Pique Newsmagazine 3018

Dead season

Tales of B.C. ski hills lost to history. - By Robert Wisla

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14 GET REAL Demand is heating up for recreational properties across Canada—and Whistler is no exception.

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15 BIKE CHECK A new national dataset shows how Whistler stacks up in terms of bikeability.

24 OVER THE HILL A new development proposed for Pemberton’s Hillside area plans dozens of new homes.

18 GRAB A CHAIR Whistler’s beloved Armchair Books is turning the page on its next chapter with new owner Sarah Temporale.

36 ALL NATURAL A pair of Whistler snowboarders recently competed in Alaska at the final stop of the Natural Selection Tour.

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POINT TAKEN Vancouver’s Jill Barber plays The Point’s annual spring fundraiser on May 6.

COVER Remember the good old days when skiing was about skiing, not real estate, and far more accessible? Where a black-diamond run was only a black diamond because it wasn’t groomed and you learned to ride the rope tow between your dad’s legs in jeans!? - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art

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President, Whistler Publishing LP

SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@wplpmedia.com

Opinion & Columns

08 OPENING REMARKS Editor Braden Dupuis attempts to quantify Whistler’s recent growth by counting meatheads at the Meadow Park Sports Centre.

10 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

This week’s letter writers call for a greater share of provincial Property Transfer Taxes to remain in Whistler, and recount a recent trip to the resort.

13 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST

Many people have much to say on social media, but that doesn’t mean all viewpoints are created equal, writes columnist David Song.

62 MAXED OUT Max revisits aspects of last week’s column in serving himself some humble pie.

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Environment & Adventure Lifestyle & Arts

31 RANGE ROVER Leslie Anthony shares some of his favourite rites of spring, which include skiing, gardening, and weeks and weeks of playoff hockey.

38 EPICURIOUS What’s behind the Great Sriracha Shortage of 2023? Brandon Barrett digs in to the burning question on everyone’s minds.

44 MUSEUM MUSINGS When the opportunity arose in 1982 to purchase land on Alpha Lake, the municipality jumped at the chance to increase lakeside recreation in the resort.

The

KUTALA means salmon in the language of the 'Namgis people. TERRA means land. And KUTERRA means salmon from the land. Kuterra Limited Partnership is also a business, fully owned by the 'Namgis First Nation, and supported in different ways by people and groups locally and internationally. Kuterra was started to show that Land Raised™ salmon is the future of sustainable salmon farming. It's the way to keep wild salmon and the waters they live in separate from farming, and the way to grow the best quality farmed fish.

Quantifying Whistler’s growth by counting meatheads at the MPSC

IT MAY (or, more likely, may not) surprise you to hear this, but there was an extended, slovenly, inebriated stretch in my life during which I considered exercise a complete waste of time.

My friends would urge me to join them on their trips to the gym, to which I would wave a sweaty, sausage-fingered palm in dismissal.

What did I need the gym for? I had life all figured out—aside from the fact I was fat, drunk, and horribly depressed. But none of that stuff was related, see? It was simply God’s will, and far be it from me to try to alter the great master plan in any way.

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

And so I would remain fat, drunk, and depressed for several more years, not really sure about why, until about 2018 or so, when a desire to improve my cardio led me to the Meadow Park Sports Centre (MPSC) for the first time.

And not just the MPSC—any gym, anywhere (see: fat; drunk).

It’s a special brand of anxiety that comes with that first gym visit. It begins with compiling the courage to force yourself through the doors—a triumph in itself, and not just because you are so fat—and only builds from there.

Once inside, you are surrounded by mostly fit, musclebound, attractive people, and all of them seem to know exactly how to use all the weight machines without having to ask anyone.

Little by little, you learn how to use the machines yourself. And before long, the gym is not an anxiety-inducing activity at all, but in fact quite the opposite.

I saw immediate benefits to my mental health and overall outlook on life, and five years later, I am proud to share that I am much less fat, way less drunk, and no longer finding time or space in my life for the existential

dread that previously threatened to swallow me whole each night.

Suffice to say, since that fateful day in 2018, I have been a frequent visitor to the MPSC. I cannot say enough good things about the facilities offered there (or the pass pricing), not to mention the always-friendly staff who go above and beyond to keep the place running and visitors happy.

But lately, I’ve noticed a marked increase in the number of people using said facilities.

What is that large, musclebound man doing on my favourite exercise bike? And who are all these children occupying every square inch of the weight room?

It’s not unmanageable yet—I can still walk into the gym at almost any time and get a good workout in, even if sometimes it’s a bit crowded—but the increase in users is notable, prompting me to consider shifting my visits to the late morning, when all the

according to RMOW staff.

“Overall, from 2013 to 2019, estimated visitation rose 28 per cent or a compound annual growth rate of about 4.2 per cent per year,” an RMOW communications official said in an email.

“The numbers are not yet finalized for this winter 2023 season, but we appear to be tracking +10 per cent ahead of 2018 using this methodology. If this pace holds, it will mean we are now at or near record levels of visitation.”

And the volume is up across the board.

“From the swim clubs to birthday parties, ice time to the gym, Meadow Park is busier,” they said. “We are incredibly grateful to our staff for all the excellent work they have done to schedule and reimagine our space to accommodate the interest and we do feel we are accommodating the need at this time.”

This is of course but one example of

of the challenges the community faces, part of the reason they are hard at work on the so-called Balance Model—a long-term strategic planning initiative created to balance the four “pillars” of Whistler’s vision (community, environment, tourism economy and sense of place).

The RMOW said it is currently working on a “review and refinement” of the model to make sure it is as strong as possible.

“An external consultant has since been contracted to add an additional layer of strength, and we’ve started testing problems to see if it is delivering as expected,” a communications official said. “We are now in the final stages of Version 2 and should be back before council in the next few months.”

Wherever the initiative lands, the Balance Model has already highlighted the need to plan for all sorts of infrastructure upgrades in the resort, the RMOW said,

mini meatheads in training are still in school and I can cycle in peace with the seniors.

Wondering if it was all in my head, I turned to the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) communications department for confirmation.

And, surprise, surprise—the numbers validated my suspicions.

COVID of course had an effect on user numbers at MPSC from 2020 through 2022, but the visitation increases are still evident,

Whistler’s current growing pains, driven by a burgeoning population both locally and in the Lower Mainland.

You can also see it in Whistler’s parks (where visitation was up 77 per cent between 2019 and 2021), and at the Whistler Health Care Centre (where emergency department visits have steadily increased year over year, rising from 8,977 in late 2018 to 12,166 in late 2022).

These are not new revelations by any stretch—municipal officials are well aware

whether it be in recreation, trails, parking, housing, or transit.

“Meadow Park Sports Centre is certainly part of that discussion, and so are the planned projects at Rainbow Park and Meadow Park,” the official said.

So we shall anxiously await more details on the Balance Model and how it might deliver us from the evils of unconstrained growth.

In the meantime, stay off my favourite bike at the MPSC (yes, you). n

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It’s a special brand of anxiety that comes with that first gym visit. It begins with compiling the courage to force yourself through the doors—a triumph in itself, and not just because you are so fat—and only builds from there.

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Province has a cash cow in Whistler

I’m writing this letter because I don’t believe the average Whistler resident is aware of how much money the provincial government plans to extract from the Whistler property market over the next 20 years in the form of the Property Transfer Tax (PTT). An explanation follows.

In 2022, according to Whistler real estate statistics, 524 units sold at a median price of $1.2 million. This means the PTT median value was $26,000. For now, we’ll ignore the accelerating rates of tax for houses more expensive than the median price, versus the lesser tax for those below.

Assuming the real estate market appreciation stabilizes over the next 20 years to seven per cent per year, the median value of real estate could go to $4.8 million. If we assume the overall number of units sold per year stays the same (which is probably a conservative assumption), the median PTT per unit would climb to $158,000. So although property prices quadrupled, the PTT per unit will have increased more than six times.

A total of 524 units at $158,000 per unit equals a total tax haul (on just the PTT) of $82.8 million per year. This is a conservative

estimate, as it underestimates the high tax percentage on homes way above the median. To put this take in perspective, Whistler’s current revenue from property taxes is approximately $45.6 million!

The provincial NDP government has definitely found a new cash cow. And, although I find this escalating form of asset tax that does not take one’s income into account to be unfair, I do think at a minimum that this PTT windfall should be at least 50-per-cent shared with the municipality from which it is being extracted!

Curtis Lapadat // Whistler

Learning to love the cold in Whistler

I’m neither a skier nor a fan of being cold, so a snowy mountain resort is not my usual go-to holiday destination. I make an exception, however, for a child I haven’t seen for several months, and when our son—an avid skier who’s immune to the cold—left the U.K. last November to work the winter season in Whistler, I knew a visit would be on the cards.

We waited until April (less cold), I stocked up on thermals and with my husband—also a ski enthusiast—headed for B.C. I had anticipated spending much of my

time strolling around the village, relaxing in our cosy hotel and enjoying the odd massage— instead I found a wealth of opportunities on offer for non-skiers. A guided snow shoe tour in the Callaghan Valley beneath a canopy of ancient cedar and fir trees, learning about the medicinal properties of local plants and the difference between grizzly and black bears was an utter delight, as was hiking along the Valley Trail to Green Lake, the stunning scenery and fresh, clean air a balm for the soul. Snowmobiling along backcountry terrain sounded thrilling, if a bit scary, and is on my list for next time.

Unbeknown to us, our son had purchased a cheap car and, mechanical issues thankfully resolved before we arrived, he drove us to Pemberton where a gentle climb took us to Nairn Falls, and to Squamish where we rode the Sea to Sky Gondola for the full mountain experience. Embracing the elements, we crossed the suspension bridge at the top in a blizzard and tramped along the snowy Panorama Trail; the views that day were sadly non-existent, but it was an exhilarating experience.

Visiting so late in the season did have some cons. We hadn’t realized when booking that both Whistler Mountain and the Peak 2 Peak Gondola—which I’d been looking forward to— would be closing just before we arrived. On the plus side, as the advent of low season brings a raft of special offers, we were able to enjoy fine dining, complete with locally sourced oysters,

at Araxi and Il Caminetto—two of Whistler’s finest—courtesy of their excellent spring prix fixe menus. In an area notorious for its high prices—our son had forewarned us that B.C. stands for “Bring Cash”—such deals proved most welcome.

If I had to name my holiday high point—

and mountains. The thermal therapy process is explained on arrival along with a polite request to keep phones in lockers and observe silence. I never thought I’d go near a cold plunge pool let alone an outdoor one, but keen to try something new, I immersed myself for a full three minutes and emerged feeling suitably invigorated.

not easy in a place so rich with natural beauty and fun activities—it would be the “Thermal Journey” and deep tissue massage at the Scandinave Spa. The place is instantly relaxing—rustic-looking saunas, steam rooms, plunge pools and waterfalls linked by heated wooden walkways and surrounded by forest

Six days flew by and, boarding the bus back to Vancouver airport, I felt sad to leave. I’m innately a lover of hot, sunny climes, but my Whistler experience taught me that in the right surroundings and with the right gear, cold can be fun too.

Beatrix Clark // United Kingdom n

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 reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine GOT GOOD VIBES TO SHARE? Send them to goodnews@piquenewsmagazine.com

THERE’S A NEW LAWYER IN THE SEA TO SKY CORRIDOR!!

Hearty congrats to AMANDA WELTON-HAGEN who joins MOUNTAIN LAW CORPORATION as an associate!

After articling to Peter Shrimpton for a year following three years at law school, Amanda will be focussing on corporate & commercial law

Her 10 years working in that field will serve her well, and she welcomes new clients who require business law advice and document drafting.

PS Yes, she will continue her presence on her other field, the soccer one!

Three Cheers Amanda!

“Visiting so late in the season did have some cons. We hadn’t realized when booking that both Whistler Mountain and the Peak 2 Peak Gondola ... would be closing just before we arrived.”

- BEATRIX CLARK

SHOLTO SHAW

Paul Burrows

April 7, 1937 – March 10, 2023

Whistler's first newsman profoundly shaped the resor t

Paul Desmond Burrows was born in York, England, to Dr John Desmond Burrows, an adventurer and accomplished medical practitioner, and Nancy Burrows, a nurse and writer His Irish roots ran deep A key catalyst at Whistler, Paul passed away in Salmon Arm, B C He was 85

Paul was an extraordinar y force of nature who profoundly shaped the trajector y of the resort he started Whistl er ' s first newspaper; sat on council for years; led the first ski patrol; and helped start Whistler Search and Rescue and so many other community organizations that his personal stor y mirrors that of Whistler itself

He lived in England, Ireland, Rhodesia and South Africa before landing in Vancouver and then Alta Lake (now Whistler), where he met his wife, Doris Jane Archer one of Whistler s first teachers

After an unsuccessful bid to become Whistler’s first mayor, in 1976 Pau l and Jane started the

Whistler Question in their A-frame cabin It evolved into a trusted, well-respected newspaper In 2000, when Whistler became less of a place in which to grow old, Paul and Jane moved to Salmon Arm. They continued travelling worldwide In 2012, Jane was diagnosed with Familial Alzheimer’s Disease Paul became her dedicated caregiver until her death in 2018.

Paul will always be remembered as an honest, caring, fun-loving man; a community leader seldom at a loss for words.

A private graveside ser vice will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 13, when Paul will be placed alongside his dear Jane A celebration of life will follow at 2:00 p.m. (PDT) in the Millar Room, Myrtle Philip School, 6195 Lorimer Road, Whistler Starting at 1:30 p.m. you can connect via Zoom at https://whistlermuseum.org/burrows/

Paul's preferred recipient for donations is Whistler Museum & Archives.

Messages of condolence can be left at www.bowersfuneralser vice.com

Your opinion doesn’t matter

FOR MOST OF 2020, billions of people around the world were sequestered in their homes as a pandemic cast doubt on the future of life as we knew it. During this time, individuals of all beliefs took to the streets and airwaves to express their views with renewed fervour—regardless of how rational or sound

BY DAVID SONG

Take a former friend of mine. We’ll call her “Jane.” This young lady feels passionately about various issues, from COVID-19 to social justice. As the pandemic dragged on, she populated her Facebook and Instagram feeds with content that supported her generally left-wing views about lockdowns, health precautions, racism and other types of discrimination.

Jane is hardly unique in this regard. Social media has made it far too easy for us to disseminate our views to anyone who will listen. I myself am sometimes guilty of posting a half-baked thought without considering its veracity.

In any case, I see two major problems with how we as a society tend to deal with complex issues. Let’s start with the fact that a lot of

people treat their own opinions as gospel— allowing emotion, ideology or ulterior motive to cloud their perspective.

Most of you are probably familiar with the saying “everyone is entitled to their own opinion.” That’s true, and there are inevitably myriad differing worldviews among the 8 billion humans on planet Earth.

However, there are not 8 billion differing realities, each as true as the next. Nor is everyone’s opinion necessarily worthy of respect.

Quick Google searches revealed that some of Jane’s social media content was demonstrably false. Much of the rest took a simplistic approach to complex topics—for instance, advocating for racial justice with a meme or a quote taken out of context. We are bombarded with this type of shallow and misleading material every day, and it can corrupt our ability to exercise sound reasoning.

There is a reason why doctors, historians, scientists and other experts must study and practice for years before they are considered authoritative. Viruses are not simple, nor are the myriad effects they can have on our society. Likewise, discrimination in North America has been shaped by centuries of historical and sociocultural trends—none of which lend themselves to a quick, Instagramfriendly post.

Now, hold on. Isn’t it possible that some of our so-called experts have been less than

honest with us? What if they themselves have allowed emotion, ideology or ulterior motive to cloud their judgment?

Sure, that’s possible. Yet, it’s far easier for us as laypeople to be wrong when we’re being informed by suspect sources delivered via algorithm-curated social media feeds and lent credence by our own implicit or explicit biases.

Moving on to the second problem: some folks are either unable or unwilling to consider sound arguments that oppose their worldview.

A few times, I challenged Jane’s views in what I believed to be a respectful manner. Once, her friend wrote a passive-aggressive comment inviting me to keep scrolling if I disagreed with any of Jane’s Facebook posts.

On another occasion, Jane essentially told me that she tends to feel attacked when others consistently engage her with counterarguments.

The problem with this unhealthy behaviour should be glaring. No one is right about everything, every time. An inability to accept that—or to reconsider one’s viewpoint when presented with new information—is a sign of egotism, immaturity or both.

English philosopher John Stuart Mill believed that any given viewpoint—even a correct one—would become useless “dead dogma” if it is not debated openly and consistently. I agree with him. If not for honest, respectful debate, we would never be disabused of any falsehoods in life. We would

not even grasp why truths are true.

It’s high time we discarded the poisonous myth that criticism of your opinion—or even your deepest convictions—is an assault on your well-being.

In other words, how we think is just as important as what we think. As a practicing Christian (a minority in Whistler, I know), I benefited immensely from seven years of secular education—five at the University of Calgary, two at IUPUI—where I learned about religions and philosophies different from my own.

Was that experience always comfortable? No. Was it healthy? Absolutely. Why? Because it forced me to re-evaluate my existing assumptions. It opened my eyes to what once were blind spots. Most of all, it compelled me to ask myself: “why do I believe what I believe?”

There’s a lot I don’t know. That’s why I usually stick to writing about sports. I have opinions about various issues, but I try to refrain from expressing those opinions publicly unless I first have time to do proper research. Even then, I remain open to valid counter-arguments because I’m wrong a lot of the time—and because no one ever benefited from believing that they’re above reproach.

Perhaps Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a late United States senator, put it best when he said: “everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.” n

Demand heating up for recreational properties across Canada—including in Whistler

WITH INTEREST RATES EXPECTED TO LEVEL OFF, BUYERS’ CONFIDENCE IS COMING BACK

BY MEGAN LALONDE

THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL price of a market property in Whistler decreased by 13.4 per cent, to $1,623,452, between the first quarter of 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, in Ucluelet, prices increased 12 per cent to $764,000 during the same time period.

Those were some of the statistics highlighted in RE/MAX Canada’s 2023 Cottage Trends report, which identifies patterns across the country’s recreational property markets.

But take the report’s observations with a grain of salt: Whistler’s unique real estate market is difficult to compare to any other community’s, said Stefanie Hostetter, RE/ MAX Sea to Sky Real Estate CEO—even those similarly focused around recreation and popular amongst second homeowners.

“We have the highest-value homes and recreational properties in Canada,” she said. “Muskoka doesn’t compare. Tofino is beautiful, but it doesn’t compare.”

On a national basis, RE/MAX Canada doesn’t differentiate residential properties from tourist accommodation in quite the same way Whistler’s real estate industry does, Hostetter explained. With such a limited inventory of properties listed and limited transactions each quarter across those “micro-

niches”—ranging from Whistler’s high-end luxury market and occupancy-restricted condos to part-time ownership opportunities in Phase II properties—even one outlying luxury sale can skew average prices, she said.

In the first quarter (Q1) of 2022, Whistler recorded 236 sales, according to Hostetter. Of those, 13 were priced over $5 million, and five fell between the $10 million and $15-million mark.

“Those are big numbers for a small number of sales,” Hostetter said.

