Pique Newsmagazine 3034

Fire escape

Revisiting the Pique Newsmagazine Grab-and-go Guide to Getting Out. - By

Braden Dupuis

14 HAZY DAYS In Whistler, smoky skies and a brief air quality advisory are so far the sole signs of B.C.’s worst wildfire season (knocking on all the dry wood in arm’s reach).

15 MOST EXCELLENT The Whistler Chamber unveils its finalists for the 2023 Whistler Excellence Awards, scheduled for Oct. 25.

16 UNDER REVIEW An investigation is underway after an injury on a local zipline earlier this month.

24 OUT OF CONTROL

Wildfires north of Whistler and Pemberton took another turn for the worse over the last week, with more structures lost and expanded evacuation alerts.

34 REBELLE YELL A pair of Whistler women are gearing up to tackle the off-road navigation challenge known as the Rebelle Rally—while raising money for a good cause.

38 STAGING GROUND A local audio/visual company’s new mobile stage is helping Whistler musicians expand their liveshow reach.

COVER Wildfire is highly unpredictable. Any minute, a fire could break out and wreak havoc, turning our world into a nightmare inferno. Kind of like how I’ve found working with AI to produce the materials needed for this illustration. Follow me on Instagram for a glimpse into our very unpredictable future. - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art

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President, Whistler Publishing LP

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Opinion & Columns

08 OPENING REMARKS As evacuations mount and anxiety threatens to overwhelm, editor Braden Dupuis finds some timely perspective amidst the chaos.

10 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter writers call for urgent government action on climate, and share thanks for local events and donors.

13 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST From Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour to Barbie’s box-office dominance, this summer has been for the girls, writes Megan Lalonde.

54 MAXED OUT Whistler is a veritable playground for risk-takers young and old, writes G.D. Maxwell— just watch your step in the village.

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ISSN #1206-2022

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Environment & Adventure Lifestyle & Arts

28 RANGE ROVER Leslie Anthony tracks the long-lasting legacy of Lake Agassiz from Ontario to Manitoba and beyond.

36 EPICURIOUS What’s the best burger in Whistler? A trio of longtime Whistler friends went to painstaking lengths to serve up an answer.

39 MUSEUM MUSINGS

The story of Whistler’s first triathlon, pioneered by Les McDonald in 1983.

The things we leave behind

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH to sneak away to a wedding in Alberta last weekend.

It was one I never would have cancelled on, and not just because I was in the wedding party, but in the weeks leading up to it I’ll admit to feeling a spot or two of anxiety over the prospect of leaving Whistler right now—

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

for a multitude of reasons.

The nature of this job is that it can be difficult to truly disconnect at the best of times, but sometimes there is just so much to do that the thought of physically going somewhere else and doing something like giving a speech at a wedding seems like an absurd fantasy.

And without going off on too many tangents, there is so much going on right now, at Pique and beyond, that the nervous, overthinking portions of my brain seemed to grow more powerfully intrusive as the big day drew nearer.

Especially as wildfires north of Whistler and Pemberton kept growing by the week, and with the rest of the province not faring much better.

Before I left, I looked around my apartment and considered, not for the first time, how devastated I would feel if a wildfire tore through while I was away and destroyed all my stuff.

It’s just stuff, and I do have tenant insurance, but it’s my stuff, and I’ve grown quite attached to some of it, ya know?

Of course, there would be little I could do to protect most of it from a raging wildfire, even if I were home, but I could at least grab the essentials on the way out the door and down the highway if worse came to worst.

We’ve dodged a bullet so far this year in Whistler, but it is alarmingly easy to start a fire in our current conditions, and seemingly even easier for it to spread.

And as devastating as it has already been in other parts of the province, fire season is far from over in Whistler.

Nevertheless, I left behind my stuff and got on a plane to Edmonton. (Fortunately, I don’t have any loved ones or pets in Whistler to worry about—or slow me down—in the event of an emergency. Sometimes you have to appreciate the small wins).

My flights weren’t impacted, but as I headed for the provincial border at 30,000 or so odd feet, I marvelled at the scope of B.C.’s wildfire woes far below. Mountaintops poked up from a thick, hazy blanket covering most of the province; the occasional plume of smoke could be traced to its origin on the ground, somehow looking completely static from such a distance, as if coloured in by a grey crayon,

the four-day trip.

The day before the wedding, the rehearsal was delayed slightly as we waited for some of the bridesmaids.

When they arrived, we learned they had travelled from Kelowna, which, just the day before, was threatened by the surging McDougall Creek wildfire, forcing thousands to flee their homes.

Like the Yellowknife evacuees, they had left behind everything, not knowing what they would come back to—or when they might be allowed back (fortunately, their houses were not among the 60 or so structures lost to that blaze so far).

It’s one thing to watch the wildfires from an airplane above, or see the coverage on the news; it’s quite another to see the fear and uncertainty written plainly on the face of a real person you’re speaking to.

It makes it real, and fast.

In the midst of the worst wildfire season

the heartbreak and the strain of leaving everything behind, possibly for good—is difficult to fathom.

We can’t look away. We have been extremely lucky so far this year, but Whistler is still just one careless cigarette, or one errant lightning strike away from a similar situation playing out here at home.

With that in mind, this week, Pique is re-running a feature we first produced in 2019, after Whistler completed its first multimodal evacuation plan.

It has been updated with fresh information from the Resort Municipality of Whistler, and should contain all the info you’ll need in the event of a wildfire close to home.

But if you don’t have time to read it, here are the highlights: sign up for Whistler Alert; pack a go-bag with all the essentials; and talk to your loved ones about what you’ll do in the event of an evacuation.

When the fires finally come for Whistler,

even if they were anything but on the ground.

When I landed in Edmonton, a TV camera crew was waiting to interview arrivals from Yellowknife, which, just the day before, began evacuating its population of nearly 20,000.

I considered, briefly, the logistics of such a mass movement: the coordination of traffic, hotels, and flights, and the heartbreak of 20,000 people leaving everything behind with no assurances they’ll have anything to go back to.

It was a grim, recurring theme throughout

Asking -$2,999,000

in B.C.’s history, the provincial government enacted a province-wide state of emergency on Aug. 18. As of this writing, there are about 35,000 people on evacuation order across the province, and a further 30,000 or so on evacuation alert.

And that’s just in B.C.

So far this year, more than 5,700 wildfires have burned an estimated 13.7 million hectares in Canada, forcing tens of thousands from their homes.

The full scope of the devastation—

the evacuation process will be hectic, to put it lightly. It is incumbent upon all of us to ensure we’re well prepared.

In the end, I was extremely grateful to make the wedding, as it offered me a perspective I’ve been missing of late—a timely reminder of the importance of making time for family, no matter how complicated and demanding our day-to-day work lives appear on the surface.

Some things are more important than material possessions. ■

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Si n ce rel y, T h e Pi q u e N ew s ma g a zi n e tea m

Where is the urgency on climate action?

Like everyone, I was horrified to hear about the devastation that was once Lahaina. It reinforces the global reach of the beast that stalks us all—climate change. Every day we hear new details of its menacing advance—bleaching coral, warming oceans, disappearing species, withering forests, while CO2 flows from cars, factories, curing concrete, and burning landscapes. Lately I’ve been struck by the number of dead and dying trees and hedges in my town Kelowna, B.C. Even in Vancouver, which used to be in a rainforest zone, many trees are suffering— particularly cedars, which probably require more water than most.

Despite these undeniable and very visual reminders that we are in serious trouble, so many people carry on as if we weren’t perched on the precipice of the abyss. I wonder why other emergencies like the war and the pandemic resulted in immediate and consequential measures on the part of governments and complied with by the populace, and yet this existential threat is being met with relative apathy. During the Second World War, young men willingly risked and gave their lives, old

men grew victory gardens, young women rolled bandages, everyone willingly put up with rationing. The government didn’t hesitate to impose strict measures and the citizens jumped on the bandwagon. Why is the government afraid to take the lead? Where is the bandwagon?

Is the government afraid to ask us to make sacrifices in the interests of a future for our kind? I feel there is so much apprehension and fear that could become energy and action if our leaders would take the initiative and design legislation that would ensure we are on track to meet UN climate goals. If our leaders are sitting in the burning house unperturbed, the majority will assume not much can be done and

follow suit. We’ll all burn up together. But if they yell “FIRE!” at the top of their lungs and run for the hoses, directing us to grab the buckets and fight for our lives—we have a better chance.

Please call upon our leaders to lead so we all have a fighting chance. Let’s not be so many apathetic frogs in a pot who didn’t realize the end was near till it was too late. Write a letter to your provincial and/or federal representative, or to federal environment and climate change minister Steven Guilbeault or provincial environment minister George Heyman.

Let’s all jump out of the pot—it’s hot in there!

Victoria Crompton // Kelowna and Whistler

Bravo to Whistler’s Flag Stop organizers

I would like to applaud and bring recognition to Stephen Vogler and the folks behind and in front of the Point Artist-Run Centre.

There are too many heroes involved to mention some and miss others.

We had an enjoyable, rainy-evening experience in Florence Petersen Park on Aug. 8—a great reminder of what a gem this is for our village.

DJ Ace of course set the mood. The stage acts were great, the magician was simply magical, and the contribution from Dustin Bentall and family closed the evening beautifully.

Great job keeping the arts in the forefront.

Rick Clare // Whistler

Garibaldi firefighters offer thanks

The Garibaldi Volunteer Fire Department would like to sincerely thank the following businesses for their generous donations.

Thanks to your support, our volunteer fire department can continue to take courses and add other key pieces of equipment to the department.

Thanks to Four Seasons Resort; Nita Lake Lodge; Aava Hotel; Westin Resort; Rimrock; Joe Fortes; Gibbons Group; Nicklaus North Golf Course; Sushi Village; Whistler Brewing; Forged Axe; Source for Sports; Murphy Battista LLP; and Creekside Market.

Bobbi Sandkuhl // on behalf of the Garibaldi Volunteer Fire Department n

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This summer has been one for the girls

EARLIER THIS SUMMER, I was woken up far too early in the morning by a text from my best friend in Ontario: “WE GOT THEM!”

By them, she was referring to tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. For a show in Italy.

I’ll admit it may seem a little unhinged to some to travel to the other side of the world

BY MEGAN LALONDE

for a concert, even if really, the event is more a good excuse to plan a trip with friends I don’t see nearly enough of. Still, whether it’s due to Taylor Swift’s marketing prowess, songwriting talents, the fact she has released four new albums and three re-recorded albums since she last stepped onstage, or even just the fact that Folklore and Evermore are objectively great albums, this tour has snowballed into a cultural phenomenon I’m apparently willing to fly to Europe to be a part of—even if I’ve already seen most of the show on TikTok.

(That, and it proved near impossible to get tickets for one of six shows she has scheduled at Toronto’s Rogers Centre in 2024.)

I’m far from the only one willing to go to these kinds of lengths. Swift has built a cult-like community of mostly women—dressed up in their most bejewelled outfits, accessorized with

stacks of homemade friendship bracelets—who pay a high price for the privilege of screaming along to her song lyrics in a stadium full of their fellow fans. A June survey from QuestionPro found between tickets, travel costs and other fees, concertgoers have so far spent an average of just over US$1,300 per show to attend the Eras Tour, with 91 per cent of respondents saying they’d pay the same rate to go again.

If that same spending pace continues through her entire run, “The Eras tour will have generated an estimated [US]$5 billion in

were an integral part of the soundtrack to my high school years, but my appreciation for her as an artist gradually fell off as I got older, my taste in music changed, and she veered further into pop territory.

Beyond the fact that her singles at that time didn’t exactly align with the kind of music on most of my playlists, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t seem basic, if not entirely cringe-worthy, to count yourself a Taylor Swift fan in those years.

It wasn’t unlike other shifts that happened earlier in my life, as a Disney princess dress-

result of growing up and changing tastes as they were driven by a general perception, at least from my perspective, of Taylor Swift and Barbie—even largely female-driven industries like fashion or make-up, or romcoms or reality TV—as frivolous. (Obviously, enjoying these things doesn’t require having an “F” on your driver’s license, but still.)

It’s a mindset echoed in a comment from an extended family member that has stuck with me from 15 or so years ago, asking when I would stop wasting the weeknights and Saturdays I was spending in a dance studio and start doing something more productive. I asked why they didn’t think my brother should stop playing hockey—after all, he grew up playing at a high level, but by then, it had become pretty clear an NHL contract probably wasn’t in the cards. The answer really didn’t matter, but the double standard did.

economic impact, more than the gross domestic product of 50 countries,” according to the report. Some have even gone so far as to credit Swift for saving the U.S. from falling into a recession.

Eras is currently on track to become the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, pulling in a record-breaking US$1 billion by next year.

It’s all the wilder considering six, eight, or even 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have paid a fraction of that, or probably even been willing to drive down the Sea to Sky highway to watch a T. Swift show. Her first three albums

obsessed toddler with buckets full of Barbies turned into an almost-teenager who wore pink sparingly, thought anything too “girly” was inherently uncool, and made a concerted effort to balance stereotypically feminine hobbies like dance with hockey and other sports. The same kind of balance so many of us try to strike between caring enough about our appearance to be accepted, but not caring so much as to be considered vain.

This summer has made me wonder whether those shifts were as much a natural

Fast forward, and I’m back on the Taylor Swift wagon, and the Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie movie has earned almost $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office since its July release. That solidifies Gerwig as the highest-grossing female director of all time, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

It’s exciting—and empowering, in a way—to watch these figures and ideas and concepts that, in the past, haven’t necessarily commanded society’s respect, at least commanding the economy.

