Pique Newsmagazine 3049

DECEMBER 8, 2023 ISSUE 30.49

WWW.PIQUENEWSMAGAZINE.COM

FREE RANGE

Wild, wild Cultural differences, jurisdictional boundaries, careless drivers, and an unwanted highway mark the debate over how best to care for Pemberton’s free-range horses

14

CRANK BANK Crankworx 2023 generated nearly $30 million for Whistler

15

PERMIT APPROVED Development permit issued for Alta Lake Road project

42

HEART AND SOUL O Come All Ye Soulful set to grace Whistler

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Bring the joy of Christmas into your home with the purchase of a real Christmas tree at Nesters this holiday season. Canaan and Noble Fir christmas trees have now arrived. (prices depending on size)

Proceeds go to the Whistler Grads of 2024.

See all of our flyer offers online. nestersmarket.com

Nesters Market Whistler 7019 Nesters Road, 604.932.3545 Prices effective at Whistler Nesters from Thursday, Dec 7 to Dec 13, 2023. We reserve the right to limit quantities.

Sale limited to stock on hand. Some items subject to tax, plus deposit, recycling fee where applicable.

THIS WEEK IN PIQUE

38

42

34 Wild, wild horses

Taking a closer look at the debate around free-range horses in Pemberton. - By Róisi´n Cullen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

14 CRANK BANK

Crankworx 2023 generated nearly $30

million for Whistler, according to a new economic impact report.

26 POP CULTURE

Pemberton’s mayor and council

contemplated the implications of the town’s growing population at a recent Committee of the Whole meeting.

15 PERMIT APPROVED

Council issued a devel-

38 SKELETON CREW

Canadian men swept the

opment permit for a controversial housing project on the shores of Nita

skeleton podium at the 2023 Whistler North American Cup, while Tirza

Lake on Dec. 5.

Lara and Grace Dafoe won gold and silver among women.

16 REC REPORT

A new report predicts single-family

home prices in Whistler will rise five per cent over the next year.

42 HEART AND SOUL

Acclaimed jazz and soul

artists Dawn Pemberton and Jodi Proznick are set to grace Whistler with O Come All Ye Soulful.

COVER Let the spirits run free! Keep your head on a swivel! Those free spirits are out there regardless how many warnings they put up. - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art 4 DECEMBER 8, 2023

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PH: (604) 938-0202 FAX: (604) 938-0201 www.piquenewsmagazine.com

Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com

NEW

NEW

THIS WEEK IN PIQUE

Weekend Forecast Inside

Weekend Forec Ins

SEE PAGE 11 >>

Opinion & Columns 08 OPENING REMARKS

Whistler tends to attract some of the most interesting personalities you’ll

ever meet, writes editor Braden Dupuis—but resort life isn’t meant to accommodate all of us forever.

10 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter writers weigh in on the state of public transit in

Editor BRADEN DUPUIS - bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com

Mount Currie, and share thanks for a successful fundraiser.

Sales Manager SUSAN HUTCHINSON - shutchinson@piquenewsmagazine.com Production Manager AMIR SHAHRESTANI - ashahrestani@piquenewsmagazine.com

13 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST Whistler may have made reporter Brandon Barrett, who is saying

Art Director JON PARRIS - jparris@piquenewsmagazine.com

goodbye this week after 11 years—but Whistler can’t contain him.

Advertising Representatives TESSA SWEENEY - tsweeney@wplpmedia.com

58 MAXED OUT All is not well in Tiny Town lately, with too many good friends gone too soon. But help is

GEORGIA BUTLER - gbutler@wplpmedia.com

available if you need it this holiday season.

Digital/Sales Coordinator KATIE DOUGLAS - kbechtel@wplpmedia.com

Environment & Adventure

Production - production@piquenewsmagazine.com Features Editor BRANDON BARRETT - bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com Arts Editor ALYSSA NOEL - arts@piquenewsmagazine.com Reporters BRANDON BARRETT - bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com ALYSSA NOEL - arts@piquenewsmagazine.com DAVID SONG - sports@piquenewsmagazine.com RÓISÍN CULLEN - rcullen@piquenewsmagazine.com SCOTT TIBBALLS - stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com Classifieds and Reception - mail@piquenewsmagazine.com Office and Accounts Manager HEIDI RODE - hrode@wplpmedia.com Contributors G.D. MAXWELL, GLENDA BARTOSH, LESLIE ANTHONY, ANDREW MITCHELL,

33 THE OUTSIDER Take it slow when venturing into unopened terrain or backcountry areas with questionable snow coverage, writes Vince Shuley.

Lifestyle & Arts

40 EPICURIOUS A new pop-up is transforming Whistler’s Raven Room into a winter wonderland—for a good cause.

46 MUSEUM MUSINGS Skating and hockey have been popular winter sports in the Whistler area for more than a century, especially when weather conditions make for less-than-optimal skiing.

ALISON TAYLOR, VINCE SHULEY Founding Publishers KATHY & BOB BARNETT Pique Newsmagazine (a publication of Pacific Coastal Publishing Limited Partnership, a division of Glacier Media) distributed to over 150 locations from Squamish to D’arcy.

The entire contents of Pique Newsmagazine are copyright 2023 by Pique Newsmagazine (a publication of WPLP, a division of Glacier Media). No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the Publisher.

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In no event shall unsolicited material subject this publication to any claim or fees. Copyright in letters and other (unsolicited) materials submitted and accepted for publication remains with the author but the publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms.

Letters to the Editor must contain the author’s name, address and daytime telephone number. Maximum length is 250 words. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject any contribution. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine.

Pique Newsmagazine is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact (edit@ piquenewsmagazine.com). If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at mediacouncil. ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.

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OPENING REMARKS

Another Whistler goodbye THERE WERE never frogs underneath the outside staircase at my parents’ house when I was younger. They didn’t start appearing until I was well out of high school, probably around the age of 23. Where they came from was anyone’s guess.

One summer, after two or three years of the frogs appearing in droves, my

BY BRADEN DUPUIS father and I ripped off a piece of the aging brown staircase to see what was growing underneath. But there was nothing. No water, no signs of a mutant frog nest. The frogs, I could only surmise, were rising up from under the earth somewhere.

My mom told me once she had taken one of them from the basement landing and tried to set it free in the grass and in the sunlight… where it promptly died. The sun’s heat and the fresh air were alien to it, having lived its entire life under my parents’ outdoor staircase.

So the resurfacing earth frogs inspired much curiosity, and meditation on life itself… on how and why and where it grows, and all the wild, unseen forces guiding it.

And I remember feeling a strange kinship with those dumb frogs—because it was hard to ignore the other metaphor staring me in the face.

Open House Saturday 1 to 3 PM

There I was, contemplating my first big move away from my small town—the only home I’d ever known—while quietly worrying the world might just eat me alive.

What if I hop out into the great unknown and just fail miserably?

For many, that uncertainty alone is enough to keep them under the stairs, bumping around in the quiet, familiar dark with the other frogs.

And that’s perfectly OK. Small-town life, at least in most places in Canada, means

Whistler is far from predictable, and its ruthless housing grind and revolving door of residents are recipe for endless, recycled heartbreak—particularly for those who don’t do well with goodbyes. Because the simple truth is resort life just isn’t designed to accommodate most of us forever.

So if you’re one of those who manage to stick it out for years on end, you sort of just get used to all your friends leaving after a while.

Pique has been blessed with a low staff turnover for much of the past decade,

This week marks the last issue of Pique for longtime reporter and features editor Brandon Barrett, who is leaving the publication, and Whistler, after 11 years. security and predictability. And predictability means comfort.

It’s just not a satisfying existence for everyone.

By its very nature, Whistler attracts the latter crowd, first and foremost; the adventurers and thrill-seekers, the vagabonds, and the dreamers.

It’s a big part of what makes this place so damn special. Whether they’ve been here a year or 30, Whistlerites are not the type to shy away from taking risks. They dream big and often overachieve.

But, unlike life in Canada’s small towns, Stunning 5-Bed Chalet in Whistler: Enjoy breathtaking views of Green Lake and mountains from this 3,765 sq ft home on a 20,540 sq ft lot. Floor-to-ceiling windows highlight the open-plan kitchen and living area, showcasing Whistler/ Blackcomb views. Primary bedroom with vaulted ceiling, gas fireplace, and luxurious bathroom. Includes a 1-bedroom suite for guests or rental income. 3-car garage for all your gear.

Asking -$4,750,000 9612 Emerald Drive

particularly in relation to other newsrooms, but we are not immune to the tourist-town churn.

This week marks the last issue of Pique for longtime reporter and features editor Brandon Barrett, who is leaving the publication, and Whistler, after 11 years.

There’s no denying his departure will be felt significantly here in the newsroom, and in the community at large—the outpouring of support from readers as the news filtered out is proof of that.

He doesn’t ski, or bike, but somehow Brandon embodies some of the best qualities of Whistler—creative, idealistic,

8 DECEMBER 8, 2023

endeavours always are.

And so of all the Whistler goodbyes over the years, this one will hit harder than most, for myself and for Pique. But at the same time, it also feels natural, if not inevitable.

All goodbyes are, on a long enough timeline. They just tend to come quicker in Whistler. But that’s OK, too. We know it comes with the territory.

It’s part of the deal we make—trading comfort and stagnant predictability for the comparative tumult of life in a tourist town.

And while I’m terrible at goodbyes, I still wouldn’t have it any other way. ■

Iconic Whistler Hair Salon For Sale!

Welcome to The Loft Salon, a cornerstone in Whistler’s beauty scene since 2001. With two decades of shaping the local landscape, This flourishing salon, with a diverse clientele spanning over two decades, is now available for ownership by the next lucky successor, as the owner is looking to retire. Serving a varied clientele, The Loft Salon is known for its commitment to excellence. This turn-key operation includes all equipment for a smooth transition. A comprehensive training package equips the new owner with the necessary knowledge and skills. The sale also includes $35,000 of inventory, offering even more value. Seize the opportunity to own and continue the legacy of The Loft Salon in the heart of Whistler.

JODY WRIGHT *PREC

Virtual Tour

resourceful, compassionate, and always striving for the best, with just the right amount of crazy thrown in the mix. But as much as I’ll remember him for his incredible contributions to community journalism, and Whistler in general, I’ll remember him for his friendship far more.

Like most Whistlerites, Brandon will never be content living a sheltered life under the stairs. And now it’s time to see what’s next. Exciting and terrifying in equal measures—as life’s most worthwhile

+1 604 935 4680 www.jodywright.ca jody@jodywright.ca

$150,000

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Lil’wat Nation needs safe and reliable transport It has come to my attention that public transit in Mount Currie is neither safe, clean nor consistent. As a community member of Lil’wat Nation, I feel our opportunities are limited by the current transit situation.

I’ve noticed many of the transit passengers are under the influence of alcohol. Sometimes they bring beer and weed onto the bus and drink and/or smoke. When they are drunk they tend to get violent. Other passengers have been hit, punched, spat on and had violent words said to them whilst they are just sitting there trying to get to work/home. Minors have been asked if they wanted beer or weed, and asked if they had any.

Security cameras or some type of security could help, as would having a bus driver who is willing to escort people out when they’re being very disruptive or rude to other passengers. I feel passengers shouldn’t have to worry if they’re going to be safe or not.

The bus doesn’t get cleaned often and sometimes people purposely make a mess and leave their garbage. Passengers have peed on the seats and the seats are sticky, which is extremely unsanitary. The buses need to be cleaned more often.

At times the bus is late, making people late for work. Sometimes the bus doesn’t show up at all. We need backup drivers for when someone is busy or sick.

For Lil’wat Nation to thrive, we need safe and reliable transport. I hope this will be taken

into consideration in future decision making.

Melissa James // Mount Currie

Rotary Club of Whistler offers thanks A huge thank you to all those who participated

Write to us! Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s name, address and a daytime telephone number.

Maximum length is 450 words. Pique Newsmagazine reserves the right to edit, condense or refrain from publishing any contribution. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine. Send them to edit@ piquenewsmagazine.com before 11 a.m. on Tuesday for consideration in that week’s paper.

as our non-profit partners, volunteers, goods and service donors, and the very generous guests at Whistler Cornucopia Coat Check and Silent Auction this year, helping the Rotary Club of Whistler raise funds for youth support and youth-in-crisis programs in Whistler.

Through the course of the 10-day event, we grossed approximately $27,000, which will be distributed for those organizations supporting youth-in-need programs.

Thank you to our partner organizations, Whistler Community Services Society, Zero Ceiling, The Whistler Writer’s Society and the Whistler Millennium Rotary Club/Interactor Club for taking on coat-check duties some nights.

Thank you to all the local businesses, artists and individuals who so generously donated goods and services for the silent auction. Thank you to Tourism Whistler and Watermark Communications Inc. for allowing our partnership of non-profit organizations to raise funds for these critical programs.

Thank you as well to the members and friends of the Rotary Club of Whistler who expended many hours managing and staffing the coat check and putting on the fantastic silent auction, and a big thank you to all the attendees of this year’s Cornucopia for filling our donation jars with those $5, $10. $20 and $100 bills.

See you next year when we do it all over again.

Grant Loyer // President, The Rotary Club of Whistler n

WHISTLER · PEMBERTON · SQUAMISH Whistler

Whistler

Squamish

94 Garibaldi Drive

Squamish 516-38033 Second Ave.

SOLD

NEW LISTING

$1,495,000

$1,099,000

$349,000

$1,750,000

15-2211 Marmot Place $3,249,000

309-4809 Spearhead Drive

228-4220 Gateway Drive

21 4890 Painted Cliff Road

Short description of property listing - no more than 30 words. in Git,Squamish tem am ea sant Specializing omnis alitio de sa es quis maios eate pre-sale opportunities. dolupti quid quatumendus, ut excerferiae ommostori quaecep tatibus.

Get incum touch for information

Short description of property listing - no more than words.

Git, tem am ea sant 2 BED | 230 BATH | 898 SQFT omnis alitio de sa es quis maios eate • Stunning corner unit dolupti quid quatumendus, ut excerferiae •ommostori Spectacular of the Chief, Diamond cumviews quaecep tatibus.

Head, Mamquam mountains

2 B E D I 2 BAT H I 8 5 9 SQF T Short description of property listing - no more than 30 words.Whistler’s Git, tem am ea sant Embrace omnis alitio de sa es quis maios eate Beauty and Community: dolupti quid quatumendus, ut excerferiae Upgrade, Invest! ommostori cumRelocate, quaecep tatibus.

Let’s chat about your thoughts Whistler Creekside and options today.

DAVID LEWIS

BIRTE PREC JASCHKOWITZ david@davidlewisliving.com

Realtor 604-902-7270 birte@brealtywhistler.com

604-907-0244

suttonwestcoast.com

LOCAL EXPERTS 10 DECEMBER 8, 2023

1 B ED I 1 B ATH I 537 SQFT

$1,999,000

Short description of property listing - no than words.

Git, tem am ea sant 4more BED | 330 BATH | 2,565 SQFT omnis alitio de sa es quis maios eate •dolupti Enjoyquid magnificent mountain views quatumendus, ut excerferiae cum quaecep tatibus.

•ommostori Walking distance to tennis courts and private lake

Upper Village • Large 2 carWhistler garage offers excellent storage

1 B ED I 1 B ATH I 517 SQF T

about upcoming projects.

Whistler Village

DAVID NAGEL

DAVE Realtor HALLIWELL wolfofwhistler@gmail.com

Personal Real Estate Corporation 604-906-0026 dave@davehalliwell.com

604-932-7727

CATHERINE MCKAY

PETER Realtor CUDMORE cmckay@sutton.com

Realtor 604-902-9447 peter@petercudmore.com

604-902-1858

#203 - 1080 Millar Creek Road, Whistler British Columbia, V8E0S7

suttonwestcoast.com

2 B E D I 2 B ATH I 958 S QFT

$869,000

• Excellent rental income or perfect full time Whistler Upper Village occupancy

MATTHEW CALLAGHAN

SHAUN PREC GREENAWAY matt@whistlerrealestatelistings.com

Personal Real Estate Corporation 604-935-3635 shaunggreenaway@gmail.com

604-902-3888

NATIONWIDE EXPOSURE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Ne

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to

rk Ma

et

127 CASCADE LODGE Large studio located in the Whistler Village. Manage your own nightly rentals!

Backcountry Update AS OF WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6

In the aftermath of the stormy weather early in the week, we’ve been left with a nasty crust on the snow surface. On Monday night, we experienced very warm temperatures and significant precipitation, most of which fell as rain. Freezing levels reached well into the alpine, and the snowpack was thoroughly saturated.

Immediately after the storm, temperatures began to drop. Where the snowpack was previously rain-soaked, a thick crust now exists. This has resulted in generally poor riding conditions, with icy, hard surfaces becoming a significant hazard. However, this newly formed crust is having a positive effect on avalanche hazard by locking the snowpack tightly and providing a bridging effect over any previously concerning layers deep within the snowpack.

In the high alpine, the rain turned to snow towards the tail end of the storm, meaning dry, powdery snow may still exist for those willing to venture into the alpine to find it. Just remember that this new snow is likely sitting on a

thick crust that provides an excellent sliding surface. Snow in the high alpine may have also accumulated into pockets of dense wind slabs, presenting an avalanche hazard that will need to be managed accordingly.

It is still too early to say whether this crust will become a long-term layer of concern.

However, with the first real snowfall since the crust formed arriving this weekend, we can expect the new snow to take a little longer than usual to bond to its underlying surface.

We can likely anticipate new snow sluffing relatively easily in steep terrain on the crust.

If the new snow settles into a cohesive slab before bonding to the underlying crust, we may even see more destructive slab avalanches occurring. This will be the primary thing to monitor throughout the coming days: how well and how quickly is the new snow bonding to the crust below?

As always, be sure to check the latest forecast at avalanche.ca before heading into the backcountry. ■

CONDITIONS MAY VARY AND CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY Check for the most current conditions before heading out into the backcountry. Daily updates for the areas adjacent to Whistler Blackcomb are available at 604-938-7676, or surf to www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain-info/ snow-report#backcountry or go to www.avalanche.ca.

$419,000 WH IS TLER’S #1 RE/MAX AGENT

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3526 Falcon Lane $6,999,000

Feature Listing Perched high about Falcon Lane and backing onto Blueberry Hill Park is where you will discover 3526 Falcon Lane; the epitome of tranquility, comfort and privacy.

Not only is this meticulously maintained home the perfect property for entertaining, it also has desirable Tourist Accommodation zoning that allows you to reap the rewards of supplementary rental income when you are not occupying the home yourself. Make Falcon Lane your full time Whistler residence, exceptional investment / income generating property or a combination of both - the choice is yours!