“This year, we had 136 sales [in Q1], but none of them were over $9 million. Our biggest sale was $8.6 million,” she said. “When you’re talking about double the amount of luxury sales in terms of number of sales, plus the higher value of those sales, in 2022 we had a much higher total-dollar-value sell in Q1 than in 2023. So that’s the story—it’s a pure case of what is selling, and not how much certain properties are selling for.”

For Q1 of 2023, the median sale price of Whistler properties “increased both year-overyear and quarter-over-quarter for townhouses and condos, while the market saw a slight decrease in the median price of single-family homes,” according to the Whistler Real Estate Company’s (WREC) market report.

As of Tuesday, May 2, there were 194 properties listed for sale in Whistler—“from chalets to parking stalls,” said Hostetter—and 51 in Pemberton.

That’s up from last year, when there were approximately 90 Whistler listings on May 1, 2022, said WREC realtor Dave Brown.

“That had been pretty consistent,” he

said. “We were hovering somewhere around 75 to 90 listings, and as we saw the year go on in 2022, by July we got to 176 listings, and then as we went along, that trend continued with the higher number of listings, fluctuating between about 175 and 150.

“Although listing inventory went up—in some cases almost close to double—it was still at very historically low levels,” added Brown, who has posted weekly market reports for the resort to his website since 2008. That’s compared to years like 2010, when there were 800 properties listed for sale in Whistler that April, or even April 2015, when Whistler counted about 380 listings.

Even with inventory on the lower end of the spectrum—Whistler had about 250 listings in April 2020, Brown said—the resort saw a higher-than-usual volume of properties sold in the first couple years of the pandemic. That pace slowed in 2022 as the Bank of Canada continued raising its benchmark interest rates, from 0.25 per cent in March 2022 to 4.5 per cent in January of this year.

With interest rates predicted to remain steady for the foreseeable future, realtors say buyers’ confidence is returning.

“I think a lot of people were expecting a lot more inventory to come on, and that really didn’t occur compared to historical levels,” said Brown.

For the average buyer, “We’re starting to realize that life events are still causing us to move, and that’s why we’re seeing this heatingup of the market right now,” said Hostetter.

The realtor added she expects “we might see a little bit of pent-up demand from the last

eight months, because [buyers] have held off and were waiting to see what happened [with interest rates]. Now we kind of know.”

Brown said Whistler buyers started becoming more active in February, with activity continuing to pick up as the year has progressed. “Definitely in April we’ve seen one of our busiest weeks for property sales,” he noted.

Hostetter has also noted more buyers coming into the RE/MAX Sea to Sky office inquiring about properties in “the last couple of weeks,” she said. “We have seen well-priced properties in good condition go for multiple offers. That is coming back.”

That’s all to say Whistler remains a seller’s market.

That does fall in line with what some realtors and economists are expecting to see across the country in the coming months, according to the RE/MAX Cottage Trends report. The study predicts the national average price in recreational markets will rise about 0.9 per cent in 2023.

Still, it’s not the worst time to be a buyer in Whistler, even with interest rates higher than in recent years.

“Back in 2021 or early 2022, if you wanted to put an offer in on the property, it often involved having to do it without due diligence or enough time for subject conditions [if you wanted your offer to be successful] and maybe a multiple-offer situation,” said Brown. “Although we are seeing some multiple-offer situations, we’re seeing more the ability to have some time, potentially, for doing due diligence, like building inspections, getting your financing approved, that kind of thing.” n

VACATION VIEWS This five-bedroom home bordering Nicklaus North golf course is listed with RE/MAX Sea to Sky for $5,695,000.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

OPEN HOUSE

How bikeable is Whistler?

NEW NATIONAL DATASET SHOWS HOW THE RESORT MEASURES UP TO OTHER CANADIAN CITIES

BY BRANDON BARRETT

RESEARCHERS FROM Simon Fraser University (SFU) have developed Canada’s first national open-source dataset for cycling infrastructure, a move they say will address data equity issues between cities and make it easier for decision-makers in places such as Whistler to promote active transportation options.

The project, headed by SFU’s Cities, Health and Active Transportation Research (CHATR) Lab, identifies bicycle infrastructure in neighbourhoods in 15 Canadian test cities—including Whistler— using a standardized classification system, and is derived from OpenStreetMap.org, a crowdsourced mapping tool.

“This national dataset provides consistent, common names, data types and quality information that was not available before,” said CHATR Lab lead and Faculty of Health Sciences professor Meghan Winters in a release.

Previously, Winters explained, such large-scale national studies were hampered by different cities classifying their biking infrastructure in various ways, using different labels, or communities not having access to spatial data nor the capacity to produce infrastructure maps.

Researchers extracted OpenStreetMap data and classified it based on tags, as well as nearby features, landcover, and network attributes (such as whether there is traffic calming or diversion along a route). Additional data was overlaid on top of this map using the Canadian Bikeway Comfort and Safety Classification System (CAN-BICS), assigning structures into high-, medium-, and lowcomfort categories.

As sizable investments are made into cycling infrastructure across the country, the tool is designed to assist local, provincial and federal governments in making better informed planning decisions.

“Being Whistler-centric, if it helps us grow cycling use and bike culture, absolutely we need to optimize it,” said Whistler councillor and Transportation Advisory Committee member Arthur De Jong. “At the end of the day, we will go as the globe goes. I like the idea that we’re sharing and building knowledge and applications together nationally. I think it’s a very healthy thing.”

The interactive mapping tool shows that, out of 48.6 kilometres of cycling routes in Whistler that meet CAN-BICS standards, only 0.6 km falls under “low comfort,” representing painted bike lanes; 43.7 km is considered “medium comfort,” representing multi-use paths such as the Valley Trail; and 2.3 km is categorized as “high comfort,” meaning cycle tracks, bike-only paths, and local street bikeways. The research also found 173.8 km in Whistler are considered “non-conforming” to CAN-BICS standards, such as gravel trails, shared lanes on major streets, and mixed-traffic local streets.

Nationally, researchers noted that multiuse paths and painted bike lanes are the most common forms of cycling infrastructure, and

WHEEL DEAL Researchers from Simon Fraser University have compiled Canada’s first national, open-source dataset on cycling infrastructure, aimed at better informing decision-making around active transportation.

that a priority for improving OpenStreetMap data moving forward is “improving consistency and completeness for high comfort infrastructure where cycling is separated from other modes of travel and on local street bikeways with traffic calming and diversion.”

That’s something 2022 council hopeful and cycling advocate Brendan Ladner has been pushing for in Whistler, but he believes there isn’t the political will locally to make the kinds of infrastructural changes needed to significantly shift more drivers onto bikes and transit in order to meet the community’s ambitious 2030 climate targets.

“It would be easy for us to do what we need to compared to most other places. It’s just political will,” he said. “Do we have the guts to even talk about what the targets are and then make a plan? A plan has to have numbers and measurables, and all the plans we have are just good intentions.”

Among the measures Ladner has floated is improving highway infrastructure to make it easier for bikers to travel safely and quickly on Highway 99, through adding a dedicated bike lane, erecting underpasses, and closing particularly crowded turnoffs to cars.

De Jong largely agreed with the need for drastic measures to help “out-convenience” the car and incentivize more active transportation modes.

“Cars are considerably safer to get into than a bike, and that’s a fundamental issue we need to address,” he said. “Let’s kick the tire hard on an express lane through the valley. Imagine a third lane between Creekside and the village for bikes only. The convenience, the speed is greatly enhanced.”

De Jong also agreed with Ladner that the municipality needs better, more fulsome data on cycling in Whistler, particularly around total trips made by bike, something the councillor said he has asked for before.

“We do have a few counters on the Valley Trail in the summer, but I think it’s more towards park use. I have not seen a hard number,” he said. “When I get different issues or projects put in front of me, it’s a rarity that there are enough metrics. We need more metrics, absolutely.”

View the interactive map at walkrollmap. shinyapps.io/can_bics_bccc_app. n

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Whistler talks housing—here at home and in other mountain communities

ABOUT 200 TURNED UP FOR A HOUSING DISCUSSION HOSTED BY THE WHISTLER INSTITUTE AND CWSAA SPRING CONFERENCE ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 27

BY MEGAN LALONDE

THERE’S RARELY A TOPIC Whistler locals are more keen to talk about than housing: the issues, their causes, and, most of all, potential solutions.

Turns out, Whistler is far from the only ski town—or community in general— having those discussions. It’s one reason why the Whistler Institute partnered with the Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA) to host a multi-panel discussion, called A Roof Over Our Heads: Exploring Mountain Resort Housing Possibilities, at the CWSAA’s Spring Conference, which took place in Whistler this year from April 25 to 27. It was the sixth event in the Whistler Institute’s Global Perspectives Speaker Series.

Organizers estimate about 200 people packed into the Whistler Conference Centre on Thursday afternoon, April 27, to listen intently as two separate panels dug into the topic, exploring strategies that have worked here in the valley and further afield. More than 60 per cent of the audience was made up of local attendees, while the remainder were CWSAA conference delegates,

confirmed Suki Cheyne, executive director of the Whistler Institute.

“The Whistler Institute is very grateful to [CWSAA] for the opportunity to partner on this event, we were delighted to see so many delegates from resort communities across Western Canada and local community members attend the event and engage with the topic,” Cheyne wrote in an email.

The two-hour discussion was moderated by Pique columnist G.D. Maxwell. The first panel focused on Whistler’s approach to housing over the years, featuring panellists Steve Bayly, a founding director and the original general manager of the Whistler Housing Authority who has been active in B.C.’s real estate development and construction industry for more than four decades; Kate Roddick, senior project leader at Whistler Blackcomb; and Duane Jackson, former Resort Municipality of Whistler councillor and chair of the Whistler 2020 Development Corp.

The group discussed everything from how employers like Whistler Blackcomb are working to accommodate its shorterterm staff today, all the way back to some of Whistler’s earliest approaches to housing.

“Whistler was one of the first jurisdictions to allow suites,” as Bayly

remembered. Officials limited those suites “to not more than two bedrooms and 800 square feet, and I think the zoning prescribed that they couldn’t be used for tourist accommodation,” he said, “and these suites were a great part of our workforce housing for many years. Lately a lot of them have been lost due to gentrification and other things, but they’re still a good source, and I think a source that should be encouraged.”

A second panel included Al Raine, mayor of Sun Peaks (who also happened to help develop Whistler); George Ruther, director of housing for the Town of Vail, Colo.—he was on hand to discuss that community’s Vail InDEED program, which incentivizes homeowners to deed-restrict existing properties so they can only be occupied by local employees—and Dale Mikkelsen, who was recently hired as head of the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s climate action, planning and development services division, but joined the panel to share insight from his previous longtime role as the director of development and chief operating officer for Simon Fraser University’s UniverCity, the sustainable community located adjacent to the academic institution atop Burnaby Mountain.

Following those discussions, both panels converged onstage to answer a wide array of questions posed virtually, through Slido. Panellists considered queries like “Why not build a 12-storey building for housing if land is limited?” and “Do we need to shift our focus from building more homes to utilizing existing availability? And could we entice homeowners to rent out suites?” before the event wrapped up, though they weren’t able to get to the long and growing list within the 30 minutes allocated.

“The panellists brought unique knowledge and experience to the discussions and they introduced some interesting concepts which, judging by the questions asked in the Q&A and the conversations afterwards, sparked ideas amongst those attending, which was our goal,” Cheyne explained. “Affordable housing is a huge topic with many avenues and we could hold this event several times over with different panels if time allowed. A single event won’t solve housing challenges in an afternoon, but it can start conversations and generate ideas that attendees can take back to their communities to explore in more detail.”

Stay tuned to Pique in the coming weeks for more on this event. n

Tribunal rules Whistler strata must enforce noise bylaw, but dismisses owner’s claim for $50K in damages

BY BRANDON BARRETT

A CIVIL TRIBUNAL has ordered a Whistler strata corporation to enforce its own bylaw after numerous complaints from an owner over “unreasonable” noise levels in two commercial units—but dismissed the owner’s claim for $50,000 in damages for “mental and physical issues” allegedly caused by the noise.

The lengthy dispute is between applicant Bear Moose Holdings Inc. (BMH), thenowner of two residential strata lots in the village building (BMH has since sold one of the lots); and respondents Strata Plan VR. 873, the strata corporation; Mountain Projects Ltd., owner of a commercial strata lot in the building operated as Tapley’s Pub; and corporation 1189952 B.C. Ltd. (118), owner of another commercial strata lot in the building operated as Moe Joe’s Nightclub.

Both Tapley’s and Moe Joe’s are operated by hospitality firm, Gibbons Whistler.

Filed in July 2021, the dispute stems from “significant noise” from two commercial lots in the building at 4119 Golfers Way, the ruling said. The applicant, BMH, said it purchased two residential strata lots in 2017 to use as vacation rentals, and for personal use when not rented. Since then, the owner claimed the noise from commercial strata lot 1 and 2 (SL1 and SL2) has “interfered with the peaceful use and enjoyment of BMH’s strata lots” and that the strata corporation has “failed to take meaningful action to reduce the noise levels and enforce its bylaws.”

The strata did acknowledge “noise problems” in the building, and in its initial response to the dispute, admitted that BMH’s peaceful enjoyment of the property had been impacted by noise from SL1 and SL2. In its later submissions, however, the strata changed its positions somewhat, Civil Resolution Tribunal vice-chair Katie Campbell wrote, saying it was “impossible” to verify that SL1 and SL2 were responsible for many instances of the noise. It also said the strata council did not determine the noise from the two lots was unreasonable, given “the nature of the building, the permitted uses of the commercial strata lots, and the character of the neighbourhood,” the filing went on. “However, in the same submission, the strata admitted there were ‘obvious noise issues’ in the building.”

In dealing with the admitted noise, the strata said its approach had been to forward any complaints to the owners of Tapley’s and Moe Joe’s and “invite them to respond,” Campbell wrote, adding that the strata also claimed its council members had worked with the commercial owners to “reduce noise to a reasonable level.”

The strata also hired acoustic consultants, BKL Consultants Ltd., to install a monitoring system as well as prepare resulting reports,

which it did in 2018 and again in 2022. Both BKL reports documented significant noise levels from SL1 and SL2, with the consultants noting, for instance, the speakers in SL2 as a “major concern,” generating elevated noise levels that were “very disruptive” to the residential strata lots above.

“One of the strata’s key arguments in this dispute is that at least some of the noise that BMH complains about comes from outside the building,” Campbell wrote. “I accept, based on its location, that the strata building is located in a busy area, and at times there are noisy activities outside. However, I find the BKL reports commissioned by the strata confirm high levels of noise coming from SL1 and SL2, and limited noise from outside the strata.”

BKL also recorded decibel levels in both reports, and a 2022 test found that noise in the two “receiving suites” owned by BMH were 40 dBA and 37 dBA, respectively. The World Health Organization recommends a maximum level of 30 dBA for bedrooms at night, while the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation recommends a max of 35 dBA.

In its dispute application, BMH requested an order forcing the strata to establish “nighttime hours” between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., based on Whistler’s municipal noise bylaw. The owner also asked for orders “establishing that a disturbance is considered any noise emanating from a strata lot” above 30 decibels during nighttime.

The tribunal ultimately dismissed both claims.

“These claims by BMH [are] effectively for orders amending the strata’s bylaws,” Campbell said. “It is open to a strata to adopt a bylaw setting ‘quiet hours’ or ‘nighttime hours.’ However, this has not occurred in this case.”

BMH also requested an order that Tapley’s cease operations and the playing of music on its patio during quiet hours, which was, again, dismissed, as BMH “does not have standing to claim bylaw enforcement against other strata lot owners.”

Campbell did, however, note that the owners of Tapley’s and Moe Joe’s must follow the strata’s own noise bylaw, which means “they must not permit SL1 and SL2 to be used in a way that creates noise that is a nuisance to an objectively reasonable person occupying a residential strata lot in the strata.”

BMH was seeking $50,000 in damages in part for alleged mental and physical issues due to the noise in the two strata lots, as well as the strata council’s failure to enforce the noise bylaw. BMH said its owners have experienced “shortness of temper, fatigue, increased anxiety, anger, and helplessness, and increased hypertension due to ‘noise pollution,’” the ruling read. Campbell ultimately found no standing in the damages claim, as the alleged symptoms were unproven, and BMH, as a corporation, has “no physical or mental capacity.” n

DISPUTE STEMMED FROM ‘UNREASONABLE’ AFTER-HOURS NOISE FROM TAPLEY’S PUB AND MOE JOE’S

Whistler’s beloved Armchair Books sold to longtime staffer

ASSISTANT MANAGER SARAH TEMPORALE TAKES OVER THE VILLAGE SHOP FROM THE ELLIS FAMILY THAT HAS RUN IT FOR 41 YEARS

BY BRANDON BARRETT

WHISTLER’S BELOVED bookstore, Armchair Books, is officially turning the page on a new chapter.

After four decades with his family at the helm, owner Dan Ellis has finalized a deal to sell Whistler’s only book shop to longtime assistant manager, Sarah Temporale, who first joined the store part-time in 2013.

“I love this job, I’m happy to come to work every day. I love the customers. I love being surrounded by books. I love everything about it,” Temporale, 39, said. “It’s a pretty big honour to be asked and offered this opportunity. I don’t take it lightly. It’s important to me to be able to continue the legacy that Dan and his family have built over 41 years. It’s a big responsibility, and I want to be able to keep that going and see it through to its next chapter. Pun intended.”

For Ellis, who took over the shop from his mom in 1999, the decision to sell was largely motivated by his recent birthday.

“There’s no hard reason apart from the fact that I just turned 60 and I always said to myself, ‘I’d like to be free and able to travel while I’m still young,’” he recalled. “Sarah and I talked two or three years ago

about this possibly happening. It was light conversation at the time, but as time went on, that conversation got a bit more serious. For

both of us, I think it made sense, because I was nearing that 60-year-old mark, and because she’s capable of running the store. I felt good

about her taking over and me stepping away.”

Almost from the moment it launched in 1982 in the still-nascent village, out of the tiny, 300-square-foot space that now houses the store’s children’s section, Armchair Books has been a local institution that always put customers first. Ellis, who has fielded bigmoney offers for the store over the years, said it was important to maintain the intimacy and customer service that the shop has long been known for.

“This store has always been a family-run business and personal touch is important. It’s what has been our success: being able to know people’s names when they come in, not some corporate entity that treats customers as numbers,” he said. “We know our customers. We know their names. We know their kids. That kind of mindset has allowed us to be successful and be here for 41 years. Sarah knows those customers and she’s been with us now for a decade, and she’s able to continue serving customers the way they should be treated.”

For her part, Temporale wanted to assure customers near and far that nothing is going to change at the shop from that standpoint.

“The face may change behind the counter—well, I guess it won’t because I’ve been here for 10 years—but the soul of the business isn’t going to change. The customer

“It’s important to me to be able to continue the legacy that Dan and his family have built over 41 years. It’s a big responsibility, and I want to be able to keep that going and see it through to its next chapter. Pun intended.”

- SARAH TEMPORALE

ALL IN THE FAMILY Armchair Books’ new owner and former assistant manager, Sarah Temporale, left, takes over the shop from longtime owner and manager Dan Ellis.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

RMOW sets sights on tackling emissions from large commercial buildings

IN 2021, NATURAL GAS USAGE IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ACCOUNTED FOR 24% OF WHISTLER’S TOTAL GHG OUTPUT

BY BRANDON BARRETT

IT HAS BEEN SAID many times that Whistler has its work cut out for it if it wants to hit the ambitious climate targets the municipality has set for the year 2030. The thing is, many of the measures meant to significantly reduce emissions—optimizing waste streams, retrofitting the Meadow Park Sports Centre, and increasing energy standards beyond the provincial baseline for new buildings, among others—have already been completed or are well on their way.

