

with Oakes. McIvor describes motherhood as “the most beautiful thing ever,” and has gotten to watch her now seven-year-old son blossom on snow. Oakes missed out on skiing between the ages of three and five due to the family’s Hawaiian excursions, which briefly put him behind other Whistler kids in terms of his progression in sport. Young Oakes has since caught up with his peers, and skiing with him is McIvor’s “favourite thing in the whole wide world.”

chance to make an impact by sharing stories and lessons she learned in her career. Scoring a downhill mountain bike helmet in the silent auction that Iles signed for Oakes didn’t hurt either.

McIvor calls DeMerit “the most amazing co-parenting partner ever” and praises him for being fully committed to helping her raise their child. The two remain very collaborative in providing for Oakes in every way, and as he thrives, McIvor has had time and space to pursue opportunities of her own.

One such opportunity is the Old School Initiative, launched by former Whistler Mountain Ski Club racer Beau Jarvis to fund young Sea to Sky athletes and connect them with veterans in their sports. Jarvis coached McIvor when she was a preteen, and his initiative helped her connect with up-andcoming ski-cross athlete Emeline Bennett, who competed at the 2022 World Junior Championships this March.

She, like everyone else, also had to deal with COVID-19 wiping out many of her plans and leaving many more in limbo. McIvor has done her share of speaking engagements, mountain bike films and fitness videos for NordicTrack stationary bikes, but the pandemic hit pause on all those things. Looking back, she feels like the disruptions had a silver lining.

“It forced me to sort of relax and be in the moment and enjoy what was right there in front of me instead of going out and seeking more,” said McIvor.

Most of all, she was able to spend more time

Another thing that Oakes shares with many other Whistlerites is his adoration of local mountain bike icon Finn Iles, who earlier this summer became the first Canadian to win in the Elite category of any UCI World Cup downhill race since Stevie Smith did it in 2013. McIvor and DeMerit helped their son meet his hero in November at the Vancouver Gift of Sport Gala, which raised more than $40,000 to help families put their kids into sport.

Rubbing shoulders with other Canadian Olympians like swimmer Brent Hayden, speed skater Christine Nesbitt and race walker Evan Dunfee at the event, McIvor appreciated the

“The next wave [of Canadian skiers] is coming on strong, and it’s just great that I can continue to inspire and influence them,” McIvor said.

McIvor’s influence has been all over the Canadian ski-cross program for more than a decade. A severe knee injury during practice at the 2011 Winter X Games contributed to her retirement, but by then she had already left her mark on a new generation—including fellow Whistlerite Marielle Thompson. The rest is history.

GOLD STANDARD Whistler ski-cross legend Ashleigh McIvor isn’t harbouring any regrets as she plots the next phase of her life and career.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

“Of course, home is Whistler ... it always will be Whistler.”

- ASHLEIGH MCIVOR

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A GOLDEN LEGACY

Talk to McIvor about what her teammates have accomplished over the last three quadrennials, and she gets goosebumps. Why wouldn’t she? Canadian women have never failed to win Olympic ski-cross medals since the event made its Vancouver debut. In fact, McIvor thanks the likes of Thompson and Kelowna’s Kelsey Serwa for continuing to represent Canada and inspire youth so that she no longer has to.

Not that she’s in any way withdrawn from the Canadian ski-cross scene. In 2014, McIvor found herself on location providing colour commentary as Thompson and Serwa soared to a memorable gold-and-silver victory in Sochi.

Commentators are meant to be unbiased, but one can forgive McIvor for getting a little bit excited that day.

your opponents in a track-and-field sprint and you will win. There’s some luck involved in hockey and soccer, but even so, the path to victory is simple: score more goals than the other team.

On the other hand, ski-cross athletes must accept the fact there are numerous factors beyond their control on race day. “Rubbing is racing,” as Serwa often says, and ski crossers deal with far more incidental contact than, say, a track sprinter would. There are rules to penalize intentional obstruction, but oftentimes two athletes will simply bump into each other and go down or slow each other beyond realistic hope of recovery in the race.

“It’s one of my favourite things about the sport of ski cross,” McIvor said. “You can do absolutely everything in your power to be prepared to go out there and perform on

Canadian women would again finish onetwo at the 2018 Winter Olympics. McIvor had the call for CBC once more as Serwa seized the day in PyeongChang for gold, accompanied by Brittany Phelan of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Que. in the silver medal position.

The storylines continued from there. Thompson blew out her ACL—as McIvor had before—and many looked on with bated breath to see if she would recover in time for Beijing. She did, of course. This February, it was Serwa’s turn to put on a headset and bring the hype as Thompson came all the way back from injury, and from a poor start to her race, to grab Olympic silver.

Whistler is not a huge town, and many of its sporting icons are intertwined with each other. McIvor still remembers the impact that Thompson’s dad, a teacher, left on her in high school. Years in the ski-cross program have forever bonded her with Thompson and Serwa.

“It’s particularly powerful for me to see these local athletes that were really raised in a similar manner to the way I was raised and have similar values and followed a similar path [to success],” McIvor said. “It’s really what the Olympic Games are all about:  creating stories of setting goals, accomplishing them, realizing dreams, and the lessons that can be taken away from that.”

Not many other national ski teams enjoy that kind of camaraderie, at least not that McIvor has seen. Yet where other programs experience turnover, Team Canada has benefited from a rotation of top talent at world-class competitions, where one athlete’s success creates a ripple effect that elevates others. It’s not something that she will ever take for granted.

‘EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON’

Ski cross, after all, involves an element of chance that many other sports do not. Baseball is mostly a numbers game. Run faster than

that day and it still may not work out. I think relinquishing the sense of control that comes with that situation is quite powerful.”

McIvor describes herself as a rational, pragmatic thinker, but also someone who goes with the flow. She believes that everything happens for a reason, and that things will ultimately fall into place if she does all she can to put herself in a successful position. That was her attitude back in 2010 at Cypress Mountain, about to throw herself into contention at an Olympic debut event against the best ski-cross racers on Earth.

“I had very intentionally nurtured this deep-seated belief that I deserved to win on that day,” recalled McIvor. “It’s funny: I actually remember feeling like there would be more people who’d be happy if I won, then there would be if anyone else won. I allowed myself, maybe for the first time in my life, to feel like I was worthy of it.”