Learn more at maggithornhill.evrealestate.com MAGGI THORNHILL PREC* · ENGEL & VÖLKERS WHISTLER 4314 Main Street | Suite 36 | Whistler | BC V8E 1A8 0 +1-604-932-1875 | M +1-604-905-8199 maggi.thornhill@evrealestate.com *Personal Real Estate Corporation

DECEMBER 8, 2023

11

UNIQUE NIGHTLY RENTAL PROPERTY! 7055 Nesters Road.

• 8 rental bedrooms, 1 bedroom suite and owners quarters.

• Fully fenced, landscaped and irrigated property.

• Tourist Pension zoning with nightly rentals permitted.

• Ample parking & storage with private security gate.

• Gourmet kitchen with commercial grade appliances.

Offered at $5,288,000

Dave Beattie

RE/MAX Sea to Sky Real Estate Whistler PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION Search available homes in the Whistler and Sea to Sky Country area at www.DaveBeattie.com

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604-905-8855 1-888-689-0070 Dave@DaveBeattie.com

ST

IN

529/531 4050 WHISTLER WAY Hilton Hotel - Whistler Village

LI

Nick Davies, Whistler local and experienced family lawyer practising across BC and Yukon.

Call at 604-602-9000 or visit www.macleanlaw.ca

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1 bed, 2 bath, 1146 sqft – INVESTMENT PROPERTY! The Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa offers the perfect mix of personal usage and revenue. This “1 bed lock off suite” which is 2 separate units (#529 and #531) can be used separately or used together. One side has 2 queen beds and the other has 1 king and a full kitchen. Use one side and collect the revenue on the other or use both, it’s up to you. Located at the base of Whistler Blackcomb with all the amenities you would expect from the Hilton brand. Get in touch today for revenue potential and owning in the heart of Whistler Village. $899,000

Maclean Law is headquartered in Vancouver with offices across British Columbia.

Josh Crane Whistler REALTOR® 604.902.6106 | josh@joshcrane.ca whistlerrealestatemarket.com 120-4090 Whistler Way Whistler, B.C. V8E 1J3

9199 EMERALD DRIVE WHISTLER

FOR SALE REDUCED PRICE

FOR SALE

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#525B 2036 LONDON LANE WHISTLER

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SQFT: 2,417

2

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$999,000 2

SQFT: 950

1

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• Main living area opens to a large patio and huge flat yard

• Prime ski-in/ski-out location in Whistler Creekside

• Bright open plan living and natural light

• Private primary bedroom on whole top floor

• Top floor unit with views of ski and pool area

• Unlimited owner use permitted, nightly rentals allowed

• Vaulted ceilings, views of Wedge and Armchair Mountains

• Full kitchen, gas fireplace, spacious living area

• In-suite laundry, wood burning fireplace, modern kitchen

• Short walk to Green Lake and 8 min drive to the Village

• Excellent for personal use or generating rental revenue

• Minutes to Whistler Creekside Gondola, Alpha Lake Park

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MADISON PERRY

PETER LALOR

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778 919 7653

604 902 3309

sadie@sadiebrubaker.com

madison@madisonperry.com

peterlalor@stilhavn.com

12 DECEMBER 8, 2023

PIQUE N’ YER INTEREST

Whistler made me; Whistler can’t contain me BEING AN outsider is often an asset in journalism, affording the objective distance necessary to cover the subjects you’re writing about with fresh eyes. Maintaining that outsider status is less valuable outside of the newsroom, however, when you’re just trying to ingratiate yourself with a community.

On paper at least, I am the quintessential Whistler outsider. As I have written about

BY BRANDON BARRETT more than once in this space, I don’t ski, I don’t bike, and I possess all the camping skills of a frightened toddler. And yet, as the sun sets on my time in this strange, wondrous town, I have come to a hard-won epiphany: despite all appearances to the contrary, I am a dyed-in-the-wool Whistler local, an identity I have carved for myself in spite of all the ways this place isn’t exactly made for me.

After 11 years in Whistler, this is my last issue at Pique. I’m proud to say I have contributed to this plucky, overachieving paper for more than a third of its existence.

Over that span, I’ve gotten to share hundreds, if not thousands, of Whistlerites’ stories, an immense privilege that is still, for my money, the greatest feature of being a small-town

reporter. I’ve written about your impossible achievements and boundless generosity, your tenacious spirit and keen sense of adventure.

When one of our own has fallen, I was usually the guy tasked with encapsulating their lives in 800 words or less, a responsibility I never once took lightly. I’ve boosted Whistler’s criminally underrated arts scene, while contributing to it in my own small ways as a performer, producer, and instructor myself.

I’ve written hard-hitting investigative features exposing Airbnb scams, and drink-spiking in bars. I’ve been threatened with lawsuits, harassed by trolls, and once had a reader ask if I was on crack, an email I printed and proudly displayed over my desk for months.

Through it all, I’ve tried to leave a genuine piece of myself on the page, whether it was detailing my own struggles with mental health; the months I spent underhoused, ping-ponging between friends’ couches; my illuminating trip last year to Occupied Palestine; or my brother’s devastating drug overdose at the age of 34.

I offered these parts of myself in such a public way because, for all the love and deference I have for Pique Newsmagazine and the wildly talented, hard-working people behind it, my priority has always lied, first and foremost, with you, the people of Whistler, who literally watched me grow up and turn into the man I am today over this past decade.

There’s a reason I sat through marathon council meetings and mind-numbing

technical briefings. There’s a reason I worked 16-hour deadline days. There’s a reason I waded into knock-em-down, drag-em-out arguments with those in power. There’s a reason I tried to shine a light on all the different facets of this place, the good, the bad and the ugly, even when some people weren’t ready to look at them. The reason is: I believe in Whistler. And, more importantly, I believe in what it could be. The systems that hold up this tourism hub aren’t necessarily designed to serve us locals,

Your experience here is entirely what you make it...

but if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Whistler and the unique collection of people that make it so compelling, it’s this: Your experience here is entirely what you make it, and, hot damn, are Whistlerites ever skilled at squeezing every last drop of awesome out of their surroundings.

I feel similarly about Pique itself.

Community news, and Canadian journalism more broadly, has suffered tremendously in recent years, and Whistler’s paper of record is no exception. With fewer journalists in the industry than ever, reporters must do more

with less, often for poor pay and long hours.

There is little incentive or reader appetite for the kind of time-intensive, deep investigative work that should be the bread-and-butter of any publication worth its salt. Attention spans are shorter than ever. Distrust in media is at an all-time high. Facebook has banned Canadian news. And yet, Pique is still out there, pounding the pavement, bringing you the kind of in-depth, award-winning work we’ve been doing for a long time. I’m not sure most Whistlerites even know how lucky they are to have such a robust, high-quality (and free!) publication in their backyard.

That’s not to say it’s perfect. Far from it. And if you believe in Pique like I do, I hope you do the same thing I’ve tried to do for Whistler all these years: push to make it even better. Fight for the stories that deserve to be told. Hold us to the high standards we’re known for. Trust me, we can take it.

As for what’s next, in the short term, I’m going to spend the holidays with family for the first time in as long as I can remember.

After that, well, I’m not sure exactly. I know I have more to say, more stories to tell, more to offer this world than I can reasonably achieve in Whistler.

And for those of you out there who recognized what I tried to offer this special community in my rich time here, thank you from the bottom of my heart for seeing me.

And letting me see you. It has meant more to me than you could know. ■

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NEWS WHISTLER

Crankworx 2023 generated nearly $30M for Whistler MORE THAN 300K PEOPLE ATTENDED THE MOUNTAIN-BIKE FESTIVAL OVER ITS 10 DAYS THIS SUMMER

BY BRANDON BARRETT AFTER SEVERAL LEAN YEARS at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Crankworx Whistler, North America’s premier mountain bike festival, was back in full force in 2023, generating close to $30 million within the resort and attracting more than 300,000 attendees over its 10 days this summer.

Sport Tourism Canada released the results of its study this week analyzing the economic impact of Crankworx Whistler, which found the July event generated $50.7 million in economic activity in Canada, adding $40.8 million to B.C.’s GDP, and $29.6 million for Whistler.

Compared to 2015, the last time a similar study was completed, it is clear just how big a piece of Whistler’s tourism pie Crankworx, and by extension, mountain biking, has become. That year, the festival generated $16.1 million in economic activity for Canada, $13.7 million for B.C., and $8.6 million for Whistler.

In 2015, the event supported $8.9 million in wages and salaries and 163 jobs, of which, 123 jobs and $6.4 million in wages and salaries were supported locally. This summer, Crankworx supported $26.3 million in wages

WHAT A RIDE Crankworx Whistler 2023 welcomed more than 300,000 attendees to the resort over its 10 days this summer.

PHOTO BY CLINT TRAHAN / COURTESY OF CRANKWORX

14 DECEMBER 8, 2023

and salaries through 586 jobs, 523 of which were within Whistler, along with $21.2 million in wages and salaries.

Even with the strong numbers, the festival isn’t quite out of the woods just yet, explained Darren Kinnaird, managing director of Crankworx Events Inc. “I wouldn’t say we’re fully recovered.

We’re still seeing the impacts of a rollercoaster economy. There are still the waves, post-pandemic. I think inflation is a big thing, still,” he said.

per cent hailing from other international destinations. More than half of attendees—55 per cent—were Canadian, and 12 per cent of those Canadian visitors reportedly came from outside of B.C. A vast majority of out-of-town guests—87 per cent—stayed in Whistler overnight, averaging 5.2 nights during the festival. Fifty-one per cent of attendees indicated Crankworx was the key deciding factor in visiting Whistler, while 76 per cent said the event influenced their motivation

“We’re still seeing the impacts of a roller-coaster economy.”

- DARREN KINNAIRD

After the pandemic fuelled a biking boom, demand for gear and hard-to-find parts hit an all-time high, flooding the market. Years later, and bike manufacturers and retail shops are still flush with product, but seeing nowhere near the same demand.

“It’s this way for many industries, waiting for things to settle down,” Kinnaird added.

“With every passing month, things get better.”

Sport Tourism Canada’s report also shed light on the makeup and spending habits of Crankworx guests. Total reported attendance over the course of the festival was 301,460, with 37 per cent of attendees from the Sea to Sky, 23.7 per cent from the U.S., and 21.8

to visit the resort.

On average, $1,659 was spent per party attending Crankworx, which included accommodation, restaurants and bars, entertainment, retail, and transportation.

Over the years, Crankworx has evolved into not only the centrepiece of Whistler’s summer events calendar, but the largest event of the entire year from an economic standpoint, said Barrett Fisher, president and CEO of Tourism Whistler, which commissioned the study alongside Crankworx Events Inc. “You could arguably say Crankworx is Whistler’s most iconic event. It’s certainly a pillar of our summer calendar, and from an

economic impact perspective, it would be Whistler’s largest event in both winter and summer,” she explained. “It certainly has grown over the years, attracted more sponsors and high-profile athletes, and has put Whistler on the map from a mountain biking perspective.”

Crankworx’s local growth follows a similar trendline as the sport of mountain biking itself. According to Tourism Whistler’s polling data, in 2016, roughly 28 per cent of visitors surveyed said they went mountain biking while here. By 2022, that figure had hit a high of 39 per cent, Fisher said.

“We recognize some fluctuations in the data, but the trendline between 2016 and 2022 continued to grow. It’s hard to know what all the variables are that influence that,” she said. “Certainly, mountain biking is an important part of our visitors’ experience when they come to Whistler.”

Looking ahead to the future of Crankworx, Kinnaird said organizers are excited to build on this year’s first-ever downhill event held in Creekside, as well as the addition, announced this month, of women to the slopestyle event for the 2024 festival.

“The reaction to that has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “To be able to have women competing at the highest level of this event at Crankworx is something we’ve been dreaming about and trying to [accomplish] now for years. To finally have it happening is very exciting.”

The next Crankworx Whistler is scheduled for July 20 to 28, 2024. Learn more at crankworx.com/festival/whistler. n

NEWS WHISTLER

RMOW issues development permit for Nita Lake housing project ON THE RADAR SINCE 2018, THE PROJECT IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS OFFERING EMPLOYEE HOUSING

BY SCOTT TIBBALLS WHISTLER COUNCIL voted to issue a development permit to a proposed townhouse development at 5298 Alta Lake Road on Dec. 5, bringing an end to almost six years of backand-forth engagement, planning changes, and more.

The plans as presented at the Dec. 5 council meeting envisage a 43-unit complex, with every dwelling being a townhouse, divided between seven buildings. Of the 43, 21 are earmarked for employee housing, 11 for market housing, and 11 for tourist accommodation. A section of the lot is to be carved off and preserved for future employee housing, while large portions of the 3.91-hectare lot will be developed as parkland, with an extension of the Valley Trail to pass through.

The development has long been on the radar for the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), with the owner of the site, Empire Club Development Corp. first submitting plans for a mixed-use site back in 2018.

Following years of engagement and pushback from parts of the community, the RMOW issued a development permit at the Dec. 5 council meeting, more than five years after the plans first crossed a desk on Blackcomb Way. The first iteration of the plans envisaged 15 employee-restricted Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) units, and 22 market touristaccommodation units zoned for short-term rental, but community engagement led the developer to alter the makeup of the proposal to its current form.

In comments about the development proposal, Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton said it, and developments like it, are “good news” for the community and efforts to solve the housing crunch.

“I just want to say how unique it is to have a private developer bring employee housing to the community ... something I want to see more of,” he said.

Most other councillors expressed support for the plans (and indeed all of them voted to issue the permit), with Coun.

Arthur De Jong saying the plans had “many wins” for the community, highlighting the percentage of units dedicated to employee housing (almost half ), the parkland retained and opened up for the community, and the planting of deciduous trees as part of the landscaping requirements—which he noted is a FireSmart approach.

“It’s private, yet so close to Creekside. The livability is so high,” he said.

Coun. Jeff Murl queried the lack of accessibility requirements for the units, but staff responded that the units themselves are all multi-level, stacked dwellings that suit the form of the landscape, in that the lot is on the side of a hill, making it difficult to provide accessibility.

WWW.WHISTLERLAWYER.CA adam@whistlerlawyer.ca | 604.905.5180

PERMIT APPROVED Access to the development is from Nita Lake Drive, pictured here in December 2023.

PHOTO BY SCOTT TIBBALLS

Looking at the plans themselves, the 21 units designated as employee housing are divided between three buildings, with 12 twobedroom, and nine three-bedroom units.

The employee housing units are significantly smaller than the market and tourist units (of which all are three-bedroom), with the employee units being between 59 and 138 square metres in floorspace, and all market and tourist units about 181 sq. m.

Of note to the wider community, the plans include a community park development that will allow an extension to the Valley Trail with lighting and a new pedestrian bridge (replacing an older one) across Gebhart Creek, while there are landscaping stipulations in the development permit requiring all areas of landscaping disturbance to be rehabilitated, additional planting of trees, and setbacks.

There are also plans for a playground—those details are pending, but the developer is responsible for its construction and that of the new segments of the Valley Trail. The municipality will take over management of the parkland portions when they are completed.

On parking, there will be 74 resident parking spots available on the site (31 individual garage spots, 31 in front of garages, and 12 off-street) along with a further seven guest spots. The number of stalls provided is the minimum required by the bylaw.

According to a staff report, the developer responded to comments and made minor alterations to the development plans in response to the RMOW’s Advisory Design Panel (ADP) review in December 2022. General feedback from the ADP, however, was that the plans as presented were well put together.

Opposition to the proposal in years past has hinged on density concerns, parking, and environmental impacts, with the plans revised multiple times over the years. The RMOW passed a bylaw amendment in September this year to permit mixed-use development on the site, while the removal of invasive species and tree removal to make room for the townhomes was done later that same month with the RMOW’s blessing. n

3 8 2 4 S U N R I D G E D R I V E - S K I AC C E S S

S CA N F O R M OV E - I N R E A DY L I ST I N G S

R E A L E S TAT E I N W H I S T L E R . C O M

DECEMBER 8, 2023

15

NEWS WHISTLER

Report predicts single-family home prices in Whistler will rise 5% over next year ROYAL LEPAGE RESEARCH SAYS COMBINATION OF COST OF LIVING, ECONOMIC UNEASINESS AND ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ WILDFIRES HAS LED TO COOLING OF RECREATIONAL PROPERTY MARKET NATIONWIDE

BY BRANDON BARRETT A COMBINATION of factors, from rising interests rates and cost of living, to this summer’s “unprecedented” wildfire season, has led to a cooling of Canada’s recreational real estate market—and Whistler is no exception, according to a new report.

Released Nov. 29, Royal LePage’s winter recreational property report showed how the country’s most popular ski regions have posted modest year-over-year declines in 2023 as buyer demand continued to soften.

Nationally, single-family home prices in Canada’s winter recreational market decreased 0.7 per cent over the first 10 months of the year, to $1,068,200.

“Although recreational real estate markets vary greatly from one region to the next, activity on the whole in Canada’s winter recreational communities has noticeably slowed. Annual sales are down in most regions and inventory has climbed modestly as the market continues to regain balance. This has not, however, translated to steep price declines in a majority of markets,” explained Pauline Aunger, Royal LePage broker of record, in a release.

16 DECEMBER 8, 2023

“Market activity is trending back to historical norms, following an unprecedented boost in activity during the pandemic. In addition to a return to normal work and social routines, today’s elevated interest rate environment has exacerbated this cooldown, as consumers are more concerned about mortgage expenses and the overall economy, including those shopping in high-end recreational markets.”

In Whistler, the median price of a singlefamily detached home remained flat over the first 10 months of 2023, decreasing 0.4 per cent to $3,632,400. That’s still a smaller decline in single-family home prices than most other B.C. ski resorts, including Revelstoke (-1.1 per cent), Big White (-6.3 per cent), and Sun Peaks (-21.3 per cent). The Mount Washington/ Comox Valley area bucked the trend for B.C. ski areas, with single-family home prices rising a whopping 26.5 per cent last year.

Provincewide, the median single-family home price for B.C. ski areas declined 1.6 per cent.

The median price of a Whistler condo, meanwhile, increased 3.4 per cent over that span, to $600,000.

Overall, total sales in the resort were down 12.3 per cent year over year.

“Although there are buyers out there, very few people are putting pen to paper at the

FAMILY TIES The median price of a single-family home in Whistler stayed flat through most of 2023, at $3,632,400.

PHOTO BY WIRESTOCK / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES

moment. With all of the conversation around rising interest rates, many consumers— including luxury homebuyers—have temporarily withdrawn from the market and are prepared to wait and see what the Bank of Canada decides to do in December and next year,” said Frank Ingham, associate broker for Royal LePage Sussex.

Prices are expected to rebound somewhat in 2024, with Royal LePage forecasting the

median price of a single-family home in Whistler to increase by five per cent.

Although affluent homeowners can more easily absorb increased mortgage costs, Ingham said the full impact of high interest rates likely won’t be felt until between 2024 and 2026, when many five-year mortgages are up for renewal.