That’s part of the reason why the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has set its sights on large commercial buildings, which are, after passenger vehicles, the second biggest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the community, representing 24 per cent of Whistler’s total GHG output in 2021. (Passenger vehicles made up 52 per cent.)

Falling under Big Move 5 of the RMOW’s so-called Big Moves Climate Action Implementation Plan, the local government has set a target of reducing emissions from large commercial buildings by 40 per cent, and residential buildings by 20 per cent, from

2007 levels in the next seven years. So far, building emissions have declined only six per cent from 2007.

It is, admittedly, an uphill battle.

“Reducing emissions from existing buildings is especially challenging,” according to the RMOW’s 2020 Big Moves report. “While technical solutions are available, from replacing individual building components such as windows or updating furnaces, to comprehensive overhauls of the whole building, few if any jurisdictions have successfully scaled up strong action

that materially reduces emissions from the existing buildings sector.”

A STRONG APPETITE

Part of the challenge is that many of the measures to reduce emissions have come from one-time efforts, such as declining the GHG intensity of hydroelectricity locally, and Whistler’s shift from propane to natural gas. Due to declining costs, the RMOW said natural gas connections have increased, and commercial consumption rose 21 per cent

between 2015 and ’20, before the anomaly of the pandemic reduced emissions resort-wide.

An effort that began in 2019 that was hampered by COVID-19, the RMOW intends to re-engage the commercial building sector, and primarily hotels, on ways they can reduce operational emissions, including building retrofits.

Without much in the way of legislative tools to force hotels’ hands, the RMOW is “taking an educational approach to connect hotel

ARMCHAIR BOOKS FROM PAGE 18

service isn’t going to change,” she said. “Everything [customers] have come to love and know and expect from this bookstore, that will all be the same. I’m going to do everything in my power to preserve this amazing legacy that I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of and now to take the reins of. It’s exciting.”

Looking back over her time at the shop, one trend Temporale has noted is the growing demand for children’s books, which she estimated now outnumber adult book sales three to one.

“Our kids’ sections is huge and growing. That’s probably the biggest section of the whole store,” she explained. “That’s pretty cool because you’re raising a generation of readers that are going to become future customers on [the adult] side of the store.”

Temporale also plans to build on Armchair’s emphasis on free delivery, something that has grown in recent years, ideally expanding that service beyond just Whistler and Squamish, and into Pemberton.

For Ellis, the thing he’ll miss the most

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should come as no surprise to anyone who has frequented the shop over the years.

management with information and resources about reducing operational emissions,” efforts that are in the early stages, a municipal communications official said in an email.

“We have to look at our toolbox of incentives,” Councillor Arthur De Jong said. “The obvious incentive is the economic upside of becoming more energy efficient; how much savings our hotels can achieve by being more energy efficient.”

Saad Hasan, past chair of the Whistler Hotel Association, told Pique there is a strong appetite from the sector to optimize energy use, and that many resort hotels took the downtime the pandemic afforded to upgrade their facilities.

“The reason for that [appetite] being strong is that many association members, hotels, have bigger brands and … those brands also have their own targets, which are quite often fairly aggressive,” Hasan explained.

That much is true for the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, owned by French multinational company, Accor. The Fairmont’s sustainability chair, Robyn Gallagher, said the luxury Upper Village hotel has already implemented measures to reduce its propane use, installed low-flow showerheads and LED lights throughout the building, and is considering adding electric vehicles to its currently all-gas-powered fleet.

Building retrofits, however, may prove a taller task, given the steep cost.

“Some of those buildings were built in the ’70s. That’s a long time, and [some buildings

are] held together with a little duct tape, probably. So, how do we make sure that those businesses can still survive when we’ve just come off of COVID?” Gallagher said. “I think it is an amazing thing we’re trying to do, to cut down on these greenhouse gases, but we still need to make sure there’s space at the table for everyone to be able to do that.”

TRACKING EMISSIONS

Although the Fairmont and other resort hotels already have energy tracking installed, the systems don’t often drill down further than the building’s overall energy output. Gallagher said one way the RMOW could assist hotels is through providing a consistent tracking system

across all hotels and commercial buildings that could identify energy output by specific use.

“We’re really re-looking at the way we track things. Right now, Accor itself has given us a new program to track all the propane, all the natural gases, all of that stuff coming out. So we’re trying to figure out where our footprint is, and I think that’s going to be the bigger [issue] right now: getting everyone onboard with the same tracking program,” she said.

De Jong pointed to an initiative the City of New York—which has a similar target of reducing covered buildings’ emissions by 40 per cent by 2030— has implemented that requires all buildings covered under Local Law 97 to file a report with the City detailing

their emissions performance by May 1, 2025, and then every year thereafter.

“I believe that New York City has the most progressive policy on commercial building operations in North America,” De Jong said. “As I understand it, it’s not heavily prescriptive, it’s more, ‘Here are the goals, find a way to achieve them.’”

Between grants, tax breaks, in-kind advertising of sustainable hotels, and streamlined development and building permits, there are several perks local hoteliers would potentially like to see to help incentivize these efforts.

“Because much of this change requires approvals and development permits and things like that, those should be readily available to anyone who wants them,” Hasan said.

A possible barrier to this work that Hasan foresees is the fact many hotel properties in Whistler are managed by stratas, which may be reluctant to take on the costly work required.

“How will the municipality help some of the disparate stratas, both commercial and residential? They are not driven by bigger brands and they may or may not have the deep pockets to make these changes,” he explained. “What some of the bigger hotels have been able to do is bring in a lot of information, contacts and ideas to councils, and councils have been very receptive to move with it.”

The RMOW said it is still in the planning stages of its engagement with the hotel sector, and will share more information as it becomes available. n

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ENERGY INCENTIVES The RMOW is set to engage the hotel sector on ways to cut down on its operational energy use in order to meet Whistler’s ambitious climate targets by 2030. Pictured is the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.

PHOTO BY TAL VARDI / COURTESY OF THE FAIRMONT

Meet the 13-year-old Whistler artist who just founded his own company

MATEO TELFER STARTED HIS OUTDOOR-INSPIRED APPAREL BUSINESS, NEOCREATIVE, FOR A CLASS ASSIGNMENT THIS YEAR

BY MEGAN LALONDE

MATEO TELFER has been interested in art for most of his life. He’s also had an eye for, one day, starting his own business.

Founding a company to sell his artwork before even starting high school wasn’t necessarily on the 13-year-old Whistler local’s to-do list.

That idea was sparked by Telfer’s Grade 8 entrepreneurship class at Coast Mountain Academy (CMA) in Squamish. Other classmates are selling their baking, or making jewelry, soaps or bath products this semester, but Telfer knew immediately he wanted to build his business around digital art. He founded NeoCreative earlier this year, an online business that sells mugs, T-shirts, hoodies, and tech accessories like iPhone and AirPod cases adorned with the colourful, Whistler-inspired designs Telfer creates with the help of artificial intelligence.

“Probably in early November, my mom showed me [AI tools] like Dall-e and ChatGPT,” he explained. “Over winter break I was playing with Dall-e, and I found that quite interesting. Then we had the assignment of making a company about whatever we wanted, and I thought art would be a good way to do it.”

The school-year-long entrepreneurship course begins with studying existing corporations and dissecting their business practices. In the second half of the year, students are tasked with starting up a full-fledged business of their own, from creating a brand, mission statement, logo, business plan, and product line to generating sales and delivering product. It all leads up to a Dragons’ Den-style pitch presentation Telfer and his classmates will deliver to a panel of “dragons”—also known as CMA’s principals—in June.

“It’s a competition throughout the entire class to make the most revenue, so it gets pretty intense sometimes,” Telfer said.

In just a few weeks, Telfer built an e-commerce website through Wix, and found an on-demand print shop and manufacturer, called Printful, where he’s been sourcing his apparel. “They make different kinds of shirts, sweaters, pants, socks … and then you can put your designs; your art onto the [products],” he explained. The company has a warehouse in Canada, meaning the turnaround time to receive an order after placing it is usually only a week or two. NeoCreative’s prices range from $30 to $75.

Starting up any business has its challenges, but founding a company at 13 comes with a particular set of hurdles: for one, Telfer’s not allowed on social media, making it tough to advertise or see how other businesses use the platforms for marketing purposes. He also doesn’t have a marketing budget (the on-demand printing helped eliminate the need for hefty upfront costs), and is working under the tight timelines of his class assignment. Plus, it was Telfer’s first time building a website— there was lots to learn, he said.

RENOVATIONS CUSTOM HOMES PROJECT MANAGEMENT

But Telfer’s main obstacle, at first, was getting a handle on creating art with AI. Telfer’s passion for art stems from his time at the Whistler Waldorf School, where he learned to draw, and paint in acrylics and water paint between kindergarten and Grade 5, but incorporating tech into his creative process required a whole new approach.

“It’s almost kind of like programming [the AI]. You’re giving it every detail you would want and also giving it examples, and then it will make, for instance, a first draft. Of course, if you like that you keep it, but then you can iterate off of that to make [the images] you actually want,” he explained.

“That was quite challenging at first to get good at.”

Featuring highly-detailed images of wildlife, athletes and naturescapes, Telfer’s art is unmistakably inspired by his outdoor adventures growing up in Whistler.

In an effort to capture the feelings associated with those inspirations, the 13-year-old has leaned into rich, vivid colours in his work. He described his artistic style as “surrealism,” or “almost like dream-like,” he said.

Telfer also takes custom orders, and has a form available on NeoCreative’s site customers can fill out if there are particular products they’d like to see available.

Regardless of the grade he receives on the project at the end of the school year, Telfer plans to keep NeoCreative running into the summer and beyond.

“Now that I have it all mostly set up, I can just once in a while add a new product,” he said.

Asked about his goals for NeoCreative, Telfer said “It’s my very first business, so I want to prove to myself that I can both set up a business but also grow it and keep it running.

“When I collect the revenue from this assignment, I’ll most likely reinvest money into the company—like most of it,” he added. “Eventually, I would love to see my clothes being worn outside of Whistler, and I’d love to see some people wearing it actually around Whistler this summer. That’d be pretty cool.”

See for yourself at neocreative.ca. n

ARTISTIC INTELLIGENCE Mateo Telfer, 13, started an online business, NeoCreative, to sell apparel featuring designs he creates with the help of AI tools.

IMAGE SUBMITTED

More employee housing on the way in Whistler

RMOW APPROVES CONSTRUCTION OF 48 NEW HOUSING UNITS IN CHEAKAMUS CROSSING

BY ROBERT WISLA

ANOTHER 48 EMPLOYEE housing units will soon be under construction in Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2.

On May 2, the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) mayor and council approved a development permit and related bylaw amendments for the Whistler 2020 Development Corporation (WDC) to start work on a new $19.5-million, four-storey building at 1450 Mount Fee Road.

Mayor Jack Crompton believes the project will provide much-needed rental accommodation, and is pleased with its pace of development, which is commencing immediately after the first two buildings in Phase 2 finished earlier this year.

“This kind of pace needs to be typical of the way we build housing here: we need to build more; we need to build it faster,” Crompton said. “I’m enthusiastic about the work of our staff, the work of the WDC, [and] the Whistler Valley Housing Society to get housing built for people.”

Once completed, the rental building will provide four studio apartments, 28 onebedroom and 16 two-bed units, and will take a significant bite out of the current Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) rental waitlist.

With nearly 500 people on the list, the average wait time for a WHA rental is 3.4 years for a two-bedroom apartment, 4.4 years for a onebedroom apartment, and 2.2 years for a studio.

The WDC plans to start laying the foundation of the building within the next month, and expects construction to finish by December 2024, with people able to move in shortly after in early 2025.

The building will be similar in design to the neighbouring 1400 Mount Fee building, with the most significant difference being an extra storey and 18 more rental units. It will also be built to the highest Step Code requirements in the province.

“The building design was established considering the original intent of the zoning that was adopted in 2021, as well as natural characteristics of the site, such as topography, solar access and existing natural features,” RMOW planner Louis-Felix T. Renaud said in a presentation to council.

COMMUNITY PARK DELAYED

Residents will have to wait a little longer for the Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2 neighbourhood park planned for the parcel of land adjacent to Lot 2B and Lot 3.

The new park was promised in a park

improvement agreement signed between the RMOW and WDC when the municipality approved the lot’s zoning in 2021. The agreement required the WDC to construct the amenity following occupancy of the first two buildings on Lot 1.

However, the WDC requested to wait until the building on 1450 Mount Fee Rd. and the adjacent developments on Lots 3 and 5 finish to allow workers to use the area while construction is underway. In the interim, the RMOW will continue working on designing the park.

The WDC’s preliminary timeline sets the estimated completion date for construction of the Lot 5 (1475 Mount Fee Rd.) building at the end of 2025, so the park won’t be completed for two to three years, and will end up being one of the final projects in the Phase 2 development.

On May 2, mayor and council voted to delay the park’s creation, citing the need to speed up the construction of employee housing and keep the area safer while building is underway on neighbouring lots.

“I’ll be supporting this recommendation. I think that it allows for expediting the process of construction, and I think ultimately it may find some small savings to our process to actually use this site to support the construction on Lots 2, 3 and 5,” Crompton said. “We’ve got to move fast on housing, and I think this helps us do that.” n

GOING UP Rendering of the approved employee housing building in Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2. IMAGE COURTESY OF THE RMOW

Here’s how Whistler’s seasonal snowfall stacks up

NOT THE BEST, BUT FAR FROM THE DRIEST WINTER ON RECORD

BY MEGAN LALONDE

THE BAD NEWS? Whistler’s 2022-23 snow year wasn’t great. On the bright side? It was far from the worst winter on record.

According to Whistler Blackcomb’s snow and weather report for the last day of April, the resort received a total of 942 centimetres of snow to date this season. No more than a handful of centimetres of wet flurries are currently expected to fall before Blackcomb Mountain closes for skiing and snowboarding on May 22.

Tourism Whistler’s Weather History & Stats web page only displays snowfall totals for January (174cm), February (142cm) and March (111cm) this year, but we can do some basic math to fill in the gap: taking the 119cm that fell in November and the 202cm that fell in December, we can determine that about 194cm fell in April to meet the overall season total listed on Whistler Blackcomb’s website. That also means April was one of Whistler’s snowiest months of the season, second only to December.

Last season, Whistler welcomed 1,139 cm of snow between the beginning of November and the end of May.

The sub-950-cm season total is nowhere close to Whistler’s driest winter in the last 14 years, which occurred in 2015-16 when only

672cm of snow fell between November and May, but it is even further from the snowiest winter recorded since 2008: that occurred immediately post-Olympics, in 2010-11, when a whopping 1,579cm fell.

Believe it or not, Whistler’s 2022-23 snowfall total also isn’t too far off from the 965cm that fell in 2019-20. However, with the

prediction stems from cooler ocean-surface temperatures recorded in the Pacific, which usually correlate with colder temperatures and more precipitation falling over Coastal mountain ranges, though the pattern was expected to weaken as spring approached.

“If you looked at all the ‘La Niña’ years versus ‘El Niño’ years, you probably would

recent months who, for one reason or another, were not managing to record the same quantity of vertical as they usually would, Pique decided to find out once and for all: did Whistler regulars really spend less time on the slopes this winter?

Pique polled 300 online readers asking the question: “Skiers and snowboarders: how many days on snow have you had this winter?” The poll ran from April 14 to 21. Of the 300 votes, we can determine that 42 came from IP addresses within the community.

record-breaking 477cm of snow that fell that January (plus the fact that the season came to an abrupt end in early March, ahead of what was a fairly dry spring), we’d hazard a guess some locals still remember that winter fondly.

The difference this season? Whistler didn’t see a major dump of snow in one month, followed by a drought, like it has in other years. Instead, Mother Nature deposited the snow slowly and gradually over the last six months.

Experts had previously anticipated a ‘La Niña’ weather pattern to take hold across B.C.’s South Coast this winter. That

see higher snowpacks,” Environment Canada meteorologist Trevor Smith told Pique back in February—but that forecast doesn’t guarantee a big snow year.

HOW MUCH DID YOU SKI THIS YEAR?

Forgive us for speculating, but there could be a chance the relatively low, spread-out tides had something to do with some locals spending fewer days on the slopes this winter.

After hearing from more and more locals in

It turns out those anecdotal conversations do appear to have pointed towards a larger trend. Out of the 300 total votes, 51 per cent of total poll respondents reported spending fewer days on snow this winter than usual, compared to almost 24 per cent of readers who said they spent more time skiing or riding this winter, and 18 per cent of overall respondents who said they spent about the same time sliding downhill. Less than seven per cent of readers said they were out for the entire season, whether due to injury or another reason.

Meanwhile, a resounding 64 per cent of local respondents said they spent less time skiing or snowboarding this winter, compared to just 9.5 per cent of locals who got out on the slopes more often, and about 24 per cent of locals who tallied about the same number of days on snow. Just over two per cent of locals said they were out of commission for the season. n

“If you looked at all the ‘La Niña’ years versus ‘El Niño’ years, you probably would see higher snowpacks.”

- TREVOR SMITH

Major subdivision proposed for Pemberton

PARKSIDE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSES 34 SMALL-LOT, SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND A SINGLE 775-SQUARE-METRE COMMERCIAL SPACE

BY ROBERT WISLA

IN ANOTHER SIGN of the Village of Pemberton’s (VOP) rapid growth, a new multifamily development could soon grace the Hillside area, bringing with it dozens of new homes and additional commercial space.

At a Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting on April 25, Pemberton’s mayor and council got a formal look at the rezoning application for the Parkside development, a proposed subdivision of 7362 Pemberton Farm Road East into 34 small, single-family strata lots ranging in size from approximately 300 to 956 square metres, along with one 775sq-m. commercial space.

The discussion at the meeting focused on affordability, density, the balance between parking needs and space constraints, and how the development fits into the broader Hillside Development Area.

“This area is part of the urban growth boundary, and I want just to highlight that if the goal is a compact community, one that really works centralized around the Den Duyf Park rec site, then this site and the ones

immediately around it are so important to get right, because these are going to support that node, so that park and amenities are the best they can be,” VOP planner Colin Brown said in a presentation to the COW.

Historically, BC Rail used the property as a quarry, and the parcel currently sits as a brownfield site with no agricultural

having commercial services available in neighbourhoods that keeps people from commuting or driving into town or using their cars or if they don’t need to,” Richman said.

“We want to make compact neighbourhoods, as we always say, so I definitely see the value in it, and I think it’s important for the council to have a

Councillor Laura Ramsden echoed the concern about the single-family design, and voiced a desire to see the development lock in affordable housing for residents.

“If this is going to potentially have affordable [housing], I think as we get further along, I would want to see some details on what that looks like, whether it’s purpose-built rentals, however it is,” Ramsden said. “Just so that we actually end up with affordable housing stock, and we’re not just hoping that by adding more supply that rental prices are going to come down—because historically that hasn’t been the case.”

value. The subdivision would fit between Den Duyf Park and the Pemberton Plateau neighbourhood.