So, what is next for the inaugural Olympic women’s ski-cross queen? Between the joys of motherhood and the curveballs of COVID-19, she hasn’t been able to spend as much time on the mountain as she would’ve liked to over the past few years. McIvor intends to connect with more ski aficionados through partners like Whistler Blackcomb and the Fairmont, as well as pursue more speaking engagements. She’s already put the work into being an Olympic champion, and she feels like the more she can share the life lessons from that path, the more worthwhile it will all have been.

Some athletes are devastated—and understandably so—when injuries cut short their careers, but McIvor does not talk as one who harbours regrets. She is content to be in Whistler as she looks to do more skiing, snowmobiling and public speaking, and to renovate her dream home: a 50-year-old cabin in the woods.

“I feel like my mind is a very peaceful, lovely place to be,” she said. n

“I feel like my mind is a very peaceful, lovely place to be.”

- ASHLEIGH MCIVOR

Whistler teens Caitlin Nash and Natalie Corless continue to make luge history

THE CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAMERS HAVE WON THEIR FIRST DOUBLES WORLD CUP MEDAL—A BRONZE—IN PARK CITY

BY DAVID SONG

A WEEK AFTER partaking in a landmark luge race on home soil, Whistler’s own Caitlin Nash and Natalie Corless slid into the history books on Dec. 17 in Park City, Utah as the first Canadians ever to reach the FIL World Cup women’s doubles podium.

The youngest athletes in contention stormed from behind to capture a bronze medal with a two-run time of 1:28.955.

“I am not only a bit surprised, I am shocked,” Nash said with a laugh. “We just wanted to lay down two consistent runs today and walk away being happy with our performance. We are so happy to leave with a medal.”

Sitting way back in sixth position after an underwhelming first run, the close 19-yearold friends rocketed onto the podium by posting the second-fastest final-run time on a chilly afternoon at the 2002 Olympic track near Salt Lake City.

“This just feels crazy,” beamed Corless, who represented Canada in women’s singles at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. “We just told ourselves: This is luge; we do this every day—and that we were going to let go of the result and just send it in the second run.”

The comeback was reminiscent of the Canadian speedsters’ historic silver-medal triumph at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games when they battled back from fourth at the midway point.

“Natalie and I are the queens of the speedy second run,” Nash said. “Our mentality is that we both just decided to leave it all on the track, focus on our sliding and walk away proud of our performance.”

The Whistlerites shared the podium with Italians Andrea Votter and Marion Oberhofer, who won the gold medal with a time of 1:28.302. Germany’s Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal claimed silver at 1:28.905.

Nash and Corless have helped carve a path for the growth of women’s doubles luge for years. They won gold on the Park City track in 2018 in their first-ever women’s doubles race, back when it was introduced to the youth ranks.

“Park City is a very special place for us,” said Corless. “The track holds a lot of meaning to us, winning that first youth women’s doubles race, but to be able to come back here and do it at another level—the highest level— is crazy. We are so proud and happy.”

The teens have joined a growing list of Canadian luge athletes to medal on the World Cup circuit, including Alex Gough, Sam Edney, Tristan Walker and Justin Snith, Kim McRae, Arianne Jones, Regan Lauscher, Tyler Seitz and Marie Claude Doyon.

They are the first to do it on a women’s doubles sled—a new World Cup discipline this year that will make its Olympic debut in 2026.

Nash and Corless are not strangers to racing doubles or to making history. In 2019, they competed in a World Cup doubles event against Olympic-class men at the Whistler Sliding Centre. Later that year, they won silver when women’s doubles debuted at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games. They jumped back on the doubles sled to test themselves for the first time against women at the World Cup one week ago at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

“This is another stepping stone in our career,” said Nash. “We are young, but we have accomplished a lot in women’s doubles. It is exciting to know we have been trailblazers in the sport, that we have played a small part in developing women’s luge and getting it onto the World Cup, so to win our first medal so early in our career means a lot.”

“Caitlin and I have been at the forefront of women’s doubles, and every single day we are developing with the sport,” said Corless. “We are developing our abilities doing singles and doubles which can be a lot to handle, but overall, we are getting experience every day.” n

TRAILBLAZERS Whistlerites Natalie Corless (left) and Caitlin Nash celebrate their historic bronze medal in Park City.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LUGE CANADA

Hidden gems from Christmas past

FROM CANDY CANES TO SUGAR PLUMS, OUR HOLIDAY FOODS ARE STUFFED WITH STORIES

VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMS dancing through your head? Chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Or maybe you’ve got some corn for popping?

Not that I’m trying to resurrect Charles Dickens’ Ghost of Christmas Past or anything, but sometimes you just have to wonder where all these iconic foodstuffs have come from

of the equation is the way sugar, in reasonable amounts, boosts our brain power and our mood.)

When sugar is added to fresh foods, including vegetables and fruits like plums, it creates an osmotic effect, absorbing water out of the food. Bacteria need water to survive and multiply, so less water means fewer microbes in your treasured foodstuffs.

BY GLENDA BARTOSH

that have inveigled their way into holiday songs and culture as much as they have our hearts and hearths.

Marshmallow snow, figgy pudding, candy canes aglow—they’re all part of feasting and festivities this time of year, especially wherever European traditions have put down roots or had a big influence, including most of Canada.

So what’s behind some of this classic stuff, including turkey stuffing? Let’s start with those mysterious sugar plums, which probably aren’t what you think...

SETTING THE SUGAR-PLUM RECORD STRAIGHT

Long before refrigeration was even dreamt of, sugar was used as a preservative for centuries, especially for all the fresh produce harvested in northern climates like ours long before winter solstice. That, of course, only partially explains why we have so many sweet things during these darkest days of the year. (The other part

For centuries, people have been sugaring whole plums to preserve them, or chopping up dried plums and nuts and dates and rolling them into little balls for confections at Christmas and otherwise. But the sugar plums of the 1823 “Twas The Night Before

Christmas-y food tales truly are lost in the mists of time. Me, I like it that way—keeps the magic in the mystery, and vice versa.

There’s the oft-repeated story that candy canes were first made in Germany in the 1600s at the request of a choirmaster who asked a confectioner to bend one end of traditional sugar sticks into the shape of a shepherd’s hook. These were supposedly given to children to hush them up during the l-o-n-g Christmas service. Or the hook might have been just a good way to hang sugar sticks on Christmas trees. Who knows?

HAPPY HOLIDAY READING WITH A TWIST

If you’re still not satisfied and feel like really digging down into traditional feasting (Christmas or otherwise), Michigan State University has an incredible online collection called Feeding America. It contains nearly 80 of some of the most important and influential food-centric books from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. The graphic design and fonts alone are worth checking out.