Economic uncertainty isn’t the only factor contributing to buyers’ hesitance in Whistler, Ingham noted. After the worst wildfire season in B.C.’s history, prospective buyers are wary of investing in certain recreational markets more prone to disaster.

“In addition to physical dangers, purchasers are concerned over insurance risks,” he posited. “Many insurance policies include a clause which can halt the closing of a property should a wildfire come within a specific radius of the affected home.

This policy is pushing some buyers to less disaster-prone markets, and could spell more challenges in the future as wildfires become more frequent.”

According to Royal LePage’s own polling, 24 per cent of recreational market experts reported a decline in buyer demand in 2023 as a result of climate factors or environmental disasters.

View the full report at blog.royallepage.ca. n

NEWS WHISTLER

Whistler Blackcomb talks design details for new chairlifts THE NEW FITZSIMMONS AND JERSEY CREAM CHAIRLIFTS COME WITH FEATURES PRE-PURCHASED BY VAIL FOR PARK CITY, AND KEPT FOR WHISTLER BLACKCOMB

BY SCOTT TIBBALLS THE INCOMING Fitzsimmons Express chairlift upgrade is the most obvious investment in mountain operations for Whistler Blackcomb (WB) right now—not in the project scope or cost, but because it’s right there at the base of the mountain clear as day for everyone to see.

Work to replace the previous four-pack Fitzsimmons chair with a new eight-pack began in early 2023, after WB announced the plans back in September 2022 to upgrade the critical piece of mountain infrastructure.

Construction on the chairlift was still underway when opening day of the 202324 season rolled around on Nov. 23, but resort officials told Pique it is expected to be operational “in time for the holiday season,” meaning before Christmas.

Both the Fitzsimmons chair and the coming Jersey Cream chair (which will see work continue during the 2024 summer season) were sourced from WB’s sister resort, Park City Mountain in Utah. The parent company of both, Vail Resorts, reported in September 2022 that efforts to replace two chairlifts at Park City Mountain (Silverlode and Eagle) were foiled by a planning challenge, leaving it with two already-purchased chairlifts from Doppelmayr that, coincidentally, were found to be suitable for WB instead.

As a result, both chairlifts come with features already purchased by Vail Resorts, with WB choosing to retain the designs rather than incur further cost by changing them.

WB’s director of mountain operations, Adam Francis, discussed some of the particulars around the new features—such as the small, delta-shaped footrest installed on the safety bar, a feature usually disliked by snowboarders because of how cumbersome it can be to perch a snowboard on. It is the same design seen on the Emerald chair, which opened in 2018.

Francis said the feature came with the new chairlifts, and is a widely-accepted design.

“This style of triangular footrest provides additional safety to guests, as this style includes an accompanying vertical bar that is placed between the rider’s legs as it is lowered,” he said.

“Additional pull straps and springassisted safety bars assist guests with lowering and raising the bar easier. This increases the safety of all riders, especially smaller kids who are held more securely onto the chair seat.

Also it clearly delineates where each guest is to sit and place their legs accordingly.”

Asked about rider feedback in making decisions on what features to install, Francis said WB officials “are committed to continually investing in the guest experience at the resort. We are always assessing guest experience feedback we receive, and do consider it when evaluating future capital

investment opportunities.”

But in the case of the Fitz chair, the features were included in the original purchase, Francis said.

“This was the specification that was purchased by Park City, the original destination for the Fitzsimmons 8 and Jersey Cream 6 upgraded chairlifts. We chose to retain that feature,” he said.

A feature not retained was an automatically-closing safety bar, something Francis said is usually reserved for beginner-only areas, and is more common at European resorts.

The new Fitzsimmons features will see noticeable improvements in usability for the summer season, he added.

“We will see a marked upgrade for summer bike park use, the Fitzsimmons eight-seater will use the Doppelmayr Bike Clip, which will improve the method we use to perform bike carry on this lift. This new guest loading/ unloading system allows for a significant increase in bike carry capacity, as each chair will carry both bikes and guests,” he said.

“Additionally, each carrier will perform a ‘stall’ at the top station that will pause each carrier momentarily to aid the bike unloading procedure without affecting other moving carriers. This will greatly improve the guest experience for users of this chair.”

While the Fitz chair is expected to be usable well before the end of the 2023-24 season, the Jersey Cream upgrade is ongoing— the resort was installing concrete bases for the chairlift towers through the summer of 2023.

“We will see a marked upgrade for summer bike park use...”

- ADAM FRANCIS

“We worked very closely with a number of consultants with both Fitzsimmons and the Jersey Cream projects that recommended environmental best practices in regards to water course management, wildlife assessment and Indigenous cultural assessment as we went through tree removal and tower footing excavation activities,” Francis said. “We followed these recommendations very closely with all of our lift-construction activities.”

The Fitzsimmons that was removed in March ran at Whistler Blackcomb between 1999 and 2023, giving it a 24-year lifespan, while the Jersey Cream chairlift still in use this season was installed in 1989. Both of the replacement chairs are expected to serve the resort for 25 to 30 years. n

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17

NEWS WHISTLER

Federal tourism minister enjoys whirlwind tour of Sea to Sky SORAYA MARTINEZ FERRADA SPENT A DAY IN SQUAMISH AND WHISTLER LAST MONTH

BY SCOTT TIBBALLS THE SEA TO SKY had a visit from the federal tourism minister last month, with Soraya Martinez Ferrada enjoying a whistle-stop tour on Nov. 16.

Fellow Liberal Party MP and local representative Patrick Weiler said he invited Minister Martinez Ferrada soon after she was appointed tourism minister by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in July of this year.

“I invited her to come and understand the sector a little better in Whistler … She got a good snapshot of what some of the challenges and opportunities are,” said Weiler.

“It’s really important to be able to meet both with the public and private sector, and Indigenous tourism. The latter is a huge priority for her.”

Martinez Ferrada stopped in on some of the biggest players between Squamish and Whistler, visiting the Sea to Sky Gondola and meeting Tourism Squamish, before stopping by the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler with members of the Squamish Nation, while also meeting with the Whistler Chamber of Commerce. Following that, the minister toured Whistler Village with Mayor Jack Crompton and council.

“I met with a diverse range of folks from

across the industry, and came away with several common themes,” said Martinez Ferrada in an email to Pique.

“It goes without saying that tourism is crucial to the local economy—there are few regions of Canada where it’s as important as the Sea to Sky—and this feedback shapes our approach to tourism nationwide.”

Asked what she heard from operators and leaders in the area, Martinez Ferrada talked up

down its cost, help tourism businesses find the workers they need (including through immigration), and improve transportation links so that visitors can discover more of the region, and the country.”

A key plank in the government’s policy on tourism is the Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, which aims to increase the tourism sector’s contributions towards Canadian GDP by 40 per cent by 2030—or to $61 billion from

“For the industry to keep growing, government must be there as a partner.”

- SORAYA MARTINEZ FERRADA

the federal government’s support for tourism.

“The first thing I heard is that government investments in tourism are paying off—from marketing to direct support for businesses during the pandemic,” she said.

“For the industry to keep growing, government must be there as a partner. In terms of what needs work going forward; housing, labour and transport all stood out. I’m working with colleagues across government to build more housing and bring

$43.6 billion in 2019.

“Canada is a tourism superpower, and the Federal Tourism Growth Strategy is our roadmap to help the industry reach its full potential,” said Martinez Ferrada, who listed off the four priorities of the strategy: investing in Canada’s tourism assets, embracing recreation and the great outdoors, partnering to grow Indigenous tourism, and attracting more international events.

One day after her visit to the Sea to Sky,

Martinez Ferrada announced a $10-million program to support small Indigenous tourism operations, a sector she said “has the power to create jobs and opportunities, transform Canadian tourism, and advance selfdetermination and reconciliation. Supporting it, in partnership with Indigenous leaders and groups, is one of our top priorities.”

Weiler described the brief visit by Martinez Ferrada as successful, noting how important it was for her to get insight into what tourism around the country looks like, especially given her position as an MP from Montreal, where tourism is vastly different, and not the main pillar of the local economy.

“She’s not unfamiliar [with tourism] but it was really good to have her on the ground to get a good sense of what some of the current challenges are,” he said.

Weiler noted tourism in the area has mostly rebounded, but there is work to be done.

“There is still a long way to go for international tourism to come back, particularly from the Americans,” he said.

“And we know that’s important, because when you have international visitation, people tend to stay longer, they tend to invest more in the local economy when they’re here. It’s something we need to work on to make sure we keep attracting people to come visit Canada.” n

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NEWS WHISTLER

Loan default the latest problem for delayed Garibaldi at Squamish ski resort PROJECT SPEARHEADED BY AQUILINI AND GAGLARDI FAMILIES

BY BOB MACKIN BIV A RECEIVER IS being appointed after two companies involved in the delayed development of a ski and snowboard resort near Squamish defaulted on loans.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Paul Walker heard the petition from Aquilini Development LP (ADLP), Garibaldi Resort Management Co. Ltd. (GRMC), and 1413994 B.C. Ltd. on Monday, Dec. 4 in Vancouver.

They applied for the appointment of Ernst & Young to manage Garibaldi at Squamish LP (GAS LP) and Garibaldi at Squamish Inc. (GAS Inc.).

In other words, the petitioners are individuals trying to get money back from the company.

Walker said he was “satisfied the order should go” and set Jan. 15 as the next court date.

The petition was filed Sept. 22, almost two months after the lawyers for the petitioners demanded immediate payment of the $65 million owing as of May 31, including interest and legal costs.

“GAS has failed or neglected to pay the amount demanded (or any part thereof) to the petitioners,” said the petition.

GAS Inc. incorporated in late 2001 to develop the Garibaldi at Squamish resort on unceded Squamish Nation land on Brohm Ridge, 13 kilometres north of Squamish.

In 2007, GAS signed a memorandum of understanding with the Squamish Nation.

The project is a partnership between Vancouver’s Aquilini and Gaglardi families, whose private companies own the Vancouver Canucks (Aquilini Investment Group) and Dallas Stars (Northland Properties).

When the province granted an Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC) in 2016, Garibaldi at Squamish was estimated to cost $3.5 billion.

The certificate was extended in 2021 with a Jan. 26, 2026 deadline to begin substantial construction. The 20-year project foresees building 5,000 residential, commercial and hotel units.

“However, no construction has been commenced and many of the conditions to the EAC remain outstanding,” the court petition said. “GAS and the project generate no income and are entirely dependent on third-party funding.”

Under an October 2018 agreement, GAS Inc. assigned and transferred all of its interest in the project to GAS LP. In a credit agreement from January of that year, GAS Inc. issued debentures to lenders ADLP and GRMC for $2.28 million and $14.49 million, the amounts advanced by the respective entities, with a Dec. 31, 2021 maturity date.

But, in June 2022, funds advanced by Luigi Aquilini under the first debenture had been exhausted, and GAS LP issued a second

GASSED UP An artist’s rendering of Garibaldi at Squamish.

FILE PHOTO

debenture to Aquilini with a Dec. 31, 2024, maturity.

“GAS LP failed to repay the principal sums under the 2021 debentures together with all accrued and unpaid interest then outstanding and the other obligations then outstanding, on the 2021 maturity date. This failure constitutes an event of default under the debentures and the [general security agreement],” the petition said.

Last May, Aquilini assigned all of his interest in the 2024 debentures to an affiliate of his: 1413994 BC Ltd. Then, on Aug. 3, lawyers for the petitioners demanded the immediate payment of $64.89 million.

“As of Sept. 21, 2023, there were no other security interests registered against the personal property of GAS. GAS owns no land,” the petition said.

Vicki Tickle, lawyer for the petitioners, told the court GAS LP is now indebted to the petitioners for approximately $70 million, including interest.

“The nature of the project and the lack of consensus regarding its ongoing development, and the funding thereof, requires the appointment of a receiver,” Tickle said.

The 10-member GAS Inc. board includes one of Luigi Aquilini’s three sons, Roberto Aquilini, and senior Aquilini vice-presidents Jim Chu and Bill Aujla.

Chu is a former chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department and Aujla is a former general manager of real estate for Vancouver city hall.

From Northland Properties, the board also includes Northland chairman Robert Gaglardi, and corporate lawyers Stephen Jackson and Rob Toor.

The most-recent entry on Garibaldi at Squamish’s website is a fall 2023 newsletter that said the project team has been working on plans for the highway interchange and main access road up to the main village.

Engineering firm WSP Global Inc. came up with an alternative route to “steer clear of the Brohm River completely,” the newsletter said.

The website also said the project aims for a fall 2028 opening. n

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NEWS WHISTLER

Naturespeak: Whistler’s 2023 Annual Christmas Bird Count

BY SHAWN MASON THERE IS A TWITTER amongst the local birders—something is in the air.

Dec. 14 is the start of the Christmas Bird Count. This year will be the 124th instalment of the annual Audubon Christmas counts.

In 1900, Frank Chapman and 26 other conservationists got together to create a community event to enlist people to experience nature during the cold winter months. The focus of the Christmas Bird Count is on ornithological research, citizen science and conservation. It is the longestrunning citizen science project, and all the cumulative historical data is stored and available on Audubon’s website.

The count period starts Dec. 14 and goes until Jan. 5 every year. It has become a birding tradition in North America, and is rising in popularity in South America and Europe. There are now more than 2,000 Christmas Bird Counts across the Western Hemisphere. Every count is restricted to a “count circle” of a 24-kilometre diameter from a set point in an area. A contact person is given for each circle. It is exciting to see so many communities participating and contributing to this mega project.

Birds Canada collects and analyzes the data from counts across Canada. They collate the status of counted birds, the numbers of

COUNT IT A female pine grosbeak feasts on berries, a favourite bird to spot on the Christmas Bird Count.

PHOTO BY BEV HILL

birds for each species, the highlights and the lowlights, as well as the rare and unusual stragglers who may have been blown in by storms, lost in migration, or otherwise stranded in winter conditions. The data is forwarded to Audubon.

Whistler’s 2021 Christmas Bird Count was a delight thanks to a wintering couple of Anna’s hummingbirds! A first for Whistler. In 2022, we recorded both species of crossbills

(white-winged and red crossbills). The alpine counters managed to spot one very well-camouflaged ptarmigan—a white bird on white snow—and two Clark’s nutcrackers, to one skier’s delight. Annually, Whistler counters spot an average of 40 species of birds. Not all birds migrate in winter; many are here for year-round viewing.

All Christmas Bird Counts are free to participants. As a volunteer field counter,

dress warmly, carry water and a lunch, and follow a prescribed route. Firstly, register with the compiler, and plan your hike, drive, crosscountry or downhill ski, then watch for birds on Dec. 14 in Whistler. If wandering out in the cold doesn’t suit you, you can stay indoors and do a “feeder watch” count and report your sightings to the compiler.

You do not have to be an expert birder to take part, as there are many smartphone apps to help identify birds. If you see a bird and are unsure of what species it is, snap a photo. Merlin Bird ID is a free app to download which has many features to support a novice birder by uploading your photo for identification or by recording the bird sounds. eBird is another app to help you track your trails, mileage, and bird count, all while delivering your data directly to Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology for research use. Every bird counts.

If participating in the Christmas Bird Count intrigues you, join in the fun and learn more about the birding community, birding, and conservation while adding to the historical data collection of the longestrunning citizen science project!

For more information contact Shawn, Whistler’s Christmas Count Compiler, at shamas.mason5@gmail.com.

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

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NEWS PEMBERTON

Pemberton planning for population to reach 5,000 HOW WILL NEW B.C. HOUSING LAWS AFFECT THE MOUNTAIN VILLAGE?

BY RÓISÍN CULLEN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter PEMBERTON’S MAYOR and council considered the implications of future population growth at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Nov. 28—and what the town might look like when its population hits 5,000.

At the meeting, officials held a workshop on affordable housing to work through problems residents are currently facing, and to predict other issues coming down the line.

The open discussion was casual, and served as a starting point for future talks based on some of B.C.’s new housing laws.

The province is introducing new housing legislation to deliver more small-scale, multiunit housing for residents. These will include townhomes, triplexes and laneway homes, and fix outdated zoning rules to help build more homes faster.

“Anyone looking for a place to live in a community they love knows how hard it is—and outdated zoning rules are making that even harder,” said Premier David Eby in a release. “Constructing mostly high-rise condo

UP AND UP Pemberton’s population grew 32 per cent between 2016 and 2021.

FILE PHOTO

26 DECEMBER 8, 2023

towers or single-family homes means B.C. isn’t building enough small-scale multi-unit homes that fit into existing neighbourhoods and give people more housing options that are within reach. That’s why we’re taking action to fix zoning problems and deliver more homes for people, faster.”

Historically, single-family homes have been the preference, but are now priced

and six units permitted on larger lots currently zoned for single-family or duplex use and close to transit stops with frequent service.

Mayor Mike Richman said Pemberton is likely to reach a population of 5,000 in the near future, and council should plan accordingly. The village’s population grew from 2,574 in the 2016 census to 3,407 in 2021.

“There were four or five bills put out in

“The question is why wouldn’t we be proactive while we can? Let’s start making changes now as we are going to have to do it anyway.”

- KATRINA NIGHTINGALE

beyond many people’s budgets. The proposed legislation will allow a minimum of one secondary suite or one laneway home in all single-family or duplex residential zones throughout the province.

In places where the population is more than 5,000, bylaws will have to be created, which must allow for: three to four units permitted on lots currently zoned for singlefamily or duplex use, depending on lot size;

the space of a few weeks, starting with the one on short-term rentals,” said Richman. “Family properties in the province are now blanketzoned for secondary suites no matter where you are. The third legislation was applied to towns of 5,000 and up. All single-family neighbourhoods can now accommodate duplexes, triplexes, and if there is space, a fourplex. What does this mean for us? What will it look like?

“We are going to be over 5,000 within 10 minutes,” he added. “Do we look ahead?

Do we look at applying some of [the new legislation] now?”

In considering how Pemberton might change in the coming years, Councillor Katrina Nightingale said the time to act is now.

“We are going to be 5,000 really soon,” she said. “The question is why wouldn’t we be proactive while we can? Let’s start making changes now as we are going to have to do it anyway.”

As the town’s population grows, there is also the potential for losing green spaces in the village—but council stressed it is important to retain the things that make Pemberton, Pemberton.

“I feel like this will affect those big subarea plans and how those will develop. Density is not bad. It’s really good depending on where it is,” Nightingale said.

“If we imagine at 5,000, every singlefamily home could be a fourplex—not saying this would actually be the case, as a singlefamily home is still a desirable thing for some people—[but] it does impact green space and parks. We have to look at the ratio of our density to green space.”

Staff said more information on the housing legislation is coming in a manual from the province, and indicated they would report back to council in the new year. n

NEWS PEMBERTON

UNCEDED Jackie Andrew in the traditional grizzly bear hide.