Mayor Mike Richman said he is open to developing the parcel with housing, and he is encouraged to see the addition of commercial space in the development, which he believes will help create a compact community where residents don’t have to leave whenever they need services.

“I definitely agree with the concept of

conversation as to what that looks like with services that we’re talking about providing and what kinds of commercial services we want to offer.”

Comments from public information meetings held last November and in February generally indicated support for the singlefamily configuration. However, several comments encouraged the addition of suites or townhomes in the development to help provide more affordable housing.

Pemberton’s Advisory Land Use Commission passed a motion on April 13 endorsing the development, subject to the following recommendations: that 15 per cent of the housing in the development be affordable; that council consider additional housing options such as townhomes, duplexes, co-housing, and mandatory suites; and consider restricting housing to VOP employees and retirees.

In addition to the proposed housing density and affordability, another concern was the need for more green space in both the development and the broader area, which Coun. Jennie Helmer noted is an issue she has heard from residents.

“The feedback I get when I go out there

HILLSIDE HOUSING The view from the Hillside area looking towards Pemberton.

PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA

“If this is going to potentially have affordable [housing] ... I would want to see some details on what that looks like...”

- LAURA RAMSDEN

Village of Pemberton considering 8% tax increase

GROWING POPULATION, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE CREATING BUDGET PRESSURES IN SPUD VALLEY

BY ROBERT WISLA

PEMBERTON RESIDENTS could see a big bump in their tax bills this year.

On April 25, the Village of Pemberton’s (VOP) mayor and council directed staff to draft bylaws reflecting an eight-per-cent increase for the 2023-2024 budget.

If approved, the tax increase would work out to about $164,637 in additional revenue for the VOP.

According to Mayor Mike Richman, increased taxation aims to address rising inflation and build up municipal reserves. “We’re trying to balance affordability for our residents and starting to shore up our reserves around infrastructure,” Richman said.

“One of the messages we heard loud and clear over the last [few] months has been concern from our residents over making sure our infrastructure and services are able to keep up with the growth that we’re seeing and that we’re looking ahead to expansion and replacement of our current stuff, and so the eight per cent that we’re looking at increasing taxes by will go entirely into reserves and looking toward the future.”

VOP manager of finance Thomas Sikora said in a presentation to the Committee of the Whole (COW) on Aug. 18 that there are a significant number of financial pressures on the 2023 budget, including high employee turnover (35 per cent in 2022), declining permitting revenue, and increased costs to support aging and historically underfunded infrastructure.

“We continue to see increased demand to support sustaining the longevity of [local infrastructure],” Sikora said. “Embedded in the budget, I will remind everyone that there have been two recent water-main failures just up the street from where we are sitting today that highlights some of that risk from the older infrastructure.”

Pemberton has experienced one of the fastest population growth rates in

the province. Between 2016 and 2021, the Village’s population grew by 32.4 per cent, from 2,574 to 3,407 people, and all signs point to this trend continuing in 2022 and 2023. This growth is straining municipal infrastructure, which the Village will have to update and replace in the next few years.

“The focus for the reserves and on the minds of the council in response to what we’ve heard from people is really making sure our infrastructure is going to keep up with this growth,” Richman said.

“We don’t want to hit our taxpayers with a huge bill for a massive water-main break or something like that; we want to remain ahead of the game and protect our infrastructure and make sure we know its lifespan and when we have to upgrade or replace.”

The increased reserves will help the municipality prepare for more significant, expensive infrastructure projects, like sewer improvements and additional recreational services. It will also assist the VOP in preparing for increased policing budget costs.

Under provincial legislation, once a municipality’s population passes 5,000, it must take on 70 per cent of local policing costs. The 2023 VOP police budget stands at $288,447, and if the provincial legislation does not change, the Village will be on the hook for millions once it passes that threshold. However, Richman hopes the provincial government will amend the funding model before that happens.

Pemberton has historically kept its mill rate relatively low compared to neighbouring municipalities in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD), with the average single-family homeowner paying about $1,685 in taxes in 2022, compared to $2,908 in Squamish and $3,867 in Lillooet.

A report to Pemberton’s COW noted that the VOP has the fifth lowest taxes of all 161 municipalities in the province and is similar to the other SLRD communities’ taxation increases.

Learn more about the proposed budget at pemberton.ca/government/budget. n

PARKSIDE DEVELOPMENT FROM PAGE 24

is that there is no green space, there are no trees left, and very few areas for children to play; as Coun. Nightingale pointed out there are very few areas to walk your dog,” Helmer said. “At some point, we have to take into consideration the balance between providing housing density and providing the quality of life that we know we need to provide.”

With a Housing Needs Assessment Report expected to come next month, mayor and council hope to use the data and insight from the report to inform their future decision on the development and the wider Hillside area.

The final direction from the COW is for staff to come back with suggestions

on how council can collectively look at neighbourhood green spaces in the Hillside area and work with the applicant to explore housing diversity and affordability within the proposed development.

“We want to look at that whole area holistically,” Richman said.

“So when we say they [will] provide commercial services, we want to talk about that, where and what commercial services should be offered, but not just commercial, what is being brought to the whole area in terms of community gardens, trails, gathering spaces, green spaces, as well as things like commercial space.” n

Over $23,000 was raised from The Shaker Event, suppor ting the Athletics Program at Pember ton Secondar y School

Cash Donations

Coastal Mountain Excavations Ltd., JT Heav y Equipment Repair Ltd., Pember ton Valley Hardware and Building Supplies, Royal Canadian Legion – Branch #201, TKT Contracting Ltd , Walsh Restorations

Custom Fit Communications, The Estate of Ms. Sheila Peters-Hoover, G Harris Contracting Ltd , Jay Taylor, BC Passive House, Pedrini Constructio n Ltd , Village of Pember ton

Live and Silent Auction Suppor ters:

The Adventure Group, Adventures on Horseback, BAO’s, Big Sky Golf Club Inc , Birken House Baker y, Chromag, Clare Riley Design, Connections Wellness Studio, Continental Pole Ltd , Copper Cayuse Outfitters, Danielle Menzel Real Estate, Dar yl Treadway, Delta Hotels, Dorgelo by Design, Fish ‘n Rice, Frank Ingham, Highway Café, Ivy Esthetics, Lalo Shoe Company, Leaning Cedar Therapy, Lil’wat Chevron/Tsi -pun Grocer y Store, Lisa Hilton Real Estate, Patrick Meagher/Michele Leslie, Mountain Glass and Mirror, Mountain Rose Barber, Nick laus Nor th Golf Course, Nina Durante and Mar tin Gouin, Pember ton Valley Nurseries, Ronayne Farms, Simply Delicious Baker y – Linda Welsh, Sunstone Golf Club, Tyax Lodge and Helisk iing, Vail Resor ts, Weldon Talbot, Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Shooting Adventures, Whistler Welding Ser vices Ltd

Suppor ting Organizations:

Pember ton L ions Club, The Beer Farmers, Pember ton Valley Supermarket, Royal Canadian Legion – Branch #201, Red Chair Band, Spark Event Rentals, Whistler Shooting Adventures

Volunteers

Alexandra Alain-LeBlanc, Andrea Blaik ie, Ben Cleland, Nik k i Dumba, Sheena Fraser, Sandi Hancock, Alexa Hunter, Monica Lavoie, Cherie LeBlanc, Nic MacPhee, K atrina Nightingale, Par veen Pehota, Quinn Phare, Jay Pospisil, Sunny Rank in, Kris Reierson, John Teitzel, Margo Vaughn, Heather Wond er

Organizing Committee/Red Devils Alumni Association

Tanis Ayers, Krigi Butler, Mitch Hunter, Rick King, James Link later, Danielle Menzel, Lisa Pedrini, Gar th Phare, Krista Walden

Summer Camps

Improv and Acting Camps at The Point Artist-Run Centre

with Ira Pettle Ages 8-10 & 10+

July 3 rd- 7 th & July 31 st- August 4 th

with Aude Ray AM Ages 6-8/PM Ages 9-12 Creative Art Camps

August 21 st- 25 th

with Papa Josh Ages 8-Teens Into the Groove Band Camps

July 17 th- 21 st & July 24 th- 28 th

Kids Creative Music Camp

with Aude Ray Ages 6-9

August 28 th-September 1 st

www.thepointartists.com

Early bird pricing until May 14th

Axis Adventure Camps

Summer Workshop Series

These week-long workshops, designed for students ages 11-18, will focus on architecture, carving, and photography, working from strengths of the Museum’s Permanent Collection and the success of past Special Exhibitions

July 10 - 14 | Erin Hogue, Professional Photographer

July 24 - 28 | Gwaliga Hart, Carver

August 7 - 11 | Christian Huizenga, Architect & Artist

Registration opens soon for Summer Workshops! Visit audainartmuseum com for details

Whistler Sailing Summer Camps

Whistler Sport Legacies

SUMMER CAMPS

Sport, arts & more in Cheakamus!

Four fun & active camp options for ages 6-15: Multi-Sport Camp

• Ages 6–9 & 10–12, $272/$340 (4/5 days)

• July 4–7; July 17–21; July 31–August 4; August 21–25; August 28–September 1

Art & Multi-Sport Camp

• Ages 6–9 & 10–12, $340 (5 days)

• July 10–14; July 24–28; August 14–18

Freestyle Ski & Multi-Sport Camp

• Ages 10–15, $272 (4 days)

• August 8–11

Soccer Camp

• Ages 8–11 & 12–15, $215 (5 half days)

• August 7–11

Qualified coaches and camp staff focus on physical literacy and age appropriate skill development in a positive & safe environment Inclusive for all abilities in cooperation with Whistler Adaptive!

Register Now: Whistlersportlegacies.com/ SummerCamps

Photo by Hailey Learmonth

Multicultural Day Camps

Chart shows affordable ways to avoid climate catastrophe

CUTTING GREENHOUSE GAS emissions to keep the world from heating to catastrophic levels is entirely possible and would save money. Although emissions continue to rise, there’s still time to reverse course. Ways to slash them by more than half over the next seven years are readily available and cost-effective—and necessary to keep the global average temperature from rising more than 1.5 C.

The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report

BY DAVID SUZUKI

includes a chart that shows how. Compiled by the world’s top scientists using the most up-todate research, it illustrates potential emissions reductions and costs of various methods.

At the top are wind and solar power, followed by energy efficiency, stopping deforestation and reducing methane emissions. Nuclear energy, carbon capture and storage and biofuels bring much poorer results for a lot more money.

Wind and solar together can cut 8 billion tonnes of emissions annually—“equivalent to the combined emissions of the U.S. and European Union today” and “at lower cost than just continuing with today’s electricity systems,” the Guardian reports.

Nuclear power and carbon capture and storage each deliver only 10 per cent of the results of wind and solar at far higher costs. It’s telling that those less effective, more expensive pathways are the ones touted most often by government, industry and media people who are determined to keep fossil fuels

that fracking for fossil gas and production of so-called “liquefied natural gas” are not viable solutions.

Other ways to lower emissions include switching to sustainable diets, such as eating less meat (1.7 billion tonnes), shifting toward public transit and active transportation (which has more potential than electric cars) and better agricultural methods.

We’re constantly told that quickly transitioning from coal, oil and gas is not realistic and that renewables aren’t ready to replace them, and that we need expensive, often unproven or dangerous methods like nuclear and carbon capture and storage. But those claims ignore the rapid pace at which renewable energy and storage technologies have been advancing—and dropping in price.

We could get even further than this research suggests by using less energy and fewer products that require energy to produce and transport. Shifting from a consumerbased system is especially important in light of the fact that even renewable energy is not impact-free. Mining for materials, replacing aging infrastructure and making space for installations means our ultimate goal should be to use less.

Likewise with electric cars. Although electric cars are far better than fossil-fuelled, all personal vehicles waste resources, require massive infrastructure and are not efficient at moving people around, regardless of how they’re powered.

But what this chart and mountains of other research show is that even with current technologies, methods and systems, cutting emissions and avoiding catastrophic consequences of climate disruption are entirely possible and affordable.

If we fail to reach the goal of reducing emissions by 50 per cent by 2030, it won’t be for lack of options.

burning or are resistant to power sources that offer greater energy independence.

Making buildings, industry, lighting and appliances more energy efficient could cut 4.5 billion tonnes of emissions a year by 2030— and there’s no doubt that simply reducing energy consumption could add to that.

Because forests, wetlands and other green spaces sequester carbon, stopping deforestation could cut four billion tonnes a year by 2030, almost “double the fossil fuel emissions from the whole of Africa and South America today,” the Guardian reports.

Cutting methane emissions, especially those that leak from fossil fuel operations, could cut three billion tonnes. This is especially important because methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over the short term. It also shows

The problem isn’t a shortage of solutions, or exorbitant costs, or any benefits of fossil fuels over renewable energy; it’s a lack of political will, and to some extent, public support. This is driven to a large degree by the efforts of industry to protect its interests in raking in huge profits and perpetuating a system that mostly benefits a small and dwindling number of people at the expense of human health, well-being and survival.

Nature is speaking, and science is confirming that we have no time to lose. We can’t afford not to change.

David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Senior Writer and Editor Ian Hanington. ■

My rites of spring

IF I HAVE A FAVOURITE thing about getting older it might be this: routines. Not only getting into them (which, I imagine, explains the label), but realizing how much I enjoy and anticipate them.

Like a second childhood. For someone who spent most of his adult life kicking around the world chasing stories and making

BY LESLIE ANTHONY

a living from personal impermanence and instability (to the extent that friends in this town were so used to my comings and goings that they didn’t know for years I actually lived here) it’s a bit of a soft landing. But there it is.

Willing to embrace my Creature-ofHabitdom as a somewhat wizened elder, I’ve now noticed something else: of all seasonal routines, those of spring comprise my favourite crucible. And each is particularly tied to being in Whistler. In fact, before I lived here I’m not sure I had any spring rituals at all. But I do now, and I can enjoy all of them on the same day

First up is spring skiing. I’ve always enjoyed this little slice of the greater sliding gestalt, but it was hard to satisfy with any consistency when I lived in Southern Ontario, where spring skiing, were there any, could

happen anytime from January to March. Although I made a few classic spring ski sojourns from Toronto to the Laurentian resort of Gray Rocks to ski bumps, to Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula for backcountry touring, and to New Hampshire’s Tuckerman Ravine to test myself against its 50-degree headwall, these were more novelty than routine.

Since moving to Whistler, however, the long days, sloppy snow and WSSF shenanigans have cultivated a much-anticipated spring skiing vibe. So much so that I feel visceral disappointment when things don’t pan out to

a hockey fan, but I never got into monitoring all the teams as they sifted through the playoff gauntlet until they’d been winnowed down to a final two and you sit down to watch the final series knowing the intricacies of how each and every player ended up there. This is especially crucial when there are no teams you would otherwise care about seeing do battle.

I’m also a born-and-bred Leafs fan who, over the past 19 years has had many years of flat-out nothing, and when there was a series to cheer about, suffering the gut-punch of an early exit or Game 7 loss. Cheering for Toronto

on inventorying hibernacula and critical habitat for species-at-risk like rubber boas and sharp-tail snakes in Pemberton, I now look forward to seeing how they’re doing every year—particularly given how that habitat is being gobbled up by housing developments that have swollen the human population and created insane recreational pressure.

It’s also a self-satisfying treasure hunt where you have to know where to go, when, and how to look to have any success at all. Using hard-honed skills to find discreet places where the little guys are still hanging in there always makes my spring a little brighter.

Finally, vegetable gardening. I have my plant-pandering partner and AWARE’s awesome GROW program to thank for that. I grew a garden once in university. Dug a square of land out of the lawn of a communal home I lived in, threw a bunch of seeds (including cannabis) into the dirt and didn’t touch it until September. I produced 70 zucchinis and a bag of weed. That was fun, but dumb luck.

allow locals to make the best of it—like climate shifts that now see winter turn directly to summer, or early mountain closures (thanks pandemic!), or construction interruptions or, ahem, operational incompetence.

In years where things have disappointed locally, I’ve have the good fortune to follow work assignments to northern Scandinavia where it’s neither quite spring nor winter, but a season called vårvinter that well aligns with Whistler’s vertical cline—powder up top, messy down below. This spring has been pretty damn good in Whistler with WB keeping the runs in great shape, so no complaints. It’s fun up there!

Another spring routine is watching hockey. Lots and lots of hockey. Like two games a night for weeks. Sure, I’ve always been

is more fun to do from afar, it seems, as there’s a little community of Leaf fans (you’ve seen the hats and sweaters every spring) to nod at as you pass each other or gather at Roland’s or Tapley’s for a game. It’s also an affirmation of roots to cheer for a hometown team in an unrelated community. And this year things are looking up! (Note: Stanley Cup delusions are also a rite of spring.)

Third on my list is an annual spring check-in on reptiles emerging from their dens. This is a local bonus I never saw coming when I first moved here. Even during a distant past life as a research biologist this wasn’t something I engaged in (though I’ll plead guilty to years spent invading nighttime ponds to watch amphibians have sex in the beam of my headlamp). But having worked

Gardening in Whistler and learning through trial-and-error what will and won’t grow here—and how that has changed radically due to climate change in only the 20 years I’ve been here—is always inspiring and comes with the added bonus of filling your freezer with food; even now, after eating through them all winter, I still have bags of frozen tomatoes and greens. And the living room is littered with seed starts and little green things nurtured through the first phases of their lives. They’re just getting their grooves—ready to shift into routines of their own.

Leslie Anthony is a biologist, writer and author of several popular books on environmental science. ■

This spring has been pretty damn good in Whistler with WB keeping the runs in great shape, so no complaints.

DAMN RITES The eventual rites of spring: Seventy zucchinis, a bag of weed… and maybe a handful of radishes.

PHOTO BY ASTA KOVANEN

By Robert Wisla

For a dozen years between 1969 and ’81, Whistler had another ski hill, situated in what is now the Rainbow subdivision, between Alpine and Emerald Estates.

When Ski Rainbow first opened to the public in 1969, it featured two lifts, a 121metre rope tow for beginners and a larger 365-m rope tow, with about 60 m of vertical. With four runs, a day lodge offering snacks, and even night skiing (something Whistler Blackcomb still doesn’t offer), for just $3 ($24.67 in today’s dollars), you could ski from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., five days a week. For $100 ($769 in 2023), you could take the entire family skiing for the season.

Norm Paterson owned the property, while Vic Christiansen managed it and the associated ski school. After several years in operation, Paterson, in 1978, sold the property to Tom Jarvis, who planned to develop the hill into a residential neighbourhood, changing the name from Ski Rainbow to Rainbow Ski Village.

“The reason we purchased the property was not necessarily to run a little old bunny hill, but we wanted to develop the property into lots and sell off lots over the years,” Jarvis says.

Unfortunately for Jarvis, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) was focused on developing the Village Centre at the time, declining to move forward with the subdivision proposal.

“They wanted all the activity and all the onus and everything to be on the development of the new town centre that was coming down the road, so they wouldn’t give us any development rights,” he says. “But in the meantime, we decided to run the ski hill for a while to generate cash flow.”

As a means to draw extra revenue, Jarvis banked on his experience as a restaurateur, having previously run Whistler’s original Keg Steakhouse, and opened a restaurant at the ski hill that was named after his son, Beau. The restaurant was a success, becoming a favourite spot for visitors and locals alike at a time when Whistler had only a handful of restaurant options.