My favourite was the huge Grocer’s Encyclopedia, from New York City. Bet you’ll drop down so many rabbit holes you won’t surface till next holiday season.

Christmas” fame are none of the above.

Amongst other sources, the amazing Grocer’s Encyclopedia of 1911 (see below, for some great holiday reading) sets the record straight. It notes that sugar plums, including those around the time of the above poem and when Tchaikovsky was composing “The Nutcracker,” complete with Sugar Plum Fairy, were actually little hard candies.

Traditionally known as dragee or comfit, they were made by adding layer upon sugared layer, often around a seed, much like a jawbreaker, only these came in the shape of a plum. Eventually, sugar plums became wrapped up with Christmas, but for centuries prior you would have sucked on a sugar plum any time of year.

THE BEST ORIGIN STORIES HAVE MYSTERIOUS ORIGINS

While the sugar plum story is clear, lots of

And no one really knows where roasted chestnuts originated. They were an obvious, nutritious food source from trees that grew in Asia and Europe for millennia. I ate my first ones in China, and Indigenous North Americans have eaten a different variety here long before any settlers, let alone Christmas, arrived.

Turkeys were “discovered” in Mexico about 1520 by Cortés and his gang, who took some to Europe where they became about as popular as sugar, eventually landing as a centerpiece for feasts there, as they had been in Central America for ages, because they were so big and tasty— and “special.”

Stuffing them with stuffing is as old as bread itself, a carry-over from the idea of stuffing any poultry or trussed-up meat or game with some form of seasoned bread to add flavour, sop up meat juices, and generally make the meal go further.

Compiled over 30 years starting in the 1880s by Artemas Ward—the former editor of The National Grocer—this gem is a “compendium of useful information concerning foods of all kinds…” for grocers and general storekeepers, not chefs or restaurateurs. The appendix alone is 39 pages, with more than 500 words used to describe food and drink with their equivalents in French, German, Italian and Swedish.

In case you grew up like I did, thinking the food world of early-1900s North America was pretty “small potatoes” (add winking emoji) this book will surprise you big time, describing things like 48 varieties of cheese and detailing coffee for 20 pages, including how to properly serve a café au lait or distinguish coffee beans from Yemen.

Way more expansive and practical than a traditional food history book, it makes that world of 100-plus years ago feel way richer and more romantic than our Alexa world of today— which is what this time of year is all about.

Best wishes for the season. And here’s to creating your own holiday stories. Clink!

Bartosh is an award-winning journalist who was surprised to learn that figgy pudding, plum pudding and Christmas pudding are pretty much the same thing. n

Glenda

PHOTO BY SALLY ANSCOMBE / GETTY IMAGES

[L]ots of Christmas-y food tales truly are lost in the mists of time.

Unceded captures connection to the land, one photo at a time

NEW EXHIBIT AT THE SLCC RUNS FROM DEC. 21 TO MAY 21

BY ALYSSA NOEL

THE TEAM BEHIND Unceded, a new exhibit at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC), has a hard time choosing just one stand-out image from the epic, months-long photoshoot.

Still, it’s hard to imagine the helicopter trip up to Black Tusk with dancers and drummers in full regalia, captured during the alpine sunset, wasn’t particularly memorable.

“It’s difficult to pick the shoots that stand out to me, as all of them were so important,” says photographer Logan Swayze, in an email. “Of course the Black Tusk shoot was incredible, getting to witness the performance team dancing and singing at sunset in that beautiful place, flying and shooting with the door off the helicopter.”

But then, it was also meaningful to do a shoot in downtown Vancouver at dusk as the Vancouver Police Department directed traffic. Or spend time in the early morning at the Nicklaus North Golf Course with Nstinemqen William Ritchie and hear his stories about that

land during his younger years.

“All of the sessions were a pleasure and a great honour to photograph, really because of the wonderful people involved and the stories they shared,” Swayze said.

In any photo exhibit, stunning pictures might be at least part of the point, but, in this case, there was much more to the project’s purpose.

sometimes misinterpreted. In Lil’wat Nation we’re called Ucwalmícw—people of the land. We don’t believe we own the land, like, ‘This is my property, this is my possession.’ In our worldview, we’re a part of the land and the land is a part of us.”

Pascal and Nahanee conducted research, worked with elders and consulted other members of the community to help choose

the exhibit.’”

In total, 19 photos are featured in the show, which runs from Dec. 21 until May 21. The idea was six months in the making, as the SLCC fundraised for support to bring it to life, then three-and-a-half months of photographing.

“I hope people, as they travel up the Sea to Sky, come into the gallery and recognize some of these spots and they imagine going back 3,000 years and seeing [Lil’wat and Squamish people on the land],” says Heather Paul, executive director of the SLCC.

For his part behind the lens, Swayze says he hopes he did the subject justice.

“Really, the whole idea was to highlight the Lil’wat and Squamish Nations’ view of the land and connection to it,” says Mixalhítsa7 Alison Pascal, a Lil’wat Nation member who co-curated the show with Tsawaysia Dominique Nahanee from the Squamish Nation.

“The whole title, Unceded, from my experience, how we connect to the land is

locations for photoshoots—which span from K’emk’emeláy (Vancouver) to Ts’zil (Mount Currie)—that were significant.

“I think it’s really beautiful,” Pascal adds. “To be honest, this project, we could’ve kept going and going and adding people and locations. We were shooting photoshoots last week when we were like, ‘OK, this isn’t going to make the opening, but it will make

“I would speak to everyone I was photographing, and ask them why they agreed to be a part of this project, why that particular piece of land, what the project meant to them, and what they wanted it to show,” he says in an email. “An overwhelming theme that I was told was that ‘We are still here.’ I witnessed how connected they are to the land, to each other, to their families, their ancestors and their heritage. Many of them had been through some very dark times, but ‘They are still here.’ I feel like that is so important and I hope the images portray that.”

For more on UNCEDED: S7ULH TEMÍXW/TI TMICWKÁLHA/OUR LAND–A Photographic Journey into Belonging, visit slcc.ca/pr-unceded-exhibition. n

TOP OF THE TUSK Swisk Jay Natrall is captured in a photo on top of Black Tusk as part of the Unceded photo exhibit. The show opens at the SLCC on Dec. 21.

PHOTO BY LOGAN SWAYZE

“We don’t believe we own the land, like, ‘This is my property, this is my possession.’ In our worldview, we’re a part of the land and the land is a part of us.”