PHOTO BY LOGAN SWAYZE / SQUAMISH LIL’WAT CULTURAL CENTRE UNCEDED EXHIBITION

‘We are leading the way’ TRADITIONAL BEAR DANCER SHARES LIL’WAT NATION’S UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH GRIZZLIES

BY RÓISÍN CULLEN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter IN THE EARLY ’90s, Macáoz’alus (HuckleberryEyes)/Jackie Andrew’s father, Lil’wat Nation Chief Leonard Andrew, was part of a campaign to protect the Stein Valley watershed, a key grizzly bear habitat and now a protected park.

Today, Andrew herself is a traditional bear dancer—a sacred animal the Lil’wat people have had a unique relationship with since time immemorial. The dancers wear the traditional grizzly bear hide and honour the magnificent creature.

“In comparison, both spiritually and physically, grizzly are very much like ucwalmicw (people); we are all advocates, keepers of the land,” Andrew said. “These are our sacred teachings and laws which protect all life and good Mother Earth. It is each of our responsibility as a human race to protect the grizzly (st’alhálam) and the habitat.”

But the time to act carefully is now, as grizzly habitat is in a critical state, Andrew said, noting natural food sources are being impacted by fires and floods.

And grizzly bears were in the area long before settlers arrived, she added.

“They are the true keepers of the land. We must be more like the grizzly and protect all the sources that we use. That is our traditional law of Lil’wat that has been passed down since time immemorial,” she said.

“It all comes down to our traditional laws that govern how we see the world, how we walked and talked, how we fished for salmon and how we harvested. Our worldview about bears is very different. Our ancestors had a traditional law and our whole life was governed on this.”

Though there are photos of Andrew dancing in the traditional grizzly hide displayed all over B.C., she explained she is only a caretaker of the hide, and would never, ever hunt the sacred creature.

“I dance in a traditional hide, but I have never hunted it,” she said. “It’s always just been passed down to us in a way that it could be used in a good way. We don’t even look at it as owning this grizzly hide or this bear robe. I would never hunt the grizzly. I grizzly bear dance because I am a twin. As we carry the bear medicine.

“We have such a high value for all animals, all living things, like the trees. The land is sacred. The waterways are sacred.

It’s important to teach my children that many non-natives that are trying to protect the land are now finally looking at us as protectors. We are leading the way with what we have been taught.”

The people of Lil’wat Nation do not see themselves as above other creatures in their home. Animals are included in their prayers, their teachings and their plans, Andrew said.

“We include our neighbours, other cultures, the two-legged, the four-legged, the winged ones, in our traditional laws, but also our prayers,” she said. “We have a term in Ucwalmícwts, ‘takem swa nsnuknukwa7.’ It translates to ‘all my relations,’ and that is part of our worldview and prayers. It helps us keep in mind our priorities of everyone and everything that is related in the world around us.”

There is much for the world to learn from the Lil’wat Nation and other First Nation cultures, but an emphasis on future generations and the greater good for all is perhaps the most enduring.

“There is one huge teaching that our people have passed down since time immemorial,” Andrew said. “For anything that we do today, we have to think about how it will affect seven generations ahead of us. We want a sustainable world for present and future generations.”

The accompanying photo of Andrew in the traditional grizzly bear hide is by Logan Swayze, and is part of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre’s Unceded exhibition curated

by Mixalhítsa7/Alison Pascal and Tsawaysia/ Dominique Nahanee, which ended in October. n

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NEWS PEMBERTON

‘Mountain man’ Bendigo Noble receiving life-saving cancer treatment in Vancouver THE MUCH-LOVED PEMBERTON MAN RECEIVED A SHOCK LEUKAEMIA DIAGNOSIS IN AUGUST—TURNING HIS WORLD UPSIDE DOWN

BY RÓISÍN CULLEN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A FUNDRAISING PAGE for Pemberton man Bendigo Noble has raised more than $30,000 after the young man was diagnosed with leukaemia in August. Noble’s shock diagnosis completely uprooted his life plans, forcing him and his partner, Tara Lundrigan, to move down to the city overnight to receive life-saving treatment in Vancouver General Hospital.

Lundrigan told Pique the cancer diagnosis came as a complete shock to her seemingly healthy and fit partner.

“At the beginning of August, he started just feeling really weak,” she said. “He went to the doctor and was prescribed penicillin, which just completely tanked his immune system, which was already messed up. When he went back for a blood test a day later, the hospital called him and said that we needed to pack a bag and drive to the city. They said he was going to be there for at least a night. Five days later, he had his leukaemia diagnosis.”

The 24-year-old “mountain man’s” life was uprooted within the space of 24 hours, throwing his family and friends into the world of hospital wards, car pools and chemotherapy.

“We didn’t know what was going on,” said

Lundrigan. “We just went down thinking it was going to be a night, and he hasn’t left the city since. It was really hard on my end, having to pack up his life. It was instantaneous. He had no choice. He had to message his work and explain that he was stuck for an unknown amount of time.”

The pair are now both unemployed and putting all their focus into getting Noble home. They are bouncing between family and friends’ homes in Vancouver, with all their belongings lying in shipping containers.

Meanwhile, Pemberton residents have stepped up to support one of their own “We are completely dumbfounded by the support we have received,” said Lundrigan.

“The Hwy. Café did a fundraising day for us. Bendigo is a man of few words, and seeing all the support roll in has shocked him.

He didn’t realize the impact he had on the community. We had random people donating who said Bendigo had jumpstarted their cars on the side of the road.”

The couple’s story could rival anything on the big screen, a meet-cute in a bar that led to a whirlwind romance. Lundrigan feels she was always meant to meet Noble. He came into her life at exactly the right time.

“We met randomly one night in Squamish.

I was living in the States,” she said. “I was in Squamish spreading my dad’s ashes when I just met Ben chilling outside of a bar. I walked

STAYING POSITIVE Bendigo Noble in hospital.

PHOTO BY TARA LUNDRIGAN

up to him and said ‘hey.’ It blossomed into this amazing thing. He helped me through such a dark part of my life. Now, two years later, he gets diagnosed with cancer and I can be there for him. It feels like we were brought into each other’s lives for a reason.”

Noble’s unwavering positivity has not faltered even during this extremely trying time.

“He just has the most positive outlook on life,” said Lundrigan. “He is an adrenaline junkie, and the kindest person that I’ve ever met. Every single person that meets him says the exact same thing.”

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in Canada for leukaemia treatment. A meeting on Sunday, Jan. 14 will indicate next steps after his last round of chemotherapy.

“They have an amazing program. They do lots of research,” Lundrigan said. “He has the best chance where he is right now. After his last round of chemo, it’s just a lot of testing and making sure they got it all. Overall, we are very positive. “ Lundrigan admits the money received through the GoFundMe page is depleting quickly, as transit and food costs start to build up. The pair will move back into an RV when they move back to Pemberton, less than ideal during the winter months.

“When we moved out, our landlord sold the trailer that we rented,” said Lundrigan. “Luckily, we have an RV waiting for us. We just have to winterize it. So many of his friends are helping us to get set up while we are stuck in the city.”

The couple’s main priority now is getting Noble back to Pemberton. He poses with his thumb up in a photo taken after finishing his last round of chemotherapy. The mountain man is eager to get healthy, get out of the city, and get back to where he belongs.

“The city is loud,” said Lundrigan. “Ben is solidified in the fact that he is a mountain man. Being in the city made him realize that he wants a quieter life.”

You can donate to the GoFundMe at gofundme.com/f/cwnbv3-bring-ben-home here. n

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Public Notice

Public Notice

2024 Council Meetings

2024 Council Meetings

Please note: Committee of the Whole and In Camera meetings will be scheduled as required.

Please note: Committee of the Whole and In Camera meetings will be scheduled as required.

Council meetings are held in Council Chambers located at 7400 Prospect Street and via Zoom unless otherwise posted. To view meeting agendas and minutes, visit pemberton.ca.

Council meetings are held in Council Chambers located at 7400 Prospect Street and via Zoom unless otherwise posted. To view meeting agendas and minutes, visit pemberton.ca.

Notice of the 2024 Council Meeting Dates is given in accordance with section 94 and section 127 of the Community Charter.

Notice of the 2024 Council Meeting Dates is given in accordance with section 94 and section 127 of the Community Charter.

Ethan Fredeen, Deputy Corporate Officer.

Ethan Fredeen, Deputy Corporate Officer.

VillageofPemberton

pemberton.ca

VillageofPemberton

pemberton.ca DECEMBER 8, 2023

29

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Rampant consumerism fuels climate catastrophe and inequalities IN THE WESTERN WORLD, year-end celebrations were once observed to give thanks, to mark the coming of brighter days and to enjoy the company of family and friends. Now, they’ve become little more than consumer orgies. From Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to Christmas shopping, it’s hard to escape the frenzy. Corporations from small to large count on the increase in spending.

Governments rejoice at the economic boost.

Many products end up in landfills after little or no use. It’s all part of the rampant consumerism fuelling the climate crisis.

Wealthy nations, especially the wealthiest people in those nations, are the biggest drivers

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Holiday

Deadlines

December 22nd Paper: Sales Deadline Remains the Same: Tuesday, December 19th at 12 P.M. Creative Deadline Remains the Same: Tuesday, December 19th at 4 P.M. December 29th Paper: Sales Deadline: Thursday, December 21st at 12 P.M. Creative Deadline: Tuesday, December 26th at 4 P.M.

Happy Holidays from

32 DECEMBER 8, 2023

BY DAVID SUZUKI of this climate-altering consumer madness.

A recent Oxfam report, “Climate Equality: A planet for the 99%,” shows the top one per cent of humanity is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the poorest 66 per cent.

Those emissions are “enough to cause the heat-related deaths of 1.3 million people over the coming decades,” the Guardian reports, noting that, “The suffering falls disproportionately upon people living in poverty, marginalized ethnic communities, migrants and women and girls, who live and work outside or in homes vulnerable to extreme weather.”

The super wealthy—mostly white males in North America and Europe, with their superyachts, private jets, massive mansions and lavish lifestyles—have the most devastating footprint. They “also wield

“We have to put class and the studies of inequality between social classes right at the centre of our analyses of environmental challenges in general,” Piketty told the Guardian.

As the Oxfam report notes, we must recognize “that a radical increase in equality is a precondition to ending climate breakdown and poverty.” It argues, “A tax of 60% on the incomes of the super-rich 1% of earners globally would cut the carbon equivalent of more than the total emissions of the U.K. and raise US$6.4 trillion to fund renewable energy and a transition away from fossil fuels.

“The focus on economic growth of any kind and endless extraction and overconsumption at any cost must end,” Oxfam says. “People should be put back in charge of their destiny, and democratically elected governments, not corporates, should shape our economy.”

The oversized impacts and influence of the excessively wealthy don’t let the rest of us off the hook. Oxfam confirms what others have found: that high-income countries are responsible for 100 times more emissions than low-income countries. But as Piketty notes, middle and upper classes are responsible for most of those emissions.

What’s really needed is a change in our way of thinking, which starts with us all. As long as people continue to worship money and stuff, and increased consumer spending is reported and regarded as “good news,” we won’t be able to shift from our wasteful ways.

We need to slow down and learn to appreciate what really matters in life: time in nature, time with family and friends, and time to pursue our own interests.

As author and London Metropolitan University emeritus professor Kate Soper notes, “Consumer culture, formerly seen as a vehicle of self-expression, is better viewed at this stage in its evolution as a means of

We can all do our part. During the upcoming holiday season, let’s find more meaningful activities than contributing to the consumer madness... enormous and growing political power by owning media organizations and social networks, hiring advertising and PR agencies and lobbyists, and mixing socially with senior politicians, who are also often members of the richest 1%.”

The report “reveals a perverse reality: those who have done the least to cause the climate crisis are the ones who are suffering the most. And those who have done the most will likely suffer the least.”

Prominent French economist Thomas Piketty argues that progressive carbon pricing based on income and ability to reduce emissions is needed, along with banning high-emission goods and services such as large vehicles, private jets and shortdistance flights.

extending the global reach and command of corporate power at the expense of the health and well-being of the planet and most of its inhabitants.”

We can all do our part. During the upcoming holiday season, let’s find more meaningful activities than contributing to the consumer madness—share your time, volunteer, exchange books, donate to a worthy cause or, most of all, commit to helping put an end to the fossil-fuelled consumer-capitalist system that’s creating massive inequality and destroying our world!

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. ■

THE OUTSIDER

Picking early-season ski runs?

Choose wisely CALL ME eccentric, but I really love waking up to the screeching sound of metal on asphalt while the snow-clearing machines work their way down my street. Fresh snow means good skiing, and even if I can’t go up that day (for whatever work/injury/life-admin reason), I take comfort in the fact that at least someone

BY VINCE SHULEY gets to put tracks through it. On those days, I’ll happily settle for watching my dog bound through the pow on the golf course.

Living in a freestanding home, however, means work when it snows. Firing up the snowblower in the driveway and shovelling the deck are chores I usually don’t mind, but when the storms pick up momentum it starts to feel a bit like another part-time job—one I’ll happily build some sweat equity in if it means good skiing.

The storms last weekend—including that pineapple system on Monday—were just what we needed to break that earlyseason drought. And despite the work it created, snow all the way down to the valley

SIMMER DOWN Take it slow when venturing into unopened terrain or backcountry areas with questionable snow coverage.

PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY

elevates Whistler’s collective spirit and winter starts to feel like winter again. But something I’ve learned over the years is that early-season, drought-breaking snow causes the most havoc on the mountain.

When any crowd forms, be it a stocktrading subreddit or hungry skiers with Epic passes glued to the weather apps on their

creek bed, or disappear into a crevasse. And yes, all these things have happened in the resort terrain we ski and ride regularly.

We all think we’re smarter than that.

We all think we’re experienced enough with early-season conditions that it can’t happen to us. Even yours truly—who warns against these early-season hazards every year—has

FOMO is a major factor. Ego is a major factor. People will risk themselves to get after it before others do. And in their wake, the more cautious people follow. phone, people don’t always make the soundest decisions. FOMO is a major factor. Ego is a major factor. People will risk themselves to get after it before others do. And in their wake, the more cautious people follow.

Humans will always be humans, but it’s at this time of year when some of the smallest mistakes can turn into big problems. Take the temporary boundary signs on Whistler Blackcomb, for example. Pow looks plentiful beyond that rope, so our FOMO and ego urges us to explore down there. The overstoke takes over, and we start skiing faster and faster, wondering why everyone is still tooling around on the groomers. Then we hit the lightly-covered rock, or the lightly-bridged

succumbed to the early-season pow day siren call. I’ve never had a massive, early-season injury, touch wood. But I’ve been politely reminded by the deceptively pleasant-looking slope that, no, it’s not ready for you to ski like its March madness. It’s funny how you can believe you’re above getting caught up in the mob mentality… until you link four beautifully deep turns.

There’s nothing wrong with hiking and touring into boundary terrain (unless it’s a deliberate closure), those early-season Peak laps do a great job of making the locals happy and giving the slopes the all-important skier compaction that makes them less prone to catastrophic avalanches later in the season.

But if you’re heading into those zones with no backpack and transceiver and haven’t done your homework on the exit route(s), I’m sorry, but you’re asking for trouble.

Having the gear and motivation to monitor weather and snowpack doesn’t automatically qualify you, either. Plenty of these “prepared” folks, who consider themselves capable in the terrain and conditions they’re venturing into, are also prone to poor decision-making.

Like when another party is a few hundred metres back on the skin track and they want to drop in before them. Or a tantalizingly-loaded slope that might end up feeling like the best December run of your life, until it slides and carries you into trees and exposed cliffs.

No one is immune to human factors. It’s the wisdom of experience that manages them best.

I’m not sure how many people managed to hurt themselves in the alpine after the snowfall last weekend, but I’d bet my paycheque it was more than zero. The riskversus-reward equation is not balanced in our favour yet. Venturing into our rocky, hazardfilled terrain before the snow has had a chance to consolidate will simply be a numbers game, until you end up in trouble.

I’m as excited as the rest of you for this winter. I’ve been looking forward to it for nine months. But let’s not miss the best part of the season by making some unwise decisions.

Vince Shuley has his eye on the forecast. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider, email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_vince. ■

DECEMBER 8, 2023

33

FEATURE STORY

Wild, wild Cultural differences, jurisdictional boundaries, careless drivers, and an unwanted highway mark the debate over how best to care for Pemberton’s free-range horses Story and photos by Roi'si'n Cullen / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

If you’re looking for a pictureperfect postcard of Pemberton, you could do far worse than the image of wild horses grazing in a field on a sunny summer’s day. For many, the sight of these magnificent creatures roaming free is a sign of the ways Pemberton, in spite of its rapid growth, has maintained its deep connections to the bucolic ways of life that have been so engrained here over generations as an agricultural hub.

As the years passed, Pemberton’s wild horses have become a potent symbol of that age-old clash between progress and nature. There have been countless Facebook posts of frustrated motorists crawling down Highway 99 on foggy evenings to make way for them, hoping for the best and calling for a collective solution.

WAyne Andrews

Cultural differences, multiple jurisdictional boundaries, drivers disobeying speed limits, an unwanted highway, and debates over where these majestic animals belong have divided the community.

Over the past month, the image most people are likely to see when they think of the wild horses of Pemberton is far from a pleasant one. This fall, two separate collisions on Highway 99 led to the death of two horses and an injured driver. Salt on the roads is now attracting these horses straight onto the highway, a problem that is unlikely to go away during the cold winter months.

Technically speaking, the horses are not completely wild. Owned and cared for by Wayne Andrews, a former cowboy and rodeo rider for the ages from the Lil’wat Nation, he recently met with Pique Newsmagazine on his blue tractor while preparing hay for the winter to discuss a debate that has captured the community.

A dire warning

‘It’s like keeping horses A decades-old article in British Columbia on a reserve’ Magazine nicknamed Wayne “The Champ” and followed his dream to become the “best bronc rider in North America,” documenting the athlete’s rigorous morning routine and daily plunges in the Birkenhead River.

“When I first started rodeo riding, I wanted to see the world,” says Wayne. “I asked my aunty what kind of training I could do to make my mind strong. She could hardly talk English but told me to train like the warriors.

“You ask the river to make you a good, strong person.”

However, Wayne stopped competing in rodeos at the height of his career because of a dire warning.

“A medicine man told me in a sweat lodge that he had a vision that I was going to get killed during a rodeo,” he recalls. “He said it was because we are not supposed to do that to the horses. The creator pitied all of us

34 DECEMBER 8, 2023

humans, so he gave us the horses to help us.

The medicine man said the horses could take us out just like that.”

Wayne believes the warnings came in the worst possible form—the deaths of his beloved younger brother and son.