It even caught the attention of Canada’s “First Lady” Margaret Trudeau, then-wife to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and mother to current PM, Justin Trudeau.

Jarvis recounted when Margaret came into the restaurant with a large group, without a reservation, including three RCMP detail officers. Not wanting to offend the regulars, the restaurant ended up turning her away, despite pleas from officials in Ottawa.

“She came in on a busy Saturday night, and she didn’t even get in,” Jarvis recalls. “She got to the front door, and our host said, ‘On Saturday nights, you can’t come in unless you have a reservation, and we just can’t let you in.’

“Then, about half an hour later, we got a phone call in the restaurant from somebody in Ottawa asking if we could make a special exception and trying to get her in somehow. She had heard a lot about our restaurant; it had a good reputation. We had great chefs; my chef was from France, Michelle Barclay was really good, and we just said, ‘No, sit in your car, and we’ll bring food out to your car. That’s all we can do.’ We couldn’t have turned away the regular customers. That’s not fair to them.”

As time went on, the cost to run the ski hill continued to grow. Labour, maintenance and electricity costs climbed (sound familiar?), as well as the costs to run the grooming machine, which Jarvis describes as having old army tractor wheels with old mattresses attached to groom the hill.

The hill was mostly popular on weekends, especially with beginner adults and children wanting to learn to ski. More advanced skiers tended to go with the more challenging terrain offered by Whistler Mountain, which continued to expand its ski infrastructure over the decade.

Beau Jarvis fondly remembers skiing Rainbow as a child, finding ways to slide down the slope at high speeds, taking jumps with friends—often into nearby groups of

For decades, Whistler and Blackcomb mountains have loomed over the hearts and minds of skiers and boarders the world over. Yet these beloved twin peaks aren’t the only areas to host a commercial ski hill locally over the decades.

skiers, much to the chagrin of his mother, who would get on the loudspeaker to yell at him to stop fooling around.

Some of Beau’s fondest memories of the hill were at Christmas, when Santa Clause would visit Whistler.

“They used to do a thing at Christmas for all the kids. Santa would fly in on a helicopter, get out of the helicopter with his bag of toys, and start giving things to all the kids,” Beau says.

Faced with a money-losing operation, Tom Jarvis tried to get Paterson to take the hill back over, an offer he ultimately declined. With that, the difficult decision was made to close Rainbow Ski Village in 1981. Beau’s Restaurant continued to operate for a couple more years, while the family continued to push the RMOW for development rights. In 2007, three decades after Rainbow Ski Village closed down, the RMOW finally approved the Rainbow subdivision.

Around the time Rainbow Ski Village closed, a local Whisterite was designing a ski hill near Cold Lake, Alta. The timing worked out well for Jarvis, who wanted to get rid of the leftover equipment from the ski area. He sold it all to the new operation, for use by the Canadian Forces.

In proper Whistler fashion, the trove of equipment was picked up by the military— but not before a quick pint at The Boot and a performance of the infamous, scantily-clad “Boot Ballet” before heading to flatter ground.

“They would have on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights a lot of rock bands that came to play, but they occasionally would have strippers,” Jarvis says.

“Somehow, they figured out what was going on in this place. So, they parked these flatbed trucks loaded with ski equipment, motors, rope tows, and whatnot, and went into the pub to have a few beers. People were driving by and saying, ‘What the hell is going on here?’ when you see all our stuff loaded on these trucks. They stopped for a few beers and watched the dancers and then kept on going to the [Canadian Forces] base out in Chilliwack.”

Why B.C. has lost so many ski hills

Rainbow Ski Village is just one of the more than 30 B.C. ski hills that have shut down over the last few decades, from small, communityrun volunteer efforts built with little more than a single rope tow to larger destination resorts with dozens of staff.

Each hill ultimately closed for different reasons, from changing climates and conditions to rising costs and accidents such as fires or lift failures.

Mount Hayes in Prince Rupert, for instance, had a gondola going to the top of the mountain overlooking the city and ocean below, with a T-bar connected to several runs and one heck of a view on a clear day. Unfortunately, it closed due to a fire that damaged the gondola system.

Vancouver Island’s original ski hill, Forbidden Plateau, which saw skiing begin in the 1920s when people would hike from the

village of Bevan up to Mount Becher, suffered a slow death, likely beginning with the collapse, in 1999, of one-third of the day lodge roof under heavy snow. Uninsured at the time, the damage would cost roughly $250,000. Only a week after resuming operations, the ailing ski area suffered another disaster when a valve on its diesel tank broke and leaked more than 5,000 litres of fuel, contaminating a stream and the well water at nearby cabins.

Facing possible legal action from cabin owners, and the provincial government planning to recoup the costs of the fuel cleanup, Forbidden Plateau announced it was out of money and closed indefinitely.

A few smaller hills, like Grandview Acres or Lac Le Jeune Resort, just outside Kamloops, closed their skiing operations, but continued operating as non-winter destinations. Each of these hills had its own unique qualities and, for many people, are home to fond memories of learning to ski.

Some ski hills, meanwhile, failed not due to poor weather conditions or unfortunate accidents, but because the towns around them collapsed in the wake of declining resource pricing and major projects leaving for greener pastures.

The small towns of Cassier, Stewart, Mica Creek, and Bralorne, for example, had popular local ski areas that closed primarily due to residents leaving town altogether.

For many small community hills, such as Lytton’s so-called “Botanie Bump,” the cost to insure the hill skyrocketed, putting pressure on the volunteer-run organizations that operated them.

In the case of Lytton, the hill closed in 1987 after 18 years in operation.

Lytton Mayor Denise O’Connor was in Grade 2 when she moved to the town, and has fond memories of the one-run, rope-tow ski hill.

“They had a rope tow hooked to the back wheel of the [school] bus, and it went up to some pulley or whatever up the hill. And so, they went up and started the bus and put it into gear, and whatever gear they put it in was how fast the rope tow went,” O’Connor says.

The ski club set up a small teacherage nearby, which served as the local club’s lodge, storing ski equipment and serving hot dogs to hungry patrons. It was, on weekends at least, a gathering spot for the wider community.

“It was just packed, and everybody went up. Everybody. I can’t name anyone who didn’t go up,” O’Connor says.

Nothing remains of the old hill these days, with the teacherage having burned down, and the forest reclaiming the property. Sadly, many original pictures of the Botanie Bump were lost in the 2021 wildfire that devastated Lytton and claimed the local museum.

Challenges of a changing climate

Climate change has played a significant role in the closure of several smaller hills in B.C. Even just a few lousy snow years could spell financial disaster for these humble operations.

Pemberton’s community ski hill closed due to poor snow conditions and the growing

popularity of Whistler. Operated by the local Lions Club on the Pemberton Benchlands, the slope had one gas-powered rope tow, bringing the community up a small, moderate-climb hill. The iffy conditions combined with the growth of nearby Whistler left little incentive to keep the hill going, resulting in it closing in the 1970s after only a couple of years in operation.

“Weather was a factor in the decision to close the ski hill. An inconsistent snowpack, the dreaded pineapple express, as well as small creeks coming down the runs were among the issues,” Pemberton resident Allen McEwan shared on Facebook. “When conditions were good [in] 1971, many residents enjoyed the facility.”

Tillicum Valley Winterside Resort is another well-known, abandoned ski resort that attempted to ward off low-snow years. Located 15 minutes north of Vernon and half an hour away from SilverStar Mountain Resort, the Boyd family built the resort on their ranch property, eventually turning it into one of the most popular resorts in the Okanagan—and the first in B.C. to install snowmaking.

In 1965, Sandy and Molly Boyd didn’t have much money, but they had an idea to build a rope-tow hill for their five kids to use that ran off their tractor.

“It smelled terrible because he had to feed silage to the cows with that tractor before he went across the road and hooked it up to the rope,” Molly recounts. “So, it’s kind of stinky, but it was fun.”

Soon kids from around the neighbourhood joined in on the action, and the foundations of the resort began to take shape.

Eventually, the Boyds decided to move the lift to a different piece of land they owned in the valley with northern exposure. With the blessing of neighbouring SilverStar, they opened Tillicum Valley Winterside Ski Resort in 1969.

Fit with a rope tow and a T-bar on 750 metres of vertical, as well as a lodge, skating rink, toboggan hill and even night skiing, the resort was popular with beginners and families learning the sport (and adults taking advantage of a law at the time that let people drink on Sundays at resorts).

Whistler’s Rob Boyd, Olympian and first Canadian alpine skier to win a downhill World Cup on home soil—in his hometown of Whistler, no less—honed his skills slaloming at Tillicum.

“Rob developed excellent racing skills; he did a lot of training skiing down the T-bar. As people were riding up, he’d slalom around them,” sister Heather Boyd says. “I have people that I work with today up at SilverStar, they’ll say, ‘We’ll never forget that time I was riding the T-bar up there, and this kid coming down slalomed around all of us going up the T-bar,’ and I was like ‘Yeah, that was my brother.’”

At its peak, the ski resort employed 10 people, including lifties, ski instructors, and kitchen staff. Then in the early 1980s, an economic downturn combined with a series of dry winters hit the resort hard.

“Towards the end of the ’70s, we had not only an economic downturn but a downturn of snow. The weather warmed up, and it just wasn’t feasible; we couldn’t really operate,” Molly says. “You drive by it now on your way up to SilverStar, and you couldn’t have a ski hill there now because the snow [isn’t there]. Times have really changed as far as climate goes.”

Following these rough years, the resort went into receivership, and everything was sold off for 70 cents on the dollar. However, they managed to pay off all the debts without declaring bankruptcy.

Family patriarch Sandy Boyd eventually got offered a job at Whistler Mountain in the fall of 1981, and moved to the resort municipality, with the rest of the family following suit shortly afterwards.

Sandy’s experience with snowmaking proved to be a significant asset for Whistler, as he was the person that suggested creating a snowmaking system in 1984 to get the mountain open earlier than rival Blackcomb.

“That year, sure enough, they made enough snow to have skiing to the valley earlier that year, and that was also the year of the World Cup downhill in 1984. If it weren’t for that snowmaking, they wouldn’t have been able to run the race,” Rob says. “And it happened to be my first World Cup downhill race, too; if I couldn’t race, who knows what might have happened?”

Don’t call it a comeback

It’s hard to say if any the 30-plus closed and abandoned ski hills will ever come back to life. Tastes for the small, beginner-oriented ski hill have changed, and few family and communityrun operations remain in the province.

Popular, larger resorts such as Big White, Sun Peaks, Revelstoke, and Whistler Blackcomb have become the primary destination for locals and tourists alike, making it harder for small ski areas to gain market share.

At many former ski areas, such as Ski Rainbow Village, Pemberton, Burke Mountain in Coquitlam, and Akloo in Cranbrook, housing developments have taken over the former ski properties, dissipating any hope of them returning to their former ski glory.

Of the hills that have closed over the years, a few have had proposals come up to bring them back to life. Among the most promising is Crystal Mountain in West Kelowna.

First opened in 1967 as Lost Mountain Ski Resort by Pat and Allan McLeod, for decades, the hill offered great powder on 30 groomed runs from its two chairlifts and a T-bar. However, tragedy struck the resort in 2014 when one of the chairlifts broke, injuring half a dozen people.

The resort has been closed since the accident, although some locals have been trying to get it reopened in full, or at least a smaller section of the former ski area. Given its proximity to Kelowna and relatively recent closure compared to other abandoned hills in the province, it seems a more realistic proposition than others.

Tabor Mountain Ski Resort is another recent closure that could reopen in the next few years. In 2018, following a fire that destroyed the resort’s lodge, it closed down. However, plans are underway to reopen it bigger and better than ever, with a dozen new ski runs and the number of mountain bike trails expanding from 15 to 40, along with a new lodge, rental shop and camping area. The province is currently reviewing this updated master plan.

Night skiing at Tillicum Valley Winterside Resort.

NOTICE OF ALTERNATIVE APPROVAL PROCESS

PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given in accordance with section 345 of the Local Government Act and sections 86 and 94 of the Community Charter that the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (the “SLRD”) has proposed a new bylaw: Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Pemberton and District Recreation Contribution Service Establishing Bylaw No 1784-2022 (the “Proposed Bylaw”)

The participating area of the Proposed Bylaw is the entirety of Electoral Area C (the “Proposed Service Area”) The purpose of the Proposed Bylaw is to establish a financial contribution service for the Village of Pemberton to provide recreation services (the “Proposed Service”) to the Proposed Service Area

The Proposed Bylaw authorizes the SLRD to requisition up to the greater of $600,000 or $0 4919 per $1,000 of net taxable assessed value of land and improvements in the Proposed Service Area The SLRD is required to add a mandatory provincial fee of 5 25% to the stated rate per $1,000, this coming to $0 4919 + 5 25% = $0 5177 per $1,000 Therefore, the cost of the Proposed Service is to be borne by all taxable properties in the Proposed Service Area at a maximum annual tax requisition rate estimated as follows for residential properties:

(based on $0.5177 per $1,000)

The Board is seeking participating area approval of electors in the Proposed Service Area by way of Alternative Approval Process The number of eligible electors in the Proposed Service Area has been determined to be 3,028 and the number of elector responses required to prevent the Board from proceeding without the further assent of the electors is 302 The deadline for elector responses for this Alternative Approval Process is 4:30 p m on June 12, 2023 The Board may proceed with the Proposed Bylaw unless, by the deadline stated above, at least 10% (being 302) of the electors of the Proposed Service Area indicate that the Board must obtain approval by assent vote (referendum)

Lac Le Jeune Ski Ranch could be another downhill resort that could make a comeback. For 45 years, from 1947 to 1992, the ski ranch, not far from Kamloops, operated a two-lift ski hill with nearly 60 km of cross-country trails.

In its heyday, the resort was fairly active for its size, typically bringing in close to 700 people on an average weekend.

In 1992, the resort’s aging T-bar needed to be replaced, but the costs at the time were untenable for the owner, and combined with growing competition from nearby Sun Peaks and Harper Mountain, they decided to close the slope for good.

This chapter of Lac Le Jeune’s history may not be where the story ends. New owners have since acquired the property and are considering rebuilding the skiing operation.

Jason Upton is the new Lac Le Jeune Resort operations manager, taking on the role at the beginning of 2023.

“I’m actually toying with the idea of opening the ski resort,” Upton says. “Although I don’t know if it’ll be feasible, I’m toying with the idea. I would like to see it done, but it has to make [financial] sense.”

While it might sound simple to reopen an abandoned ski hill on paper, practically all hills must undergo an in-depth review process that can take significant time, and requires approvals from the province and Technical Safety BC to ensure that lifts are safe and sound.

Looking ahead at the future of B.C.’s ski industry, it’s difficult to say if the list of lost ski hills will continue to grow over the next few decades. Many problems that hit those resorts continue to plague the wider ski world. With rising costs, a warming climate, and fewer young people getting into the sport, the next few years could be challenging for many ski areas, especially

the smaller ones still dotting the province.

In Clearwater, the town’s little community ski hill couldn’t open this year due to insufficient snow early in the season. By the time snow came to the lower-elevation hill in February, the costs to reopen were too much for the small volunteer organization to handle, and the T-bar sat silent all season.

Insurance and lift-maintenance costs have also continued to rise, creating financial hurdles for some of the smaller areas. At Summit Lake Ski Hill, located 15 minutes south of Nakusp, liability insurance rose 33 per cent in just one year, putting heavy financial pressure on the volunteer ski club.

While both these hills continue to operate, with the local club in Clearwater hoping to be open all season long next year, the era of cheap ski days on tiny hills seems to be slowly ending.

Across the province, most of the ski hills that have survived and thrived have done so by expanding several times over. Revelstoke Mountain Resort is a perfect example: in 1983, Mount Mackenzie Ski Hill went bankrupt, and the city had to subsidize the small double chairlift operation. Fortunately for skiers, in the mid-2000s, investors decided to pour money into the resort and turned it into one of the province’s most popular and financially successful ski destinations.

Although little remains of the province’s lost ski hills, the memories they provided continue to live on. O’Connor will never forget breaking her first bone on the Lytton Ski Hill. Beau Jarvis won’t soon forget the day Santa flew down in a helicopter at Ski Rainbow. And the folks who skied Tillicum still remember getting used as practice slaloms by a future world cup champion. Gone, undoubtedly. But never forgotten. ■

Elector responses must be given in the form established by the Board Elector response forms are available on the SLRD website (www slrd bc ca/ Pemberton&DistrictRecServices) and at the SLRD office (1350 Aster Street in Pemberton, BC) The only persons entitled to sign the forms are electors of the Proposed Service Area For more information about Resident Elector qualifications and Non-Resident Elector qualifications, please refer to the SLRD website (www slrd bc ca/Pemberton&DistrictRecServices)

[PLEASE NOTE: The current recreation service is authorized by Pemberton / Area C Community Recreation Local Service Establishment Bylaw No 646, 1997 (“Bylaw No 646”) with two participating areas (Electoral Area C & Village of Pemberton) and is currently being managed and operated by the Village of Pemberton pursuant to a 6-year agreement between the SLRD and the Village of Pemberton With continued growth in the Village of Pemberton as well as the majority of recreation assets being located within Village boundaries, the Board has directed that a proposed reorganization of the recreation service be undertaken on the basis that, upon completion of the reorganization, the intended total taxation from Electoral Area C is to remain consistent with the total taxation from Electoral Area C that occurred under Bylaw No 646 A first step in the reorganization process is consideration of the Proposed Bylaw; the purpose of the Proposed Bylaw is for Electoral Area C to provide a financial contribution to the Village of Pemberton for providing recreation services to Electoral Area C on a long-term basis The reorganization of the recreation service is intended to result in total taxation occurring under two bylaws instead of under one bylaw, with the two bylaws being: (1) the Proposed Bylaw - for recreation services to be delivered by the Village of Pemberton; and (2) Bylaw No 646 - for recreation services limited to the (a) operating costs of Gates Lake Community Park; and (b) continuing debt obligations (until fully repaid in 2032) of the current recreation service If the Proposed Bylaw is approved by the electors of Electoral Area C and adopted by the Board, the total taxation from Electoral Area C combined under the Proposed Bylaw and Bylaw No 646 is intended to remain consistent with taxation that occurred under Bylaw No 646 A second step in the reorganization process is consideration of an amendment of Bylaw No 646 for the purpose of reducing the stated maximum annual tax requisition amount as the stated maximum annual tax requisition amount will be higher than needed This bylaw amendment process requires the consent of the Electoral Area C Director and the Village of Pemberton Council and would be initiated after the Board adopts the Proposed Bylaw ]

For more information about the Alternative Approval Process and/or the proposed reorganization of the recreation service, please see www slrd bc ca/ Pemberton&DistrictRecServices or contact Corporate Officer A Belsham by phone (604) 894-6371 (ext 240) or by email (abelsham@slrd bc ca)

Sandy and Molly Boyd PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES OF VERNON

Whistler Question founder Paul Burrows teaches children to ski at Ski Rainbow.

Ski Rainbow was a popular hill for children and new skiers. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES SOCIETY

Chris Rasman and Mikey Ciccarelli believe in Natural Selection

BOTH WHISTLER SNOWBOARDERS RECENTLY COMPETED IN ALASKA AT THE FINAL STOP OF THE NATURAL SELECTION TOUR

BY DAVID SONG

PRO SNOWBOARDERS have a lot of options these days. Established competitions like the FIS World Cup, X Games and Dew Tour are still going strong, and the Winter Olympics have delivered freestyle to more mainstream audiences since 2014. Of course, those who prefer mountain faces to artificial ramps can instead prove their worth on the Freeride World Tour (FWT).