- ALISON PASCAL

Raymond Boisjoly

Tim

the concrete art of skateboarding

Susan I. Roop

Season's Greetings from all of us at eason's

PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE

www.cerg.ca

2 0 2 2 C H R I STM AS & N EW Y E A R’ S M AS S S C H E DU L E

Our Lady of the Mountains, 6299 Lorimer Road, Whistler, BC

St. Christopher’s, Highway 99, Mount Currie, BC St Francis of Assisi, 1360 Pember ton Farm W , Pember ton, BC

Sunday, 18th Dec:

Our Lady of the Mountains, Whistler at 9:00 am St. Christopher’s, Mt. Currie at 11:30 am

Christmas Eve: Vigil of Christmas St Christopher’s, Mt Currie at 5:00 pm

Our Lady of the Mountains, Whistler at 7:00 pm

Our Lady of the Mountains, Whistler at 11:00 pm

Christmas Day : The Nativity of the L ord

Our Lady of the Mountains, Whistler at 9:00 am St. Francis of Assisi, Pember ton at 11:30 am

Our Lady of the Mountains, Whistler at 5:00 pm

New Year’s Eve:

Our Lady of the Mountains, Whistler at 5:00 pm

New Year’s Day :

Our Lady of the Mountains, Whistler at 9:00 am St Christopher’s, Mt Currie at 11:30 am

Confessions

½ hour before Mass or by appointment, call 778-257-4203

View online at www whistlercatholicchurch ca

IRA PETTLE

SPORTS

22-29

KOKANEE VALLEY RACE SERIES

Come out and have some fun with your friends and coworkers. This race series is open to skiers, snowboarders and telemarkers with different gender and age divisions. No racing experience is required to join in on the fun of recreational racing.

> Dec. 22

> Find full details at whistlerblackcomb.com/KVRS COMMUNITY

WHISTLER RAINBOW CONNECTION

Formerly known as Alphabet Soup, the Whistler Rainbow Connection is a monthly drop-in program for LGBTQ+ individuals along with their friends, family, and allies. It’s an opportunity to make friendships and build community while sharing some fun activities as well as resources, ideas, successes, and challenges.

> Dec. 28, 5 to 6 p.m.

> Whistler Racket Club

> Find full details at whistlerlibrary.ca/event/ whistler-rainbow-connection

SKIITOUR

The fun-loving DJ/production duo from Whistler known for their upbeat vibes and retro ski aesthetic are back in the resort on Dec. 28. Catch them at the Garibaldi Lift. Co.

> Dec. 28, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

> Garibaldi Lift Co.

> Find tickets at bandsintown.com

IRA PETTLE: A LITTLE BIT - DEBUT ALBUM RELEASE CONCERT

Join one of Whistler’s rising stars in celebrating the official release of his record, which is sure to make a big splash across multi-generational audiences.

Ira Pettle is an entertainer, arts educator, and creative now launching his career as a singer/songwriter. His debut record, A Little Bit, fulfils a long-awaited dream to put his love of storytelling into song.

> Dec. 30, 6:30 p.m.

> Whistler Conference Centre

> By donation

MERR Y CHRISTMAS!

Roland's Beer & Wine Store is open on Christmas Day from 10:30am - 11pm.

Roland's Pub and the Red Door Bistro are closed on Christmas Day only.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IBSF

Whistler Mountain’s mighty rope tow

BY ALLYN PRINGLE

THOUGH OFTEN overshadowed by new gondolas, colourful chairlifts, and T-bars that open up exciting new terrain, rope tows are an important part of the history of skiing in Whistler. Requiring no towers, rope tows can be relatively easy and inexpensive to build and move around, and have often been used to service small hills and slopes for beginners. The first ski lift operated in the Whistler Valley was a rope tow built by Dick Fairhurst in 1960 using an old Ford V8 motor under the power lines along Alta Lake Road, where the Fairhursts owned Cypress Lodge. Rope tows were also used by the Rainbow Ski Area, Blackcomb Mountain, and Whistler Mountain.

would open on weekends as soon as there was enough snow in the alpine, but no snow in the valley meant that beginner skiers would “stand in the area around the top of the Red Chair not knowing what to do or where to go.”

To alleviate this problem, the Mighty-Mite was installed around what is now the top of the Emerald Express and the Whistler terminal of the Peak 2 Peak Gondola. Beginners could easily ski from there to the Roundhouse, and were able to download via the Red Chair and gondola. When there was more snow in the valley, the Mighty-Mite was moved down to the beginner terrain at the gondola base.

In late October and into November, the Mighty-Mite was used by Jim McConkey and the ski school to assess and train instructors for the coming season. The Mighty-Mite was also used to entice skiers to buy season

During Whistler Mountain’s early seasons, rope tows were also essential to providing beginner terrain but, because they often moved around, they were not included on trail maps, and can be hard to trace today. In a small, oneparagraph article in November 1967, Garibaldi’s Whistler News announced the installation of a new beginner lift on Whistler Mountain, a 900-foot surface-cable lift manufactured by Mighty-Mite near the upper terminal of the Blue Chair. Not finding any other info in our records, we asked around, and were able to find out more about this lift, including its role in selling season passes (thank you to Lynn Mathews, Renate Bareham and Hugh Smythe for your help!).

The Mighty-Mite lift was installed for the 1967-68 season, the second full season of operations on Whistler Mountain. According to Mathews, the lift company faced two difficulties: a limited budget for building runs and lifts over the summer, and limited beginner terrain except for at the gondola base in the valley. At the time, Whistler Mountain

passes. As Mathews recalled, the lift company needed to sell season passes in the fall in order to fund the winter operations, and so the Mighty-Mite was installed at the top of the Red Chair very early one season and the lift company took photos of people skiing at the top of Whistler Mountain. These photos were used to advertise early season skiing in newspapers in Vancouver and Seattle. People were encouraged to “buy early, ski early” and ski enough by New Year’s Day to pay off their ski pass. The campaign worked, and hundreds of people bought their season passes.

The Mighty-Mite continued to be used at the top and bottom of Whistler Mountain into the 1970s until it was replaced by a Harusch Handle Tow manufactured in Squamish. Over the next decades, various forms of rope tows could be found on both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, but beginner terrain is more likely to be serviced by a magic carpet today, and rope tows have become much harder to spot in the Whistler area. n

[R]ope tows were also essential to providing beginner terrain but, because they often moved around, they were not included on trail maps, and can be hard to trace today.

ROPED IN A youngster makes his way up the Mighty-Mite lift on the beginner terrain in today’s Creekside area.