“My brother Nick-o wasn’t protected,” he says. “I didn’t know he was getting on bareback horses at the high school. He wanted to be like me. He was stepped on by a bull. It punctured his heart and lung.”

The family man warned his son growing up to stay away from rodeo riding, fearing he could meet the same fate.

“He wanted to be like me,” Wayne says. “I told him I would enter every rodeo he was in to make sure he didn’t come first. He died three years later. Girls were fighting over him because he was so handsome. He was passed out in the back of a car with a few girls. They went over the edge of the road and they all drowned in a river.”

The relationship Wayne has with his horses is deeply rooted in Lil’wat culture. He points to an image of a horse etched into T’szil, also known as Mount Currie, watching over him.

“We have to treat horses with respect,” he says. “Right now, I’m behind, but nature waits for me. Every time nature waits for me it’s because I look after and respect the horses.”

As the horses circle around Wayne in their pen, he points out their unique characteristics and the stories behind each of their names.

Roxy, which belonged to Wayne’s daughter, was one of the horses struck dead in the October collision.

“It’s always hard,” he says. “So many horses have been killed. We are being terrorized by the highway. In 1990, people blocked the road because they didn’t want it paved. It got paved anyway. This is the last of our freedom

FEATURE STORY area. Once this is gone, I will leave. I will take these horses and leave.”

Wayne says he was ill for weeks after trying to get his horses off the highway in heavy rain. Recent events have left him with a broken heart. Fencing is in place for the horses, but they often escape. His worst fear is the horses live trapped, a feeling Wayne and the Lil’wat know full well.

“That’s like colonizing us,” he says. “That’s really mean and cruel. It’s like keeping horses on a reserve. We have a hard time speaking out because we are so used to being punished.

It’s all from the boarding schools.”

Wayne’s life has been tainted by the long-term trauma of Canada’s residential school system. “My mom and dad attended residential schools,” he says. “I was hit by my dad very hard. One day, I said, ‘Heh.’ He said, ‘You know what happened to me when I said ‘Heh’—and he back-fisted me. I bounced off the floor and there was blood everywhere. I would have died if my siblings didn’t help me.”

Wayne concedes his family is starving, trying to make ends meet. “We have had horses stolen,” he claims. “There is no better life than this for the horses. We are being bullied by a highway. We have a fence to keep them in, but it’s trash. People drive through with their vehicles and wreck it all the time.

They want to keep shrinking us. Now, they want to take the horses. There is no better home for the horses than here.”

The 65-year-old feels he has been picked on for his treatment of the horses as he was during his time as a rodeo rider, where fellow competitors would single him out as the “Indian.”

“The highway company should fence off the highway,” he says. “They are the ones that put it there.”

Murray Sinclair, spokesperson for B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, tells Pique fencing off the highway is not possible.

“On new high-speed and limited access freeways and expressways, the ministry often constructs wildlife exclusion fencing where large species of wildlife may be present,” he writes in an email. “However, in the case of domestic livestock—animals owned by farmers or ranchers—it is the responsibility of the livestock owners to secure their properties.

There are signs on Highway 99 between Pemberton and Mt. Currie warning motorists that horses may be present on the highway.”

A more robust fencing system is not in Wayne’s budget, practically speaking.

Besides, he argues the onus should lie with the people who built the road in the first place. Meanwhile, community members have stepped up to the task. Shaneika Lepine, Ayla Pascal and Lenikah Lepine helped Wayne round up the horses when they were spotted on the highway on Sunday, Dec 3. With the help of local tribal police, the Lil’wat women rode the horses from Pemberton to the rodeo grounds in Mount Currie, where Wayne usually keeps them.

Wayne’s sister, Rosa Andrews, principal of Xetólacw Community School in Mount Currie, believes the horses speak to deeper issues directly connected to Canada’s colonization of the Lil’wat.

“We have a boundary line,” she says. “Our traditional territory is unceded, unsurrendered territory. Our ancestors signed

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FEATURE STORY a declaration in 1911 stating that it is our traditional territory. We have never ceded or surrendered. We are the rightful owners to our traditional territory.”

Rosa believes the horses are cognizant of this traditional territory.

“There were brass pegs placed between two of the slides on Mount Currie Mountain as a boundary marker. It crosses the valley over to the other side where the red bridge was. There was another brass peg placed there. Our animals stayed on our side, but Pemberton has pushed their boundary way over to the industrial park. They have done that without the consent of the people.”

(In response, a Village of Pemberton spokesperson said in a statement that all land-use at the municipality—which lies entirely within unceded Lil’wat territory— are referred to the Lil’wat Nation, and ultimately require “active participation and approval” from the provincial government, which is responsible for consulting with First Nations as part of its process. “No municipal boundary extensions have been made by the Village of Pemberton in the past 10 years, apart from exploring options in 2018,” the statement continued.)

In 1990, Lil’wat Nation members installed a roadblock and rebelled against clear-cut logging and the expropriation of Mount Currie reserve land for Highway 99. Wayne and Rosa’s mother was one of those protestors.

“Pemberton has pushed their boundary and has also pushed a road through,” Rosa says. “Highway 99 was put there without the consent of the people. That was the reason why we had a roadblock in 1975 and 1990.

Our people have gone to jail over this road.

We have never given our consent and we are resisting colonization. Even the horses know their traditional territory, they know their traditional grazing area. Their goal is money. They fenced us in. They put us on reservations. Now, we have this wild herd of horses who are on their way. They want to fence them, too.”

Paved in 1990, Duffey Lake Road, the stretch of Highway 99 spanning from Pemberton to Lillooet, has completely changed the landscape of their home, Rosa says.

“This has been a problem since the road was put through,” she says. “Back when I was a kid, I could ride a horse around here. We would ride our horses to school. We didn’t have to worry about traffic. It’s scary to even cross that road now.”

The horse is incredibly important to Lil’wat culture.

“The horse spirit is really strong,” says Rosa. “It’s something that not too many people will understand. We even have a song, ‘The Wild Horse Dance.’ It’s a wild spirit. You don’t learn to contain the spirit. You learn how to respect one another. If you learn to respect one another, then you can work together as a team.”

The horses also help keep the land around them safe.

“The horses even help us with their natural grazing,” says Rosa. “They keep down all the brush for the wildfires. It’s supposed to be a reservation, a place reserved for our people, and yet the highway is going through it. They are killing our animals. Wayne feels really bad because he strongly believes in the horse spirit. He has always been really good with horses.”

36 DECEMBER 8, 2023

my neighbour’s property. Horses crowded around the dead foal. It was like they were having a funeral for the foal. Over the next week or so, I just noticed this rancid smell.

I was out with my dogs, and I noticed this wig on the grass. It was nighttime so I just had my flashlight. Then I saw the maggots going through it. It was a horse’s tail,” he says. “I found the head and the vertebrae about a hundred feet away in another grove of bushes. I called the RCMP and explained that the timeline lined up with the earlier accident.”

O’Toole later called Miller Capilano Highway Services, the company contracted for maintenance on that stretch of Highway 99. He was allegedly the second caller to report a collision with a horse that day.

“Miller Capilano said they would be there in the morning, but nobody came,” he explains. “I dug a hole with my tractor and buried the horse in the front of my property. I don’t think it’s publicly known they get hit as much as they do.”

Miller Capilano deferred all comment to the provincial highway ministry.

O’Toole asserts drivers need to go slower on the stretch of road outside his property.

“I don’t know how you could do it, but a flashing warning might work. The speed limit also needs to be reduced. Nobody really does 80 kilometres an hour anyway.

Literally at our property line, it turns from 50km/h to 80km/h.”

A partnership approach The rumour mill

“They have been on the range. They’re eating grass. They’re horses, so they are Rumours in the community have swirled living the life by just being able to roam and that Wayne intentionally breeds the horses eat whatever they like,” Latham adds. “With for meat, something he was eager to dispel. the population boom, traffic and tourists Acknowledging that he sometimes has to sell and people who don’t recognize speed the horses at auction to “correct the bloodline,” limits, animals are obviously being hurt. I Wayne claims that, once, his horses were don’t think it’s true that they have been accidentally sold to a kill buyer. raised for slaughter. A number have been “This has happened,” he says. “We sent shipped for slaughter.” the horses for auction in Kamloops. My son Local Kimberly Ibbotson raised her and I were watching it. The same name kept concerns on social media about the presence coming up: Ed, Ed, Ed, Ed. I asked my son of horses on the highway, having had several to look in the computer and try and find out near-misses over the years. why that guy is always buying the horses. The “Apparently, people like to go around there guy was a horse-meat buyer who goes after and drive crazily around the site,” she says. organic meat. He would out-bid anyone.”

“They leave the pasture’s gates open. When Canada is one of the world’s leading we first moved here, we romanticized it, but exporters of horsemeat.

According to they are not wild horses. They need medical Statistics Canada, approximately 2,600 attention and care. We are worried about Canadian horses were exported for slaughter horses being on the highway. They can get in 2022, all of which ended up in Japan, at hurt or hurt somebody else.” a total value of $19 million, according to an She worries that tourists won’t know to October CBC investigation. expect horses coming around the bend, Others have criticized Wayne for the something that could lead to a serious accident. horses’ apparent condition. Kris Latham, “The people in this community are all owner and founder of Second Chance aware that they are there and take our time Cheekye Ranch in the Squamish Valley, has going through, but we have so many people worked with Wayne previously, and said the from out of town passing through,” Ibbotson animals were well taken care of. says. “They are not looking out for these “We have taken in just under 30 horses horses as we are.” over the years,” she says. “We did purchase Pemberton’s Jim O’Toole says he found some of them just to give the owner a bit of a the remains of a horse on his property 10 reprieve. We have gotten nearly every single days after the Oct. 12 collision that killed one of them into new homes. To purchase two animals. them is to get them out of harm’s way and into “Two horses were found on the highway good homes. and then a foal was found dead against

Pemberton Mayor Mike Richman concedes it’s “a tough” issue to deal with.

“The horses travel from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The Village does not have the capacity to go rounding up horses. We just don’t have the labour,” he says. “It’s really something that needs to be worked on collaterally. We share a great concern over this.”

Richman underlines that the risk to drivers becomes far greater in the winter.

“We recognize the danger to everybody,” he says “We recognise the danger to the horses, especially at this foggy time of year. We have had conversations with different groups. All of us are handcuffed in terms of resources.”

The Village of Pemberton has agreed to send a formal letter to Lil’wat’s Chief and council asking to work together to mitigate the risk.

“We are looking to see if there are bylaws that we can create together and if there are things we can do together to help,” explains Richman, adding he will follow the Nation’s lead.

“There are a lot of sensitivities there,” he says. “Highway 99 wasn’t there before. This is unceded land. We know that history. We want to take a partnership approach.”

Lil’wat Chief Dean Nelson declined comment.

Police investigations into this fall’s accidents are still ongoing, and Cpl. James Gilmour with the RCMP declined to comment further on the matter.

As questions abound over who exactly should be responsible for these roaming animals, it is the wild horses of Pemberton that will face the consequences of inaction. These stunning creatures stand at a crossroads—but there’s traffic incoming. n

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SPORTS THE SCORE

Canadian men sweep skeleton podium at North American Cup TIRZA LARA, GRACE DAFOE WIN GOLD AND SILVER AMONG WOMEN time, but it does come. We still have a long ways to go, a lot of work to do, but to share the podium with [my teammates] is awesome.”

BY DAVID SONG IT WAS A SEA of red and white atop the North American Cup (NAC) men’s skeleton podium on Dec. 2, as Mark Lynch, Troy Wilson and Ryan Kuehn cleaned house with a onetwo-three finish.

It was Lynch who found championship speed: one minute, 48.38 seconds to be precise, with Wilson not far behind (1:49.05). Kuehn had a chance to go for the win, but a difficult second run forced him to settle for bronze (1:49.77).

Among women, none were faster than Tirza Lara, who clinched her second victory in as many days (1:51.62). Fellow Canadian Grace Dafoe was just three one-hundredths of a second behind in earning her first NAC silver (1:51.65), with Seokju Yang of Korea winding up third (1:52.61).

“A lot of people know about the changes that have been going on with our skeleton program the last few years,” Lynch said. “This shows that change is very hard, it takes a long

TOP SPEED Canadian skeleton racers who medalled at the 2023 Whistler North American Cup, left to right: Troy Wilson, Ryan Kuehn, Mark Lynch, Grace Dafoe (back left), Tirza Lara (back right).

PHOTO BY DAVID SONG

38 DECEMBER 8, 2023

‘A LONG TIME COMING’

The 2023 Whistler NAC was a banner event for Wilson personally, as he clinched his first-ever medal on the circuit (a bronze) on Dec. 1.

nonetheless leaving Whistler with two medals and a personal-best push time (4.56 seconds).

“My first run was really good,” he said. “I knew from the moment I crossed the finish line that it was a good one. I just I keep looking for little things [to improve on].”

The Canadian men are off to a blazing start to their campaign. Blake Enzie won two gold medals at the NAC season opener in Lake

“There’s going to be bigger and brighter things coming, and this is just a glint.”

- TROY WILSON

“It’s been a long time coming,” said the former University of New Brunswick decathlete. “Training was really, really good.

I was making sure my head space was staying as on point as it could. Having the close races both [Friday and Saturday] is a testament to both of my teammates. I’m really proud of my performance, and I’m even more proud of my teammates over the course of this weekend.”

Kuehn wanted more out of himself, but is

Placid, N.Y. with Kuehn adding a silver of his own. They all share one goal: to become world champions someday.

“We’re just lucky to be on the sleds,” Wilson added. “These [results] are a testament to our team’s hard work behind the scenes.

There’s going to be bigger and brighter things coming, and this is just a glint. Expect to see better performances from not just us three, but everyone on the sleds.”

HERE TO STAY

Though Lara has moved back to Sun Peaks, she is intimately familiar with the iconic Whistler Sliding Centre (WSC), and strives to perform her best each time on its high-velocity ice.

“I’m very excited, very happy,” she said.

“I’ve spent a lot of time training on this track, so it’s really satisfying to be able to see the fruits of that effort. There’s always a fear aspect, and the ice is really fast, but we’re so used to getting over that fear and working with those speeds so it’s almost like second nature for a lot of us Canadian athletes.”

While Lara kicked off her international career not so long ago, Dafoe has been around for some time. She discovered skeleton as a young adult in the twilight of her figure skating years and won her first NAC medal (a gold) in 2015 on Calgary’s now-shuttered track. The Albertan returned to the podium on Saturday, Dec. 2 at what happened to be her 50th NAC event.

“This was probably one of the best runs I’ve put down on the Whistler track, which is exciting,” said Dafoe. “It’s no secret I’ve been around for a little bit on the international scene. I haven’t been to Europe since 2019, and I’m looking forward to cracking those top sixes. The goal is to do those and show that Canada is not only here in North America, but we are here to stay at the Europa Cup level.” n

SPORTS THE SCORE

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FOOTBALL IS BACK! DUE NORTH Melissa Lotholz launches her monobob during North American Cup action in Whistler on Nov. 29.

PHOTO BY DAVID SONG

Four Canadian sleds earn medals on opening day of Whistler North American Cup MELISSA LOTHOLZ, ERICA VOSS, CARTER MALYK AND TAYLOR AUSTIN DROVE TO THE PODIUM ON A CRASH-FILLED AFTERNOON

BY DAVID SONG ON PAPER, NOV. 29 was a successful opening day of IBSF North American Cup (NAC) action for Team Canada, with four sleds hitting the podium.

Melissa Lotholz (1:52.02) and Erica Voss (1:52.31) went one-two in women’s monobob ahead of Slovakian Viktoria Cernanska (1:52.37).

Carter Malyk and Sam Cuciz (1:46.57) won gold in two-man, besting silver medallists Jinsu Kim and Sunwook Kim (1:48.20) from Korea. That left fellow Canadians Taylor Austin and Shane Ort (1:48.53) in bronze medal position.

What the time sheets don’t show, however, are the multitude of crashes that made for a carnage-filled afternoon at the Whistler Sliding Centre (WSC). Track operations manager Robb Zirnhelt figures there were eight in all: six twoman sleds, one monobob and one forerunner.

Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

Lotholz didn’t feel like she put her best foot forward, but she still did enough to hold off eight other athletes in victory. The Barrhead, Alta. native recently returned to Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) after taking time away to complete her undergraduate degree, and will likely transition to the World Cup circuit in 2024 after taking valuable NAC reps.

“Coming back [to Whistler] is intimidating,” Lotholz admitted. “Knowing I took a year off, there was a part of me that’s

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like ‘Yeah, could we start somewhere easier, not as fast?’ But at the end of the day, learning on this track forces you to be good.”

Voss, meanwhile, appreciates what the relatively new discipline of monobob can do for her and other young pilots.

“First off, they’re a great learning tool for new pilots,” said the Calgarian. “I’m just going into my second season driving, and [monobob] is a lot safer. They’re actually a little bit trickier to drive, so they’re really good for developing driving skill. In terms of competition, it’s good to see the women’s pilots one-on-one.”

It is said crashes can be contagious, and that definitely appeared to be the case on Nov. 29 among men, with six teams overturning in the first of two heats. Due credit goes to Malyk and Cuciz for remaining upright, putting down clean runs to elevate themselves above the rest.

For their part, Austin and Ort managed to hold onto enough speed at the end of an ill-fated first trip to remain in the medal hunt.

“I’ve had to bring in a lot of new people and coach them, so doing that over a lot of years has really helped me refine my processes and make it as simple as possible for these guys coming in [like Shane],” Austin said. “When you’re standing at the top of Whistler, the track’s blazing fast and they’re going to be as nervous as they will be. I try to make it uplifting. Not safe, because it is still bobsled, but as fun as possible.”

Check out full results at the IBSF website, and find more North American Cup coverage at piquenewsmagazine.com. n

DECEMBER 8, 2023

39

FORK IN THE ROAD

‘You feel like you’re in a snow globe’: Raven Room transforms into ridiculously festive Christmas bar MIRACLE POP-UP TURNS WHISTLER VILLAGE COCKTAIL LOUNGE INTO WINTER WONDERLAND—FOR A GOOD CAUSE IN 2014, GREG Boehm learned the value of two important and lasting lessons: never underestimate the power of Christmas, and always listen to your mother.

It was that year the New York restaurateur decided, at the advice of his mom, to halt

BY BRANDON BARRETT construction of what was to be his new East Village cocktail bar, Mace, to transform the unfinished space into a pop-up bar serving holiday-themed drinks amidst over-the-top Christmas decorations.

“People basically flooded [it] due to the insane amount of decorations and festive-ness of it,” said Brandi Woodnutt, co-owner of Whistler’s award-winning cocktail bar, The Raven Room.