Yet for Whistler residents Chris Rasman, Mikey Ciccarelli and many of their peers, no event holds more weight than the Natural Selection Tour (NST).

NATURAL STREET CRED

Founded by American snowboarding icon Travis Rice, the NST is an invite-only circuit that combines the natural splendour of bigmountain riding with some of the tricks found in freestyle. Each year, it showcases Olympians and backcountry film stars alike as they carve their way through some of the world’s most picturesque, snow-covered landscapes.

All trails ultimately lead to Alaska, where champions are crowned at the end of each season.

“I would say, like, 75 to 80 per cent of snowboarders that do contests visualize

themselves one day filming backcountry video parts, predominantly riding powder and expressing their creativity in video and photo-captured form,” Rasman opined. “Because [the NST] is that, but in a contest format, it just has the street cred that all of those athletes want.”

Ciccarelli, a former Team Canada freestyle athlete, agrees.

“I got to watch a lot of sick films as a kid growing up that not only had the competition side of it, but also had the big-mountain video parts, the backcountry kickers, and I was always drawn to that,” he said. “It was definitely hard to leave the [freestyle] side. I turned down going to the Olympics and all that kind of stuff, but my goal was to get to Natural Selection and this new chapter of competitive snowboarding.”

On April 26, Rasman and Ciccarelli joined six other elite men and four world-class women in Valdez, Alaska for the NST’s final 2023 stop. After a day of navigating the huge lines and breathtaking spines that define Alaskan backcountry, two victors stood above the rest: Rice among men, plus New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott among women.

“Just being able to take runs on terrain like that is really inspiring,” said Rice in a press release after his second consecutive NST Alaska win.

Having already won the Olympics, X Games and World Championships in freestyle, Sadowski-Synnott is thrilled to add an NST title to her resume. “It means so much to win the event because Natural Selection Alaska, I think, is like the pinnacle of backcountry competing,” she said.

Rasman fell in a tightly contested two-

run quarterfinal against Rice, who pulled off a 78-point high score to the Whistlerite’s 74 points.

Ciccarelli was likewise eliminated in his quarterfinal heat, as his top number of 81 wasn’t enough to overcome American Jared Elston’s 87.

Dustin Craven of Revelstoke was the only Canadian to make the semifinal. After beating Blake Paul of the United States, he lost to Norwegian sensation Mikkel Bang, who threw down a 90-point second effort against Craven’s 80.5-point first run. Bang would finish second behind Rice, leaving the British Columbian in third.

PUSHING BOUNDARIES

Despite competing in Alaska for the 2021 NST, Rasman wasn’t supposed to be there this year—not as an athlete, anyway.

Being eliminated in 2022’s qualifier round would normally have forced the Whistlerite to the sidelines for one year. He flew to Valdez expecting to be part of the tour support staff— up until Torstein Horgmo of Norway withdrew from the event due to injury.

Rasman’s phone rang one morning at 6 a.m. He was in.

“I’m not going to pretend to be badass and be like: ‘oh, hell yeah, everybody wants that opportunity,’” he admitted. “I considered saying no. There’s a lot of mental preparation that goes into what we do … and I wasn’t mentally checked in. I hadn’t done any studying, watched any drone footage, or picked any lines yet.”

Fortunately for Rasman, the event was delayed three days due to adverse weather and

snow conditions, giving him time to research the intimidating Valdez venue. He hoped to prove that he still belonged at the highest level of backcountry riding—not that anyone underestimated him.

In fact, Rice considers Rasman to be “one of the greatest snowboarders on the planet.”

“[Rice] has been pumping my tires for a while, and I’m super grateful for that,” the Whistlerite said. “To be fully honest, the imposter syndrome does kick in because every pro snowboarder is their own worst critic.”

Ciccarelli, meanwhile, is a first-time contender who went head-to-head with X Games record holder Mark McMorris in NST qualifying this year. Although McMorris won their duel, he—like Horgmo—got injured, which ended up giving Ciccarelli his inaugural taste of Alaska.

The 26-year-old didn’t know what he was getting himself into, facing Valdez terrain that yields bigger and longer runs than most others on Earth. Nonetheless, he resolved to approach the challenge with an open mind. After all, Ciccarelli wants to keep snowboarding at a high level into his 40s (like Rice), and the NST was a big step in that direction.

“I looked at it as a stepping stone, an opportunity for me to really learn and grow and become a better snowboarder,” he said. “The biggest takeaway for me was just realizing what I’m capable of, because I definitely felt like I was able to push my own boundaries and get out of my comfort zone [in Alaska].

“If I can make that my new normal and take that into the next season, I think I’ll be even better off than I am now.”  n

SPORT SELECT Mikey Ciccarelli carves down an Alaskan face during his Natural Selection Tour 2023 quarterfinal in Valdez.

PHOTO BY CHAD CHOMLACK / COURTESY OF THE NATURAL SELECTION TOUR

Whistler Freeride skier Kieren Ferguson powers through ‘rollercoaster season’

FERGUSON ENDED UP 14TH IN THE IFSA’S NORTH AMERICAN RANKINGS

BY DAVID SONG

ANY SERIOUS ATHLETE needs to deal with the highs and lows of a competitive campaign, and Whistler Freeride Club (WFC) product Kieren Ferguson is no exception.

Ferguson threw himself into eight competitions in three months this year, experiencing everything from the podium’s thrill to the disappointment of falling short. The 17-year-old’s best outing was a 69.24point effort in Revelstoke, placing second behind fellow WFC athlete Lukas Bennett.

Ferguson also skied to fourth at the Whistler Nationals and fifth at the seasonending North American Championships in Kicking Horse—where he was the top WFC athlete among boys aged 15 to 18. Moreover, he got his first taste of Freeride Junior World Championship (FJWC) action, placing 10th as fellow Whistler athlete Marcus Goguen broke through in victory.

It all added up to 3,081 points and a 14th-place ranking in the IFSA’s overall standings in North America.

“As a whole, it felt like this season just whizzed by,” Ferguson said. “It was on this roller-coaster of great success and not so much.

“It was super rad to see Marcus get the win [at the FJWC]. The after-party was something special. I’ve always been motivated by my own love of skiing and getting outdoors, rather than based on my results or someone else’s.”

‘NO BAD DAYS’

Born in Vancouver, the young man spent most of his childhood weekends and holidays in Whistler, and picked up freeride at age 11. Now with seven seasons under his belt, Ferguson couldn’t imagine his life any other way.

“It’s safe to say that any day where there was more than 30 centimetres of fresh snow

was one for the books,” he said. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without the constant critiquing of my turns by coaches, my mother driving me around everywhere, and the support received from [my sponsors] Rossignol, Smith, and Surefoot.”

“Super proud of Kieren’s passion for skiing and his ability,” remarked Ferguson’s mother, Heather. “I think WFC is great. I’d figured he’d be jumping off things regardless, and at least in freeride he has a coach with him.”

Ferguson is always keen to hit the slopes, and even as a child never needed coaxing from his parents to do so. Unlike more casual skiers, who might prefer bluebird skies and calm conditions, Ferguson will head out rain or shine—as long as it is safe.

“I’m one to think that there are no bad days on the hill,” he explained. “It’s important to keep an open mind and just ski the conditions for what they are. It’s also important to always come to the hill prepared. Proper mid-layers and gear make all the difference in adverse weather conditions.”

Next year, Ferguson is preparing to tackle a new challenge: his bachelor’s degree in engineering. Yet he’s far from done with competitive freeride, which is why he chose to enrol at the University of British Columbia (UBC) a stone’s throw away from the Coast Mountains. After all, Ferguson needs to stay in shape ahead of next year’s FJWC, where he has a chance to build upon the foundation Goguen laid.

Above all, he hopes to maintain his connection with the freeride community at large.

“What drew me into freeride is the community; there isn’t anything more fun than ripping around the mountain with friends and connecting with like-minded people from all over the world,” Ferguson said. “And the powder, you wouldn’t be able to fully take advantage of pow days if you were out skiing gates.”  n

WILD AND FREE Whistler Freeride Club skier Kieren Ferguson on the slopes in 2023.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Sauce loss: What’s behind the Great Sriracha Shortage of 2023?

EVERYONE’S FAVOURITE SPICY CONDIMENT IS IN LIMITED SUPPLY—AND THERE’S NO END IN SIGHT

BY BRANDON BARRETT

FOR YEARS NOW, the California-made Sriracha chili sauce has been cock-walking its way into the hearts and gullets of heat lovers across North America. From trendy Sunday brunch spots to hole-in-the-wall pho restaurants, you could find its instantly recognizable, green-topped bottles seemingly everywhere you went.

In recent weeks, however, the popular condiment has been virtually impossible to find.

According to Huy Fong Foods, makers of Sriracha, the lingering effects of a devastating drought in Mexico continue to stymie production, thanks to the sauce’s main, palate-firing ingredient.

“Unfortunately, we are still experiencing a shortage of raw material,” the company said in a statement last month, referring to the Mexican chili crops that have suffered due to poor weather conditions.

Huy Fong’s massive, 650,000-square-foot

(60,387-square-metre) production facility in Irwindale, Calif. churns through roughly 100 million pounds (45.4 million kilograms) of the red jalapeño-hybrid chili peppers used to make Sriracha, as well as the company’s two other condiments: a chili-garlic sauce and sambal oelek.

It’s actually not the first time Sriracha lovers have had to contend with empty shelves. In July 2020, Huy Fong warned distributors of a shortage of chili peppers. Last April, the company sent an email to customers warning of an even more severe shortage, informing them they would not be accepting any new orders until September, and that customer orders placed after April would not be fulfilled until after Labour Day.

Up until 2017, Huy Fong sourced its chili peppers exclusively from a family-run farm in Ventura County, Calif., but a bitter lawsuit led to the two sides parting ways. (Huy Fong founder David Tran was forced to pay the pepper producer US$23 million for breaching its contract and committing fraud, ending a 30-year relationship.)

After the suit, Tran began sourcing the peppers from a variety of producers in Mexico, New Mexico, and California, but today, they are sourced solely from Mexico.

Though Sriracha production resumed briefly in the fall, it has since stuttered to a halt. And the bad news? There’s no end in sight, with Huy Fong offering “no estimations of when supply will increase.”

The shortage has turned Sriracha prices online downright absurd. A quick scan of Amazon shows a standard 28-ounce, roosteradorned bottle currently starts at about $50. Inexplicably, there is also a box of 50 small Sriracha packets, like you’d find in the bottom of your Chinese takeout bag, listed for—wait for it—$2,200 on Amazon. (This is where I offer up the half bottle of Sriracha still sitting in Pique’s office fridge to the highest bidder. Support your local newspaper and all that.)

So, what’s a Sriracha-obsessed hothead to do without their favourite spicy condiment? Well, funnily enough, while there is a shortage of the real deal, you won’t struggle to find a knockoff out there—some even have “Sriracha” listed on the bottle. While Huy Fong’s iconic rooster and green cap are trademarked, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office considers Sriracha a general term.

The best in that category, for my money, is Bushwick Kitchen’s Weak Knees Gojuchang Sriracha sauce, made from many of the same ingredients as its more popular cousin, except with the epic sweet-savoury-spicy flavour bomb of Gojuchang, Korea’s ubiquitous chili paste, thrown in.

As far as similar-but-not-quite Sriracha alternatives, you can’t go wrong with the aforementioned sambal oelek, an Indonesianoriginated chili sauce or paste that is typically thicker and spicier than Sriracha, with a hint of bitterness. It works as both a condiment and

a marinade, and, in fact, when cooking with sambal oelek, it tastes as close as you can get to using fresh chilies. What’s more is, because it’s a relatively simple recipe using mostly crushed raw chilies, vinegar and salt (although there are dozens and dozens of variations), it’s easy enough to make at home, meaning you don’t have to rely on Huy Fong to get your fix.

A personal favourite of mine, and a staple at Chinese restaurants, is chili crisp oil, or Xiāng là cuì, a type of hot sauce made with fried chili pepper, some form of aromatic such as garlic, scallion or onion, and drenched in oil. Containing crispy bits of chili pepper, it is heavy on the crunch, and more of an oil than a sauce consistency. Practically every Chinese restaurant and chef worth their salt (er, chili flakes) has their own version of chili crisp oil, and most are tightlipped about the ingredients. The best I’ve ever had is at Chinatown BBQ in Vancouver, a simple, no-fuss place in the heart of Chinatown that is a throwback to the Cantonese barbecue joints of old, replete with glistening, crispy duck hanging on hooks in the window. I offered to buy some once but they flatly refused, instead sending me on my way with a full container of the stuff for free, probably because they felt bad for not telling me what was in it.

If you’re not up for a trip to the city, Chinese brand Lao Gan Ma makes a great version of its chili crisp oil, which can be found in most grocery stores. n

COCK OF THE WALK Huy Fong Foods’ iconic, green-capped Sriracha bottles are harder to find on store shelves and restaurant tables of late.

PHOTO BY MARTIA PUNTS / GETTY IMAGES

GreatDeals! fromtheseretailersandmore!

ler’s Premier Shopping Centre

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MAY 13TH & 14TH

OCT. 16th - 17th EL ATO

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WHISTLER KITCHEN WORKS

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ESCAPE ROUTE • 3 SINGING BIRDS

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ELEVATION HAIR STUDIO

WHISTLER BIKE CO • CAN-SKI PERFORMANCE

Managed by:

Jill Barber makes it personal

VANCOUVER SINGER-SONGWRITER SET TO PERFORM TRACKS FROM NEW ALBUM HOMEMAKER AT THE POINT ON MAY 6

BY ALYSSA NOEL

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC hit, it seemed Jill Barber had found that elusive balance between home and work life.

When she was on the road touring, she had the chance to immerse herself in the musical passion she’d honed since she was 14. And when she was home, she was wholly invested in her family life as a mom of two young kids.

Then venues shut down, touring ceased, and the well-established Vancouver singersongwriter found her life out of whack.

“During the worst of the pandemic, when we were all home and I was with my kids 24/7 without any resources, I wasn’t writing at all,” Barber says. “I was in survival mode and I was definitely experiencing something that felt like an identity and career crisis. I didn’t see an end in sight or a return to the stage at that point. I just couldn’t see it. The day my kids went back to school and daycare in September 2020, it was the first time my children had been out of my care in many, many months. I sat on my couch and just cried my eyes out

for a little while. Then, I dried my tears and picked up my guitar, almost for the first time in those months.”

That day, she wrote the title track to her most recent album, Homemaker

The quiet, plaintive single chronicles the frustrations and challenges of life as a stay-at-home mom—capped with the gentle encouragement, “Homemaker, it’s OK, if today the only thing you make is you make it through the day.”

“That day was the day I suddenly saw this song point an arrow to the fact that I had to write about this experience,” she says. “And

The resulting record veers from Barber’s typical jazz and pop stylings further into country and singer-songwriter territory. But, content wise, she once again finds balance, this time between laying bare the hardships of parenting, and celebrating its beauty.

to put out a half-truth and have people call me out on that.”

Even before the album came out in February, Barber was on the road—albeit with a slightly smaller crew than on past tours.

In Whistler, she’s set to play a solo show as part of The Point Artist-Run Centre’s annual fundraiser on May 6.

“Something interesting happens when I play on my own,” she says. “I don’t have the bandmates to be making music with. I inherently look to the audience to be my partners in the show. What I lose in my musical dynamic with other players, I gain in a sense of intimacy with the audience.”

To that end, she has several dates in smaller communities for the Homemaker tour.

maybe I felt a calling to use my songs to speak out to other homemakers in similar positions to me who were struggling … It just really clarified the fact that I needed to reconcile this domestic version of myself with this professional version of myself and write about the domestic side of my life and translate it through my art.”

It was a new topic for her, but she didn’t feel nervous about putting it out into the world.

“There’s no other option for me,” she says. “I can’t both protect myself and be vulnerable. I need to just go for it—and I’m OK [with the fact that] some people will get it, some won’t. I’m at peace with that. It would be way worse

“These songs want to be shared in an intimate space,” she says. “My ideal show is a show where I can see people’s faces. I love playing theatres, but there’s something quiet and intimate about these songs that lend themselves to a smaller room.”

Tickets to the Whistler show at The Point are available at thepointartists.com/ events/2023-annual-fundraiser. n

HOMING IN Jill Barber performs at The Point Artist-Run Centre on Saturday, May 6.

PHOTO BY JESSICA JACOBSON

“What I lose in my musical dynamic with other players, I gain in a sense of intimacy with the audience.”

- JILL BARBER

RUMMAGE AND PLANT SALE FUNDRAISER

Saturday, May 13th • 10am - 3pm

Fred

Penner performs

kids—big and small

for Whistler

BELOVED CANADIAN CHILDREN’S PERFORMER RETURNS TO THE RESORT FOR TWO SHOWS ON MAY 20 AS PART OF THE WHISTLER CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

BY ALYSSA NOEL

IT MIGHT NOT BE SURPRISING, considering his career longevity, but it seems Fred Penner was ahead of the curve when it comes to the most beneficial ways to entertain young kids.

With TV shows especially, the general advice is slow-paced and gentle trumps fastmoving and action-packed.

(See, for example, Fred Penner’s Place, which ran on CBC TV from 1985 to 1997.)

“One of my huge inspirations was my sister, Susie, who was born with Down syndrome,” says Penner, 76. “Susie taught me at a very early age in my early teens how powerful music is for a child. As I grew into writing songs, [I realized it was important] to be not condescending to the child, using whole words and full sentences, and communicating from spirit to spirit. It’s not about flashy colours and fast-paced music. It’s about prodding the curiosity, and very honestly saying, ‘Hi, it’s great to see you. Come on in. Let’s share some music together.’”

That approach clearly stuck with his original audience—now well into their 30s. After his TV show ended, Penner decided to take a page from the Mr. Dressup playbook, and tour college campuses.

“I thought, ‘Let’s put my name out to the university circuit and see what happens,’” he says. “That’s the generation that grew up on me. Instantly, the student population jumped at the chance.”

In particular, he recalls one 6-2, 200-pluspound guy approaching him after a show at Louis’ bar in Saskatoon. “He opens his arms and says, ‘I’ve got to give you a hug,’” Penner says. “That’s the feeling that excites me, to know the audience feels strongly enough that they want to come to the show and reconnect with me.”

Back in 2018, Penner performed two shows

in Whistler—both a children’s performance and an “After Dark” show that some in the resort still talk about. And he’s coming back for that same set of dual performances as part of the Whistler Children’s Festival on May 20. While the adult show will feature childhood favourites, he will also include some of his top picks too.

“After the news of Gordon Lightfoot [who died on May 1], I’ll play some of his tunes, and Joni Mitchell, just the artists that made a difference in my formative years,” he says. “Who knows where it will all unfold?”

This time around, he won’t have quite as far to travel to Whistler. Shortly before the pandemic, he and his wife decided to make the move to Bowser, B.C., on Vancouver Island.

“My wife was living in Toronto in a 14th-floor condo,” he says. “She’d been in Toronto for 20 years and we were ready to move out of there. She was born and raised in Delta, just outside of Vancouver, so really wanted to get back to that. I was moving into semi-retirement, changing directions a little bit. We started digging around. We have lots of friends on the Island … We got a little spot, a half-acre of green beauty.”