WHISTLER MOUNTAIN SKI CORPORATION COLLECTION

1 DONATION STATION Safety Bear, Santa and Whistler RCMP Reserve Cst. Steve LeClair at the RCMP’s annual Holiday Toy and Food Drive on Dec. 15 in front of Fresh Street Market. Police joined forces with the local fire department, the municipality, and BC Ambulance to pack a cruiser full of toys and food for the Whistler Community Services Society. PHOTO COURTESY OF WHISTLER RCMP 2 BIRTHDAY BUDS A crew of 25-plus locals headed up Blackcomb to Christine’s on Sunday, Dec. 18 to celebrate a few birthdays with some charcuterie and cocktails.

PHOTO SUBMITTED 3 VILLAGE VIBES The holiday décor in Whistler Village has been shining bright this month. PHOTO BY MEGAN LALONDE 4 BIG RED’S BACK The first crew of skiers and snowboarders rode onto the longawaited new Big Red Express lift on Friday, Dec. 16. PHOTO BY NICK VOUTOUR 5 SANTA SPOTTING Santa (and a friend) was spotted skiing Blackcomb. PHOTO SUBMITTED 6 REACHING OUT Nine-year-old Michael McSkimming braved the frigid temperatures this

Whistler’s emergency overnight shelter. The shelter will be activated at the Whistler Public Library until Friday morning. PHOTO BY JACKIE DICKINSON

ASTROLOGY

Free Will Astrology

WEEK OF

DECEMBER

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries author Eric G. Wilson has written a book that I might typically recommend to 40 per cent of the Aries tribe. But in 2023, I will raise that to 80 per cent of you. The title is How to Be Weird: An OffKilter Guide to Living a One-of-a-Kind Life. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, it will make sense for you to stop making sense on a semi-regular basis. Cheerfully rebelling against the status quo should be one of your most rewarding hobbies. The best way to educate and entertain yourself will be to ask yourself, “What is the most original and imaginative thing I can do right now?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): One of your potential superpowers is cultivating links between the spiritual and physical worlds. If you develop this talent, you illuminate the ways that eternity permeates the everyday routine. You weave together the sacred and the mundane so they synergize each other. You understand how practical matters may be infused with archetypal energies and epic themes. I hope you will be doing a lot of this playful work in 2023, Taurus. Many of us non-Bulls would love you to teach us more about these mysteries.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Here are fun and useful projects for you to cultivate in 2023: 1. Initiate interesting trends. Don’t follow mediocre trends. 2. Exert buoyant leadership in the groups you are part of. 3. Practise the art of enhancing your concentration by relaxing. 4. Every Sunday at noon, renew your vow to not deceive or lie to yourself during the coming week. 5. Make it your goal to be a fabulous communicator, not just an average one. 6. Cultivate your ability to discern what people are hiding or pretending about.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In 2023, I hope you will refine and deepen your relationship with your gut instinct. I will be ecstatic if you learn more about the differences between your lucid intuition and the worry mongering that your pesky demons rustle up. If you attend to these matters—and life will conspire to help you if you do—your rhythm will become dramatically more secure and stable. Your guidance system will serve you better than it ever has. A caveat: Seeking perfection in honing these skills is not necessary. Just do the best you can.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Psychiatrist and author Irvin Yalom wrote, “The question of meaning in life is, as the Buddha thought, not edifying. One must immerse oneself into the river of life and let the question drift away.” But Holocaust survivor and philosopher Viktor Frankl had a radically different view. He said that a sense of meaning is the single most important thing. That’s what sustains and nourishes us through the years: the feeling that our life has a meaning and that any particular experience has a meaning. I share Frankl’s perspective, and I advise you to adopt his approach throughout 2023. You will have unprecedented opportunities to see and know the overarching plan of your destiny, which has been only partially visible to you in the past. You will be regularly blessed with insights about your purpose here on earth.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): As a young woman, Virgoborn Ingeborg Rapoport (1912–2017) studied medicine at the University of Hamburg in Germany. But in 1938, the Nazis refused to let her defend her PhD thesis and get her medical degree because of her Jewish ancestry. Seventy-seven years later, she was finally given a chance to finish what she had started. Success! The dean of the school said, “She was absolutely brilliant. Her specific knowledge about the latest developments in medicine was unbelievable.” I expect comparable developments for you in 2023, Virgo. You will receive defining opportunities or invitations that have not been possible before. Postponed breakthroughs and resolutions will become achievable.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Of the 2,200-plus humans quoted in a 21st-century edition of Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations , 164 are women—a mere seven per cent! At least that’s more than the four females represented in

22 BY ROB BREZSNY

1855’s first edition. Let’s take this atrocious injustice as our provocation for your horoscope. In accordance with astrological omens, one of your assignments in 2023 will be to make personal efforts to equalize power among the genders. Your well-being will thrive as you work to create a misogyny-free future. Here are possible actions: If you’re a woman or nonbinary person, be extra bold and brave as you say what you genuinely think and feel and mean. If you’re a man, foster your skills at listening to women and nonbinary people. Give them abundant space and welcome to speak their truths. It will be in your ultimate interest to do so!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): To prepare you for 2023, I’m offering you wisdom from mythologist Michael Meade. Of all the signs in the zodiac, you Scorpios will be most likely to extract riches from it. Meade writes: “Becoming a genuine individual requires learning the oppositions within oneself. Those who fail or refuse to face the oppositions within have no choice but to find enemies to project upon. ‘Enemy’ simply means ‘not-friend’; unless a person deals with the not-friend within, they require enemies around them.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “I will always be as difficult as necessary to achieve the best,” declared Sagittarian opera singer Maria Callas (1923–1977). Many critics say she was indeed one of the 20th century’s best. The consensus is that she was also a temperamental prima donna. Impresario Rudolf Bing said she was a trial to work with, “because she was so much more intelligent. Other artists, you could get around. But Callas you could not get around. She knew exactly what she wanted and why she wanted it.” In accordance with astrological omens, Sagittarius, I authorize you, in your quest for success in 2023, to be as “difficult” as Callas was, in the sense of knowing exactly what you want. But please—so as to not undermine your success—don’t lapse into diva-like behaviour.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): To inspire your selfinquiry in 2023, I have chosen a passage from Herman Hesse’s fairy tale, “A Dream Sequence.” It will provide guidance as you dive further than ever before into the precious mysteries in your inner depths. Hesse addressed his “good ardent darkness, the warm cradle of the soul, and lost homeland.” He asked them to open up for him. He wanted them to be fully available to his conscious mind. Hesse said this to his soul: “Just feel your way, soul, just wander about, burrow into the full bath of innocent twilight drives!”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Cardiovascular surgeon Michael DeBakey lived till age 99. He almost died at 97, but was able to capitalize on an invention that he himself had created years before: a polymer resin that could repair or replace aging blood vessels. Surgeons used his technology to return him to health. I am predicting that in 2023, you, too, will derive a number of benefits from your actions in the past. Things you made, projects you nurtured, and ideas you initiated will prove valuable to you as you encounter the challenges and opportunities of the future.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I decided to divine the state of your financial karma. To begin, I swirled a $10 bill through the flame rising from a green candle. Then I sought cosmic auguries in the burn patterns on the bill. The oracle provided bad news and good news. The bad news is that you live on a planet where one-fifth of the population owns much more than four-fifths of the wealth. The good news is that in 2023, you will be in decent shape to move closer to the elite one-fifth. Amazingly, the oracle also suggests that your ability to get richer quicker will increase in direct proportion to your integrity and generosity.