Called Miracle, the New York City pop-up became such a hit that, by the following year, it had expanded to four other locations. In 2016, Miracle went global, with locations in Montreal, Paris, and Athens. This year, the

DECK THE HALLS Whistler’s award-winning cocktail bar, The Raven Room, has been transformed in a winter wonderland for its Miracle Christmas pop-up.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RAVEN ROOM

40 DECEMBER 8, 2023

themed pop-up will festoon tinsel across 144 bars in five countries, including at Whistler’s own Raven Room.

Promising to bring “the nostalgic energy of the best office party you’ve ever been to,” Woodnutt says staff went all out turning the stylish bar into a winter wonderland for the ages.

“We probably put in around 300 man hours of just insane decorations,” she said.

Christmas-averse.

“Even if you’re not a Christmas person, I’ve had lots of people come in who say they don’t typically like Christmas and then they change their mind when they get a themed drink in a tiki mug,” Woodnutt added. “It’s a whole vibe that Whistler really needed.”

As Woodnutt hinted, the drink menu is similarly festive, featuring 10 themed cocktails

“I’ve had lots of people come in who say they don’t typically like Christmas and then they change their mind when they get a themed drink in a tiki mug.”

- BRANDI WOODNUTT

Lining the entire space is 1,000 feet of twinkling Christmas lights. Snowglobes abound. Holly and poinsettias underline the bar. Presents and holiday ornaments hang from the ceiling. There are mini-Christmas trees on every table. Peppermint is a recurring motif. An inflatable, nine-foot-tall Frosty the Snowman dominates the patio. Two different Christmas themes adorn the walls “that kind of look like something out of Whoville,” Woodnutt noted. “It’s definitely incredibly festive.”

It’s Christmas on steroids for even the

that would make Ebenezer Scrooge blush. On top of the holiday favourites, such as hot buttered rum and housemade eggnog, there are updated classics, like the minty Christmas Cricket; the popular “Christmasapolitan,” a variation on a cosmopolitan featuring cranberry sauce, elderflower, rosemary, vermouth, and absinthe; or a winterized take on an old fashioned featuring a handmade snowball that sits in the glass.

Owners are also planning special themed nights “Ugly Sweater Après and Festive

Drag Sunday have been thrown around as potential concepts” to coincide with that most wonderful time of the year.

Raven Room is certainly no stranger to pop-ups, although historically they have typically centred around a visiting bartender or brand. Miracle, on the other hand, allows staff to take on an entirely new concept and design for an extended period.

“Pop-ups have become more popular in the cocktail bar scene in the last five or so years. I like Miracle because we get to trade ideas and bring in certain looks and styles and different ideas without having to own a bar in [New York, where the concept began],” Woodnutt said. “Whistler is so magical at Christmastime, and outside of the Fairmont and a few other places that have the budget to really make it colourful with lights and wildly decorated, we just thought it would be nice to go and sit somewhere in a room and be completely engulfed by the spirit of Christmas. You feel like you’re in a snowglobe.”

This year, Miracle is partnering again with the Seva Foundation, with a portion of proceeds from the sale of special themed glassware going to the global non-profit eye care organization that works with local communities around the world to develop self-sustaining programs that preserve and restore sight. Learn more at seva.org.

Check out The Raven Room online at theravenroom.ca or in person inside the Pan Pacific Village Centre Hotel. ■

MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM • SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH OPEN DAILY: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

FITNESS CLASS SCHEDULE DECEMBER 8

DECEMBER 9

DECEMBER 10

DECEMBER 11

DECEMBER 12

DECEMBER 13

DECEMBER 14

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

I Mountain

I Strength &

I Spin

I Strength & Cardio 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Lou

Ready Conditioning 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Carly

I Strong Glutes and Core 7:30-8:30 a.m Jess

I Full Body HIIT 9-10 a.m.

Andy

I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m.

Lou

F Pilates Mat Class 10:30-11:30am Josie

I Zumba 10:30-11:30 a.m Susie

Mobility 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Anna

Mixer 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Sylvie

I Strength Training for Endurance Athletes 8-9 a.m.

Marie-Anne

F Swim Fit Endurance 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Marie-Anne I Yin & Yang Yoga 9-10 a.m.

Heidi

I Aqua Fit Deep 8:45-9:45 a.m.

Marie-Anne

R Mom & Baby 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Sara

I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m.

Anna

I Functional Strength & Conditioning 9-10 a.m.

Marie-Anne

I Strength & Stability 9-10 a.m.

Lou

R Swim Fit Technique 10-11 a.m.

Marie-Anne

F Be the Change 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Katrina

R Lift Club 3:45-4:45 p.m.

Eric

I Gentle Fit

F Spin

I TRX Mixer 5:15-6 p.m.

Andy

I Functional Strength & Conditioning 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Garret

F Pilates Mat Class 6:15-7:15pm Liv

y e k r u t r e n n i d

THE YC’S AN

I Aqua Fit Shallow 8:45-9:45 a.m.

Marie-Anne

FRIDAY DEC 15 • 6 :30PM @ THE YC Swing by the YC for Turkey Dinner prepared by the chefs at The Faimont Chateau! Games, gifts, merriness, & more! Ages 13-18 (Grade 8+)

604.935.8187 • youthcentre@whistler.ca •

1-2 p.m.

Diana

5:15-6:15 p.m.

Courtney

I HIIT Express 5:15-6 p.m.

Alex

R Prenatal Fitness 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Sara

I Zumba 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Carmen

I Yoga Roll & Release 8-9 p.m.

Laura

POOL HOURS DEC 8 FRIDAY

DEC 9 SATURDAY

DEC 10 SUNDAY

DEC 11 MONDAY

DEC 12 TUESDAY

DEC 13 WEDNESDAY

DEC 14 THURSDAY

LAP POOL

6 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. & 6-8 p.m.

6 a.m. - 8 p.m.

6-8:45 a.m.

6 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. & 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. & 11:45 a.m. - 8 p.m.

6-8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. & 6-8 p.m.

LEISURE POOL

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 4-8 p.m.

9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

11:45 a.m. – 8 p.m.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 4-8 p.m.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 4-8 p.m.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 4-8 p.m.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 4-8 p.m.

HOT SPOTS

6 a.m. - 8 p.m.

6 a.m. - 8 p.m.

6- 8:45 a.m. & 11:45-8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m. 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

SCAN ME

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

whistler.ca/recreation | whistler.ca | 604-935-7529 @RMWhistler |

@rmwhistler |

@rmowhistler

whistleryouthcentre

4335 Blackomb Way (subterranean level of the Arts Whistler building)

F Spin 6:15-7:15 p.m.

Alex I Slow Flow Yoga 8-9 p.m.

Laura

NUAL

ARTS SCENE

O Come All Ye Soulful to grace Whistler for the holidays ACCLAIMED JAZZ AND SOUL ARTISTS DAWN PEMBERTON AND JODI PROZNICK PLAY DEC. 14 AT THE MAURY YOUNG ARTS CENTRE

BY DAVID SONG ARTS WHISTLER LIVE! is ringing in the holiday season with a funky twist, bringing O Come All Ye Soulful to the Maury Young Arts Centre on Dec. 14. The group is helmed by two award-winning jazz and soul musicians: vocalist Dawn Pemberton and bassist Jodi Proznick, who leads the band. Also in the mix are pianist Tilden Webb, drummer Nick Bracewell, Vince Mai on trumpet and saxophonist James Danderfer.

Together, the critically acclaimed group will share their take on all kinds of holiday oldies, including material from Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Donny Hathaway, John Legend, Otis Redding and Darlene Love—to name just a few.

Jazz and soul music are close cousins, and O Come All Ye Soulful inhabits the sweet spot where both intersect.

“It’s a fun and groovy show full of classic holiday songs performed by a worldclass ensemble,” reveals Proznick, who has multiple National Jazz Awards and two

SOUL TRAIN Acclaimed Surrey jazz musician, Jodi Proznick, will join Dawn Pemberton for a show in Whistler Dec. 14.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTS WHISTLER

42 DECEMBER 8, 2023

Juno nominations to her credit. “There are moments of tenderness and moments when you will be dancing in your seat.”

Christmas is a time of great joy and celebration for many, but it can also be a time of sadness and loneliness. Pemberton hopes she and her peers can bring good cheer to Whistler this month, especially for those who might find themselves struggling over the holidays.

WE GOT SOUL

Pemberton and Proznick both grew up in the Lower Mainland: Vancouver and south Surrey, respectively. Their families brought them into contact with music early and often, and inevitably they chose to make their careers as performers.

The duo began collaborating during the pandemic, when they unveiled their first Christmas show. Along the way, they developed

“One thing that does make [Christmas] special is there’s this canon of music that people know—whether it’s sacred or secular. I think the show taps into that.”

- JODI PROZNICK

“Being able to share your music any time of year is special and wonderful, especially after not having been able to do it for a few years [during COVID], but Christmas can be a hard time for many people,” she says. “One thing that does make it special is there’s this canon of music that people know—whether it’s sacred or secular. I think the show taps into that.

“Whenever you can touch on those songs, it conjures something special within the audience.”

a deep appreciation for each other’s talent.

“Jodi is a killer, high-class musician,” says Pemberton, recipient of the 2015 Western Canadian Music Award for Urban Recording for the Year. “She plays everything with such ferocity and stellar execution, but she also has a ginormous heart. When she shows up in a musical setting, it’s with so much generosity and so much love. It’s rare to find someone to collaborate with where

things move so easily.”

The feeling is mutual for Proznick. “I have known and admired Dawn Pemberton for years,” she says. “Her artistry is amazing. She exudes warmth and generosity of spirit when she performs. She’s rooted in tradition but [brings] her own spin on every song, and she is super groovy.”

Both artists have performed in Whistler before, and are blown away by its natural splendour—not to mention the people. They remember crowds that were “rip-roaring and ready to go”: jovial, engaged and energetic. It’s an experience they look forward to reliving.

Between the free-flowing creativity and collaboration of jazz and the deep richness of soul, guests will have plenty to savour as well.

“The thing that I love about soul music in particular is that it really speaks to people’s humanity,” Pemberton opines. “It’s medicine.

It’s created by Black men and women who were experiencing extreme racism and white supremacy, and in a world where there wasn’t a space for them, they had to create their own space [with] a style of music that allowed them to express their deepest emotions.

“That’s what speaks to my soul—it’s the ability to get to the heart of the matter, and to make almost any topic feel universal and recognizable.”

Find tickets and more information at showpass.com/aw-live-ohyesoulful. n

ARTS SCENE

Five Sea to Sky artists to showcase ‘Warmth, Water and Wilderness’ THE NEW ART SHOW TAKES PLACE DEC. 9 AT THE PEMBERTON & DISTRICT MUSEUM

NOV 29 - DEC 3, 2023

ONLINE DECEMBER 4-17, 2023

BY DAVID SONG ART FANS will have something new to check out on Dec. 9 as five local artists drop by the Pemberton & District Museum for a new exhibition. “Warmth, Water and Wilderness: An Artistic Journey into Earth’s Endearing Elements” is a venture headed by Keita Selina, featuring work by Jill Gotto, Lucy Wyn-Griffiths, Emma Hall-Leah, and Alissa Powell.

Selina comes from a theatre background, and is used to designing sets based on a script. There was no script to go from this time, but the exhibit’s overarching theme coalesced naturally—pun intended.

“What we tried to do was look at the kind of work that we all like,” says Selina. “We looked at different influences and then pulled together the common themes that we could see running through our preferences. And the themes that came out were warmth, water, and wilderness.

“We live in one of the most beautiful places when it comes to nature, so it makes sense that a lot of us are impacted by it.”

The five ladies are part of an art club Selina started in September, which includes a mix of emerging professionals and hobbyists united by their common interest. The group meets on Saturday mornings in Selina’s home studio to drink tea, socialize and paint together. They’ve got 19 pieces as a group, many of which have never been seen by anyone outside of their immediate families.

“I just really wanted to bring together some sense of community, as a reaction to COVID, especially,” explains Selina. “It’s very isolating being an artist and finding time to create when you’re a hobbyist, yet it also brings a lot of comfort and self-expression to people. So, I wanted to create this club and have some accountability to see what we could come up with.”

FILM FESTIVAL

PEMBERTON

ACCESSIBLE ART

Art has never been an easy way to provide for oneself, and unproven creators can face many obstacles in showcasing their work. That’s why Selina pursued an opportunity for her and her peers to display their art in an accessible manner—giving voice to the real people who live in Pemberton.

“I think that there’s quite a lot of gatekeeping that goes on with being able to show your work in a gallery setting,” opines the British expatriate. “It [depends] a lot on who you know. This is just an opportunity for people that like art to come together in that mid-range. It’s not highly curated and there are no rules. It’s a mixture of people who genuinely love making art that live in and around Pemberton.

“I really want everybody to have that experience and that confidence-building time.

Art should be accessible. It shouldn’t be this

THANK YOU

STAY WARM Pemberton artist Keita Selina shows off some of her work.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KEITA SELINA

hierarchical thing, in my personal opinion.”

On Saturday, museum guests will have the opportunity to purchase any painting that catches their eye in a laid-back, alcohol-free environment. Each artist will be on hand to discuss their creative processes and the techniques behind their work.

“There’s quite a confidence boost when somebody goes: ‘I really see something in your artwork, so much so that I would like to buy it and have that in my home,’ and I want to be able to provide that experience,” Selina says. “And even if they don’t sell, that’s also a lesson in itself. It’s okay to put yourself out there.”

Selina grew up in Leeds, England, and first moved to the Sea to Sky as a teenager with her parents. Unlike her dad, she isn’t an avid skier—nor an athlete of any kind. Even so, Pemberton left its impression on her, so much that she returned as an adult after studying theatre in London.

Over time, Selina has come to appreciate the wholesome and down-to-Earth nature of life in the corridor, and it’s something she chooses for her own kids. She also chooses to continue pursuing art, not for the money but for what it brings into her life.

“I realized that making art made me really happy and I needed to find a way to do it, so I turned back towards smaller canvases and started working in ink and watercolour because that’s easier when you’ve got littles,” Selina says. “And then slowly as they’ve gotten bigger, I guess my pieces have gotten bigger.”

Read more at thecreativecupboard.com/ events/art-show. n

to all filmgoers, sponsors, and volunteers for a great WFF23!

Stream Award winning films online until Dec. 17 DECEMBER 8, 2023

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PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE

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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

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LAUGH OUT LIVE! PHOTO BY JOERN ROHDE / COURTESY OF LAUGH OUT LIVE!

ART PARTY: ANDREA MUELLER—INCONSISTENT MEMORY Join the Maury Young Arts Centre for the opening party of Andrea Mueller’s latest solo exhibit: Inconsistent Memory. Mingle with Whistler’s art-loving community, discover the motivations behind Andrea’s new artistic style and snack on delicious charcuterie by Picnic Whistler. Plus, the legendary DJ Foxy Moron will be spinning tunes all night long! Free to attend and everyone welcome. The exhibit will remain open until Jan. 27, 2024. > Dec. 8, 6 to 9 p.m. > Maury Young Arts Centre > Free

WHISTLER BESPOKE MARKET

Zoning permits both weekend Cottage Use by an out-of-town owner or full-time occupancy by an owner or long-term renter.

In-Unit Washer & Dryer. Gas Fireplace. Balcony faces to the sunny south. On the Valley Trail between Village & Creekside, below Whistler Mountain, close to Alta Lake.

On-site mail delivery. Re-cycling & Waste Shed. Storage Locker. Ideal for lake lovers.

ASKING PRICE REDUCED TO: $775,000 (GST not applicable).

Duane Kercher, Real Estate Agent & Managing Broker

Real Estate Sales & Long-Term Rental Management Cell: 604-932-7849 Email: duane@whistlerproperty.com

Come explore the Bespoke Market for a curated holiday shopping experience showcasing creative entrepreneurs. Includes designers, small shop owners, and makers—where socially conscious shoppers can find a selection of items such as handcrafted jewelry, one-of-a-kind art, natural skincare, artisanal foods and beverages, slow fashion and home goods from 30-plus vendors. Tickets are $10 at the door, or $15 for both days. Online early-bird rates are available and children 12 and under are free. Tickets include access to Audain Art Museum galleries. > Dec. 9, 12 to 7 p.m., and Dec. 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. > Audain Art Museum > $10 at the door, or $15 for both days

WHISTLER CHILDREN’S CHORUS WINTER HOLIDAY CONCERT Head over to the Whistler Public Library for an evening of festive music! The Whistler Children’s Chorus has been working hard to prepare a variety of Christmas, Hanukkah and winter tunes for their fans. This event is free to attend and everyone is welcome. > Dec. 10, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. > Whistler Public Library > Free

LAUGH OUT LIVE! PRESENTS: RESTING GRINCH FACE, 2!

Get ready to jingle all the way to laughter with Laugh Out LIVE!’s new holiday show, Resting Grinch Face, 2! It’s a holiday comedy extravaganza more festive than Whoville’s holiday feast! Join us for a merry mix of high-energy improv, side-splitting sketches, and uproarious stand-up comedy that will have your heart growing three sizes bigger! It’s Saturday Night Live meets Whose Line Is It Anyway? meets The Price is Right meets Whistler! > Dec. 29 and 30, doors at 7:15 p.m. > Whistler Conference Centre > $35

Nowg! n Hiri

FUNCTIO N JUNCT ION

WE HA MOVEDVE !

OPEN 10-6

We have moved! Now located in Function Junction.

14-1100 Millar Creek Rd, Whistler Contact us at 604 938 0075

44 DECEMBER 8, 2023

Volunteering together to support the Whistler Community – Join us.

The RotaryClub Club Whistler would to thank the organizations The Rotary of of Whistler would like tolike thank the organiza�ons and eventthat a�endees that donated to the CornucopiaSilent Silent Auc�on Coat Check,charities, Tourism Whistler, donated to the Cornucopia Auction,and our partner and the Watermark Communica�ons, ourand partner chari�es, and the many Rotary Club members many Rotary Club members friends who helped with the Coat Check. and friends who helped out. Approximately $27,000 were raised for Whistler Youth Approximately $27,000 were raised for Whistler Youth Support programs.

Support programs.