This summer has been for the girls, and I love to see it. ■

“The Eras tour will have generated an estimated [US]$5 billion in economic impact, more than the gross domestic product of 50 countries.”

- QUESTIONPRO

Smoke signals: In Whistler, hazy skies, air quality advisory the sole signs of B.C.’s worst wildfire season

DID B.C.’S WEEKEND TRAVEL BAN IMPACT WHISTLER TOURISM?

BY MEGAN LALONDE

IF YOU STEPPED outside in Whistler last weekend, you probably noticed the faint smell of campfire—despite the fact that a fire ban remained in effect throughout the resort.

A thick haze of wildfire smoke rolled into the Sea to Sky corridor from Aug. 19 to 20, prompting Environment Canada to issue an air quality advisory for Whistler. The local alert came one day after the B.C. government declared a state of emergency, as the fires responsible for that smoke burned out of control in the province’s Interior and southeast, destroying structures and forcing thousands of residents out of their homes.

According to Environment Canada, Whistler’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) rating sat at 10+, or very high risk, as of Sunday afternoon, Aug. 20.

“Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health even at low concentrations,” the national weather agency explained in its advisory.

Though everyone in the community was encouraged to reduce their exposure to wildfire smoke and avoid strenuous outdoor activities until air quality improved, children, older athletes, people dealing with preexisting illness or chronic health conditions and people who work outside were at a higher risk of suffering from ill effects of the smoke.

The contaminated air led Arts Whistler to cancel its “Hear & Now: In the Park” event, which was set to feature a live performance by local band The Cold Smoke, after organizers of

Pemberton’s Slow Food Cycle announced that event wouldn’t happen as scheduled, either. (Flip to page 24 to read more.)

“The problem with [the air quality health index scale] is it kind of tops out at 10+,” explained Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau. “It’s not exactly designed for wildfire smoke, so there can be a lot of gradation above that 10+, but that’s where you reach the point of having adverse impacts, health-wise, from smoke—you kind of max out on that scale.”

IS B.C.’S NEW TRAVEL BAN IMPACTING WHISTLER TOURISM?

Fortunately for Whistler, a weekend of suboptimal air quality represents the worst impact the resort has dealt with so far during what has turned into Canada’s worst-ever wildfire season—especially compared to the devastation experienced in other regions, like the Okanagan and the Shuswap, this August.

Last week, the BC Wildfire Service predicted a cold front sweeping across the province on Aug. 17 would worsen fire conditions after a long stretch of hot, dry weather. That’s exactly what happened, only the result appeared to be even worse than officials expected.

On Saturday, Aug. 19, B.C. imposed a travel ban restricting non-essential visits to the central Interior and southeast B.C., in order to free up space in temporary accommodations like hotels, motels and campgrounds for the more than 30,000 British Columbians who were evacuated, as well as personnel providing emergency and critical services to fire suppression efforts over the weekend. It did not apply to the Sea to Sky corridor. (That ban was lifted at midnight on Tuesday, though non-essential travel to West

Kelowna remained off-limits. Officials still urged people to avoid the Lake Country and Shuswap regions.)

“Whistler has not been directly impacted by the recent devastating wildfires, but our hearts go out to the communities in southern, central, and northern B.C. who have been impacted, including closer-to-home Bridge River Valley,” said Tourism Whistler president and CEO Barrett Fisher.

Asked how the wildfire conditions and Interior travel ban affected visitation over the weekend, Fisher explained, “With the provincial government declaring a state of emergency, along with heightened global media attention, Whistler has received a number of inquiries from visitors, but we are not aware of any cancellations to date.”

Tourism Whistler continues “to welcome guests to Whistler, but are simultaneously sending our sincere best wishes for a speedy recovery to those impacted communities across B.C.,” she added.

In response to deteriorating air-quality levels, Fisher said Tourism Whistler’s team “encouraged guests to consider more indoor and moderate-exertion outdoor activities” over the weekend, before the smoke dissipated early this week.

HOW DID WHISTLER’S AIR QUALITY THIS WEEKEND COMPARE TO PAST YEARS?

Still, the smoke that settled into the valley last weekend wasn’t even close to the worst smoke event Whistler has experienced in recent history.

Looking back at historical data from a weather station at Whistler’s Meadow Park, “July of 2015 actually pops up as having recorded higher PM2.5 values,” Charbonneau explained, referencing the measurement used to indicate how much fine particulate matter

is present in wildfire smoke.

“During that event, on July 7, there was a maximum value of 554.2 micrograms per metre cubed, of PM2.5 which was measured,” Charbonneau said.

“With this past event over the weekend, we were seeing around 108 micrograms per metre cubed at that same station.”

In early July 2015, crews were battling several large blazes near Pemberton, while temperature inversions kept a thick blanket of smoke emanating from those fires trapped over the resort.

“That, to me, jumps out as perhaps one of the most severe [smoke] events that at least I can see on our data,” Charbonneau added. “I don’t actually see any others, where [the PM2.5] is really close to that.”

With clear skies over Whistler on Tuesday, Aug. 22, combined with the cooler temperatures and rain in the forecast for the following Wednesday, could the Sea to Sky expect to stay smoke-free for the foreseeable future?

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Charbonneau cautioned.

As long as those fires are still burning, “anytime we see a change in the direction of the winds, there’s the potential that we might start to see smoke coming back towards Whistler, Sea to Sky, Lower Mainland,” she said in a phone interview on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 22.

“As long as those fires are around, we can’t really count ourselves clear of the smoke, and it does look like we may have a return of some smoke later this week and into the weekend,” Charbonneau said. “Just how bad it will be, that’s what we don’t know at this point.”

As of Wednesday, Whistler’s fire danger rating was listed as “extreme.” Report all fires in Whistler immediately by dialing 911. Call the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 to report fires outside of Whistler. n

UP IN SMOKE Wildfire smoke obscured the views from Whistler’s Lord of the Squirrels trail on Saturday, Aug. 19.

PHOTO BY RENEE BOMBALA

Whistler Excellence Awards finalists announced

ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF WHISTLER’S BEST AND BRIGHTEST SET FOR OCT. 25

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: the Whistler Chamber of Commerce’s annual Whistler Excellence Awards return Oct. 25.

And as is the case every year, some of Whistler’s best and brightest will be vying for a bevy of local awards.

Without further ado, here are this year’s finalists:

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR –PRESENTED BY RACE AND COMPANY LLP

• Brandi Higgins, Whistler Sea Wolves Swim Club

• Carol Leacy, Whistler 360 Health

• The Ambassadors at the Sk_wx_wú7mesh and Líl ’ wat7úl Cultural Centre

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY BDO

• Barrett Fisher, Tourism Whistler

• Jackie Dickinson, Whistler Community Services Society

• Pepe Barajas, Infinity Enterprises Group

EMERGING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY CAPILANO UNIVERSITY

- Creekside Health

- Forecast Coffee

- Whistler 360 Health

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY BEEDIE LIVING

- Prior Snowboards & Skis

- Whistler Blackcomb

- Whistler Immigration

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

– PRESENTED BY HOTEL ASSOCIATION OF WHISTLER

- Katia Barton, Fairmont Chateau Whistler

- Lisa Coulter, Whistler Community Services Society

- Lizi McLoughlin, Zero Ceiling Society of Canada

SERVICE EXCELLENCE –SMALL BUSINESS – PRESENTED BY REACTIVE DESIGN

- The Raven Room

- Sierra Window & Property Services

- Whistler Valley Tours

SERVICE EXCELLENCE –LARGE BUSINESS – PRESENTED BY WHISTLER BLACKCOMB

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Engel & Völkers Whistler

Phone: +1 (604) 932-8899

Email: connect@whistlerforsale com

- Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club

- Four Seasons Resort Whistler

- Quattro Restaurant

SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION BUSINESS – PRESENTED BY CASCADE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE GROUP

- GNAR Inc.

- Naked Sprout Café

- The Velvet Underground

WHISTLER CHAMPION OF ARTS & CULTURE – PRESENTED BY WHISTLER REAL ESTATE COMPANY & ARTS WHISTLER

- Andrea Mueller, Andrea Mueller Art

- Monty Biggins

- Kristen Robinson, Kristen Robinson Productions

“We are extremely excited to share the finalists for this year’s awards. In partnership with BlueShore Financial, the annual gala awards event is Whistler’s chance to recognize and honour shining stars of the Whistler business community, those who have demonstrated exceptional brilliance in their operations, innovation, and impact on the local economy,” the Chamber said on its website, adding that early bird tickets go on sale Sept. 1.

“Congratulations to all the nominees— it is the contributions of individuals and organizations like you who make our community truly exceptional.” n

AURA OF EXCELLENCE Whistler Writers Fest founder Stella Harvey pictured at the 2022 Whistler Excellence Awards, where she was named Citizen of the Year.

PHOTO BY JOERN ROHDE / COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Tour by QR

Technical Safety BC investigating ‘serious injury’ on Whistler zipline

BC EMERGENCY HEALTH SERVICES RESPONDED TO A MEDICAL EMERGENCY ON SHOWH LAKES FOREST SERVICE ROAD EARLY THURSDAY EVENING, AUG. 3

BY MEGAN LALONDE

TECHNICAL SAFETY BC (TSBC) is investigating after a zipline incident in Whistler allegedly resulted in “serious injury” earlier this month.

The independent agency tasked with overseeing the safe installation and operation of technical systems and equipment across the province, including amusement park rides and ski lifts, confirmed it was notified about an incident on Thursday, Aug. 3.

“Our safety officer and incident investigation team have been to the site and are conducting an investigation,” TSBC confirmed in a statement.

“Following the incident, we worked with the operator to close the zipline, and it has not been available for public use since. We are working with the operator to ensure they can safely reopen the zipline.”

TSBC expects to release more details about the incident once its investigation is complete.

WorkSafeBC confirmed it was notified about an Aug. 3 zipline incident, but said it is not conducting its own investigation since the incident involved a “non-worker.”

While TSBC did not name the operator involved, a spokesperson for BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) confirmed dispatchers received a call at 5:41 p.m. Aug. 3 for a medical incident on Showh Lakes Forest Service Road. BCEHS responded with one ambulance. Paramedics cared for a patient at the scene and transported the individual to hospital, according to BCEHS.

Showh Lakes Forest Service Road is located north of Green Lake. Leading to the Ancient Cedars trail, it passes through The

Adventure Group’s (TAG) tenure on Cougar Mountain.

TAG is owned and operated by hospitality group Gibbons Whistler. The outdoor activity provider offers a “General Park Day Pass” product that includes access to an aerial obstacle course, RZR tours, its Superfly Ziplines course, and the Vallea Lumina nighttime multimedia show for $201, including transportation to and from TAG’s Cougar Mountain basecamp.

Reached by phone, a representative for

Gibbons Whistler declined to comment on the investigation.

According to TAG’s website, the Superfly Zipline course is made up of four tandem ziplines zig-zagging between Rainbow and Cougar Mountains on the west side of the Whistler Valley, connected by a network of trails, platforms and boardwalks.

During the two-hour excursion, Superfly guests can ride side-by-side on the eight individual cables, at times suspended 300 metres above the ground, and reach speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour. The longest of the four ziplines is 1.2 km, according to the tour operator.

Guests are required to sign a waiver available on TAG’s website before embarking on a Superfly Zipline excursion, acknowledging participating in the activity carries “risks, dangers and hazards including but not limited to: travel on rough, uneven, challenging or slippery terrain; changing weather conditions, equipment failure; failure to properly adjust or fasten equipment; improper use of equipment; slips and falls; over-exertion; fear of heights; impact or collision with trees, man-made or natural objects, other participants or guides; negligence of other participants or guides; and negligence on the part of releasees.” n

$5,980,000

7 6 SQFT: 5,250

• B e a u t i f u l n ew l y co n st r u c te d A l p i n e M e a d ows c h a l e t

• M o u n t a i n v i ews a n d a b u n d a n t s u n ex p o s u re

• E n te r t a i n e r s k i tc h e n , ro o f to p d e c k , l a rg e re a r ya rd

• S e l f - co n t a i n e d 2 b e d ro o m / 2 b at h ro o m s u i te

HANNAH GARCIA *PREC 604 966 8941

a n ce s

• U n l i m i te d p e r s o n a l u s e a n d n i g h t l y o r l o n g te r m re n t a l s

3 2.5 SQFT: 1,349

• Lo c ate d j u st ste p s f ro m O n e M i l e L a ke s h o p s a n d t ra i l s

• O p e n fl o o r p l a n l a rg e w i n d ows a n d u p d ate d a p p l i a n ce s

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$880,000 SANDRA LUTZ BAYNHAM

604 761 1273

ON THE LINE Technical Safety BC is investigating an incident that occured on a Whistler zipline earlier this August.

PHOTO BY KARL WEATHERLY / CORBIS DOCUMENTARY / GETTY IMAGES

The celebration begins with a cocktail reception, then guests come together at a single long table to enjoy a four-course seasonal menu with expertly paired wines. Hosted at "The Range" at Whistler Golf Course $250 per person plus tax and gratuity

thoughtful is

ROB PALM – RENNIE ADVISOR - WHISTLER

a meaningful connection

Whistler Community Foundation doles out $161K to help seven local non-profits adapt to postpandemic landscape

WCSS EARNS BIGGEST GRANT, FUELLED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S ONE-TIME COMMUNITY SERVICES RECOVERY FUND

BY MEGAN LALONDE

THERE’S NO QUESTION the pandemic impacted every corner of the resort, but one could argue no organization or business continues to carry a heavier load than the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS).