Homework: What circumstance in your life is most worthy of you unleashing a big “Hooray!”? Testify! Newsletter. FreeWillAstrology.com.

In addition to this column, Rob Brezsny creates

EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES

In-depth weekly forecasts designed to inspire and uplift you. To buy access, phone 1-888-499-4425. Once you’ve chosen the Block of Time you like, call 1-888-682-8777 to hear Rob’s forecasts. www.freewillastrology.com

Members of the public are invited to review and provide comments on the proposed 2023 to 2028 Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) #941 for BC Timber Sales (BC TS), Chinook Business Area, which will replace the current FSP #644. A FSP is the main operational and strategic level planning document under the Forest and Range Practices Act The FSP outlines how BC TS will meet the government ’s regulator y objectives for forest management

The FSP is a landscape -level plan under the Forest and Range Practices Act I t shows the location of forest development units (areas where timber har vesting blocks and associated roads may be proposed). The FSP does not indicate sitespecific locations for proposed blocks and roads Site -specific referrals of the proposed block and road development will be conducted annually and follow the results, strategies and measures approved in the FSP Adjustments to the proposed FSP may be made based on comments received during this period The proposed FSP and related maps can be viewed at:

• http://ow.ly/Ht v y50M1xeC

• Or, from Dec 15, 2022 to March 1, 2023 by appointment at BC Timber Sales, Chinook Business Area, #101-42000 Loggers Lane, Squamish, B.C., V8B 0H3

Written comments can be submitted by mail or email and must be received on or before March 1, 2023.

To obtain further information, arrange a viewing time or submit written comments, contact Stephan Bernhard, Planning Forester, at Forests.ChinookTimberSalesOffice@gov.bc.ca or write to the above address.

5.44 ACRE Lot 51, Ivey Lake Subdivision, $650,000, 2-minute walk to Lake. 2.3 Km northeast of Pemberton, a 30-minute drive to Whistler. Fantastic view of Mt Currie. 604-744-8816 owen.hairsine@gmail.com

PRE-LOVED RE-LOVED

RE-USE-IT CENTRE

Donations daily 10 am to 4 pm Accepting pre-loved clothing, gear and household items. Shopping daily 10 am to 6 pm 8000 Nesters Road 604-932-1121

RE-BUILD-IT CENTRE Donations daily 10 am to 5 pm Accepting pre-loved furniture, tools and building supplies Shopping daily 10 am to 5 pm 1003 Lynham Road 604-932-1125 Visit mywcss.org and our social channels for updates.

Director of Environmental Services

(Regular, Full-time) Looking to

community? Consider a career in local government. Join the SLRD’s team of dedicated staff who work together to make a difference in the region. Headquartered in Pemberton, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) delivers a wide range of regional, sub-regional and local services to its residents. The SLRD is a BC Regional District consisting of four member municipalities (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Lillooet) and four electoral areas. Services include land use planning, solid waste management, building inspection, fire protection, emergency preparedness, 911 services, recreation, water and sewer utilities, regional transit, trails and open spaces as well as financial support for various community services.

The region contains some of the most spectacular forests, waterways, and mountains in the province and affords an endless range of opportunities for outdoor adventure, making it an exceptional place to live, work and play.

The SLRD is seeking an experienced leader to fill the position of Director of Environmental Services. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), and as a member of the senior leadership team, the Director of Environmental Services is responsible for the strategic oversight of the SLRD’s services including water systems, sewer systems, solid waste management, street lighting systems, flood and debris flow structures, parks and trails development and services, building and facility management, and capital infrastructure projects for the electoral areas of the Regional District. This position is also responsible for short and long-term capital planning including asset management planning, dyking inspections, and bylaw and contract administration for the department.

The ideal candidate will have 7 years of recent related experience overseeing capital infrastructure projects, utilities, solid waste management, parks and trails, or facilities in a local government or corporate setting, and post secondary degree or diploma in Civil Engineering, Applied Science Technology or related discipline. For further information, please refer to the full job description at www.slrd.bc.ca/employment

Salary will be determined commensurate with experience. This position also offers a comprehensive benefits package, participation in the Municipal Pension Plan, a compressed work week (9-day fortnight) and flexible work from home opportunities.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their cover letter and resume (preferably in pdf format) by email to careers@slrd.bc.ca. This posting will remain open until filled, with application review commencing on January 3, 2023.

We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those shortlisted will be contacted.

•

• ROOM

SERVICE AGENT (FT)

SPECIALIST, EMAIL MARKETING

Full Time, Year Round

The Specialist, Email Marketing is responsible for facilitating Tourism Whistler’s email marketing strategy.

The Specialist coordinates the planning, development, distribution and analysis of targeted email campaigns with an objective towards brand loyalty, customer retention, and sales revenue.

What we offer: A flexible schedule offering work-life balance, a commitment to health and wellness, excellent compensation and benefits package, and a great team environment.

We’re also recruiting for: Maintenance Technician/Cleaner (Full Time, Year Round), Visitor Centre Agent (Full Time, Year Round)

Join a Dynamic Team of Art Lovers!

Curatorial Assistant

The Museum is currently seeking: Assist the Director & Chief Curator, as well as the Curator, in the research, development and presentation of Permanent Collection displays and Special Exhibitions.

• Permanent, Full-Time

• Competitive Salary

• Benefit Program

For complete job descriptions and to apply visit audainartmuseum.com/employment

Or email applications to bbeacom@audainartmuseum.com

Be a part of the DHD team and their next exciting project – Finch Drive. A 20 acre, master-planned community using modern building technologies to achieve some of Squamish’s most energy efficient, multi-family homes.