While it was a good place to spend the pandemic, after 50 years of performing, Penner was ready to get back out on the road.

“Getting back onstage was very unusual,” he says. “One of the first gigs I did was Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. It was tearful. I was close to tears a number of times. The audience was crying because the beauty of going to see somebody in a theatre and feeling that energy and exchange of music and ideas in the course of a performance; you miss that.

I know I missed that.”

Penner performs as part of the Whistler Children’s Festival on May 20 at 2 p.m. Tickets available here: showpass.com/wcf-fredpenner. He also plays an After Dark, 19-plus show at 8 p.m. with tickets at showpass.com/ wcf-fred-penner-after-dark. n

Please help us support our refugee family from Eritrea We are continuing to raise funds for their first-year introduction to a new community and new countr y Donations of gently used goods may be dropped off at the church on Friday, May 12th between 2pm and 6pm. 7226 Fitzsimmons Road, North

High Country

• Indoor starter soil

• Veggie starters

• Flower + Veggie Seeds

• Seed Potatoes

• Containers + Pots

• Dahlia bulbs

• Topdress compost + topsoil in bags or bulk

Scan to see even more!

YOUNG AT HEART Juno Award-winning children’s performer Fred Penner is set to play two shows in Whistler on May 20.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

NOTICE: RMOW Water Main Flushing Program –May to October 2023

The Resor t Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) will commence its annual water main flushing program in May 2023. The pur pose of the program is to clean water pipes, maintain water quality and improve the integrity and durability of the piping system The program will r un until October 2023.

During water main flushing , water ser vice may be inter r upted for a shor t time Residents are advised to limit water use during periods when crews are flushing in your neighbourhood. If discoloured water appear s from your fixtures, do not be alar med:

• Do not use discoloured water for pur poses that require clean water.

• Do not use the discoloured water for about two hour s; this will allow time for the sediment to settle.

• After two hour s, r un cold taps for a shor t time to make sure the water is clear.

Questions?

If you have questions or concer ns, please contact RMOW Public Wor ks at 604-935-8300

V isit ww w whistler ca/water mainflushing for more infor mation

PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE

TEDXWHISTLER

MAY5-13

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

ARC’TERYX WINTER COLD PLUNGE SERIES

Join Arc’teryx Whistler store ambassador and cold-water enthusiast Claudia to learn more about the benefits of cold exposure therapy, how to safely incorporate it into your wellness practice, and of course to take the plunge alongside awesome community members in Whistler!

> May 5, 7:30 - 9 a.m.

> Green Lake

> Free, community-events.arcteryx.com/ seatoskycoldplungeserieswhis

TEDXWHISTLER 2023

Join TEDxWhistler for a day of inspiration and innovation as they explore ideas worth spreading. Come experience this in-person event and connect with like-minded individuals, and leave with thoughts and ideas that will shape your outlook on the world. Their 10 speakers consist of pioneers, change-makers, and disruptors from various backgrounds and fields.

> May 7, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

> SLCC

> $54.58, eventbrite.ca/e/tedxwhistler-2023tickets-565883000287

ART ASYLUM: CLAY PLAY

What do you get when you mix clay with your imagination? Dig your fingers into the arts to find out! This workshop will have you storytelling through clay. No art experience required, and all supplies will be provided!

Art Asylum is an opportunity to play with the arts to develop and appreciate your own creative process. This program is for adults only, and space is limited! Email publicservices@whistlerlibrary.ca to sign up, max two spots per person.

> May 9, 6 - 8 p.m.

> Whistler Public Library

> Free

THE COLLECTORS’ COSMOS RENAISSANCE ORCHESTRA CONCERT

Join conductor Alexander Weimann and concertmaster Chloe Meyers of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra for an evening of baroque music, while surrounded by the exceptional artwork displayed in The Collectors’ Cosmos exhibition space at the Audain Art Museum. Travel back to the golden age of 16th-century Holland, taking in the sights and sounds of the celebrated artistic movements of the period.

> May 13, 6:30 - 8 p.m.

> Audain Art Museum

> $30 - $35, eventbrite.ca/e/collectorscosmos-renaissance-orchestra-concerttickets-593039646547

PHOTO SUBMITTED

MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM • SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH

OPEN DAILY: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

ARENA SCHEDULE

Please see whistler.ca/recreation for the daily arena hours or call 604-935- PLAY (7529)

Your friendly Whistler roofing experts

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Board of Directors

Creating Whistler’s parks: Alpha Lake Park, for the love of tennis

BY JILLIAN ROBERTS

WHEN WHISTLER’S first Outdoor Recreation Plan was completed in 1980, development of a park on Alpha Lake was not identified as a high priority. Lost Lake and Alta Lake are warmer and more desirable for swimming, so facilities for those lakes were at the top of the list. However, when the opportunity arose in 1982 to purchase land on Alpha Lake from John Taylor, the municipality jumped at the chance to increase lakeside recreation.

The WHA Board of Directors provides a governance role and oversight of Whistler’s Employee Housing Programs Directors make an important contribution to the organization and community in this volunteer capacity The Board is comprised of nine resident community members with expertise in the housing sector, finance, strategic planning, communications and ethics We are currently seeking to fill two opportunities on the Board for one 2-year and one 3-year term Meetings are typically held every two months at RMOW Municipal Hall and virtual attendance can be accommodated

Based on the composition of the existing WHA Board and the workplan ahead for the next 3 years, it has been identified as important for the candidates to have a background in the housing sector as the WHA continues providing more housing options for the community

For further information, please consult: whistlerhousing ca and any questions may be directed via email to: meredith@whistlerhousing.ca. Applications will be received until May 14, 2023.

Taylor owned more than 160 acres (65 hectares) in the Creekside area around Nita Lake and Alpha Lake. He built the first tennis courts in the valley at Jordan’s Lodge, where the Whistler Tennis Club was formed in 1978. Passionate about tennis, John agreed to sell the land to the municipality for $93,000 on the understanding that tennis courts would be built as part of the park development.

The undeveloped land where Alpha Lake Park was built was a large swamp, and extensive work was required to prepare the area. Fill was brought in for the grassed area and sand for the beach. The tennis courts alone required three feet of basalt bedding for stability. Picnic tables and a wharf were also constructed, and the park was connected to the early Valley Trail network.

When the park opened in 1983, the Whistler Question wrote, “A visit to Alpha Lake Park is a step into a delightful other world.” At the time it opened, there were few facilities found at the other parks, and Alpha Lake Park had volleyball courts, tennis courts, a beach and trails.

Municipal parks planner, Tom Barratt, was particularly fond of Alpha Lake Park due to the number and size of kokanee trout found in the nearby streams. Cedars were planted along the stream banks to offer shade and further improve

the conditions for spawning trout.

One of the most notable parts of Alpha Lake Park, the children’s treehouse, did not come along until later. It was built in 1989 by Eric Scragg from funds raised through the community fundraiser, Whistler Night. Whistler Night was a fun “night out” event that raised money for projects that benefit the community.

Money raised from the night out in 1987 was originally slated to go toward a children’s park at the base of Whistler Mountain; however, Whistler Mountain revised its plans and built the Whistler Express Gondola in the area instead. The funds sat in the Whistler Night account for two years as they searched for an appropriate project to put the money toward. More facilities for children were desperately needed in the community, and Alpha Lake Park was eventually chosen because it was felt to be “underutilized.”

Bill Barratt, who went on to become chief administrative officer for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, also worked in Parks at the time. He said while visitors and residents to Whistler wanted generally the same things from a park, it was still a balancing act. He used the play equipment at Alpha Lake Park as an example of a draw card for out-of-town visitors. Unique facilities meant visitors would go on to tell their friends about the park, and drive continued summer visitation.

Despite not being the No. 1 priority in the Outdoor Recreation Plan, Alpha Lake Park was important, as it connected the network of trails and parks from Meadow Park in the north, through Lost Lake and Alta Lake, to Alpha Lake in the south. The initial five-year plan to complete these parks and a connecting trail network was instead completed in three years, greatly increasing access to lakes and recreation throughout the valley.

Today, the playground, volleyball courts and tennis courts continue to be enjoyed by the community and visitors alike. n

PARK PATROL Parks planner Tom Barratt (right) and team member Suzanne McLean put the final touches on Alpha Lake Park in July 1983.

WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION

The Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) is seeking interest from qualified individuals

and high of 24

C

28 to do some busking in Whistler Cay.

26 at the Meadow Park

for perfect on-mountain

he is trying to raise money for a new

Centre after winning the

1 BIG IDEAS From left, panellists George Ruther, Kate Roddick, Al Raine, Dale Mikkelsen, Steve Bayly, moderator G.D. Maxwell, Whistler Institute board chair Dave Williamson, panellist Duane Jackson and Whistler Institute executive director Suki Cheyne pose for a photo following a housing discussion. The talk was hosted by the Whistler Institute and the Canada West Ski Areas Association at the Whistler Conference Centre on Thursday, April 27. PHOTO BY DAVID BUZZARD 2 CHARCUTERIE BOARD Saturday, April 29’s sunshine

degrees

made

picnic conditions, as Nikki Farrell demonstrates. PHOTO BY MEGAN LALONDE 3 MUSIC MAKERS Phil Hargreaves and Keir Bragg, both 12 years old, took advantage of the sunshine on Friday, April

Hargreaves said

violin, which is “a big investment.” PHOTO BY BRADEN DUPUIS 4 THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM The Pemberton Silvertips hockey team, pictured on Wednesday night, April

Sports

Whistler OldTimers Hockey League championship for the third time. A threepeat! PHOTO SUBMITTED 5 FUNNY MAN Normally, we keep this page limited to goings-on within Whistler and Pemberton,

Free Will Astrology

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Before forming the band called The Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney performed under various other names: the Quarrymen, Japage 3, and Johnny and the Moondogs. I suspect you are currently at your own equivalent of the Johnny and the Moondogs phase. You’re building momentum. You’re gathering the tools and resources you need. But you have not yet found the exact title, descriptor, or definition for your enterprise. I suggest you be extra alert for its arrival in the coming weeks.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I’ve selected a passage to serve as one of your prime themes during the rest of 2023. It comes from poet Jane Shore. She writes, “Now I feel I am learning how to grow into the space I was always meant to occupy, into a self I can know.” Dear Taurus, you will have the opportunity to grow ever-more assured and selfpossessed as you embody Shore’s description in the coming months. Congratulations in advance on the progress you will make to more fully activate your soul’s code.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Georges Rouault (18711958) was a Gemini painter who bequeathed the world more than 3,000 works of art. There might have been even more. But years before he died, he burned 315 of his unfinished paintings. He felt they were imperfect, and he would never have time or be motivated to finish them. I think the coming weeks would be a good time for you to enjoy a comparable purge, Gemini. Are there things in your world that don’t mean much to you anymore and are simply taking up space? Consider the possibility of freeing yourself from their stale energy.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Britain occupied India for almost 200 years. It was a ruthless and undemocratic exploitation that steadily drained India’s wealth and resources. Mahatma Gandhi wasn’t the only leader who fought British oppression, but he was among the most effective. In 1930, he led a 24-day, 386-kilometre march to protest the empire’s tyrannical salt tax. This action was instrumental in energizing the Indian independence movement that ultimately culminated in India’s freedom. I vote to make Gandhi one of your inspirational role models in the coming months. Are you ready to launch a liberation project? Stage a constructive rebellion? Martial the collaborative energies of your people in a holy cause?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As crucial as it is to take responsibility, it is also essential to recognize where our responsibilities end and what should be left for others to do. For example, we usually shouldn’t do work for other people that they can just as easily do for themselves. We shouldn’t sacrifice doing the work that only we can do and get sidetracked doing work that many people can do. To be effective and to find fulfillment in life, it’s vital for us to discover what truly needs to be within our care and what should be outside of our care. I see the coming weeks as a favourable time for you to clarify the boundary between these two.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo-born Marie Laveau (1801–1881) was a powerful Voodoo priestess, herbalist, activist, and midwife in New Orleans. According to legend, she could walk on water, summon clairvoyant visions, safely suck the poison out of a snake’s jowls, and cast spells to help her clients achieve their heart’s desires. There is also a wealth of more tangible evidence that she was a community activist who healed the sick, volunteered as an advocate for prisoners, provided free teachings, and did rituals for needy people who couldn’t pay her. I hereby assign her to be your inspirational role model for the coming weeks. I suspect you will have extra power to help people in both mysterious and practical ways.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): What are the best methods to exorcize our personal demons, ghosts, and goblins? Or at least subdue them and neutralize their ill effects? We all have such phantoms at work in our psyches, corroding our

confidence and undermining our intentions. One approach I don’t recommend is to get mad at yourself for having these interlopers. Never do that. The demons’ strategy, you see, is to manipulate you into being mean and cruel to yourself. To drive them away, I suggest you shower yourself with love and kindness. That seriously reduces their ability to trick you and hurt you—and may even put them into a deep sleep. Now is an excellent time to try this approach.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): As she matured, Scorpio poet Sylvia Plath wrote, “I am learning how to compromise the wild dream ideals and the necessary realities without such screaming pain.” I believe you’re ready to go even further than Plath was able to, dear Scorpio. In the coming weeks, you could not merely “compromise” the wild dream ideals and the necessary realities. You could synergize them and get them to collaborate in satisfying ways. Bonus: I bet you will accomplish this feat without screaming pain. In fact, you may generate surprising pleasures that delight you with their revelations.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Some primates use herbal and clay medicines to self-medicate. Great apes, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas ingest a variety of ingredients that fight against parasitic infection and help relieve various gastrointestinal disturbances. (More info: tinyurl.com/PrimatesSelfMedicate.) Our ancestors learned the same healing arts, though far more extensively. And many Indigenous people today still practise this kind of self-care. With these thoughts in mind, Sagittarius, I urge you to spend quality time in the coming weeks deepening your understanding of how to heal and nurture yourself. The kinds of “medicines” you might draw on could be herbs, and may also be music, stories, colours, scents, books, relationships, and adventures.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The mythic traditions of all cultures are replete with tales of clashes and combats. If we draw on these tales to deduce what activity humans enjoy more than any other, we might conclude that it’s fighting with each other. But I hope you will avoid this normal habit as much as possible during the next three weeks, Capricorn. I am encouraging you to actively repress all inclinations to tangle. Just for now, I believe you will cast a wildly benevolent magic spell on your mental and physical health if you avoid arguments and skirmishes. Here’s a helpful tip: In each situation you’re involved in, focus on sustaining a vision of the most graceful, positive outcome.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Is there a person who could serve as your Über Mother for a while? This would be a wise and tender maternal ally who gives you the extra nurturing you need, along with steady doses of warm, crisp advice on how to weave your way through your labyrinthine decisions. Your temporary Über Mother could be any gender, really. They would love and accept you for exactly who you are, even as they stoke your confidence to pursue your sweet dreams about the future. Supportive and inspirational. Reassuring and invigorating. Championing you and consecrating you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Congratulations on acquiring the Big New Riddle! I trust it will inspire you to grow wiser and kinder and wilder over the coming months. I’ve compiled some clues to help you unravel and ultimately solve this challenging and fascinating mystery. 1. Refrain from calling on any strength that’s stingy or pinched. Ally yourself solely with generous power. 2. Avoid putting your faith in trivial and irrelevant “benefits.” Hold out for the most soulful assistance. 3. The answer to key questions may often be, “Make new connections and enhance existing connections.”

Homework: Name three wonderful things you want to be experiencing one year from today. 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

Summit Collision is looking to expand their team.

• Auto Damage Estimator

• Parts Manager

• Glass Technician

• Auto Detailer

• Customer Service Representative

• Auto Body Technician (with prior experience)

• Refinish Technician (with prior experience)

Do any of these roles interest you?

We are looking to create a position that best suits the ideal candidate – because we are a small operation there is opportunity to gain experience, and certification, in numerous roles that are of most interest to you. Preference given to candidates with previous experience in the automotive industry but not required as training will be provided.

Full-time preferred but part-time will be considered Extended Health / Dental benefits available. Training provided.

Competitive wages offered based on experience and role.

Email your resume to info@summitcollision.ca

ANNOUNCEMENTS OBITUARIES

DavidWilliamGalt

Nov26,1954-Jan20,2023

BornNovember26,1954,andbid thisworldgoodbye,surroundedby aGaggleofGaltGirlsandloved ones,onJanuary20,2023,aftera longbattlewithkidneydisease. FirstinlinetowelcomeDavidwere hisparents,BarbandDoug,followedcloselybyhisbelovedfur babies,Susie,Skeena,andJack, alongwithmanyfriendswhowent beforehim.Davidwasthefun-lovingfathertoCarley(Simon)and Sydney;cherishedGGtoMax, BlairandLocky;funcletoTaylor, Kelsey(Mitch)Galt,JennandChris Martin;andnewlygreat-funcleto Maizy.

DavidgrewupinOakville,ON, breakingmanyagirls’heartsbeforemovingtoWhistler,BC,where hewasbestknownforbeingthe captainoftheAltaLakeBarge.We can’tthinkofabetterplacetocelebrateDavid’slifethanTapley’s barinWhistleronMay13,from14pm,whereDavidmadesomany friendsandmemories.Inlieuof flowers,donationstoHospice HouseKelownaarewelcomed (hospicehousekelowna.com).

EMPLOYMENT

PartTime

Companionandcaregiverneededon occasionalbasisinWhistlerforanoldermanwithmoderatedementia.Able bodied.Likestowalkandtalk.Light housekeepingandmealpreprequired.

AWAREZeroWasteTeam

AWAREishiringour2023teamtohelp educateanddivertwasteinWhistler.

F/TP/T.Weekdays&weekends.$20/ hour.Greatteam,greatwork!Fulljob postingsonourwebsite: www.awarewhistler.org/job-postings

WhistlerMountainSkiCubEvents& SponsorshipCoodinator

TheWhistlerMountainskiclubishiring afulltimepositionasourEvent,sponsorshipandpartnerCoordinator.Ifyou arekeenabouteventsandmarketing andenthusiasticaboutyouthsport, pleasesendCVsto mjanyk@wmsc.info604-932-4644 mjanyk@wmsc.infowww.wmsc.info

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

Fairmont Chateau

Whistler Resort is growing its Housing portfolio and sourcing additional Chalet and Condo Rental contracts for our Hotel Team Members. Our leaders are mature, career driven drivers that know the word respect. Contract terms for property Owners are stress free with no commissions and includes representation from our 4 person fulltime Housing Department working with you 24/7; maintaining all aspects of the tenancy including quarterly inspections.

A great next move for Whistler property Owners that have tired with the Airbnb game or Property Fees. Let’s see if we can make a match and develop a long-term relationship here. General inquiries please email mark.munn@fairmont.com

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

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

Journeymen Carpenters (5+ years)

Journeymen Carpenters (5+ years)

Skilled Labourers

Skilled Labourers

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 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.

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

Please forward your resume to Lea@gccltd.ca

Whistler’s

Look

Find

Lil’wat Business Group

Chief Executive Officer

Location: Lil’wat Business Group office, Mount Currie, BC.

Status: Permanent, Full Time.

Reporting to: Lil’wat Management Services Inc, Board of Directors.