Between the non-profit’s Food Bank, Re-Use-It and Re-Build-It Centres, and outreach programming, “COVID-19 placed extraordinary strain on our organization,” explained WCSS executive director Jackie Dickinson. “We became the centre for support for people facing mental-health challenges, food insecurity, and financial instability.”

Today, demand for WCSS’ services remains five times higher than pre-pandemic levels, Dickinson added.

“With the declining availability of affordable housing, increases in cost of living, and unexpected personal debt loads, WCSS is expecting demand to stay high into the foreseeable future,” she said.

The good news? WCSS is among a handful of Whistler non-profits receiving an influx of funding this August, intended to help the local organizations streamline internal operations and continue meeting that sky-high demand.

In a release on Thursday, Aug. 17, the Whistler Community Foundation (WCF) announced it is delivering a total of $161,000 to fund seven local projects this year.

The sum comes courtesy of the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund, a one-time, $400-million, post-COVID investment to help organizations like charities, non-profits, and Indigenous governing bodies “adapt, modernize, and be better equipped to improve the efficacy, accessibility and sustainability of the community services that they provide through the pandemic recovery and beyond,” WCF explained in the release.

In other words, the federal funding helps pay for projects that may not grab headlines, but will nonetheless enable recipients to serve Whistler’s community even more effectively than they already do.

It’s a unique funding opportunity WCF “is quite excited about,” said CEO Claire Mozes. “Operational funds that support the development of or transition to stronger systems are game changers in terms of efficiency and efficacy of the demanding and necessary work Whistler charities and nonprofits do,” she explained.

WCSS earned the biggest grant in the bunch, receiving $47,000 to pay for a muchneeded technology systems upgrade in 2023.

“Receiving an investment through the Community Services Recovery Fund gives us the ability to upgrade our technical offerings, support, and infrastructure which are essential

in providing sustainable, efficient support in the years to come,” Dickinson explained.

An investment of $28,987 will help the Whistler Multicultural Society implement its “Digital Connections” plan, which will see the local organization lean on “knowledge, connections, and technology for improved accountability.” The Whistler Adaptive Sports Program Society, meanwhile, receives $24,333 to “revise and re-energize” its operations heading into winter.

On the heels of a recent five-figure grant from the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors Program, the Whistler Mature Action Community is celebrating an additional $22,965 investment to fund its development of a website and customer relationship management system.

Other funding recipients include the Zero Ceiling Society of Canada, which will use a $16,000 grant to modernize its human resources, IT, and finance systems; the Whistler Writing Society, whose development of a fundraising strategy and accounting transition gets an $11,685 boost; and lastly, the Whistler Gymnastics Club, which receives $10,030 to modernize its accounting and human resources management systems.

As WCF noted, organizations like the

seven listed above serve on the front lines when it comes to addressing Whistler’s needs. Since the earliest days of the pandemic, local non-profits have struggled to balance rising demand for their services with lower revenues, fewer donations due to the higher-than-ever cost of living, plus a growing obligation to integrate digital tools into their programming.

“Community service organizations are at the heart of communities like Whistler, creating a sense of belonging from coast to coast to coast. The Community Services Recovery Fund will enable organizations that serve our diverse communities to adapt and modernize their programs and services and to invest in the future of their organizations, staff and volunteers,” said Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jenna Sudds in the release.

“Together, we can rebuild from the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and build a more just and equitable future for those in Whistler.”

n

“Together, we can rebuild from the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic...”

- JENNA SUDDS

Sea to Sky seniors’ programs receive major boost from federal funds

MP WEILER ANNOUNCES $21,440 FOR WHISTLER MATURE ACTION COMMUNITY DEMENTIA PROGRAMMING; $25,000 FOR PEMBERTON VALLEY MEN’S SHED SOCIETY

BY MEGAN LALONDE

DESPITE ITS LIMITED budget, the Whistler Mature Action Community’s (MAC) “Making Connections” program has been a bright spot for locals living with dementia and their families since it launched last October.

MAC volunteers hope a major funding boost will yield even more positive impacts for that community moving forward.

The organization recently received a $21,440 grant from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program. The funding, which MAC announced in June, will support a specialized program aiming to delay cognitive decline in afflicted participants while offering caregivers space to connect with others in similar situations in Whistler.

The grant is among $303,795 in federal funding to be split among 15 community-based projects throughout the West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country riding.

Whistler MP Patrick Weiler joined members of MAC’s board of directors in Whistler on Thursday, Aug. 17 to announce the six-figure investment on behalf of Canada’s Minister of Seniors Seamus O’Regan.

“Our seniors have worked hard and contributed so much to our communities; they deserve to age with the best quality of life,” Weiler said in a release. “Through the New Horizons for Seniors Program, we are providing a wide range of opportunities for seniors to participate in meaningful activities that nurture their personal growth and foster community vitality. This in turn helps create more age-friendly and inclusive communities that everyone can enjoy.”

Also among local grant recipients is the Pemberton Valley Men’s Shed Society, which received $25,000 to renovate and revitalize its new space. The organization plans to create a workshop where seniors can work on carpentry projects, mentor others in carpentry, and socialize, according to the release.

“With over $300,000 in funding, the 15 projects announced today will empower seniors across our region to lead healthier, more active, and fulfilling lives,” Weiler added.

Typically featuring 45 minutes of gentle fitness, games and other mentally stimulating activities, followed by socializing over a light lunch, the weekly Whistler Making Connections Dementia-Friendly Program also helps participants “break through the barrier of isolation, form new friendships and have fun in a welcoming environment,” MAC

explained in the release. Ultimately, “It should allow people with dementia to remain in their homes longer.”

After a successful pilot in Spring Creek last fall, MAC decided to offer the program on a more permanent basis beginning in January. Since then, Making Connections sessions have taken place at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church each Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Whistler Community Services Society and a roster of senior volunteers has enabled MAC to facilitate the program over the last eight months.

Through grants, the federal New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) supports community-led projects that empower seniors or help improve that demographic’s health and well-being. Organizations are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in funding. Since 2004, the program has funded more than 30,000 projects across Canada.

In its 2022 budget, the Liberal government pledged to expand the NHSP by an additional $20 million over two years.

The organization has “been thrilled to see the positive changes we have brought to the lives of participants,” Whistler MAC project leader Charalyn Kriz said in the release. “It gives them something to look forward to, an opportunity to have fun, to make new friendships, to form their own support networks.”

Support from Sea to Sky Community Services Better at Home program, Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church,

“When seniors are more connected, engaged and active members of their communities, everyone benefits,” O’Regan explained in the release. “So, we want to support organizations that build more inclusive communities and give seniors the tools they need to age on their own terms.”

Space in the Making Connections programs is not limited to MAC members, or even Whistler residents. The program is open to anyone in neighbouring communities who is willing to make the drive and pay the “nominal fee” of $5 per person, per session. Enrol at whistlermac. org, or contact Kriz at cdkriz@gmail.com to try a session for free. n

“Our seniors have worked hard and contributed so much...”

- PATRICK WEILER

Naturespeak: Awesome geology sites around Whistler—Green Lake (Part 1)

B Y STEVE CARNEY

IT’S A GREAT TIME to get outside and check out the amazing geology on our doorstep; towering granitic peaks, iconic volcanoes, glaciers and massive landslides. If you are not sure where to start over the next few months, I will highlight some of the great geological sites you may want to explore around Whistler.

First up is Green Lake. Whistler’s most northerly, largest, deepest and arguably most beautiful lake, there is so much to see and great access to viewing points and geologically interesting locations. A good place to start your adventure is 6.7 kilometres north of Whistler Village, on the east side of Highway 99 at the Green Lake viewing pull-in. Here you get terrific views of the Coast Mountains, one of the world’s iconic mountain belts and the largest granitic body in North America. These mountains are associated with a chain of converging tectonic plate boundaries called the Pacific Ring of Fire, where many of the world’s major mountain ranges, volcanoes and earthquakes occur.

About 80 per cent of the Coast Mountains are light-coloured granitic rocks like quartz diorite, which form Blackcomb, Wedge, Weart, and Cook mountains. Mount Currie to the north has some darker-coloured granitic rock, diorite. These rocks formed about 150 million years ago as “plutons” of hot molten magma

moved up through the Earth’s crust before cooling underground and crystallizing as solid granite.

Whistler Mountain to the south is about 80 million years old, and comprises sedimentary (shale and silt) and volcanic rocks, which were thrust up along the Fitzsimmons Range Fault located high up on the north side of Whistler

Mountain. Much of the underlying bedrock around the west/south of Green Lake is also of sedimentary and volcanic origin.

The towering Coast Mountains are impressive today, but that wasn’t always the case. About 15 million years ago, erosional forces had worn down the mountains into a landscape of gentle, low-rolling hills. Most

precipitation bypassed this area and fell further inland. Then, about 10 million years ago, the mountains were forced upwards by tectonic activity, blocking the path of moist, oceanic air. This resulted in increased precipitation on the Coast Mountains, and produced a rain shadow and arid conditions inland in the Okanagan. Whistler undoubtedly greatly benefited from this period of mountain building, especially via the winter pow and B.C. wines.

The compressive forces that helped form the Coast Mountains also played a part in forming the valley below. Sometime in the past 23 million years, a 20-km-long, northeast-southwest trending tear occurred in the Earth’s crust known as the Green Lake Fault. Bedrock on the east side of the fault (including those underlying Wedge, Blackcomb, and Whistler mountains) moved several kilometres to the south, and the rocks on the west side moved north. Later, rivers followed this ancient fault line, initially cutting a V-shaped valley. In time, Ice Age glacial erosion widened and deepened the valley, leaving the broad, U-shaped valley, in which Green Lake sits today.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next month, when we will look at the effects of glaciation and the modern geological features of Green Lake.

Naturespeak is prepared by the Whistler Naturalists. To learn more about Whistler’s natural world, go to whistlernaturalists.ca. n

ROCK TALK Green Lake’s geological setting, rock types, and points of interest.

IMAGE BY STEVE CARNEY

CHIEF SP ONS OR S

MEDI A PAR T NERS

Evacuation orders expanded, more structures destroyed as wildfires spread north of Pemberton

SLOW FOOD CYCLE ORGANIZERS, VENDORS PIVOT AFTER CANCELLING SUNDAY EVENT IN SOLIDARITY WITH EVACUEES

BY MEGAN LALONDE

THE SQUAMISH-LILLOOET Regional District (SLRD) confirmed more structures have been lost to the Downton Lake fire burning in the Upper Bridge River Valley, one in a series of wildfires north of Pemberton that exploded in size over the last week.

In an update on Monday, Aug. 21, the regional district acknowledged additional structures burned down on the west side of Gun Lake, but said the exact number remains unknown.

Tim Conrad, public information officer with the SLRD’s Emergency Operations Centre, pleaded for patience as officials work to identify the properties lost, while BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews continue working around the clock to attack the blaze and protect structures.

“This is an active fire area … and the work to be done will take [more than] a week,” Conrad said in a video update posted to the SLRD’s YouTube channel. “So please bear with us while we work through that process. I know it’s very difficult to wait, but unfortunately this is the challenge that is in front of us. We have a lot of things to overcome.”

The SLRD previously confirmed on Aug. 6 the fire had destroyed two singlefamily recreational properties and at least 12 outbuildings in the Gun Lake area, about 120 kilometres north of Whistler, in addition to another single-family home burned down by the neighbouring Casper Creek fire in the Highline Road area.

Heavy smoke is hampering progress, as well as the significant growth of wildfires in

the area of late. On Aug. 16, crews estimated the Downton Lake fire, which ignited near Gold Bridge on July 13, was burning about 2,603 hectares, while the Casper Creek blaze, discovered on July 11 west of Lillooet, above Seton and Carpenter lakes, sat at approximately 4,650 hectares.

By early Tuesday evening, Aug. 22, the Downton Lake fire was burning an estimated 7,382 hectares, or just under 74 square kilometres.

Meanwhile, BCWS estimated the nearby Casper Creek wildfire had grown to 10,327 hectares by Aug. 22. The blaze now covers more than 103 square km after jumping south over Carpenter Lake and Road 40 late last week.

Fast-spreading fires prompted the SLRD to expand existing evacuation orders in Electoral Area A on Aug. 18 “due to immediate danger to life safety.” The order now applies to all SLRD properties west of Terzaghi Dam. Specifically, it affects Gun Lake, Lajoie Lake, and Slim Creek areas; Gold Bridge, Brexton and Bralorne; properties near Marshall Lake and north of Carpenter Lake, and around Tyaughton Lake. The South Chilcotin Mountains Park and all rec sites and trails near the wildfire zone are also closed.

“Both of these fires are giving crews lots of challenges, so you can expect that evacuation orders in the area will remain in place and there are no immediate plans for downgrades due to the dangerous conditions, road access and loss of communication and utilities that has happened in the area,” Conrad said.

Though wildfire activity has eased slightly since the weekend, the SLRD said flames ripping through the area left new hazards in their wake, like downed hydro lines and debris falling on roads.

BCWS warned last week high winds and dry lightning brought about by a weather system sweeping across the province on Thursday, Aug. 17 could worsen fire

conditions. The grim prediction came true, as fast-moving fires displaced thousands and wreaked havoc on communities in the Okanagan and Shuswap regions.

The Downton Lake and Casper Creek blazes were two of 377 active fires burning across B.C. as of Pique’s weekly press deadline on Aug. 22.