Photo Credit Tourism Whistler/Blake Jorgenson

We are currently hiring the following positions for projects in WHISTLER.

Journeymen Carpenters (5+ years) Skilled Labourers

Journeymen Carpenters (5+ years)

Skilled Labourers

We are currently hiring the following positions for projects in WHISTLER. We offer competitive pay, a benefits package, company cell phone plan, interesting projects, a collaborative team environment, and a chance to improve your existing skills. We are looking for dedicated team players who want to join a rapidly growing company and establish a long-term career in construction. Please forward your resume to Lea@gccltd.ca

We offer competitive pay, a benefits package, company cell phone plan, interesting projects, a collaborative team environment, and a chance to improve your existing skills. We are looking for dedicated team players who want to join a rapidly growing company and establish a long-term career in construction. Please forward your resume to Lea@gccltd.ca

We have a rare opportunity to work at one of Canada’s best-read online newsmedia companies, Glacier Media.

You will be part of the Pique Newsmagazine team, a division of Glacier Media. In your role you will consult with local businesses to offer cutting edge marketing solutions: programmatic, social media, SEO, sponsored content and community display advertising on our website and yes, we still reach customers through our trusted newspaper as well.

What we are looking for

• You are comfortable making cold calls and setting up/leading meetings with new and existing clients.

• A self-starter with a consultative selling approach working with clients planning both digital and print advertising campaigns.

• Building and maintaining client relationships with your exceptional communication skills comes easy to you.

• You are a goal orientated individual with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn.

• You possess strong organizational skills and have the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.

What we offer

• Competitive salary + uncapped commission package.

• Comprehensive / competitive group health and welfare benefits

• Extensive onboarding training and ongoing support.

Whistler has a worldwide reputation for outdoor recreation and boasts a vibrant village featuring restaurants, bars, retail and more. While this legendary resort is an international mountain sports mecca, it is also a down-to-earth mountain town, where community and culture have forged a unique environment. This opportunity offers you the chance to call a world-class ski hill you own—and if you are a local, well you know you’re in the right place to forge a career and lucky to call Whistler your home.

To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume in confidence to Susan Hutchinson, shutchinson@wplpmedia.com

Closing date: Open until filled.

Be a part of an amazing team as our newest Digital Account

At the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) our vision of ‘Service. Relationships. Results.’ is all about providing a valued service, building strong relationships with our stakeholders, and achieving greater results for the province.

The LDB is one of two branches of government responsible for the cannabis and liquor industry of B.C. We operate the wholesale distribution of beverage alcohol within the province, as well as the household retail brand of BC Liquor Stores.

We employ nearly 5,000 people in over 200 communities and have been named one of BC’s Top Employers 14 times over for offering exceptional places to work rooted in values of fairness and respect, work-life balance, and inclusion and diversity. We believe that our people are our greatest asset. Being a reputable employer with programs of skills training and professional development are what attract candidates to BC Liquor Stores, while our progressive, forward-thinking culture is why employees with a growth mindset thrive.

Auxiliary positions are on-call, meaning hours of work are not guaranteed and subject to availability. Some auxiliary employees may not initially work a full 35-hour week, but with more hours worked and more seniority gained, more opportunities for more hours of work will follow.

Auxiliary positions are not permanent full-time but can lead to permanent full-time opportunities with a very competitive total compensation package, including a comprehensive pension plan, medical and dental coverage (including massage and physiotherapy), tuition reimbursement and scholarship programs, and access to public service employee benefits including career support services, financial and legal services, and employee and family counselling.

We are dedicated to the highest quality of customer service, delivered with friendliness, individual pride, initiative, and retail passion! If you fit this description and you are prepared to work in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply to become a part of the Whistler area BC Liquor Stores.

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following qualification requirements:

• Be at least 19 years of age

• Be able to legally work in Canada

• Be able to provide excellent customer service

• Be able to communicate effectively and professionally with the public

• Be able to demonstrate aptitude for cashier and related duties, including calculations

• Be able to perform physically demanding work, including lifting 20-25 kg boxes

• Have a valid Serving It Right Certificate™

• A Criminal Record Check is required.

BC Liquor Store Sales Associates may be required to operate a variety of mechanical and hand-operated equipment, in addition to handling large volumes of bottles as part of the LDB’s recycling program.

Rate of Pay as of April 10, 2022: Auxiliary Sales Associate - $20.33 per hour

Seasonal Sales Associate - $18.92 per hour

For exciting and challenging retail opportunities, please apply online at: http://bcliquorstores.prevueaps.ca/pages/openings/

ACROSS

Foot, slangily (var.)

Neither’s mate

Does not include

hotelier

Bird feeder visitor

Organic acid

Dad’s brother

Habitual

Dearer, as memories

Bottle- — dolphin

Found pleasing

Hired a lawyer

DOWN

Art class item

Legal offense

Barbie’s beau

Special-interest grps.

Carmaker’s woe

Deal with a knot

Computer-screen image

Pinch

Facile

Connecticut seaport

Major artery

Furrow

Corner

Stuff to the bursting point (hyph.)

Newspaper staffer

Bus route

Uris of “Topaz”

Round dwelling

Capable of absorption

Passport requirement

Not much (2 wds.)

Arm bones

Farming majors

Removed paint

Clock part

Kitchen wear

Revolve

Experiment with

“Sorry!”

Zola of literature

Relates

Dines

Banister post

Dull greens

Dreamlike

Type of wrestling

Sour, as cream

Touched

Codger

Pretty, in French

Summa cum —

Popcorn nuisances

Glittering adornment

Process ore

Hushed

Champagne glass

Advantage

Fire residue

Helps with a heist

Large lots

Heed the alarm 80 Imperative 82 Arty locale 83 Musical symbol 84 Wyoming range 85 Dunks for apples 87 “Oui” and “da” 88 Actor — Reeves 89 Improvised (2 wds.) 91 Stratagem

Kitchen spice

Pet

Vera —, Mexico

Cold-shoulder

Blackthorn fruit

Part-time worker

Too plausible

Wintertime sound

Looks for

Put into words

Cry of disdain

lineman

sight

Hues

Rust away

Bad-smelling

Former Atlanta stadium

Bogie role

Makes a mistake

Downy

Yothers or Fey

Masculine principle

Cash substitute

jumper

colleague

LAST WEEKS’ ANSWERS

A Whismas Carol

‘TWAS THE NIGHT before Christmas, and Billy Scrooge didn’t know whether to be tickled pink or scared witless. Until just a minute ago, it had been a day of giddy excitement. He’d fired his longtime bean counter and whipping boy, Cratchit, for having the temerity to ask for both a raise and Christmas Day off. He remembered the forlorn look in Cratchit’s eyes and howl of despair when he said, “And furthermore, you have 24 hours to get your sorry butt out of my company house.”