GOLD SPONSORS BLACKCOMB HELICOPTER COASTAL MOUNTAIN EXCAVATION ERIKA DURLACHER FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER FATHOM STONE ART FORT BERENS WINERY HOLLY MITCHELL (ARTIST) SILVER SPONSORS ALICE RICH (ARTIST) AMOS AND ANDES ARAXI BAILEY NELSON BRIDGET DUCKWORTH (ARTIST) CO OP CREEKSIDE MARKET CUTTING EDGE SIGNS FYI DOCTORS GRANFONDO HILTON WHISTLER LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE LORI GOLDBERG (ARTIST) NESTERS MARKET PAN PACIFIC SCANDINAVE SPA

WATERMARK COMMUNICATIONS WHISTLER VALLEY QUILTERS GUILD

BRONZE SPONSORS 122 WEST ALPINE LOCKS ARBUTUS ROUTES ART BY KEN AUDAIN ART MUSEUM BARTLE & GIBSON BEA SEARLE

BEARFOOT BISTRO

BURROWING OWL WINERY COASTAL CULTURE SPORTS EARLS RESTAURANT ELEVATION HAIR STUDIO FRESH ST MARKET GIBBONS HELLY HANSEN HOME HARDWARE ISOBEL MACLAURIN KEIR JEWELRY ROTARY CLUB OF WHISTLER MILLENIUM MCOOS NORTHERN LIGHTS ESTATE WINERY NICKLAUS N ORTH GOLFNORTH GOLF NICKLAUS NITA LAKE LODGE PROFILE SKI & SNOWBOARD SERVICES RAMSBURY SINGLE ESTATE TIGHTROPE WINERY RED PADDLE VIDA SPA RIM ROCK CAFÉ WHISTLER HARDWARE SCOTT BRAMMER WHISTLER HAPPY PETS SMD AUTOMOTIVE WHISTLER LIQUOR STORE SUREFOOT ZIPTREK THE BEACH THE KEG STEAKHOUSE

DECEMBER 8, 2023

45

MUSEUM MUSINGS

ICE WEATHER WE’RE HAVING The outdoor skating rink next to Myrtle Philip School.

Talk to us about your next renovation or custom home We can help!

Whistler on ice

BY ALLYN PRINGLE

CUSTOM HOMES & RENOVATIONS

604.907.2237 marc@balmoralconstruction.com balmoralconstruction.com

SKATING AND HOCKEY have been popular winter sports in the Whistler area for more than a century, especially when weather conditions make for less-than-optimal skiing.

The Woods and Jardine-Neiland children played hockey with shovels on Alta Lake in the 1920s and ’30s, while in the 1960s the Alta Lake Community Club spent Friday nights skating at the “Rainbow Rink” with hot dogs and hot chocolate from Rainbow Lodge. Until 1978, most of the skating rinks were built on frozen ponds and lakes by residents and community groups.

While November 1978 started off looking promising for the upcoming ski season, the snow turned to rain by Nov. 6, and the freezing level rose, melting much of the snow that had accumulated on the runs. The temperature then dropped to about -8 C overnight, leading

WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION, 1978

on the Alpine Meadows pond, and ice stock sliding on the River of Golden Dreams. The municipality also began building an outdoor skating rink adjacent to Municipal Hall and next to Myrtle Philip School (MPS).

Unfortunately for the municipal crew led

by Cliff Jennings, as soon as they began to flood the rink, the temperature rose and it finally began to snow. The rink was still not finished by Dec. 6, when a Question “School News” report written by MPS student Lance Bright stated, “We would like to thank the person responsible for the skating rink by the school. We hope it will be completed soon.”

While the change in the weather delayed the ice rink, it was good news for Whistler Mountain, which was finally able to open on Dec. 15. The snow continued through much of December, but by the end of the year the temperature had dropped again, and 1979 started off cold and clear.

Skating at the municipal rink became a popular activity for residents and holiday

The season was being compared to that of 1976-77, when Whistler Mountain closed for three weeks in January due to lack of snow.

Planning your perfect Whistler wedding?

P I C K U P YO U R C O P Y T O D AY !

46 DECEMBER 8, 2023

to frozen pipes and eight centimetres of ice on some of the lakes and streams.

The weather stayed cold and clear through mid-November, which was great news for those interested in ice stock sliding or skating, but terrible for Whistler Mountain and its expected opening date of Nov. 18. In a statement from Nov. 22, 1978, a lift company spokesperson told the Whistler Question they still needed “about 50 cm of new snow to make the upper areas anywhere near skiable and probably closer to one metre to make the mountain operational.”

The season was being compared to that of 1976-77, when Whistler Mountain closed for three weeks in January due to lack of snow— but the cold temperatures made for amazing skating and a perpetual hockey game on the local lakes.

Whistler residents took advantage of the cold weather of November 1978 by skating on Alta Lake and Nita Lake, playing hockey

visitors. The rink’s regulations allowed hockey to be played until 1 p.m.; from then on, it was recreational skating only. Lights were added and bonfires lit to attract skaters in the evenings.

The rink was always intended to be temporary, lasting only the 1978-79 season.

Though the original plans for the Whistler Resort Centre (now the Whistler Conference Centre) included an Olympic-sized ice rink, the plans for the building were changed dramatically following a recession in the early 1980s, and the rink was among the features cut. Whistler’s first indoor municipal skating rink, the ice rink at Meadow Park north of the Village, opened in 1992, with the pools and recreation facilities added in the following years. Walking through Whistler Village today, however, you are likely to see people skating in Olympic Plaza, not far from the first outdoor rink built by the municipality. n

PARTIAL RECALL

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1 HAVE A LAUGH Whistler’s original sketch comedy production, Laugh out LIVE!, performs at Cornucopia on Nov. 13 at the Whistler Conference Centre. December’s show, Resting Grinch Face, 2! takes the stage at the Whistler Conference Centre Dec. 29 and 30. PHOTO BY JOERN ROHDE / COURTESY OF LAUGH OUT LIVE! 2 LIGHT THE NIGHT The arrival of December in Whistler means Christmas lights… so many Christmas lights. Pictured are the trees outside of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. PHOTO BY SUSAN HUTCHINSON 3 OFF TO THE RACES A total of 68 Whistler Nordics training camp kids enjoyed the freshly fallen snow and newly opened trails at Whistler Olympic Park last week. PHOTO COURTESY OF WHISTLER NORDICS 4 FURRY FUNDRAISER Some lucky pets got a chance to meet Saint Nick himself at Whistler Animals Galore’s annual Pet Photos with Santa fundraiser on Dec. 2. The event raised a total of $4,767.20 for the animals at WAG. PHOTO BY BRAD KASSELMAN CREATIVE / COURTESY OF WAG 5 FROSTED TIPS A chilly, early-December morning in Pemberton left the landscape covered in frost. PHOTO BY ROISIN CULLEN

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS! Send your recent snaps to arts@piquenewsmagazine.com

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21-4314 Main Street DECEMBER 8, 2023

47

High Technology Dry Eye Treatment to Relieve Red & Tired Eyes

by Dr. Mindy Blumberg, Sea to Sky Optometry Director Are dry eyes dimming your sparkle? Say goodbye to discomfort and hello to relief with our cutting-edge Intense Regulated Pulsed Light (IRPL) Therapy, now available exclusively at Sea to Sky Optometry. We bring you the future of dry eye treatment, providing lasting comfort and rejuvenation.

“After struggling with dry eyes for years, IRPL provided the relief I never thought possible. For years I have been waking up feeling like my eyelids were stuck shut.

After the treatment I was able to wake up without the pain of dry eyes and could see clearly without needing my eye drops.” - Nancy Dry eye syndrome causes discomfort, irritation, and blurred vision.

Traditional treatments have offered relief, but we recognize the need for a more advanced and efficient solution. Enter IRPL Therapy, a game-changer in the world of dry eye management.

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By regulating and enhancing the function of these glands, IRPL Therapy addresses the root cause of dry eye, providing long-lasting relief.

IRPL Therapy is non-invasive and has no discomfort or downtime. Walk in, experience the therapy, and walk out with newfound relief.

Sea to Sky Optometry Call us at 604-384-2020 to schedule your IRPL Therapy session today!

Visit us 4-1366 Aster St. Pemberton www.SeaToSkyOptometry.com Open Tuesday - Saturday 9am - 6pm, Monday by appointment.

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ASTROLOGY

Free Will Astrology WEEK OF DECEMBER 8 BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I will cheer you on as you tenderly push yourself to be extra exploratory in the coming weeks. It’s exciting that you are contemplating adventures that might lead you to wild frontiers and half-forbidden zones. The chances are good that you will provoke uncanny inspirations and attract generous lessons. Go higher and deeper and further, dear Aries. Track down secret treasures and lyrical unpredictability. Experiment with the concept of holy rebellion.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In January, I will tempt you to be a spirited adventurer who undertakes smart risks. I will invite you to consider venturing into unknown territory and expanding the scope of your education. But right now, I advise you to address your precious needs for stability and security. I encourage you to take extra good care of your comfort zone and even add cosy new features to it. Here’s a suggestion: Grab a pen and paper, or open a new file on your favourite device, then compose a list of everything you can do to feel exceedingly safe and supported.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) was an American Black leader who advocated a gradual, incremental approach to fighting the effects of racism. Hard work and good education were the cornerstones of his policies. Then there was W. E. B. Dubois (1868–1963). He was an American Black leader who encouraged a more aggressive plan of action. Protest, agitation, pressure, and relentless demands for equal rights were core principles in his philosophy. In the coming months, I recommend a blend of these attitudes for you.

You’ve got two big jobs: to improve the world you live in and get all the benefits you need and deserve from it.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I periodically get a big jolt of feeling how much I don’t know. I am overwhelmed with the understanding of how meagre my understanding of life really is. On the one hand, this is deflating to my ego. On the other hand, it’s wildly refreshing. I feel a liberating rush of relief to acknowledge that I am so far from being perfect and complete that there’s no need for me to worry about trying to be perfect or complete. I heartily recommend this meditation to you, fellow Cancerian. From an astrological perspective, now is a favourable time to thrive on fertile emptiness.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Have you reached your full height? If there were ever a time during your adult life when you would literally get taller, it might be in the coming weeks. And that’s not the only kind of growth spurt that may occur. Your hair and fingernails may lengthen faster than usual. I wouldn’t be shocked if your breasts or penis got bigger. But even more importantly, I suspect your healthy brain cells will multiply at a brisk pace. Your ability to understand how the world really works will flourish. You will have an increased flair for thinking creatively.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I like Virgo author Cheryl Strayed’s thoughts about genuine togetherness. She says, “True intimacy isn’t a clusterfuck or a psychodrama. It isn’t the highest highs and lowest lows. It’s a tiny bit of those things on occasion, with a whole lot of everything else in between. It’s communion and mellow compatibility.

It’s friendship and mutual respect.” I also like Virgo author Sam Keen’s views on togetherness. He says, “At the heart of sex is something intrinsically spiritual, the desire for a union so primal it can be called divine.” Let’s make those two perspectives your guideposts in the coming weeks, Virgo.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to my interpretation of your astrological prospects, you now have the capacity to accelerate quickly and slow down smoothly; to exult in idealistic visions and hunker down in pragmatic action; to balance exuberant generosity with careful discernment—and vice versa. In general, Libra, you have an extraordinary ability to shift moods and modes with graceful effectiveness—as well as a finely honed sense of when each mood and mode is exactly right for the

situation you’re in. I won’t be surprised if you accomplish well-balanced miracles.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Dear Goddess—Thank you a trillion times for never fulfilling those prayers I sent your way all those years ago. Remember? When I begged and pleaded with you to get me into a sexy love relationship with You Know Who? I am so lucky, so glad, that you rejected my prayers. Though I didn’t see it then, I now realize that being in an intimate weave with her would have turned out badly for both her and me. You were so wise to deny me that misguided quest for “pleasure.”

Now dear Goddess, I am asking you to perform a similar service for any Scorpio readers who may be beseeching you to provide them with experiences they will ultimately be better off without.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Among our most impressive superpowers is the potency to transform ourselves in alignment with our conscious intentions. For example, suppose you feel awkward because you made an insensitive comment to a friend. In that case, you can take action to assuage any hurt feelings you caused and thereby dissolve your awkwardness. Or let’s say you no longer want to be closely connected to people who believe their freedom is more important than everyone else’s freedom.

With a clear vision and a bolt of willpower, you can do what it takes to create that shift. These are acts of true magic—as wizardly as any occult ritual. I believe you will have extra access to this superpower in the coming weeks.

Homework: Identify three situations or feelings you will use your magic to change.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The eminent Capricorn philosopher William James (1842–1910) is referred to as the “Father of American Psychology.” He was a brilliant thinker who excelled in the arts of logic and reason.

Yet he had a fundamental understanding that reason and logic were not the only valid kinds of intelligence.

He wrote, “Rational consciousness is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different.” This quote appears in his book The Varieties of Religious Experience. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to investigate those other types of consciousness in the coming months. You don’t need drugs to do so. Simply state your intention that you want to. Other spurs: dreamwork, soulful sex, dancing, meditation, nature walks, deep conversations.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Are people sometimes jealous or judgmental toward you for being so adept at multi-tasking? Are you weary of dawdlers urging you not to move, talk, and mutate so quickly? Do you fantasize about having more cohorts who could join you in your darting, daring leaps of logic? If you answered yes to these questions, I expect you will soon experience an enjoyable pivot. Your quick-change skills will be appreciated and rewarded more than usual. You will thrive while invoking the spiritual power of unpredictability.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Romantic relationships take work if you want them to remain vigorous and authentic. So do friendships. The factors that brought you together in the first place may not be enough to keep you bonded forever. Both of you change and grow, and there’s no guarantee your souls will continue to love being interwoven. If disappointment creeps into your alliance, it’s usually wise to address the issues head-on as you try to reconfigure your connection. It’s not always feasible or desirable, though. I still feel sad about the friend I banished when I discovered he was racist and had hidden it from me. I hope these ruminations inspire you to give your friendships a lot of quality attention in 2024. It will be an excellent time to lift the best ones up to a higher octave.

I dare you to reclaim a power you gave up once upon a time.

Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.

In addition to this column, Rob Brezsny creates

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

48 DECEMBER 8, 2023

VGH UBC Hospital Foundation

SPONSORED CONTENT

Sheila’s miracle: how donations to VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation can help save a life After a snowmobile accident, Sheila was treated at Vancouver General Hospital, where she was placed under the care of a renowned spinal surgeon PHOTOS VGH & UBC HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

S

heila never thought it would be her on the stretcher.

It was a beautiful day in January 2022, when she was snowmobiling near Williams Lake with her family and friends. They had just started to head back to their trucks when, without warning, Sheila fell into a trench that had been hidden by snowfall. Before she could climb back out, another rider fell into the trench—and his snowmobile smashed down onto her.

“At first the group didn’t know where I was,” says Sheila. “I was buried under two feet of snow below the snowmobile, and only my feet were visible. Apparently, when they got to me, my head was lying on my chest at an impossible angle.

My jaw was torn and dislocated, and I wasn’t breathing. My cousin thought I was dead.”

Sheila’s loved ones acted quickly— removing her helmet, doing CPR, and soon she was breathing again.

But she had suffered multiple injuries, including a ruptured liver and spleen, a fractured rib, a

Sheila

torn rotator cuff and bicep, and d a deep gash along her right jaw.

Worst of all was the fact that the nerves, tendons and nearly all the ligaments connecting her skull to her vertebral column were severed—an injury that is almost always fatal.

After twice being airlifted to different regional hospitals, Sheila was then airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), where she was placed under the care of renowned spinal surgeon, Dr. Charles Fisher.

“This is a very serious injury that is often fatal at the scene,” says

Dr. Charles Fisher

Dr. Fisher. h “It’s the h area of the spinal cord where it joins with the brainstem and so the respiratory centre and lots of important structures compatible with life are there.”

Being the only hospital in B.C. able to perform complex spinal surgery, VGH is the provincial referral centre for all acute spinal injuries.

Over several hours, Fisher and his specialist team carefully performed the surgery that would repair this traumatic, life-threatening injury.

“For any complex injuries like this, the patients need to come to a specialized center, which we’re the

only one,” says Fisher. “To treat these injuries, it’s not just the surgeon. You need to have a great team—and that’s what VGH provides.”

That team also includes VGH donors, who help make this incredible level of care possible for British Columbians—when they need it most urgently.

“My friends and family feared the worst,” Sheila says. Very few people survive the kind of injury I sustained. Yet, Dr. Fisher and his team did such an amazing job that—just two weeks later—I was discharged from VGH.” For Sheila, it has been a long, slow road to recovery since that horrible day in 2022. At first, all she could do was rest. But then, she gradually added physio, then strength building, then gym work—until she started to believe that one day she would be able to snowmobile again.

“That became my goal,” she says.

“I wanted to get back out in the mountains and ride again—with my cousin, the one who rescued me, and who has become like a brother.

And in March, just over a year since

the accident, I made my first solo ride!”

“My cousin thought he’d lost me that day. But Dr. Fisher saved my life.”

Honour your angel Each holiday season, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation asks the community to ‘Honour Your Angel’ by making a donation in honour of a loved one or health care provider.

These gifts help to transform health care at VGH, UBC Hospital and GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, and to save lives like Sheila’s.

Donor support purchases critical equipment, funds high-impact research projects and advances patient care to deliver B.C.’s best and most specialized adult health care.

To learn more or make a donation, visit vghfoundation.ca/angelpnm

WHISTLER’S PREMIER VISITOR MAGAZINE SINCE 1980 Get your new edition in hotel rooms and select locations around Whistler.

/whistlermagazine

NEW WINTER WHISTLER MAGAZINE IS OUT! DECEMBER 8, 2023

49

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Whistler Home Exchange -your home for ours on the beautiful beaches of Gold Coast in Australia’s tropical holiday city.

From 18th January, for 3 -4 weeks, relax on golden Beaches, Golf courses and Theme Parks for kids.

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Call +61 0412 450 826 bjbeban@gmail.com

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

Haida artist Fred Davis (19552014) was one of the most talented and innovative contemporary carvers of his generation. He was born in Masset, Haida Gwaii, BC, a descendant of the Haida Raven Clan from Skedans.

This is one of two poles carved in his lifetime, which makes it truly unique.

His work is sought after Nationally and Internationally by art collectors and museums. 250-661-9550 jodygrange@gmail.com

WHISTLER’S #1 NEWS SOURCE

HOME SERVICES BUILDING AND RENOVATIONS

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• Kitchen and Bath • Renovations & Repairs • Drywall • Painting • Finishing • Minor Electrical & Plumbing

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Community

NOTICES LEGAL/PUBLIC NOTICES Warehouse Lien Act

Whereas the following registered owners are indebted to Cooper’s Towing Ltd. for unpaid towing and storage fees plus any related charges that may accrue.

Notice is hereby given that on December 15, 2023, at noon or thereafter the goods will be seized and sold.