“We know that’s difficult given that people have been displaced for some time and will be for a bit yet,” Conrad said. “Resources are stretched across the province. Some things may not happen at a speed that matches your expectations or things that you’ve seen in the past—this is complex work that we’re into at this point, with both immediate and longterm needs for resources. So many people from within the regions and many others are doing everything they can.

“Please everyone, take care of yourself, support others,” he added. “We will get through this. You will get through this.”

STATE OF EMERGENCY PUTS THE BRAKES ON SLOW FOOD CYCLE

The situation led organizers of Pemberton’s popular Slow Food Cycle to cancel the annual event at the 11th hour.

On the third Sunday each August, Pemberton Meadows Road closes to accommodate a crowd of about 3,000 cyclists rolling between farms and food stands. This year, with Upper Bridge River Valley residents ordered to leave via the Hurley Forest Service Road, the Slow Food Cycle route coincided with their evacuation path.

“Slow Food Cycle is more than a tourism event for a lot of people—for a lot of small businesses, vendors and farmers, that represents their best day of the year,” explained Christine Raymond, executive director with event organizer Tourism Pemberton. “But these are also our neighbours, our community,

and we didn’t want to add to the burden of the wildfire situation. So you have families losing their home, and then families losing their best chance at [generating] revenue … it was a very hard balancing act.”

Though several ideas were raised during a Friday afternoon meeting between Raymond, the SLRD, RCMP, B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation, and local fire crews— including closing one lane and having a police escort on standby—organizers ultimately made the difficult call to shut down the event altogether after the province declared a State of Emergency later Friday evening.

“That kind of changed our perspective on the event a little bit,” Raymond said.

Organizers instead pivoted to figure out a new way to support farmers, vendors, and small businesses, “because that road had another priority that day,” she said.

While Slow Food Cycle organizers managed to throw together a standalone pop-up event at Cold Creek Acres farm, featuring a barbecue, live music and beer, the Whistler Farmers’ Market jumped onboard to accommodate several vendors impacted by the cancellation, offering space to offload at least a portion of the copious amounts of goods they had harvested and prepared in anticipation of Sunday’s event.

Vendors were all “very understanding,” Raymond said, as were participants.

“When I sent an email to the 1,500 people that registered online, to let them know to please not visit Pemberton that day, to not overwhelm us, a lot of people responded, ‘How do I not get a refund and donate my registration fee to the wildfire situation?’” she explained.

Each year, Slow Food Cycle raises $1,000 for a local organization, Raymond added. “I’m hoping this year, we’re still going to be able to reach that goal,” she said. “And be able to support our neighbouring community even more.” ■

EVAC UPDATE The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District’s Tim Conrad joined BCWS fire info officer Paula Walbauer for a video update on Aug. 21.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ELECTORAL AREA

D

Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 7pm at the Britannia Mining Museum multi-purpose room, 150 Copper Drive, Britannia Beach

Public Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 466 of the Local Government Act that a public hearing will be held in person regarding the following bylaws:

1 Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Electoral Area D Official Community Plan Bylaw No 1135-2013, Amendment Bylaw No 1739-2021; and

2. Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Electoral Area D Zoning Bylaw No. 13502016, Amendment Bylaw No 1740-2021

PURPOSE OF BYLAW No 1739-2021:

Bylaw No 1739-2021 will amend the Electoral Area D OCP The key aspects include:

• Designating South Britannia as a “Planned Community”, which is the same designation that has been applied to the Furry Creek and Porteau Cove communities

• Adding an illustrative concept plan and a pedestrian, parks and open space plan for South Britannia

• Capping the maximum permitted number of residential units at 1,050, of which 150 units must be affordable

• Requiring at least 1 5 hectares (3 75 acres) of community parks and playgrounds and an additional 10 hectares (24 7 acres) of publicly accessible passive parks for the Britannia South (including 5 2 hectares (12 8 acres) for Minaty Bay, which is already designated as Park in the OCP)

• Increasing the commercial floorspace from the currently permitted maximum of 1,500 square metres (16,000 square feet) to a required minimum of 1,800 square metres (20,000 square feet) as part of creating a more complete community with more jobs and services for local residents

• Increasing the maximum permitted number of tourist accommodation units from 100 to 190, including for hotels, lodges, cabins and similar short-term tourist use

PURPOSE OF BYLAW No 1740-2021:

Bylaw No 1740-2021 is a Comprehensive Development zone (CD4) that is in conformity with the proposed OCP amendment bylaw. Key aspects include:

• Creating three land use definitions that are specific to South Britannia (“Minaty Bay Tourist Accommodation”, “Surf Village Commercial” and “Village Commercial (South Britannia)”)

• Dividing the CD4 zone into 11 subzones, each with a specified set of permitted uses, densities and other regulations (e g , building setbacks and heights)

• Setting the maximum building height at six storeys

• Setting the maximum number of dwelling units at 1050, of which 150 must be affordable housing units subject to a housing agreement

• Requiring a minimum of 185 square meters (1,990 square feet) for a child care facility

• Enabling 190 units of tourist accommodation

• Enabling a surfing facility.

• Excluding campground and recreation vehicle park uses from tourist accommodation

• Requiring that off-street parking and loading comply with Section 5 of the Zoning Bylaw, with the added requirement that a driveway apron a minimum length of 5 5 metres (18 0 feet) must be provided in front of the private garage door of a dwelling unit

The Zoning and OCP amendment applications are being processed concurrently

The area covered by Bylaw 1739-2021 and 1740-2021 includes the following legal descriptions as outlined on the map included in this notice:

Legal Descriptions:

1 Part of District Lot 1583 Group 1 New Westminster District Except: Firstly;

Part In Reference Plan 4390, Secondly; Part in Reference Plan 4878, Thirdly; Part on Plan 21576, Fourthly; Part Shown as 8 31 Acres on Highway Plan 76 Fifthly; Part Shown as 0 08 Acres on Highway Plan 76, Sixthly: Portion on Plan BCP29232 PID 010-026-151

2 Lot A, Except Part Dedicated Road on Plan BCP28651, District Lots 1583, 2001 and 7034 Plan 21576 PID 010-077-227

3. Parcel 1 (Reference Plan 4878) of District Lot 1583 Group 1 New Westminster District Except Part on Plan 21576 PID 010-025-952

4 Parcel 1 (Reference Plan 4878) of District Lot 2001 Group 1 New Westminster District Except Part on Plan 21576 PID 010-025-901

5 Part of Lot A Except: Part Dedicated Road on Plan BCP25632 District Lot 2001 and 7035 Group 1 New Westminster District Plan 20309 PID 006-646-921

6 Part of District Lot 4008 Group 1 New Westminster District Except: Firstly: Part on Highway Plan 76, Secondly: Part on Plan BCP29235 PID 010-025-766

INFORMATION

A copy of the proposed bylaws and relevant background documents may be inspected at the Regional District office, 1350 Aster Street, Pemberton, BC, during office hours

8:00 am to 4:30 pm from August 21, 2023 to September 6, 2023 not including weekends and statutory holidays or on the SLRD website at h

The public hearing is to be chaired by Electoral Area D Director Tony Rainbow as a delegate of the SLRD Regional Board

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

All persons who believe that their interest in the property is affected by the proposed bylaw shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard or to present written submissions respecting matters contained in the bylaws at the public hearing

All persons can 1) submit written comments; and/or make oral representations in person at the public hearing

1. Submit Written Comments to the Board:

Written submissions must be addressed to “SLRD Board of Directors,” and include your name and mailing address Until 4:00pm on September 5, 2023, written submissions will be received at the following:

Email: planning@slrd bc ca

Hard Copy: Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Planning Department PO Box 219, Pemberton, BC V0N 2L0

Written submissions will also be accepted on September 6, 2023 between 8:00am and the time when the motion to close the Public Hearing is made During this timeframe, written comments must be submitted by email to: kneedham@slrd bc ca

2. Participate in Person:

The public hearing will take place September 6, 2023 at 7:00 p m at the Britannia Mine Museum multi-purpose room, 150 Copper Dr, Britannia Beach

Alberta’s renewable energy boom hits government roadblock

ALBERTA HAS BEEN leading a renewable energy boom in Canada, with investments in the tens of billions and close to $3 billion in projects underway—providing good employment and clean power. It’s no wonder. The province has abundant sun and wind and room for solar and wind installations, as well as a skilled workforce and people who care about the spectacular nature around them.

Alberta also has an “open market” electricity system that allows producers to sell to private power providers.

Despite the increasing benefits of renewable energy for Alberta and beyond, the provincial government recently put a

BY DAVID

seven-month hold on large solar and wind projects—with little notice or consultation. Although the province’s lax regulatory environment could use tightening up for all large energy projects—including gas, oil and coal—that doesn’t require a moratorium on one sector. And, given the Alberta government’s overzealous support for the fossil fuel industry, shaky justifications for this move and antipathy to climate policy, it’s easy to question its motive.

The government says it wants time to study impacts on the grid and rules around decommissioning. Again, that doesn’t require shutting down the industry. “We’ve conducted regulatory reviews for both coal bed methane production and the oil sands industry for years—all without pausing development,” Jorden Dye, acting director of

“We will never allow these regulations to be implemented here, full stop,” she said.

Why would the Alberta government put billions of dollars of investment, good jobs, opportunities in rural areas and cleaner air and environment in jeopardy to prop up a dying industry? It appears to be part of the fossil fuel industry’s newest effort to stay alive by selling “natural” gas as a climate solution rather than the polluting fuel it is.

Politicians, including Alberta’s environment minister, have joined industry in touting the “benefits” of continued gas power.

As heat pump and renewable energy adoption accelerate worldwide, industries hyping (mostly fracked) methane gas as a climate solution and downplaying better alternatives are misleading at best. Gas supplier FortisBC recently had information showing the benefits of heat pumps and electrification removed from a joint government-industry report about the role of gas in the clean energy transition. When Enbridge applied to expand its gas network in Ontario, the company used a flawed study that inflated by billions of dollars the cost of switching buildings from gas to electric heat.

The truth is, it now costs less to generate electricity with wind and solar than gas, even with storage, and costs for renewables are dropping while gas and other fossil fuel prices are climbing in volatile markets.

It’s not a lack of available solutions holding us up; it’s a lack of political will. David Suzuki Foundation research shows Canada could achieve not just net-zero emissions, but emissions-free electricity by 2035, without relying on new nuclear, new large hydro or carbon capture and storage.

It’s bad enough that political leaders who seemingly understand the climate crisis

Business Renewables Centre-Canada, told the Guardian

As for reclamation rules, Alberta has hundreds of thousands of oil and gas wells that companies are legally required to decommission when they’re finished— one for every 1.4 square kilometres of land! But a growing number, now in the tens of thousands, have become inactive, with companies often declaring bankruptcy and walking away from cleanup responsibilities. The federal government has already put $1 billion into cleanup, and the province wants to kick in at least $100 million in tax credits to convince companies to fulfil their legal obligations.

Consider also the premier’s response to the federal government’s necessary and sensible draft clean electricity regulations, which aim to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from power generation by 2035.

aren’t doing enough. It’s worse that some are openly hostile to the very idea of protecting the world—our children and grandchildren and those yet to be born—from the rapidly increasing consequences of wastefully burning coal, oil and gas.

Everyone will benefit from the clean energy transition—from cleaner air, a stable climate, good jobs, economic opportunities, better energy security, affordable power and more. Some politicians may think progress is impossible, but people in Alberta and all of Canada know better.

We need politicians to represent our interests, not those of a dying, polluting industry.

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

We need politicians to represent our interests, not those of a dying, polluting industry.

SUZUKI

Louis, I hardly knew ye

I SPENT last week on a wilderness canoe trip in Quetico Provincial Park, a 4,760-squarekilometre chunk of classic Northern Ontario a few hours west of Thunder Bay. The park’s southern border abuts Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, part of the larger Superior National Forest, forming the largest contiguous area dedicated to wilderness canoeing in the world.

Where better-known Algonquin in Central

BY LESLIE ANTHONY

Ontario is more of a near-north wilderness theme park tamed by thousands of annual visitors, with marked portages and campsites, the latter equipped with “thunderbox” pit toilets, Quetico remains decidedly wild. More than 2,000 lakes—some not named—are interconnected by the usual rivers, streams and swamps. Definitively, none of the hundreds of portages that facilitate movement between these are marked, requiring good map skills and the ability to read land from the water; equally unflagged are the barebones campsites, which, while typically set on obvious points, islands and outcrops, require you to bury your poo deep in the woods.

When you first see a map of Quetico it projects terraqueous chaos. Look closer, however, and patterns appear: the long,

east-west aligned lakes—Cirrus, Quetico and Pickerel—and the large chunk of land in the middle encircled by hundreds of lakes known as Hunter Island. On the ground, erupting from a dense, mixed forest constellated with iconic white pine, you see much of what you see elsewhere in northern Ontario: bedrock of the Canadian Shield, scraped clean and polished by glaciers, limning many of the lakes. But for physiography and geology aficionados there’s a feeling something else happened here—something even bigger than the three-kilometre-thick ice sheet of a continental glaciation. Hints exist in oddly

swathes of sand-loving poison ivy. As different from the boreal bounty of Quetico as can be, it turns out to be a fortuitous bookend, for the two places have something in common: Lake Agassiz.