Salary: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for providing the overall leadership and management of the Lil'wat Business Group. The Lil’wat Business Group is a diversified group of companies with acting operations in Forestry, Retail, Mining, Waste Management, and Land Development. The role includes the assessment of new opportunities, planning, and development, reporting, organizational design and development, general operating management, human resource management, financial management, business, and client relations, advising on business interests of title and rights negotiations, and general administrative affairs.

For more information, or to apply for this position please visit our careers page https://lilwat.ca/careers/

N’Quatqua Child and Family Development Centre PO BOX

88/64 CASPER CHARLIE PLACE, DARCY BC V0N 1L0 JOB POSTINGS

PRESCHOOL CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR INFANT TODDLER EDUCATOR

NCFDC is seeking an Infant Toddler, Special Needs, Early Childhood Educator, and ECE-Assistant Licensed individuals, we invite you to submit your application. The Early Childhood Educators work as team members with other child care setting staff and with all the children and families providing general support to the whole program to ensure effective inclusion of the children. The successful candidate will have demonstrated ability in:

• Ability to develop and maintain a warm, caring, responsive relationship with the child.

• Ability to establish and maintain supportive, collaborative relationships with families and staff.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality, positive, professional, nonjudgmental attitude

• Physically ability to carry out the duties of the position.

• Planning and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum that supports community, inclusion and is culturally significant for young Aboriginal children.

• Understanding and working knowledge of Child Care Licensing regulations.

• Interpersonal, written, oral communication skills and maintaining positive communication with parents.

• Collaborating with community service providers, Self-directed and able to initiate and complete projects.

In addition, the Early Childhood Educators will have:

• A minimum of 2 years work experience in a child care setting.

• Valid Early Childhood Educator Certificate, ECE Licence to Practice or going to school to take Early Childhood Educator courses.

• Clear Criminal Records Check & Current First Aid.

• Food Safe or willingness to obtain.

• Some knowledge of curriculum and philosophies in First Nations Early Childhood settings.

Terms of Employment:

• Monday to Thursday - 8:30am - 4:30pm.

• Start Date: As soon as possible.

• Wage: (negotiable depending on experience).

Cover Letter & Resume to:

Title: Anita Patrick, Director

Agency: N’Quatqua Child and Family Development Centre

Email: anita.patrick@nquatqua.ca

Phone Number: 604-452-3584

Fax: 604-452-3280

Deadline: until position is filled

We thank all those who apply. Only those candidates selected for interview will be contacted.

Career Opportunities with the SLRD

Looking to contribute to your local community?

Consider

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 currently accepting applications for the following positions:

• Legislative Coordinator (Regular, Full-time)

• Project and Program Coordinator (Regular, Full-time)

• IT Manager (Regular, Full-time)

• Building Official (Regular, Full-time)

The SLRD offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, participation in the Municipal Pension Plan, a compressed work week (nine-day fortnight), hybrid remote work opportunities, and learning and career development opportunities. For more information on these career opportunities, please visit www.slrd.bc.ca/ employment. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume (preferably in pdf format) by email to careers@slrd.bc.ca

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

WE ARE GROWING....SO WE ARE HIRING!

Our team is expanding and so we are looking for a REGISTERED DENTAL HYGIENIST (FT OR PT) to also join our well established family practice REGISTERED DENTAL HYGIENIST (FT OR PT) NEW GRADS WELCOME! COMPETITIVE WAGES BASED ON EXPERIENCE. NO EVENINGS OR WEEKENDS! Great extended benefit package and uniform allowance (after 3 months of employment) & free parking!

We pride on being a supportive and positive work family while always providing honest, quality dental care for all our patients. We are locally owned and operated. Our staff are long term residents of Whistler, Pemberton & Squamish. Is this you too? If so, we want to hear from you!

Please send your resume and a little about yourself to: managercreeksidedentalwhistler@gmail.com.

We are looking to hire another member to our team at Straightline.

Experience in Plumbing is required. Gas Fitting and HVAC would be preferred but not essential. Wages are based on experience, Starting between $44-52/hr. Part-time or Full-time positions available. Accommodations are available.

Please call 604-935-8771 or email straightlineplumbingandheating@gmail.com for more information.

INSURANCE ADVISOR

Position in a growing Whistler Agency

♦ Strong salary, bonus and benefits package

♦ Unrivalled career development opportunities

We are a growing, dynamic organization with a great success story searching for like-minded individuals looking to build their career in the insurance business. We are searching for committed, driven and result-oriented sales professionals, with a passion for helping others. Successful candidates will have a strong customer service and sales background, can work individually and as part of a team. We have a fun, fast paced working environment, and attractive time schedule with built in work / life flexibility. Some insurance experience would be preferred, but not essential.

If you are looking to go to the next level in your career, email your resume to david_livesey@cooperators.ca and we can schedule a chat

DAVID LIVESEY & ASSOCIATES INC.

The Pinnacle Hotel Whistler has the following positions available:

• ROOM ATTENDANTS

• HOUSEKEEPING SUPERVISOR

Please reply by email: parmstrong@pinnaclehotels.ca

Come Grow

We offer competitive wages, a unique environment, seasonal bonuses, staff discounts and benefits. Ask about accommodation. Visit

Day Camp Counsellor

Funding through Canada Summer Jobs program:

Must be between 15 and 30 at start of employment, see additional hiring criteria on website posting

Become part of a creative team and surround yourself with art.

The Museum is currently seeking:

Administrative Assistant

Permanent, Full-Time Salary: $52,000

Responsibilities include:

• Providing administrative support to ensure efficient operation of the Museum

• Organizing and maintaining databases, files and inventories

• Implementing clerical and administrative processes

• Other duties as required

Please send your cover letter and resume to: Brianna Beacom, Director of Operations: bbeacom@audainartmuseum.com

Protect

Facilitate and develop Nordic sport at Whistler Olympic Park!

WhistlerOlympicParkisaworld-classdestinationforoutdoor recreation&Nordicsports.Theroleiscommittedtofacilitateand developNordicsportwhileworkingcollaborativelyinthedeliveryof programsandaqualitysportenvironment.

mentfor WhistlerOlympicPark,drivingvisitationbothinwinterandsummer whileplayinganintegralrolewithinasupportive,cross-functionalteam deliveringexceptionalguestexperiences.

Facilitating & developing Nordic sport programs including coaching services, training activities & skills development

Extensiveexperiencein: •Deliveringsuccessfulmarketing&communicationprograms •Developingcontent&communicationsforavarietyof

Cross-country racing skills & techniques, both classic and skate Biathlon Coaching and/or skilled Biathlete Passion for Sport

ingwebsite,emailandsocialmedia

•Managingcontractedagencies

Competitivewage&staffhousingoptions

Passionforoutdoorrecreationandsport

Extensive benefits package & perks, incl. health & wellness options, WB season pass financing & more

Competitivewage&staffhousingoptions

Extensivebenefitspackage&perks,incl.health&wellnessoptions, WBseasonpassfinancing&more

www.whistlerwag.com

Assistant Director, Talent & Culture

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTRACTOR

As a social media expert, you will bring your current industry knowledge to assist in curating our social media vision and strategy.

• Collaborate with our marketing team to plan and create content and execute marketing strategies in order to grow our social media presence on key platforms – Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

• Duties include: social publishing, content creation, customer engagement and analysis

• Part-time; located in Whistler

We appreciate the interest of all applicants. We will only contact those who meet the requirements for a follow-up to discuss steps for submission of a written proposal.

Please submit your expression of interest and previous work examples to careers.ppwhi@panpacific.com.

HIRING WE ARE

Why work for us?

Bylaw

Enforcement & Animal Control

Financial Services

We offer competitive wages, comprehensive health benefits and a pension plan.

• Community Patrol Officer – Casual/On-Call

• Financial Services Specialist – Temporary Full-Time Facilities

Public Works

• Assistant Manager of Facilities – Regular Full-Time

• Assistant Recreation Facility Maintenance Supervisor - Regular

Full-Time

• Utility Operator 1 – Wastewater Collections – Regular Full-Time

• Utility Operator 2 - Wastewater Collections - Casual/ On-Call

• Labourer 2 – Regular Full-Time

• Utility Operator 1 – Water Distribution – Regular Full-Time

• Labourer 2 (Multiple Positions) – Temporary Full-Time

• Small Equipment Operator and Winter Truck Driver 3 – Regular

Full-Time

• Recreation Booking and Office Services Coordinator – Regular Full-Time

• Recreation Program Instructor 1 – Biking – Casual/On-Call

Recreation

(Multiple Positions)

• Lifeguard 1 – Regular Part-Time (20-30 hours)

• Lifeguard 1 – Regular Part-Time (4-19 hours)

• General Manager of Community Services – Regular Full-Time

Senior Management

• General Manager of Community Planning and Sustainability –Regular Full-Time

As an equitable and inclusive employer, we value diversity of people to best represent the community we serve and provide excellent services to our citizens. We strive to attract and retain passionate and talented individuals of all backgrounds, demographics, and life experiences.

squamish.ca/careers

Glacier Media Group is growing. Check our job board regularly for the latest openings: www.glaciermedia.ca/careers

PERKS

•

• Flexible and set schedule

•

Vacasa’s forward-thinking approach and industryleading technology help set us apart as the largest full-service vacation rental company in North America. We are seeking individuals with a passion for providing exceptional vacation experiences for our Owners and Guests.

We offer competitive wages and benefits: Travel allowance for Squamish/Pemberton-based employees OR Ski Pass/Activity allowance, Extended Medical, RRSP match, Fun & Safe Work Environment-Great Team, opportunities to grow and more.

**SIGNING BONUS** $1000 (FT)

Guest Service Agent

Night Auditor

Maintenance Technician

Assistant Housekeeping Manager

Lead Housekeeper

Full Time all year round

Apply online today!

https://www.vacasa.com/careers/positions or email: paul.globisch@vacasa.com or call to find out more details at 604-698-0520

We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

www.whistlerwag.com #24

W O R K W I T H U S EXPERIENCED LINE COOKS KITCHEN STEWARDS EXPERIENCED FINE DINING SERVER LEAD HOST S T A F F H O U S I N G | C O M P E T I T I V E W A G E S + G R A T U I T I E S E X T E N D E D M E D I C A L + D E N T A L B E N E F I T S U N P A R A L L E L E D S T A F F A M E N I T I E S W o r k w i t h A l e x C h e n , o n e o f C a n a d a ' s t o p C h e f s a n d m e n t o r s , i n a n e n v i r o n m e n t s t r i v i n g f o r g r o w t h , e d u c a t i o n a n d r e s p e c t

WINE DIRECTOR / MAITRE' D *Previous leadership experience required *Diploma-level education desirable (or equivalent Industry background)

O P E N P O S I T I O N S A T W I L D B L U E W E O F F E R :

w : w i l d b l u e r e s t a u r a n t . c o m / c a r e e r s e : c a r e e r s @ w i l d b l u e r e s t a u r a n t . c o m

7846 3914 1692 2573 5736 9134 4182 213896475 645317829 978245136 359721648 167438592 824569713 582974361 791653284 436182957 Page6of254/11/2005

Roland’s Pub is looking for an Assistant Kitchen Manager.

V.EASY#24

Position is full time, year-round. Starting salary is $52,000 + tips, staff meals, and other perks.

Extended Medical and Dental, ski pass, golf pass, and staff discounts at Roland’s Pub & Red Door Bistro.

Must have line cooking experience, food safety certification, and some management experience is beneficial. Duties will include cooking on the hotline, assisting with ordering & receiving of food products, creating specials and new menu items, organizing freezers & fridges, and ensuring kitchen staff are properly stocked and prepared for busy lunch & dinner rushes. Temporary staff housing is available.

WE’RE HIRING: GUEST EXPERIENCE AGENTS PERKS INCLUDE: FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE • FRIENDS & FAMILY DISCOUNTS EPIC STAFF PARTIES • FREE ACTIVITIES FOR STAFF please submit your resume to employment@canadianwilderness.com Full job descriptions at: www.canadianwilderness.com/employment/

ACROSS

A self-serving of humble pie

“The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men Gang aft agley.”

-Robert Burns

INDEED they do. I’m not certain what the scheme of my seventh-grade teacher who made me memorize Robbie Burns’ poem, “To a Mouse,” from which those lines became famous, was, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t to turn me off his work... which it did.

My best laid plans for last week’s column gang aft agleyed—went horribly astray—in

BY G.D. MAXWELL

spectacular fashion. I’m embarrassed and a bit horrified. I’ll spare you the details of the back and forth editorial exchanges and simply say no one, especially me, meant for it to come out the way it did, suggesting I was ill informed enough to imagine Whistler Blackcomb had the entire summer and much of autumn to do their maintenance to the Blackcomb Gondola.

Go big or go home is not my motto when it comes to screwing up well-understood facts. And even less so for causing them to be printed.

Facts? I hear you say. Yes, facts. While what I write every week is opinion—my opinion—I do actually try to at least sift fact from opinion and get the former right. The latter is mine alone and opinions are like... well, you know, and yes, we all have one.

Facts. Where to start. Whistler Blackcomb (WB) is a big, complex machine. Heck, any single lift is a big, complex machine, as anyone who has ridden one and had it stop partway up—which would be all of us— can attest. Lots of mechanical parts; lots of electrical and electronic parts. Lots of things to break down, lots of things to fix, lots to just do regular maintenance on.

All those complex machines operate within a larger machine—two actually. Winter operations and summer operations. Before someone came up with the brilliant idea of swapping skis in the winter for bikes in the summer, summer ops were a lot easier. Get the few lifts needed for sightseers and camps serviced, inspected and running. Do the others when time permits.

The bike park changed that. The Peak 2 Peak changed that. The added complexity of modern lifts changed that. Getting things done with the least inconvenience was like trading playing chess for playing threedimensional chess. A lot harder.

But the formal, public announcement of lift closures to facilitate maintenance needed to meet summer operating schedules left much unsaid. In the absence of detail, many people, myself included, jumped to the wrong conclusions.

To add fuel to the fires of outrage, the first week of spring operations saw two significant powder days and more days than that with lift lines reminiscent of the dark days of covid. People—locals, Vancouverites,

destination spring skiers who’d booked hotels near the base of Blackcomb—were left fuming. I’ve been told social media was rampant with virtual pitchforks and torches.

In the absence of more detailed information explaining why decisions were taken and the scope of work needed to be completed, people, myself again included, simply assumed the worst of Vail’s centralized corporate management. Since its purchase of WB, Vail Resorts has provided

have to do it. I still wouldn’t have liked the decision to shut down the Blackcomb Gondola Monday to Friday, but I would have understood why it was taken. I would have known it wasn’t a cynical cost-saving step, an arrogant preference for summer guests over winter guests.

I felt their hurt and their caring, their pride in what they do and their desire for more understanding and less hyperbole from the public... and me. Having spent

argue opinion, we can argue policy, we can argue about the best way forward, but it’s pointless to argue fact.

I make a distinction between WB and Vail Resorts here. I believe there exists a genuine care about the public’s perception and satisfaction among the people who work at WB and live side by side with us. I continue to question whether that same care exists at Vail Resorts corporate. I don’t know if that will change, but am hopeful Ms. Trembath, WB’s new chief operating officer, will be able to move things in a better direction.

ample reasons to question its decisions and the regard in which it holds people who love and patronize this place.

But some people who both know and care, people who feel personally aggrieved by the reactions and negative feelings directed at Vail/WB, have been forthcoming with solid information I wish I’d had before I wrote last week’s column. It would have been very different. I would have understood the scope of the work they’re doing and the very small window of time in which they

nearly two decades on the front-line at first Whistler and then Whistler Blackcomb, I know how hard it is to take the full force of guests’ indignation and disappointment over decisions made by people much higher up the food chain.

To them, I apologize. I’ll try to do better in the future.

It is my sincere hope going forward the lines of communication between WB, the media and the public improve. Knowledge leads to greater understanding. We can

Several times in the past couple of weeks, I’ve shared a chairlift with people from Seattle who say they generally ski at Steven’s Pass. They report a number of improvements have taken place since the new manager took over in spring 2022. This was after a contentious season that saw frustrated skiers file complaints against Vail Resorts with the state Attorney General’s office for violating consumer protection laws, launch a change.org petition that garnered more than 45,000 signatures, and suggest a review of Vail’s permit to continue operating on US Forest Service lands.

I’m sure many people here would love to share stories with people next season about how our feelings about Vail have improved. Until then, my own feelings about the hardworking teams at WB have improved a lot. Thanks to those who took the time and effort to show me the errors of my way. I’ll try to not gang aft agley in the future. ■

It is my sincere hope going forward the lines of communication between WB, the media and the public improve.

ADOBE STOCK

NEWPRICE

3283 Arbutus Street: The perfect home for a large family OR staff accommodation. Located just a short walk to the Village, this property offers everything a family could want for their Whistler home OR an amazing investment for rentals with NO strata fees! $1,999,000

Allyson Sutton PREC*

604-932-7609

NEWTOMARKET

9 - 2720 Cheakamus Way: Nestled in family friendly Millars Pond is this stylishly renovated 2br Eaglecrest townhome. Next to parks, playground, Valley Trail, dog walking trails, and close to Spring Creek School. Employee covenant – a great starter home. $975,000 Sherry Boyd - Boyd Team 604-902-7220

NEWTOMARKET

302 - 4405 Blackcomb Way: 2-bed, 2-bath Granite Court townhome. This popular location is close to all the shops, restaurants, and activities of Whistler village. Quiet top floor, with private wrap around deck. Unlimited personal use or rent nightly for additional income. $1,695,000

Nick Swinburne PREC*

604-932-8899

73 Garibaldi Drive: 73 Garibaldi Drive is a spacious 3,170 sq/ ft home that is situated on a quiet 7,535 sq/ft lot within the quiet & serene Black Tusk development that is a short 15 minute drive to Whistler! $1,899,000

Maggi Thornhill PREC*

604-905-8199

6304 Lorimer Road Enjoy the privacy of owing a single family home in one of Whistler’s most desirable neighbourhoods and within steps of the Valley Trail. This three bdrm, two bath property has tons of potential, a legal two bdrm suite, good storage and lovely flat backyard. $2,379,000

Laura Wetaski

604-938-3798

4653 213 G2 Blackcomb Way Enjoy one week per month in Horstman House. This quiet one bedroom quartershare, conveniently located on Blackcomb, offers owners everything they need for a relaxing vacation including heated outdoor pool, hot tub, gym, ski and bike storage. $219,900

Sam Surowy

604-902-9754

1414 Pemberton Farm Rd, Pemberton: The one you’ve been waiting for! .921 acre south facing flat lot close to town with a 5bed/4bath home located at the end of a quiet road, steps to the Lillooet River walking trail and beach. $2,299,000

Suzanne Wilson

604-966-8454

13 – 7450 Prospect St, Pemberton: Expedition Station twobedroom condo centrally located in downtown Pemberton. Open concept end unit featuring high ceilings, double garage, storage loft, BBQ deck and covered entertaining deck for optimal outdoor living. $710,000

Ken Achenbach

604-966-7640

47 - 4000 Sunstone Way, Pemberton: Newly built in 2021 with designer finishes, a/c, expansive windows & large south facing deck. Open concept is perfect for entertaining. A double garage provides ample parking and is fully outfitted to organize all your tools and toys. $1,459,000 GST Exempt.

Janet Brown

604-935-0700