1. Brian Neil Ferguson 2014 Ubilt Boat Trailer Plate # WDD55F $9644.55 2. Owner : Unknown Boat 13K-46124 T.A.C $9408.00 3. Jonathan Boyce 2003 Chevrolet Venture VIN: 1GNDX03E23D275328 $4053.00 4. Webb Wilkinson Riley Jackson – 2006 Audi A3 VIN: WAUMF78P76A203199 $4084.50 5. Matterson Grace 2002 GMC Envoy VIN: 1GKDT13S222418521 $4966.50 6. Lundrigan Shawn 2002 Dodge/Ram Dakota Vin: 1B7GL42XX2S685946 $2730.00 7. Owner: unknown 2011 Dodge/Ram Avenger Vin: 1B3BD1FB1BN564128 $2252.26 8. Nicole Clarke 1994 Toyota Corolla VIN : JT2AE09V5R0055991 $1659.00 The vehicles are currently being stored at Cooper’s Towing Ltd 8065 Nesters Road Whistler, BC, V8E 0G4

For more information, please call Cooper’s Towing Ltd. @ 604-902-1930

www.whistlerwag.com

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Part Time Work at Recycle Depot Sites – Nesters/Function – Training provided – send resume to denise.imbeau@gflenv.com

Valley Brothers Contracting Ltd., a liability insured company, specializing in residential driveways, strata properties and commercial lots in Whistler, BC. Contact us today for additional information.

Email: info@valleybrotherscontracting.com Phone: 604-830-SNOW

Services

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MOVING AND STORAGE

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

Group Fitness Classes

big or small we do it all!

Call 604-902-MOVE www.alltimemoving.ca

Fridays –Gentle Fit 1-2 pm w Diana Sundays – Strength Training for Endurance Athletes 8-9 am w M-A Mondays- Pilates 6:15-7:15 pm w Liv Tuesdays – Aqua Fit 8:45-9:45 am w M-A Wednesdays – Spin Mixer 7:30-8:30 am w Sylvie Thursdays – Prenatal Fitness 5:30-6:30 pm Sara

We are hiring!

Part Time Financial Controller The starting wage for this position is $45.00 per hour.

Questions? hr@mywcss.org

See our full page schedule ad in this issue of Pique for details

Want a job with PURPOSE? Help your community!

Scan for details!

THE 2023-2024 PEMBERTON GUIDE on stands now!

604.932.1968

office@northlandstorage.ca We've Got You Covered

AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF

VISITORS’ GUIDE 2017-2018 FREE

Whistler’s premier visitor magazine is on stands now!

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

Experience in Plumbing is required. Gas Fitting and HVAC would be preferred but not essential.

Wages are based on experience.

Part-time or Full-time positions available.

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

Look for our Winter 2024 Issue!

Find it on select stands and in Whistler hotel rooms.

DECEMBER 8, 2023

51

COORDINATOR, CONTENT MARKETING Part Time, Year Round

Love a good challenge? Passionate about the place you call home? Tourism Whistler is looking for community-loving, mountain-appreciating, environmentrespecting people to join our team.

The Coordinator, Content Marketing supports the Content Team in the ongoing management and development of social, blog and app content. The ideal candidate will have an interest and experience in marketing and content creation, strong communication and written skills, and be organized and able to manage a diverse range of tasks.

What we offer: part time flexible schedule (20 hours per week) with a hybrid approach that balances in-office and remote work, an excellent benefits package, a commitment to health and wellness, and a fun and supportive team environment.

The starting wage range for this role is $25 - $26.60 per hour.

TO VIEW OUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISIT US ONLINE AT: WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS.

Apply for details and to apply online by scanning the QR code now Please note, we currently do not offer staff housing.

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.

• Wage range $35 - 50 per hour.

Vacasa’s forward-thinking approach and industry-leading 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.

• Providing fully stocked truck, tools, and phone.

• Extended health plan available.

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

2023

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

Send your resume to: Dough@spearheadsph.com The ultimate guide to Sea to Sky weddings

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(Full-Time, wage Year-Round) $24.50 per hour Apply online today! https://www.vacasa.com/careers/positions or email: paul.globisch@vacasa.com or call to find out more details at 604-698-0520 We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

52 DECEMBER 8, 2023

Whistler’s only dedicated wedding magazine.

AVAILABLE ON STANDS IN THE SEA TO SKY

We are growing our team!

Experienced Red Seal electricians needed for Squamish and Whistler based projects.

Wages negotiable based on experience.

Sub contractors considered also.

Send resumes to jointheteam@baseelectric.ca

ASSOCIATE, TRAVEL TRADE Full Time, Year Round

Love a good challenge? Passionate about the place you call home? Tourism Whistler is looking for community-loving, mountain-appreciating, environment-respecting people to join our team.

Tourism Whistler’s Travel Trade team works with third party trade partners to drive overnight visits from key markets. The Associate, Travel Trade supports the fulfillment of Tourism Whistler’s goals and objectives through building relationships with our clients and developing and maintaining our client base. With outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, and a high level of enthusiasm and initiative, the Associate will deliver superior service to our clients with a strong passion for our industry and purpose.

What we offer: nine-day fortnight schedule, a hybrid approach that balances in-office and remote work, an excellent benefits package, a commitment to health and wellness, and a fun and supportive team environment.

The starting salary range for this role is $48,000 - $52,000 annually.

TO VIEW OUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISIT US ONLINE AT: WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS.

Come build with the best team.

Our team of people is what sets us apart from other builders. As we continue to grow as the leader in luxury projects in Whistler, our team needs to expand with us.

We are currently hiring: Experienced Carpenters $30 - $45.50/hourly. Wage based on experience. Red Seal is a bonus, but not mandatory.

EVR is committed to the long-term retention and skills development of our team: We are passionate about investing in our team’s future.

We offer: • Top Wages • Training & Tuition Reimbursement (Need help getting your Red Seal?)

• $500 Annual Tool Allowance • Extended Health and Dental Benefits (Also includes Family Benefits.)

• Flexible Schedule - Work Life Balance. (We get it. We love to ski and bike too.)

• Assistance with Work Visa and Permanent Residency (We can help.)

• Positive Work Environment We promote from within and are looking to strengthen our amazing team. Opportunities for advancement into management positions always exist for the right candidates. Don’t miss out on being able to build with the team that builds the most significant projects in Whistler.

Send your resume to info@evrfinehomes.com We look forward to hearing from you!

PART TIME SALES ASSOCIATE Applicants must be friendly, professional and enjoy multi-tasking. Duties include customer service and performing a variety of print jobs.

2 days per week - flexible. $19 per hour.

www.evrfinehomes.com

We've Got You Covered

Please apply in person to 1200 Alpha Lake Road in Function Junction or email resume to whistler@garibaldigraphics.com

Resort Municipality of Whistler Resort Municipality of Whistler

Employment Opportunities Employment Opportunities ·· Legislative and Privacy Coordinator Lifeguard/Swim Instructor

VISITORS’ GUIDE 2017-2018 FREE

We’re Hiring! Experienced Carpenters

·· Program Leader Skate Host ·· Lifeguard/Swim Instructor Wastewater Treatment Plant Process Supervisor ·· Solid Waste Technician Labourer – Village Maintenance starting Iwage of $42.94 per hour ·· Accountant Youth and Public Services Specialist

• Wastewater Chief Operator Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca/careers

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION? WANT TO COME AND WORK FOR A GREAT TEAM WITH LOTS OF ROOM FOR CAREER GROWTH? APPLY TO CONNECT@TMBUILDERS.CA BENEFITS, FULL TIME WORK, WAGES $30-$45 BASED ON EXPERIENCE

DECEMBER 8, 2023

53

Putting people first, every day

NOW HIRING! Full Time Meat Manager

($64,480 – $76,960 (+ benefits) depending on experience)

Full Time Assistant Meat Manager ($54,080 – $70,720 (+ benefits) depending on experience)

Our Team enjoys: ü

Flexible schedules

ü

Training and experience

ü

Substantial Employee Discount Card & Benefits

ü

Prime location in Pemberton

ü

Short commute = less time, more $$$

Download or fill out our online application at https://www.pembertonsupermarket.com/ about/employment/ or stop by the store and we will give you an application to fill out.

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D E L T A

W H I S T L E R

V I L L A G E

S U I T E S

WE'RE HIRING CHIEF ENGINEER

(The salary range for this position is $74,000 to $97,000 annually)

ASSISTANT ROOMS MANAGER (The salary range for this position is $49,000 to $58,000 annually)

STAFF HOUSING AVAILABLE.COMPETITIVE RATES & BENEFITS.GLOBAL DISCOUNTS.GLOBAL CAREER.

Join the #1 Global Leader in Hospitality. Apply at Jobs.Marriott.com.

Contact Adela.Celustkova@deltahotels.com for more information, or drop by and talk to us - we love to meet new people.

54 DECEMBER 8, 2023

Your opportunity Our Whistler office is looking for an Administrative Assistant to support the team. This is a full time in-office role, and the successful candidate will own the following responsibilities: • Assemble and file personal and corporate tax returns • Photocopy, scan, file, data entry, update & maintain records • Write & distribute correspondence, assist clients • Reception coverage, greet clients, maintain tidy office/kitchen • Provide administrative support to staff as required Your experience and education • Previous administrative/office experience • Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office programs • Ability to work under pressure, manage deadlines and prioritize workload • Be very detail-oriented - we mean meticulous!

Why BDO? Our people-first approach to talent has earned us a spot among Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2022. This recognition is a milestone we’re thrilled to add to our collection of awards for both experienced and student talent experiences.

Total rewards that matter: We pay for performance with competitive total cash compensation that recognizes and rewards your contribution. We provide flexible benefits from day one, and a market-leading personal time off policy. We’re committed to supporting your overall wellness beyond working hours, and provide reimbursement for wellness initiatives that fit your lifestyle.

Everyone counts: We believe every employee should have the opportunity to participate and succeed without barriers.

Ready to make your mark at BDO? Please send your up-to-date resume to rsingh@bdo.ca or apply on-line at www.bdo.ca/careers Thank you to all applicants that apply. We will contact you if you are selected for a personal interview. No phone calls and/ or agencies please. If you are applying for this role, you should have current legal working rights in Canada. As part of our interview process, you may be subject to background inquiries.

Lil’wat Na�on

Child and Youth Therapist- Maternity Leave Department: Special Needs Status: Contract Full-�me Start Date: December 2023 End Date: June 20, 2024 Pay Grid: $57,330 to $80,080 per year.

Repor�ng to: School Admin team Summary of Du�es: The Child and Youth Therapist works with students aged 4-18 within a school-based se�ng. The child and youth therapist uses trauma-informed and therapeu�c modali�es including narra�ve therapy, expressive arts, and CBT. The child and youth therapist will report to the school admin support team.

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

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Lil’wat Nation

Employment Opportunities Ullus Community Centre • • • • •

Financial Reporting Manager ($93,475.20 - $101,556 per year) Family Enhancement Worker ($38,038 - $53,599 per year) Band Social Development Worker Assistant ($17.10-$20.90 per hour) Administrative Assistant, Community Services ($38,038 - $53,599 per year) Accounts Receivable coordinator ($38,038 - $53,599 per year)

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Xet’òlacw Community School • • • •

Cam Counsellor ($20.90- $29.45 per hour) High School Vice Principal ( $88,015.20- $101,556.00 per year) Child and Youth Therapist ($57,330 - $80,080 per year) Education Assistant ($38,038 - $53,599 per year)

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HARD

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HAR

Lil’wat Health & Healing • Clinical Counsellor ($57,330- $88,080 per year) • Nurse Manager ($59,878 - $99,717.80 per year) • Assistant Health Director ($93,475.20 - $101,556 per year)

Lil’wat Business Group • Food and beverage Supervisor ($36,400- $47,320 per year)

Benefits Pension Plan • Employee Assistance Program • Gym facility Extended Health Benefits • Professional Development Please visit our career page for more information: https://lilwat.ca/careers/

Manager, Safety and Compliance This position will provide leadership and compliance in the prevention of incident injury and illnesses across all operations and Venues for the Whistler Olympic Legacy venues

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3 5 2 1 4 6 7 9 1 7 1 6 2 9 8 4 1 8 4 2 5 3 Coordinator, Accounts Manager, Safety and 2 3 Receivable – Maternity Leave Compliance Thisposition positionwill provides accounts receivable invoicinginand This provide leadership and compliance the collections,ofmonthly sheet and bank reconciliations, prevention incidentbalance injury and illnesses across all operations HARD overseeing dailyfor revenue audit and analytical reporting and Venues the Whistler Olympic Legacy venues for Whistler Sport Legacies in the Finance Department

Our ideal candidate:

Our ideal candidate:

•

Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) certification

•

OFA III, (or equivalent) CPR / First Aid Certification

•

Knowledge of BC regulatory framework of health, safety and environment

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Leadership: creative, innovative, demonstrates initiative and leads change

•

Organizational management, partnership and community development skills

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6

www.sudoku.com

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# 31

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piquenewsmagazine.com/ local-events/

# 30

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DECEMBER 8, 2023 Page 55 8 of 25

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PUZZLES ACROSS 1 6 10 15 18 19 21 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 31 33 35 37 38 39 40 42 43 44 46 47 48 52 53 54 56 57 58 59 60 62 63 65

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114 115 116 117 118 120 121 122 124 125 126 130 132 134

Flagpole “So long, amigo!”

Poem division Glove material Carpenter’s tool Strange Thespian Oxidizes Word in a forecast Bundle Stage Mine’s yield Farm denizen Pub offering

LAST WEEKS’ ANSWERS

Enter a digit from 1 through 9 in each cell, in such a way that: • Each horizontal row contains each digit exactly once • Each vertical column contains each digit exactly once • Each 3x3 box contains each digit exactly once Solving a sudoku puzzle does not require any mathematics; simple logic suffices.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: HARD

9

4

7 8 7

7 2 5 9 6 2 8 4 6 5 9 5 7 4 2 8

6 2 7 8

1

HARD # 30 Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com

ANSWERS ON PAGE 55

DECEMBER 8, 2023

57

MAXED OUT

What are you feeding your head?

“Remember what the dormouse said: Feed your head.”

-Grace Slick

MUCH HARDER to feed your head than, say, feeding your body. Despite temptations— lookin’ at you, Christmas cookies—we can consciously choose what goes into our mouths.

Physically that’s possible, but often difficult.

Philosophically it’s harder to comprehend. For instance, if we are what we eat, are steers vegetables? Gets complicated.

But not as complicated as what we feed our heads. We have far less control over that. Knowledge, experience, prejudices, external stimuli, simply being, all go into the soup of our thoughts, both conscious and

BY G.D. MAXWELL unconscious. All our angels and daemons live in our heads, not often in harmony. And not infrequently with troubling battles.

Sometimes those conflicts lead us to dark places filled with darker thoughts. Sometimes we can find our way out by ourselves.

Sometimes we need help. That’s when it can get tricky.

Twice in my life I needed help to find the light. Once in university when a longishterm relationship crashed and burned—okay, I got dumped—I couldn’t seem to shake the depression I found myself in using my tried and true coping mechanisms: denial and repression.

A few sessions with someone wiser than myself lifted some of the darkness and replaced it with a renewed sense of resilience and a nascent understanding I had a deeper pool of inner strength than I thought. Lessons that have served me well for years now.

I needed help some years later when I was hit with a one-two punch realizing I had no desire to stay in either my marriage or my career. The marriage I could rationalize. But viewed from the outside, friends thought I was crazy to give up a career aimed squarely at executive status and a fat paycheque.

I was awash with guilt over not being able to make the marriage work, but I was really struggling with walking away from a future I’d invested so much time and effort to build, even though I knew I was the proverbial square peg in a very tight, round hole. That took more sessions with a therapist over a longer period of time than I’m completely comfortable admitting.

But it paved the way for becoming a corporate dropout and a happy ski bum. It also doubled down on plumbing that pool of resilience, the depth of which I was uncertain.

So why in the world am I relating this?

Because these are troubling times. All is not well in Tiny Town, or anywhere else in the world for that matter. Too often recently, we’ve lost good friends, good people, sometimes because they couldn’t find their way out of the darkness overwhelming them.

58 DECEMBER 8, 2023

PHOTO BY PHOTOBANK / ADOBE STOCK

The amount of pain and stress right now is higher than many have faced in their lives. It seems each time the food bank opens its doors, it posts record numbers of people needing help feeding themselves and their families.

Aside from food, the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) is helping record numbers of people cope with the stresses and strains of just getting by.

We’re hammered by inflation-driven increases in prices of everything we need, let alone what we might want. Walking into a grocery store is shock therapy. If we rent,

I don’t have words of wisdom to offer. So I asked Greg McDonnell for those words. Greg’s a well-respected therapist and counsellor in town. He’s been helping people in that role for 18 years, and prior to that as an outreach worker and executive director of WCSS. And like WCSS, Greg’s busier than he’s ever been.

The need is great.

“We have this cultural armour we carry around that says, ‘Nothing affects me.’ But we know events we experience affect us, the body carries this charge of trauma around in our nervous system and we don’t necessarily

If, like many of us, you don’t have any family here, make your own. There are others you know in the same boat. we live with increasing costs and the very real possibility of losing our homes if they’re market rental.

We live in a mountain resort, and most of us live here because we have a serious addiction to sliding down snowy mountains.

But where’s the snow? Patience is wearing thin. And, oh, another atmospheric river is here to inflict another blow.

And somehow, December has crept up on us. Pop psyche stress tests always ask if you’ve experienced any of the following in the past 12 months. Near the top of the list is Christmas. Duh. It’s a stressful time of year.

Just what we need with everything else we’re trying to balance.

recognize it. If we don’t find healthy ways to discharge it, our nervous systems will find unhealthy ways to deal with it,” he says.

“Some of those ways might be depression, anxiety, addictions, anger management, physical violence, theft, affairs, something to make us feel different. We need to find healthy ways to discharge. The ways we often discharge in Whistler are drugs and alcohol.

But if we’re profoundly numbing, that’s not good either.”

Greg mentions better avenues to discharge that load, including WCSS, which can offer counselling assistance funds; Vancouver Coastal Health; the Sea to Sky Safety Net (seatoskysafetynet.com); and

Canada’s new suicide crisis helpline—988.

Not to mention the tried and true. “If you have close friends or colleagues, people who show up for you and who you can talk to, reach out, name your experience and help normalize it. By naming it you may not solve it, but at least you discharge of bit of it,” McDonnell says.

“Chaos, no matter what it is, is not unexpected. It’s important to fact check the tough stuff we’ve already dealt with in our lives; we usually come out the other side of those experiences. Our difficulties tend to be pretty transient in nature, so it’s important to find some short-term solutions, some good therapies to treat them.”

With a nod to the holiday season descending on us, Greg says, “This time of year can trigger things for us. They can be family of origin, childhood traumas, high expectations we feel we can’t achieve.

Christmas can be really triggering.”

All of which is made more difficult because so many of us don’t have family in Whistler. If you feel the holiday blues, Greg has a couple of thoughts.

“Connect with your personal values and if you can, those with like-minded values.

Connect with something that gives you purpose and meaning. And connect with your community, people who pick you up,” he says.

From personal experience I’d add this: If, like many of us, you don’t have any family here, make your own. There are others you know in the same boat. Pull them in for an orphan’s Christmas, a slapdash potluck dinner that will likely become one of your favourite holiday memories in the future.

Feed your head... the good stuff. ■

LD SO

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CHALET

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