An ancient, pro-glacial lake formed across the northern half of North America when the final Pleistocene Sheet began to melt some 16,000 years ago, Agassiz is the largest such lake ever known, occupying about 1.5 million square km of what is now northwestern Ontario, southern Manitoba and central Saskatchewan up to the Alberta border, reaching as far south as the Dakotas. When Agassiz began its retreat

dammed Agassiz and prevented what should have been its natural drainage—north into Hudson Bay. Instead, at different times over its many-thousand-year existence, the waters variously drained south into the Red River and Mississippi basins to the Gulf of Mexico, into the Mackenzie River basin en route to the Arctic Ocean, and, notably, east for a sustained period through Quetico and the Nipigon-Superior basin, which accounts for all the super-sluice landscape features we noted there.

placed massive boulders—glacial erratics— that don’t seem quite as random as they should be but rounded and aligned along waterways; in the bedrock that looks more water-worn than glacier-polished; and in the extensive sand in some areas that seem impossible to ascribe to such small lakes. But you don’t think too much about it once you’re out of the canoe and there are tents to pitch and fires to build.

Finishing our trip in the evening and leaving Quetico early next morning, we headed west. Some 800 km later we found ourselves hiking through the preternatural landscape of Spirit Sands in Manitoba’s Spruce Woods Provincial Park south of Brandon, climbing four-storey sand dunes, chasing reptiles and ogling desert plants mixed with juniper and

in southern Manitoba about 15,000 years ago, it left an expanse of sandy deposits—some 6,500 square km of it—primarily in the form of a submarine delta created by glacial meltwater that eventually became the Assiniboine River. As the sand was revealed, wind blew it into huge shifting dunes—much like those of the Sahara. Eventually, most of these dunes were covered in vegetation, but at Spirit Sands some four square km of open dunes remain, still shifting with the weather and surrounded by a diverse ecosystem of mixed-grass prairie, river-bottom forests, and spruce parklands that feature pincushion and spiny star cacti, hognose snakes, prairie skinks, and plains spadefoot toads.

That’s today—the past is another story.

As the ice sheet retreated northward, it

Emptying Agassiz wasn’t always a smooth operation; collapsing ice dams often led to catastrophic floods. The largest broke 12,000 years ago to the northwest along the ClearwaterAthabasca Spillway, through what is now Fort McMurray. The estimated discharge rate of two million cubic metres per second was 10 times the volume of the Amazon River’s average discharge; the flood drained about 21,000 cubic km of water—a volume equivalent to the Great Lakes—in under nine months, and raised global ocean levels up to three metres. Cue the “great flood” mythologies that materialized in various cultures globally around this time.

The lake was named in honour of Louis Agassiz, a Swiss-born American biologist and geologist who died in 1873. A professor of zoology and geology at Harvard, Agassiz made scientific contributions to zoology, paleontology and the study of historical geology—most importantly the founding of glaciology. Naming a lake that had the largest influences on these sciences in North America for a man who pioneered them seems more than fair. I didn’t know much about Louis Agassiz until I found myself traversing the legacy of his researches, but it sure makes me want to know more.

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

When you first see a map of Quetico it projects terraqueous chaos. Look closer, however, and patterns appear...

AGASSIZ LEGACY Walking the Spirit Sands in Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Man., a legacy of Lake Agassiz.

PHOTO BY LESLIE ANTHONY

Braden Dupuis

This feature originally ran in the June 13, 2019 issue of Pique . It has been updated with new information from the Resort Municipality of Whistler.

Let’s get to the point.

Sooner or later (at least according to the experts), Whistler is going to burn.

“It’s not a matter of if,” goes the recurring phrase of said experts and concerned politicians.

“But when.”

So.

Now that we’ve established that unsettling fact, what are we going to do about it?

The first steps are to sign up for Whistler Alert and FireSmart your property—but you already know that, don’t you? You’ve already had the home assessment, pruned up those danger trees, cleared the space around your home?

Of course you have.

Now.

Step two is a bit of a thing—an uncomfortable conversation, but one we need to have.

If you thought removing the beautiful trees cuddled up to your rustic resort living quarters was painful, it’s nothing to the pain a full-blown wildfire evacuation will bring.

Just ask Nelson fire chief Len MacCharles, who witnessed the catastrophic effects of wildfire firsthand while serving as incident commander in the aftermath of the Slave Lake fire in 2011, and gave the order to evacuate Calgary during the 2013 floods.

“I’m the one who said ‘let’s evacuate,’ which turned out to be 80,000 people in the evacuation zone, and all the good and bad things that came with that,” MacCharles told nearly 200 delegates at a 2018 wildfire and climate change conference in Nelson, which Pique attended.

The crucial call to action from MacCharles’ point of view is two-fold: have a 72-hour kit (containing all the essentials in the event of an emergency: water, food, medication, first-aid, important documents, a wind-up flashlight and radio, etc.) and a personal

evacuation plan.

“It is a huge nightmare,” MacCharles says. “Even with great planning and trained people, and your community aware, it’s going to be chaotic.”

The chaos is easily imaginable—the first-hand accounts and dashcam footage from the evacuation of Fort McMurray in 2016 paint a grim picture of what a lastminute evacuation looks like—but it can be tempered, somewhat, with forethought and preparation.

Marshall Whitsed, former news anchor and morning show co-host with Mountain FM, was working for a radio station in Fort McMurray when the fire overtook the city.

“I think there is an element of, you don’t realize how bad it can get, so quickly, until you’ve been through it,” Whitsed says, recalling how a blue-sky day devolved into an ominous black pall overhead—and then an imminent evacuation order—over the course of his lunch break.

“Something my wife and I always do now, and especially this time of year as we ramp up for summer, is we have half a tank of gas in the car at all times.”

Indeed, one of the most harrowing experiences—and lasting memories—Whitsed retains from that fateful day is the time it took his wife to fill up the car with gas, waiting in line with dozens of others at the pumps, flames rising ever higher in the sky.

“You can’t always rely on things that you think are going to be there, and it’s all good and well saying, ‘Well, this is what we’ll do: it will be a 13-hour evacuation if this happens, and if this happens,’ but you’ve got to do it early,” Whitsed says, noting that it would have been a different story if Fort Mac had evacuated the day the fire broke out, or within 24 hours.

“As it was, you’ve got a lot of people with PTSD now, and I think what I have learned from that is to be more prepared.”

With those sage and sobering words in mind, we present to you the Pique Newsmagazine Grab-and-go Guide to Getting Out—your (hopefully) one-stop shop to all the information you will need before and during an evacuation.

So study up—this is all going to be on the test.

PART 1: STAY UP TO DATE DURING FIRE SEASON

• Your first step should be to sign up for Whistler Alert at whistler.ca/prepared.

• During fire season, always be aware of the fire danger rating, and any campfire bans. Find all the latest info at www.whistler.ca/fire.

• If you see smoke in Whistler, call 911.

• Fires outside of Whistler should be reported to the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 toll-free on most cell networks

• Pick up a Pique every Friday (at least to scan the headlines, people), stay up to date on social media, and if a fire does break out, keep track of it with BC Wildfire’s handy map at www.bcwildfire.ca.

“If there is a fire nearby, stay on the pulse,” says Whitsed. “Monitor the muni feeds, keep an eye on media, because they’re the ones that are going to help out, and if you feel you need to go, then go. Don’t wait things out, because if you go at the last minute, well, you may get stuck in traffic, or you might have to figure out a different way to get out.”

PART 2: MAKE A PLAN/MAKE A KIT

PLAN:

• talk to your family, and make a plan about what you will do in the event of an evacuation.

• talk to your neighbours, and get a sense of their needs—will they need help evacuating? What are their work schedules like? How will you help each other when it matters most?

• decide on a safe meeting place should you and your family get separated.

• designate someone to pick up your kids from school or daycare if you can’t get there.

• know how to turn off utilities if necessary.

• everyone’s plan will be different, depending on their circumstances (do you have a car? Kids? Pets?)—the RMOW has some important resources available on its website to cover personal preparedness, evacuation planning, and more at whistler.ca/prepared.

KIT:

• important documents

• medications

• clothes

• important objects like photos, heirlooms

• pet needs

• fresh water and snacks

“When we went to the work camp when we evacuated, we had my cat in a cat carrier with some food, but we had no litter,” Whitsed recalls.

“And we couldn’t get litter because of the remote location, so we had to go find, like, gravel, and do a makeshift cardboard box with litter for our cat.

“It’s all the little things.”

WHAT ARE YOU FORGETTING?

Everyone’s evacuation needs are going to be different, but it’s important to remember that, during an emergency, there won’t be time to collect everything you need.

So be prepared.

Have emergency kits for your home, office AND vehicle.

Each should contain food, fresh water, medication and supplies for you and your family to cope at least three days or more without outside assistance.

“Think of ways that you can pack your emergency kits, so you and other family members can take them with you, if necessary. During an emergency, phone, gas, electrical and water services may be disrupted. Roads could be blocked, stores closed and gas stations out-of-service,” the RMOW’s website reads.

“It may be weeks before infrastructure, utilities and essential services are restored. Are you prepared to cope?”

PART 3: KNOW YOUR ZONE

In the event of an evacuation, residents without vehicles will be asked to KNOW THEIR ZONE and get to the nearest MUSTER POINT. (Zones are numbered from one to 31 on the above map; muster points are represented by the circled numbers one through six.)

“People evacuating via public transit are asked to limit their luggage to what can fit on their lap. Local transit buses do not have storage areas, and there isn’t room for large amounts of luggage,” according to the RMOW’s website.

If an evacuation order is issued and you do not have a ride, go to a central muster point so you can connect with transportation to take you to a safe location.

“If we had a lot of advance notice, and a wildfire was kind of approaching and we were monitoring, most likely what we would do is have transit buses run their regular routes and pick up people at their transit stops, that didn’t have transportation, bring them to somewhere like the Gateway Loop, and bus them out using coaches and the local transit,” said former emergency program coordinator Erin Marriner.

“We designed it so that hopefully nobody has to walk more than two kilometres to a central muster point. Ideally, people are able to get a transit bus close to their house, the one they usually take, but if it’s something that’s unfolding really fast, you just go to your closest muster point and a bus will take you out of town.”

PART 4: GETTING OUT

The RMOW’s eight-step evacuation guide is a must-have for every resident, but any actual evacuation is going to be a fluid process.

A safe and orderly evacuation will rely on an informed public that is listening to the instructions of local officials.

You’ve signed up for Whistler Alert, and made sure your evacuation zone is up to date. What’s next?

CONNECT with local or out-of-town emergency contacts // GET INFORMED: whistler.ca; piquenewsmagazine. com; radio; social media (@rmwhistler on Instagram and X/Twitter; facebook.com/rmwhistler. // FOLLOW

INSTRUCTIONS from local officials. // ASSEMBLE YOUR 4Ps: people; pets; papers; prescriptions // EVACUATE or go to the nearest transit stop if you don’t have personal transportation // IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE to evacuate phone 604-932-5535 // REGISTER at the reception centre // FIND UPDATES

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS

WHISTLER ALERT

In terms of emergency planning, signing up for Whistler Alert is at the very top of your to-do list, according to manager of protective services Lindsay DeBou.

“The faster we can reach our residents and visitors with the information they need in an emergency, the faster they can act,” she says. “Register your name and phone number and select the neighbourhoods you would like notifications for. You can select all the neighbourhoods you spend time in, such as where you work, and the neighbourhoods where your kids are in school or daycare. In an emergency, the more you know, and the sooner, the better.”

The RMOW added Whistler Alert to its roster of emergency preparedness tools in 2019 to enable Whistler’s residents and visitors to receive instructions from emergency officials directly to their phones and inboxes.

Whistler Alert is the official emergency notification system used by the RMOW to communicate with residents and visitors during emergencies.

The system informs you by text, phone and email of emergencies which may pose a risk to your health, safety or property.

Whistler Alert is available to both residents and visitors. When you register, you will be asked whether you are a resident or visitor and prompted with the following:

Residents are asked to provide their contact information and to select the Whistler neighbourhoods for which they wish to receive alerts. We recommend selecting all neighbourhoods where you spend time—those areas where you work or play—and the neighbourhoods with the school or childcare facility your child attends.

Sign up for Whistler Alert is available at whistler.ca/prepared. ■

Rebelles with a cause

WHISTLER LOCALS FUNDRAISING FOR ILSA AT OFF-ROAD DESERT RACE

BY DAN FALLOON

JOANNE YOUNKER and Rachel Michalecki are no strangers to stressful situations that demand quick thinking and calm under pressure.

The pair work at the Whistler Health Care Centre—Younker as a nursing support worker and Michalecki as an emergency nurse—but will soon take their skills behind the wheel in the 2023 Rebelle Rally this October.

The duo, dubbed Team Snowstorm, will tackle the 2,500-kilometre, eight-day, off-road navigation challenge across the California and Nevada deserts from Mammoth Mountain to the Glamis Sand Dunes using just a compass and map. They’re one of 56 all-women teams taking on the challenge, and just one of three from Canada.

“We figure, being from Whistler where we live in a pretty rugged environment with a lot of extreme sports going on, this is something similar to the snow, but different, because it’s in the sand dunes,” Michalecki said. “Let’s see if it is the same as the snow and what it’s like out there in their wilderness.”

Younker came across the rally through her work as an instructor with Overland Training Canada, letting Michalecki know she was interested in taking on the challenge.

Younker’s interest in rallying runs in the family, as her late father George Vanderham

was one of central Alberta’s winningest drivers in the 1970s. Team Snowstorm will even carry reminders of him in the vehicle with them as they complete the challenge— Younker’s mother recently found his old stopwatch and compass.

Six of the competition days require the teams to hit checkpoints on a map “in the form of a heading and distance from a known point or a latitude longitude coordinate,” and two of the days see them given a rally roadbook with an emphasis either on remaining on course or on time.