“But Mr. Scrooge, where will I go? Where

BY G.D. MAXWELL

will the kids go? Lucinda’s going to have another baby.”

“And you’re telling me this why?” Scrooge had responded.

He’d celebrated by actually tipping the waitress who served him dinner every night at Tapley’s. She, of course, thought the loonie left on the table had inadvertently been overlooked. A nightly fixture in the corner booth, he knew everyone there and everyone knew him, though none spoke to the dude they referred to sarcastically as Sweet William, and none were spoken to by him.

But this Marley thing had shaken him. Just before bed, right after he’d called Cratchit and reminded him he now had only 18 hours to get out of his house, the ghost of Bob Marley—his old business partner not the reggae singer— had floated into his room. Scrooge and Marley had been go-getters in Whistler’s early years, money lenders to others starting businesses, condos, timeshares, T-shirt shops, coffee places and later, Billy had made a killing on Vail stock and foreclosing debtors who couldn’t pay.

“Heed me,” Marley had said. “Repent, be generous to, care for your fellow people... or be damned like me to wander the Earth forever in the afterlife, Billy. It’s not too late for you.”

“Humbug,” Scrooge had replied. He loved that word, especially around Christmas. But he was a bit worried about the three spirits Marley had warned would visit him as the hours grew long.

At the stroke of one, Scrooge woke with a start. Something was tickling his leg under the covers. Opening his eyes, he screamed. At the foot of his bed stood an apparition in patched bell-bottoms, stretched shapeless sweater, scraggly beard and Export A toque.

“Who are you?” he cried.

“The Ghost of Whistler Past, dude. Let’s go.”

Scrooge couldn’t believe his eyes. In a flash, his bedroom disappeared, and he was standing knee-deep in a mud puddle in the parking lot of the old Mount Whistler Lodge. Soft, yellow light shone through the windows, loud rock pulsated from within and the air was redolent of pot smoke.

“I know this place,” he said. “It’s the Freaker’s Ball.”

The spirit led him inside, through the

walls. “Oh man,” Scrooge said. “There’s George and Rod and old Schultzie and T-shirt Al. Oh wow!” His gaze wandered to the corner, where a group with lit-up eyes and face-spasmed smiles made merry. “Oh look, it’s Charlie and Andy and... and me. Oh Spirit, these were such wonderful times. So full of hope and dreams and life lived for the moment.”

As quickly as they’d arrived, they were gone.

“I want to go back,” Scrooge implored. “Why did you take me away? Where are we?”

They were standing hip-deep in snow

have been, and was about to call Toronto to see if he could track down Karen when a rich chimera, part human, part fat cat, drifted into his room. Dressed in a chi-chi Bogner one-piece, the ghost pointed a finger toward Scrooge and said, “I am the Ghost of Whistler Present. Come.”

The house, crowded with furniture, toys and boxes, was warm and inviting. Homemade decorations hung everywhere and three excited children played boisterously. In the bedroom, a woman cried as she jammed clothes into green garbage bags.

“Chill, dude.” The Ghost answered. “Like, what do you care? They’re losers. As long as they get the hell out of your place by tomorrow, eh?”

“No, Spirit, it’s not right. It’s...” and it was gone in a puff.

Scrooge was confused. He’d never been concerned about anyone else’s welfare and it was an unsettling feeling.

He didn’t have long to dwell on it, for thundering through his door came a dark, sinister figure—the Ghost of Whistler Future. In a flash, they were standing at the base of the mountain. Well-heeled people in fabulous outfits with high-end equipment were lined up at the gondola.

“Where are the workers?” Scrooge asked.

“Look around, this is your dream come true,” said the Ghost.

Tickets were dispensed by machine, validators had been replaced by electronic sensors and synthetic life forms frothed milk for $10 lattés. “But it’s so devoid of life,” Scrooge heard himself saying.

outside a spare wooden shed. Dim light from a lantern illuminated a young couple within. A girl with long brown hair was packing her few belongings into a backpack.

“I’m out of here, Billy. You’re turning into nothing but a greed-head. That’s not my scene and it didn’t used to be yours. We could have had a great thing together, but I’m not going to play second fiddle to your bank account. It’s over.”

“Oh you wicked, wicked Spirit,” Scrooge cried. “That’s my squat. That’s Karen, the only woman I ever tricked into loving me. And that’s my Hendrix 8-track she’s packing.”

“You bitch!” yelled the voice from inside the cabin.

Scrooge awoke in his bed. Sweat pooled in the small of his back and tears streamed down his face. He mourned for what could

“I don’t care what you say, it takes a heartless bastard to fire someone and kick them out of their home on Christmas Eve.”

“That’s Cratchit’s wife,” Scrooge said to the Ghost who was carefully buffing his nails.

“Don’t be too harsh on him, dear.” It was Cratchit’s voice coming from inside the bathroom. “Maybe he was right, maybe I shouldn’t have asked for both a raise and Christmas off. Maybe I should have been more grateful just to have a job and a place to live. After all, this is Whistler.”

Just then, Mrs. Cratchit’s water broke and she went into labour. “Ohmigod! This can’t be happening. It’s three months early. Call 911.”

The scene vanished in a fog and Scrooge was back in his room with the Ghost of Whistler Present. “What’s going to happen?” he implored. “Is she going to be all right?”

“Wonderful, isn’t it?” replied the Ghost. “No one complaining about housing or hours or pay or working conditions, just happy, rich visitors spending money like drunken sailors. It’s what you always wanted.”

Quickly whisked to the cemetery, a clutch of old geezers were standing around an open grave. “Who died?” Scrooge asked. Walking closer, he was astounded to see the mourners, all old men, peeing onto the fresh grave. “No need to ask, I guess.”

“Oh Spirit,” Scrooge implored, “What can I do? Is there any way to change this bleak future?”

“I doubt it.”

And with that, Scrooge awoke in his own bed on Christmas morning, knowing what the future held in store but still not certain he really wanted to do anything about it.

Merry Christmas. ■

Maybe I should have been more grateful just to have a job and a place to live. After all, this is Whistler.

PHOTO BY ROBERTO NICKSON/UNSPLASH.COM

Allyson

Whistler