“This is the same style of rally that he did, in two different ways, because two days, we do

on the topographical map.

Michalecki said understanding the vehicle—her personal Toyota Tacoma 4x4— as well as its limits, is also part of the prep. The team attended the BC Overland Rally near Merritt in July to drive with Younker’s fellow professional instructors and get a sense of the Tacoma’s abilities.

“I drive it on all the forest service roads around here, and the rally is just stock vehicles, which is awesome. It’s unique in that sense,” Michalecki said. “A lot of the companies use this rally to show off their vehicles and what they’re capable of, just stock, so I thought that was neat.” (Stock in

communication,” Michalecki said.

Both are proud to take their place in a male-dominated sport, and appreciate teams that have come before them lending their wisdom, as Younker is in contact with some prior Rebelle Rally champions.

“They’re great. They’re super helpful. They’re answering any of the questions that we have,” Younker said, adding that they have also received support from Kal Tire in Squamish.

While the goal is to podium in the overall event, there are other factors that will determine its success.

First and foremost, Team Snowstorm is raising funds for the Indigenous Life Sport Academy, where Michalecki is entering her seventh year of volunteering.

“It’s just so important in this area. If it wasn’t for this organization, a lot of the kids wouldn’t have the opportunity to participate in all the sports and activities that a lot of other people that come to this area get to do,” she said. “It’s been such a good outlet and makes such a difference.”

Donors to the fundraiser will receive a candle handmade by Younker, as will every team participating in the rally.

prime distance and speed rally, and six days, we do compass and map,” Younker explained. “Dad’s rallies encompassed all of those, because it was before digital technology.”

During the rally, competitors won’t know each stage’s course until the day of, but there’s still plenty the pair can do in advance to get prepared. Younker noted she and Michalecki will be honing their compass and map skills, particularly in terms of pinpointing their specific location on a map and determining the best route to the finish across the terrain

this case meaning street-legal vehicles with minimal mods—anything but racecars.)

During the rally, the current plan is for Michalecki and Younker to share roles as driver and navigator.

“We’ve worked as a team in some pretty intense situations at the health-care centre, as you can imagine, so I feel we have a pretty good sense of when things are stressful, or not going exactly as we want them to, really breaking that down, getting through it and being a good team together with good

“We have two marathon nights that we have to spend alone in the desert, and we’re gifting the teams these candles so that on those nights, we can all light them and unite in spirit on those nights that we’re in the desert alone,” Younker said.

The team hopes donors who receive candles light them on the same night. The dates of the marathon nights have not yet been announced, but follow the team on Instagram @snowstormteam114 and catch the action live at rebellerally.com. n

RALLY THE TROOPS Joanne Younker and Rachel Michalecki are preparing Michalecki’s Toyota Tacoma for the Rebelle Rally in California and Nevada from Oct. 12 to 21.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

“We’ve worked as a team in some pretty intense situations at the healthcare centre...”

- RACHEL MICHALECKI

13 annual

CONTRACTORS CHALLENGE

Golf Tournament & Trades Appreciation Day

Join our team

W ith big, exciting projects on the horizon, we are currently recruiting team members with all levels of experience If you’d like to get involved with a company doing work that you can be seriously proud of, visit gavanconstruction.ca/careers

back

Help us give back

Fundraiser in honour of lengendary

Whistler builders, Glen Lynskey & Ralph Jensen

By giving to the Glen Ralphie Memorial Fund, you are directly supporting deserving tradespeople and their families in the Sea to Sky

Give back to your community or promote your brand in front of a captive audience Sponsor a golf hole or help us by donating prizes

gavanconstruction.ca/fundraiser

Charity tax receipts issued by Vancouver Foundation

Burger King: Local pals’ quest to crown Whistler’s best burger

LONGTIME FRIENDS CRITIQUED DOZENS OF BURGERS OVER NEARLY TWO-YEAR SPAN

BY BRANDON BARRETT

CLAY “DOG” DOWLING would be the first to tell you he can be prone to hyperbole. So when he made the bold declaration that Caramba’s signature burger was not only the best burger Whistler had to offer, but the best he ever had in his life, his friends were predictably skeptical.

“Clay likes to shoot his mouth off,” said “Big Rich” Poehlmann, longtime Roland’s bartender and one third of the crew that has met nearly every week for lunch going on 20 years, along with Jeremy “Stinky” Peterson (these guys love nicknames, if you couldn’t tell), owner-operator of village sports bar Stinky’s On the Stroll.

This set the boys on a mission to sample every local burger they could get their hands on, scoring each one out of 50. The guys even consulted their chef pals for help coming up with the judging criteria, which, based on the reams of notes they compiled, was taken very seriously. They looked at the allimportant burger-to-bun ratio, the quality of the bun itself, toppings and sauces, the patty, uniqueness, and the overall burger experience.

“Uniqueness was very important,” Big Rich said. “Caramba didn’t do lettuce, they did arugula … That was part of the uniqueness. We enjoyed the Cinnamon Bear [burger]. We were surprised they serve theirs with a steak knife in the middle with an onion ring on the very top of it. That’s the uniqueness, stuff like that.”

Needless to say, for the trio of buds Big Rich described as “Seinfeldian” (“We argue about nothing and everything,” he explained), arriving at a consensus was almost impossible. Although there was one particularly awful burger they did agree on, and no, it wasn’t from McDonald’s. (“When you’re in Paris and the [public] washrooms are disgusting, I go to McDonald’s, get a small fry and go to the washroom,” Big Rich revealed. “I really like McDonald’s. I really do.”)

So, armed with the wisdom (and pounds)

gained from tasting what the resort had to offer, did the guys notice any particular trends to Whistler’s burger scene?

“Yeah, the buns,” Big Rich said. “Everybody wants to do a 12-grain or a whole

Children are welcome until 10pm ever y day, kids menu for 12 years old and under available

wheat bun, but you want a bun that stays with you until the end.”

They also picked up on the rarity of freshmade burgers here, a trend only made worse by the pandemic as restaurants turned to

frozen patties as a way to cut costs.

Their reputations already preceding them, word of the boys’ epic burger quest got around town, to the point where they had to wonder if they were getting the same burger from the menu, or some elevated version for their sake. Big Rich and RD Stewart, chef at Roland’s and the Red Door Bistro, even got invited by a friend to sample one of his favourite burgers from the Sky High Diner in Vernon—via plane.

“We had the burger and then flew back and I closed [the bar] that night. It was a riot,” Big Rich said.

So, at last, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: Which two-hander can rightfully claim its throne as Whistler’s unofficial Burger King? Well, it’s a little bit anti-climactic.

After trying close to 40 burgers over a nearly two-year span, it turned out the one that started it all remains their favourite: Caramba’s signature burger, made with two AAA beef patties, topped with bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and housemade sweet pickle sauce.

“This burger is transcendent. It scored a near perfect 49/50,” wrote Clay in a lengthy rundown of the top six burgers that, for history’s sake, I hope gets published someday.

Rounding out the list was the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club’s Chip Out Cheeseburger in the second spot, with a very respectable score of 48.5; followed by Southside Diner’s burger (they actually serve four different burgers; but the boys didn’t single one out), with a score of 47; the Roland’s Burger at Roland’s Creekside Pub in fourth, with a score of 46.5; and Alpine Café’s Canuck Burger in fifth, with a score of 46. Honourable mention went to Riverside Café’s signature burger, which earned a score of 47, enough for third, but, alas, was disqualified since the café sadly closed its doors.

As for Clay, he stands by his original statement that started this whole journey.

“The Caramba Burger is the best burger I’ve ever eaten,” he wrote. “You may choose to disagree. You have every right to be wrong.”

This article first appeared in the Jan. 14, 2021 issue of Pique. n

Notice of Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Whistler Health Care Foundation will be held:

Wednesday, September 13, 2023 @ 5pm, The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom Come and learn about our achievements over the last year & our new directions for the future All are welcome!

For more information or to register for the meeting email Sharon at info@whistlerhealthcarefoundation org

BURGER QUEST Longtime friends Clay “Dog” Dowling, left, “Big Rich” Poehlmann and Jeremy “Stinky” Peterson (not pictured) spent nearly two years sampling dozens of burgers in a quest to crown Whistler’s best burger.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

“The Caramba Burger is the best burger I’ve ever eaten. You may choose to disagree. You have every right to be wrong.”

- CLAY DOWLING

MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE

All the world’s a stage

NEW MOBILE PERFORMANCE SPACE FOSTERING ART IN WHISTLER AND BEYOND

BY DAN FALLOON

ANDREW BOWES has long dreamed of having a mobile stage at his disposal, never believing he’d actually own one.

But that changed late in 2022.

The owner of XL Audio Visual in Whistler was scrolling Facebook for a cargo trailer, but discovered a “perfect-sized unit” in the Mission area that could be used as a mobile stage—though that’s not how the sellers originally designed the prototype.

“Their idea was to build a rec vehicle for hunting and fishing folks,” he says. “It was going to be a trailer that folded out to a platform that could be, basically, their base camp when they were out in the wilderness.

“The structure actually has a full-cover roof and a full, flat floor raised off the ground.”

Bowes knew from the photos that the unit could fulfil his dream of on-the-go

entertainment and, after a brief bidding war with a potential buyer more interested in its original purpose, secured the one-ofa-kind vehicle.

After bringing the trailer up the Sea to Sky in October, Bowes completed some upgrades and had it ready to go for the summer season. To date, there have been a dozen bookings, including nine for the Hear & Now concert series and the recent Flag Stop Theatre and Arts Festival.

While the unit’s relatively compact size make it an option where other vehicles aren’t, it still can be a bit of a squeeze getting to the destination, Bowes says.

“Sometimes getting into some of these tight Whistler parks takes some time,” he says. “Getting it to the spaces that we’re getting it in is the hardest part of the job.”

While the trailer can open from either side or the back, Bowes has only utilized the sideopen option to date, creating a stage that’s 14 feet across and 31 feet deep, making it ideal for four- or five-piece bands.

Bowes estimates it takes an hour to set up the stage itself, and then one to two hours to prepare for the show, which is minimal when considering other options.

“When you compare it to the alternative

of renting tents and installing stage decking, it’s very labour-effective and cost-effective,” he says. “We can roll in and out of a gig within eight hours, and that’s typically a multi-day task.”

ROLLING ON

The stage represents something of a fullcircle revolution for Bowes. He started XL as a side project while working as a carpenter, evolving it from a DJ service to facilitating live music and eventually into a full-time, special-event AV business servicing concerts, festivals, corporate events and conferences.

It has been a satisfying return to live entertainment, a grasp at reclaiming the company’s strong trajectory right before the pandemic, that saw it taking on more events, new clients and fresh equipment.

“The stage has relit that area of the business, boosted that up,” Bowes says. “During COVID, there wasn’t a whole lot of that happening. We not only lost that entertainment work, but we also lost our meetings work.

“We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to weather the storm.”

While the stage has provided the company with live-music offerings for the moment, it

can also grow into so much more. A recent turn as an entertainment booth at Mission Raceway Park has inspired Bowes to consider offering it for use at other sporting events like motocross or snowmobiling, either as an entertainment centre, expo booth or repair space. Bowes muses that a skate park tour could be in order someday.

“(I’m hoping to) come up with almost like a Warped Tour-style package where we would travel around and there’s partnerships with skate brands or something of the like,” he says. “I think it would be a huge hit, because we haven’t seen anything like that in a number of years.”

Delving further, it could serve as a lounge or children’s play area, food service, or a glamping setup as a private rental.

“I nicknamed it the mobile space station, because it kind of looks a bit like the International Space Station … or a satellite,” Bowes says.

Bowes is hoping to install a heating system to make winter shows a possibility, but for now, you can see it for yourself the next two Sundays at Rebagliati Park hosting Kostaman and the Good Vibrations on Aug. 26 and The Big Love Band on Sept. 3. Both shows are free and start at 1 p.m. ■

STAGE APPROPRIATE Red Chair performs on XL Audio Visual’s new mobile stage during this month’s Art on the Lake event in Whistler.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE

Here’s a quick look at some events happening in Whistler this week and beyond. FIND MORE LOCAL EVENT LISTINGS (and submit your own for free!) at piquenewsmagazine.com/local-events

TEENY TINY ART SHOW

AUG

25-31

TEENY TINY ART SHOW

Get ready for the highly anticipated return of the tiniest art exhibit in the Sea to Sky region! The Teeny Tiny Show is back for its sixth year, proving that great things indeed come in small packages. More than 80 local artists have poured their creativity into meticulously crafting original works, each measuring 3” x 3” or smaller.

The exhibit opens Aug. 30 and closes Sept. 30, with the Art Party—your first opportunity to purchase these mini masterpieces—set for Sept. 21 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Find more info at artswhistler.com.

> Aug. 30 to Sept. 30; Art Party Sept. 21, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

> Maury Young Arts Centre

> Free

MOVIES IN THE PLAZA – MEAN GIRLS

Make Movies in the Plaza your new summer tradition and get cosy on the Great Lawn for a cinematic experience under the stars. Movies are scheduled on select Wednesday and Saturday evenings this summer and are free to watch. There is a free bike valet available on site. On Aug. 26, catch Lindsay Lohan and Tina Fey’s Mean Girls

> Aug. 26, 8 p.m.

> Whistler Olympic Plaza

> Free

WHISTLER FARMERS’ MARKET

A feast for your senses, the Whistler Farmers’ Market features local produce, tasty food, local artisans, live entertainment and family activities in the Upper Village. Markets happen every Sunday until Thanksgiving on October 8, with the addition of Saturday markets on September 2 and October 7.

> Aug. 27

> Upper Village

> Free

MAKING CONNECTIONS DEMENTIA FRIENDLY SOCIAL CLUB

MAC’s Making Connections is a weekly program for people with early-stage dementia and their caregivers on Wednesday mornings.

More like a social club, this program starts with 45 minutes of gentle fitness, followed by games and brain-stimulating activities, and socializing over a light lunch.

The goal is to slow cognitive decline in the afflicted and allow caregivers to bond, share experiences and develop their own support network.

Register at whistlermac.org under the events tab, Making Connections Program.

Prepay by e-transfer to treasurer@whistlermac.org.

> Aug. 30, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

> Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church

> $5

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Whistler’s first triathlon

BY ALLYN PRINGLE

IF YOU’RE a regular reader of Museum Musings, you’ll remember last week we looked at the first Fun Fitness Swim in Whistler, which was sponsored by Molson in 1979. For decades, many competitions and events in Whistler were sponsored by beer companies like Molson and Labatt, from fun swimming events to World Cup Downhill races. In 1983, Molson also sponsored the first triathlon held in Whistler, the Molson Light Whistler Triathlon.

Triathlons, a race consisting of swimming, cycling and running, became increasingly popular in North America and Europe from the mid-1970s into the 1980s. One of the first triathlons held in Canada took place in Vancouver in 1981, and a couple of years later, the British Columbia Triathlon

became the founding president of the International Triathlon Union, serving until 2008. When triathlon was included in the Olympic Games for the first time in Sydney in 2000, a large portion of the credit went to McDonald. During his involvement with the sport, he worked towards equal prize money, equal representation, and concurrent medal ceremonies for female and male athletes.

Not surprisingly, other members of the ALSC also took up triathlon, and members of the club participated in a triathlon in Vancouver just one month before hosting Whistler’s first triathlon on Aug. 14, 1983.

The race consisted of a two-kilometre swim in Alta Lake, a 40-km cycle along “valley highways,” and a 15-km run around Lost Lake, finishing in Whistler Village. Entry to the race cost $10, and those who registered early got a free T-shirt. According to McDonald, who served as race director,

Federation was founded in 1983, followed by Triathlon Canada in 1984. Involved in all three of these events was Les McDonald, one of the founding members of the Alta Lake Sports Club (ALSC) in 1975.

An electrician by trade, McDonald was an early investor in Garibaldi Lifts Ltd., as well as an active mountaineer and climber. As a founding member of the ALSC, he was also involved in cross-country skiing in the Whistler area, and helped with the building of the trail network at Lost Lake (Les’ Leap is named for him). He began participating in triathlons in the 1980s while cross-training for marathons, and quickly became heavily involved in the sport. After helping found provincial and national organizations in Canada, McDonald got involved on an international level, and travelled to help set up national triathlon governing bodies in other countries. Then, in 1989, McDonald

the triathlon was not meant to be “an iron man endurance test,” but an opportunity to introduce all-round athletes and specialists to the “exciting and growing sport.” To this end, the ALSC also organized an event for those under 19 the day before.

The inaugural Molson Light Whistler Triathlon was won by Glen Carsen of Vancouver with a time of 2:45:51 (Carsen also won the second annual Molson Light Whistler Triathlon in 1984) and the fastest woman was Loreen Barrett with a time of 3:11:56. McDonald finished 10th overall with a time of 2:59:00.

Though the ALSC is now defunct, the club continued to host triathlons through the 1980s. Whistler even hosted Ironman races from 2010 to 2019. Today, the Whistler Triathlon Club trains for races near and far, and XTERRA Whistler, an off-road triathlon, takes place in the resort in September. n

The

inaugural Molson Light Whistler Triathlon was won by Glen Carsen of Vancouver...

TRI HARD A competitor nears the finish line in Whistler Village during the 1984 triathlon. WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION, 1984

“Map our Marshes” workshop over the weekend, on Aug. 19 and 20, to highlight the important role wetlands play in flood control, water filtration, and biodiversity.

month-old Whistlerite Marley Cairns catches up on her local headlines. PHOTO SUBMITTED 5 BIKE BRIGADE This Ladies Night group (from left, Jenny Fitzgerald, Megan Lalonde, Lucy Diamond,

OF

1 RAISE THE FLAG Actors took to the Point Artist-Run Centre’s iconic floating stage to perform playwright John McGie’s melodrama Bloppera at Whistler’s annual Flag Stop Theatre & Arts Festival on Friday night, Aug. 11. PHOTO BY KELLY COSGROVE, COURTESY OF THE FLAG STOP THEATRE & ARTS FESTIVAL 2 SLOW DOWN A pop-up event at Cold Creek Acres—featuring live music, barbecue, beer and blooms—kept spirits in Spud Valley bright on Sunday, Aug. 20, after worsening wildfires north of Pemberton prompted the difficult last-minute decision to cancel the 2023 Slow Food Cycle. PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA BEECH / VALLEY SNAPS PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF TOURISM PEMBERTON 3 MAP TIME The Whistler Naturalists hosted a B.C. Wildlife Federation

PHOTO BY JAMIE LONG, COURTESY

WHISTLER WILDLIFE REFUGE 4 BEDTIME STORIES Three-

Free Will Astrology

WEEK OF AUGUST 25 BY ROB

ARIES (March 21-April 19): None of the books I’ve written have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. Even if my future books do well, I will never catch up with Aries writer James Patterson, who has had 260 books on the prestigious list. My sales will never rival his, either. He has earned more than $800 million from the 425 million copies his readers have bought. While I don’t expect you Rams to ever boost your income to Patterson’s level, either, I suspect the next nine months will bring you unprecedented opportunities to improve your financial situation. For best results, edge your way toward doing more of what you love to do.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Addressing a lover, D. H. Lawrence said that “having you near me” meant that he would “never cease to be filled with newness.” That is a sensational compliment! I wish all of us could have such an influence in our lives: a prod that helps arouse endless novelty. Here’s the good news, Taurus: I suspect you may soon be blessed with a lively source of such stimulation, at least temporarily. Are you ready and eager to welcome an influx of freshness?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Humans have been drinking beer for at least 13,000 years and eating bread for 14,500. We’ve enjoyed cheese for 7,500 years and popcorn for 6,500. Chances are good that at least some of these four are comfort foods for you. In the coming weeks, I suggest you get an ample share of them or any other delicious nourishments that make you feel well-grounded and deep-rooted. You need to give extra care to stabilizing your foundations. You have a mandate to cultivate security, stability, and constancy. Here’s your homework: Identify three things you can do to make you feel utterly at home in the world.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): On Instagram, I posted a favourite quote from poet Muriel Rukeyser: “The world is made of stories, not atoms.” I added my own thought: “You are made of stories, too.” A reader didn’t like this meme. He said it was “a nightmare for us anti-social people.” I asked him why. He said, “Because stories only happen in a social setting. To tell or hear a story is to be in a social interaction. If you’re not inclined towards such activities, it’s oppressive.” Here’s how I replied: “That’s not true for me. Many of my stories happen while I’m alone with my inner world. My nightly dreams are some of my favourite stories.” Anyway, Cancerian, I’m offering this exchange to you now because you are in a story-rich phase of your life. The tales coming your way, whether they occur in social settings or in the privacy of your own fantasies, will be extra interesting, educational, and motivational. Gather them in with gusto! Celebrate them!

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Author A. Conan Doyle said, “It has long been my axiom that the little things are infinitely the most important.” Spiritual teacher John Zabat-Zinn muses, “The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.” Here’s author Robert Brault’s advice: “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” Ancient Chinese sage Lao-Tzu provides a further nuance: “To know you have enough is to be rich.” Let’s add one more clue, from author Alice Walker: “I try to teach my heart to want nothing it can’t have.”

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “I don’t believe that in order to be interesting or meaningful, a relationship has to work out—in fiction or in real life.” So says Virgo novelist Elizabeth Curtis Sittenfeld, and I agree. Just because a romantic bond didn’t last forever doesn’t mean it was a waste of energy. An intimate connection you once enjoyed but then broke off might have taught you lessons that are crucial to your destiny. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to acknowledge and celebrate these past experiences of togetherness. Interpret them not as failures but as gifts.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The amount of rubbish produced by the modern world is staggering: more than 2

BREZSNY

billion tonnes per year. To get a sense of how much that is, imagine a convoy of fully loaded garbage trucks circling the earth 24 times. You and I can diminish our contributions to this mess, though we must overcome the temptation to think our personal efforts will be futile. Can we really help save the world by buying secondhand goods, shopping at farmers’ markets, and curbing our use of paper? Maybe a little. And here’s the bonus: We enhance our mental health by reducing the waste we engender. Doing so gives us a more graceful and congenial relationship with life. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to meditate and act on this beautiful truth.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I hope that in the coming weeks, you will wash more dishes, do more laundry, and scrub more floors than you ever have before. Clean the bathrooms with extra fervour, too. Scour the oven and refrigerator. Make your bed with extreme precision. Got all that, Scorpio? JUST KIDDING! Everything I just said was a lie. Now here’s my authentic message: Avoid grunt work. Be as loose and playful and spontaneous as you have ever been. Seek record-breaking levels of fun and amusement. Experiment with the high arts of brilliant joy and profound pleasure.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Dear Sagittarius the Archer: To be successful in the coming weeks, you don’t have to hit the exact centre of the bull’s-eye every time—or even anytime. Merely shooting your arrows so they land somewhere inside the fourth or third concentric rings will be a very positive development. Same is true if you are engaged in a situation with metaphorical resemblances to a game of horseshoes. Even if you don’t throw any ringers at all, just getting close could be enough to win the match. This is one time in your life when perfection isn’t necessary to win.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I suspect you are about to escape the stuffy labyrinth. There may be a short adjustment period, but soon you will be running half-wild in a liberated zone where you won’t have to dilute and censor yourself. I am not implying that your exile in the enclosed space was purely oppressive. Not at all. You learned some cool magic in there, and it will serve you well in your expansive new setting. Here’s your homework assignment: Identify three ways you will take advantage of your additional freedom.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Though my mother is a practical, sensible person with few mystical propensities, she sometimes talks about a supernatural vision she had. Her mother, my grandmother, had been disabled by a massive stroke. It left her barely able to do more than laugh and move her left arm. But months later, on the morning after grandma died, her spirit showed up in a pink ballerina dress doing ecstatic pirouettes next to my mother’s bed. My mom saw it as a communication about how joyful she was to be free of her wounded body. I mention this gift of grace because I suspect you will have at least one comparable experience in the coming weeks. Be alert for messages from your departed ancestors.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Those who know the truth are not equal to those who love it,” said the ancient Chinese sage Confucius. Amen! Seeking to understand reality with cold, unfeeling rationality is at best boring and at worst destructive. I go so far as to say that it’s impossible to deeply comprehend anything or anyone unless we love them. Really! I’m not exaggerating or being poetic. In my philosophy, our quest to be awake and see truly requires us to summon an abundance of affectionate attention. I nominate you to be the champion practitioner of this approach to intelligence, Pisces. It’s your birthright! And I hope you turn it up full blast in the coming weeks.

Homework: Cross two relatively trivial wishes off your list so you can focus more on major wishes. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.

In addition to this column, Rob Brezsny creates

RENT SELL HIRE

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

FullTime SeekingLaborer,apprenticesand carpentersforfulltimeposition buildingcustomhomesinWhistler BCandarea.Noexperiencenecessary,willprovidetraining.Competitivewagesandgreatbenefit packageavailableafter3month probation.Dental/extendedmedical,RRSPcontribution,gasallowances.Ifinterested,pleasefeel freetocontactthroughemailor callAlanat604-849-1304604-849 -1304 bmakconstruction@gmail.com

WHISTLERTRANSITDRIVER Full-TimeSeasonalPositionsAvailable(October2023-April2024)validClass1or2driver’slicense withairbrakeendorsementrequired,licenseupgradeswillalso beconsideredforcandidates meetingallothercriteria-pension planandmedicalbenefitstocommittedemployees.$31.06/hour starting wage. recruitment@whistlertransit.ca https://www.pwtransit.ca/

Join a Dynamic Team of Art Lovers!

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

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Assistant Housekeeping Manager Lead Housekeeper Maintenance Technician Local Operations Manager (12-month maternity leave coverage)

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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.

IS HIRING

H e l p u s e n d y o u t h h o m e l e s s n e s s

Supportive Employment Advocate

W e b e l i e v e t h a t e v e r y o n e d e s e r v e s a h o m e Z e r o C e i l i n g i s a s o c i a l s e r v i c e n o n - p r o f i t c o m m i t t e d t o e n d i n g y o u t h h o m e l e s s n e s s W e p r o v i d e y o u n g a d u l t s w i t h h o u s i n g , s u p p o r t i v e e m p l o y m e n t p l a c e m e n t s , l a n d - b a s e d p r o g r a m m i n g , a n d i n d i v i d u a l i z e d s u p p o r t . W e s t r i v e t o c r e a t e a n e n v i r o n m e n t i n w h i c h y o u n g p e o p l e h a v e a s e n s e o f b e l o n g i n g a n d a r e s u p p o r t e d t o h e a l a n d g r o w T h e S u p p o r t i v e E m p l o y m e n t A d v o c a t e w i l l p r o v i d e d i r e c t s u p p o r t t o o u r p r o g r a m p a r t i c i p a n t s t o e n s u r e t h e i r s u c c e s s i n t h e w o r k f o r c e a n d w o r k w i t h e m p l o y e r s t o c r e a t e s u p p o r t i v e w o r k p l a c e m e n t s T h e y w i l l a l s o d e v e l o p a n d d e l i v e r t r a i n i n g f o r s u p p o r t i v e e m p l o y e r p a r t n e r s R e q u i r e m e n t s : W e o f f e r :

t e d t o t h e f i e l d , o r l i v e d e x p e r i e n c e , E x p e r i e n c e w o r k i n g w i t h v u l n e r a b l e i n d i v i d u a l s , 2 + y e a r s i n s o c i a l s e r v i c e s , J E D I , o r r e l a t e d f i e l d , E x p e r i e n c e c o n d u c t i n g J E D I t r a i n i n g

$ 2 6 / h r s t a r t i n g w a g e , 4 - d a y w e e k , T h r e e w e e k s o f p a i d v a c a t i o n a n d t e n p e r s o n a l d a y s , E x t e n d e d H e a l t h C a r e , W e l l n e s s B e n e f i t s & R R S P m a t c h i n g

We enthusiastically welcome applications from all qualified people, including those with lived experience racialized people people of all sexual orientations, women and trans* people, Indigenous peoples, those with diverse abilities, mental illness, and from all social strata

T o a p p l y , s e n d a r e s u m e a n d c o v e r l e t t e r t o : f r a n @ z e r o c e i l i n g o r g D e a d l i n e : S e p t e m b e r 4

M o r e i n f o a t z e r o c e i l i n g o r g / j o i n - o u r - t e a m

Guards

The Museum is currently seeking: Monitor artwork in galleries, enforce and implement security protocols, and communicate rules and guidelines to visitors.

• Full-Time & Part-Time

• Starting at $23 per hour

• No Experience Necessary

• Benefits Packages Available

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

Or email applications to bbeacom@audainartmuseum.com

Career Opportunities with the SLRD

Looking to contribute to your local community? Consider a career in local government. Join the SLRD’s team of dedicated staff who work together to make a difference in the region.

Headquartered in Pemberton, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) delivers a wide range of regional, sub- regional and local services to its residents. The SLRD is a BC Regional District consisting of four member municipalities (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Lillooet) and four electoral areas. Services include land use planning, solid waste management, building inspection, fire protection, emergency preparedness, 911 services, recreation, water and sewer utilities, regional transit, trails and open spaces as well as financial support for various community services. The region contains some of the most spectacular forests, waterways, and mountains in the province and affords an endless range of opportunities for outdoor adventure, making it an exceptional place to live, work and play.

The SLRD is currently accepting applications for the following positions:

• Legislative Assistant (Regular, Full-time)

• IT Manager (Regular, Full-time)

• Environmental Coordinator (Regular, Full-time)

The SLRD offers a competitive compensation and extended 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.

Mirae Campbell Photography

JOB FAIR

The

Responsibilities include:

• Providing friendly and helpful customer service to guests

• Selling admission tickets, memberships, and Shop merchandise

To view the full job description on our website, scan here:

If

Please send your cover letter and resume to: Sonya Lebovic, Museum Shop & Admissions Manager: slebovic@audainartmuseum.com

Mirae

Campbell Photography

Free Housing

Join our team of Plumbers and Gas Fitters

Hiring 3rd and 4th year apprentice or journeyman candidates with experience in service/repair work.

• Offering competitive wages

• Providing fully stocked truck, tools, and phone

• Extended health plan available.

• We can hire skilled foreign workers and support permanent residency applications.

• Short-term accommodation availablefree of charge. Long term housing options available as well.

Send your resume to: Dough@spearheadsph.com

Resort Municipality of Whistler Employment Opportunities

• Building Official - Plan Examiner

• Lifeguard/Swim Instructor

Resort Municipality of Whistler

• Privacy and Insurance Coordinator

Employment Opportunities

BUILDING AN EXCELLENT COMPANY, PEOPLE, RELATIONSHIPS, AND RESULTS

GRAVEL TRUCK DRIVER

· Lifeguard/Swim Instructor

· Legislative and Privacy Coordinator

• Program Leader - Myrtle Philip Community Centre

• RCMP Operational Support Coordinator

· Skate Host

· Program Leader

· Lifeguard/Swim Instructor

• Skate Host

· Wastewater Treatment Plant Process Supervisor

· Solid Waste Technician

· Labourer I – Village Maintenance

• Youth Leader

· Youth and Public Services Specialist

· Accountant

Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca/careers

SERVICE TECHNICIAN

Great opportunity for a super motivated/organized person to excel in the field of lock technician services and access control solutions.

The successful individual will have experience in carpentry and/or building maintenance. Any experience in low voltage electrical and/or hotel card access systems will prove very beneficial. Good communication and customer service skills as well as a strong work ethic are essential to this position. Please reply to Service@alpinelock.com with a resume and cover letter outlining your suitability and qualifications for the position.

No drop-ins or phone calls please, apply only by email.

Accounting

HIRING WE ARE

Why work for us?

All Departments

Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control

Communications

Community Planning

Engineering

Public Works

RCMP

Recreation

We offer competitive wages, a comprehensive pension plan and health benefits, and we are driven by our passion to serve community.

• Clerk 2 – Casual/ On-Call

• Community Patrol Officer – Casual/On-Call (Multiple Positions)

• Public Engagement Specialist – Regular Full-Time

• Plan Examiner 2 – Regular Full-Time

• Manager of Environment - Regular Full-Time

• Engineering Technician – Regular Full-Time

• Utilities Technologist – Regular Full-Time

• Detachment Clerk – Casual/On-Call

• Recreation Program Instructor 1 – Biking – Casual/ On-Call (Multiple Positions)

• Recreation Program Leader – Regular Part-Time

Journalist

Pique Newsmagazine has a rare opportunity for an experienced and committed journalist to cover local news and politics while working with a team based in North America’s premier mountain resort.

The successful candidate will be tasked with covering Whistler’s municipal hall, as well as writing news stories for Pique’s sister paper, The Squamish Chief.

The candidate will pitch, write, edit and post news stories daily, as well as write at least four cover features annually. The role includes some evening and weekend coverage, and the successful candidate will be required to be in both Whistler and Squamish regularly.

You have a degree in journalism, are passionate about news and politics, and have a sense of what makes a compelling local news story. You seek to engage and inform your community in print and online platforms, and use social media effectively. You are self-motivated, efficient and deadline driven, with a curious, critical mind and an acute attention to detail. You are able to work well both on your own and with a team.

Ideally, you have experience in covering municipal council, elections, and governments at all levels. Other relevant skills include copy editing, long-form feature writing, video editing, and Instagram posting and story creation.

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

Located in the mountain resort town of Whistler, British Columbia, Pique Newsmagazine is the unequivocal leader in reporting, interpreting and understanding the culture of the Coast Mountains and what it means to those who live, work and play in Whistler. At 29 years young, we’ve established ourselves as the locals’ publication that is inquisitive and edgy, provoking conversation and building community. With our peers we’re acknowledged perennial winners at the BC & Yukon Community Newsmedia Awards (BCYCNA) and Canadian Community Newsmedia Awards (CCNA) for general excellence and reporting categories, as well as several Webster Awards honours over the years. We’re known for our unique artsy design, weekly longform features and comprehensive news coverage, but of course our reach is global, with loyal readers from all over the world who come to piquenewsmagazine.com daily for the best Whistler storytelling and news source.

To apply, send your resume, clippings, or other relevant materials, as well as a cover letter making the case for why we should hire you, by 4 p.m. on Aug 31st, to: Braden Dupuis at bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com

We are hiring!

The District of Squamish is seeking casual on-call Custodians to join our dynamic team! The ability to work independently and a strong safety mindset is essential. We offer a competitive wage of $24.57 per hour, flexible schedule and opportunities for development. This role is perfect for all ages especially if you have availability. This position is casual on-call but can be busy, cleaning in a variety of District buildings.

Apply today by quoting competition number 22-05 and emailing jobs@squamish.ca

ACROSS

DOWN

LAST WEEKS’ ANSWERS

Oh, clumsy me

I WAS WATCHING a gymnastics competition one time. A very petite, very accomplished woman gymnast gave a dazzling performance on the uneven parallel bars, the balance beam, and performed as though the law of gravity didn’t apply to her during her floor program.

Heading back to the area where her coach and teammates were applauding her, she tripped and fell over a gym bag sitting on the floor. She stuck the landing, if by stuck you mean falling pretty much flat on her face.

I guess she didn’t notice the bag. It wasn’t clearly marked. There were no warning signs posted. No police tape around it. No flashing lights. Just a highly visible gym bag minding its own business right in the path she chose to walk.

Perhaps the teammate who left the bag

BY G.D. MAXWELL

there was at fault. For all I know, it was the gymnast’s own bag. Maybe the bag moved itself. Who knows?

The gymnast, embarrassed, got up, grinned, and twisted her face into a “duh” expression. End of story.

I saw an actor in a play make a dramatic entrance, trip over a small ottoman on the set, and take a pratfall. The audience laughed, as people are prone to do at what looks like slapstick. But it wasn’t a comedy, and the actor either had forgotten or didn’t notice the ottoman. Perhaps he was busy trying to remember his next line, or freaked out because he momentarily couldn’t. Maybe he was just flushed with the excitement of his big scene about to unspool.

He recovered his composure and continued the performance.

And in a quintessentially Canadian moment, I listened with rapt attention to an Inuit woman who was giving a talk about a long list of colonial injustices visited on her people in Labrador by various government bodies. As she spoke, she paced. At one point she backed into the lectern where she’d left her notes. Without thinking, she turned and said, “sorry.” To the wooden lectern. How very Canadian—apologizing to an inanimate object she’d just run into.

She laughed when I pointed it out to her later in the day. “I forgot it was there,” she said.

And so it goes. We’re all klutzes at some time in our lives. We trip over things we’d never imagine we might trip over. We run into things with our cars, bikes, strollers, shopping carts. We capsize a kayak we’ve successfully entered and exited hundreds of times before. We slip and fall on ice we’ve been walking on for the last hundred metres.

Most of the time, we only suffer an ego injury. Sometimes we suffer more than that. Sometimes, other people get hurt. Sometimes there is negligence involved. Other times, just our own momentary clumsiness.

Quite often, we’re doing something that isn’t as benign as, say, giving a talk. Often

we sign a waiver of liability before we do those things. Like skiing and snowboarding. Or rafting. Or, or, or...

The waiver transfers the risk of injury to us and away from whomever is in charge of the cool thing we’re about to do, as well as others who have some greater or lesser tangential interest. The waiver used to exonerate the Queen, because we skied on Crown Land, and who better to sue than the Queen? Maybe the new waivers protect the King. I don’t know. I stopped reading them years ago.

visiting involves various risks, dangers and hazards. Telling them by entering the town’s borders they assume all risk of personal injury, death or property loss resulting from any cause whatsoever, including negligence, breach of contract or duty of care owed under the Occupiers’ Liability Act. And that by proceeding past the signs, they’ve agreed to the terms outlined.

Then again, I’m sure such a warning and implied waiver wouldn’t have mattered to whomever filed the current suit against Vail

PHOTO BY ANDY RYAN / GETTY IMAGES

itself in her path, resulting in a fall causing life-changing injuries, not the least of which is enmeshing her in the cumbersome legal system.

Hey, I get it. The Benchlands are rife with hazards that make Kyiv look like Disneyland. There are stairs, curbs, benches, buildings, handrails, planters, and tourists all waiting to trip up someone exercising due care... like looking where they’re going instead of texting and eating ice cream at the same time. Not that anything like that was going on in this case, but I can attest from personal experience doing both of those things at the same time is enough to make a person trip over something as small as a garbage truck. Don’t ask how I know.

I don’t read them, because if I don’t sign I don’t get to go. I know I’m waiving things I can’t believe I waive, like my right to sue in the event of gross negligence on the part of one of the company’s employees. I know that clause has held up in court. So it’s either accept or go home.

I’ve often thought a day without a waiver in Whistler is a day wasted. Just about everything we do here has a way to hurt us.

And I’ve argued in the past that Whistler should erect signs at each end of town, along the highway, advising people Whistler is an inherently dangerous resort community and

Resorts, the B.C. government, Arts Whistler, the Whistler Arts Council, the RMOW, WB, ABC Company, and John and Jane Doe for tripping over a well-camouflaged chairlift.

I object! I happen to know ABC Company and the Does are very responsible people who have never, ever hurt a fly.

The injured party tripped over an outrageously decorated chairlift sitting somewhere between the WB admin building and Merlin’s Bar on the Benchlands two years ago. Looking like nothing so much as an altar to Ullr, the chairlift snuck up on the tripee and/or quickly scooted over to place

And let’s be honest. If you were walking along, rubbernecking at all the distractions the Benchlands have to offer, you might not notice something as tiny as a three-person chairlift decorated with a Viking helmet replete with twisty horns, tridents festooning the back and long skis serving as a base.

Sure, it may seem obvious to anyone not utilizing a seeing-eye dog—and, of course, a seeing-eye dog would certainly notice it— but really, that’s beside the point. It simply shouldn’t have been there. Or there should have been big signs warning everyone, by name, that they were about to encounter a tripping hazard. Or flashing lights. Or a moose to block peoples’ path and keep them far away from the dangerous, inanimate object.

A clear cut case if ever I saw one. Negligence? You bet. Whose? Duh. ■

I’ve often thought a day without a waiver in Whistler is a day wasted. Just about everything we do here has a way to hurt us.

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