Pique Newsmagazine 3051

DECEMBER 22, 2023 ISSUE 30.51

14

BUDGET APPROVED Council approves 8.18-per-cent tax increase

WWW.PIQUENEWSMAGAZINE.COM

22

BURN NOTICE Progress being made, but long road ahead on wildfire resiliency

62

SHOW OFF Sea to Sky locals earn top honours at WFF showcase

WHISTLER

s g n i t e e r G s ’ n o Seas arket M s r e t s e N t a s From all of u e r t n e C s s e n l l & The We

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THIS WEEK IN PIQUE

56

62

46 Tinsel Tales More heartwarming Christmas stories for around the fireplace. - By Katherine Fawcett, David Song, Kate Heskett and Valerie Megeney

14 BUDGET APPROVED

Property taxes in Whis-

36 MEASURING UP

A new committee at the Village

tler are set to rise again in 2024, after mayor and council approved an

of Pemberton aims to make the burgeoning town more accessible in the

8.18-per-cent increase on Dec. 19.

years ahead.

22 BURN NOTICE

Progress is being made on wildfire

resiliency, but the community still has a long road ahead, according to a

56 LUGE LIFE

The Sea to Sky was well-represented at the

FIL World Cup held at the Whistler Sliding Centre this month.

recent presentation to council.

28 SURF’S UP

A major mixed-use development in Bri-

62 SHOW OFF

Sea to Sky locals Indiana Wilson and Izzie

tannia Beach is moving forward after the Squamish-Lillooet Regional

Larter earned top honours at the Whistler Film Festival’s Sea to Sky Show-

District’s (SLRD) board of directors gave its assent on Dec. 13.

case last month.

COVER Vanessa “Nes” Stark is drawn to mountains. She followed her passion for snowboarding and moved to Whistler in the spring of 1992. Her vibrant work is shaped by her love for and life in the mountains. When not sliding or rolling through mountains, she continues to paint and create from her home base up the road in Pemberton. - By Vanessa Stark //vanessastarkart.com // VanessaStarkART/IG/FB

4 DECEMBER 22, 2023

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

Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com Editor BRADEN DUPUIS - bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com Sales Manager SUSAN HUTCHINSON - shutchinson@piquenewsmagazine.com Production Manager AMIR SHAHRESTANI - ashahrestani@piquenewsmagazine.com Art Director JON PARRIS - jparris@piquenewsmagazine.com Advertising Representatives TESSA SWEENEY - tsweeney@wplpmedia.com GEORGIA BUTLER - gbutler@wplpmedia.com Digital/Sales Coordinator KATIE DOUGLAS - kbechtel@wplpmedia.com Production - production@piquenewsmagazine.com Arts Editor ALYSSA NOEL - arts@piquenewsmagazine.com

NEW

NEW

THIS WEEK IN PIQUE

Weekend Forecast Inside

Weekend Forec Ins

SEE PAGE 11 >>

Opinion & Columns 08 OPENING REMARKS

Editor Braden Dupuis asks the question: If a person or organization

completes a task, and nobody is around to notice or commend them for it, did they really complete it at all?

10 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter writers advocate for programs to help Canadians get ahead, and wonder why Whistler needs another tax increase in 2024.

13 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST This Christmas, don’t take the people you love for granted, writes columnist David Song.

78 MAXED OUT In which Max examines Christmas in Whistler from four common perspectives.

Environment & Adventure

44 THE OUTSIDER As early-season conditions persist heading into the holidays, Vince Shuley offers up some tips for making the best of low tide.

Reporters SCOTT TIBBALLS - stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com RÓISÍN CULLEN - rcullen@piquenewsmagazine.com DAVID SONG - sports@piquenewsmagazine.com ALYSSA NOEL - arts@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,

Lifestyle & Arts

60 EPICURIOUS A new community kitchen concept is beginning to take shape in Whistler, with big plans for 2024.

68 MUSEUM MUSINGS A trio of local cookbooks found at the Whistler Museum and Archives can tell us much about Whistler’s past.

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.

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R E A L

E S T A T E

Whether up the slopes or on the coast, I hope you are cruisin’ with the ones you love most.

Wishing you lots of joy and good cheer! Thank you for an amazing 2023 and call me anytime to talk real estate.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

6 DECEMBER 22, 2023

(604)230-8167 Frank@Frankingham.com

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OPENING REMARKS

Dear Vogue: How dare you?

IT’S EASY to be cynical about awards and rankings.

For one, there are so many—from so many different sources—it can be hard to keep track, or know which carry the most weight.

For example, how much stock does

BY BRADEN DUPUIS one afford The Wall Street Journal, which recently named Whistler Blackcomb the No. 1 overall ski resort in the U.S. and Canada, as a ski-area authority?

Meanwhile, there are numerous otherwise prestigious-seeming awards in B.C. for which you can nominate yourself (which many do— and win!).

Talk about patting yourself on the back.

It’s not confined to skiing and tourism… almost every profession out there has some sort of recognition system attached, whether it’s internal incentive programs or an annual awards gala with all your peers (journalism of course being no exception).

And that’s to say nothing of the relentless onslaught of awards and honours Hollywood bestows upon itself year after year.

Spend too much time thinking about it, and it might start to seem like our entire society is propped up by peer recognition; just one gigantic, ego-inflating circle of selfcongratulation, back-pats and attaboys.

It’s the age-old philosophical thought exercise: If a person or organization completes a task, and nobody is around to notice or commend them for it, did they really complete it at all?

But then, maybe we’re just hardwired to crave and seek out recognition. Everyone likes to be appreciated once in awhile, after all.

All of this to say, it’s probably best not to put too much stock in the value others place in the things we care about.

One recent listicle in my inbox did catch my attention, however—a list of the top eight ski resorts in the world, published by Vogue on Dec. 15.

Yes, that Vogue—the fashion magazine founded in 1892 that boasts tens of millions of subscribers both in print and online.

In their endless ski-industry wisdom, the fashion scribes at Vogue ranked Whistler Blackcomb (WB) the No. 2 resort in the world, behind only Aspen-Snowmass in Colorado.

In its writeup, Vogue mentioned the little-known facts that WB boasts TWO mountains (and a gondola connecting them!), and hosted the Olympics in 2010. It also touched on our “neighbouring village” with all its “exciting nightlife for your dining and après-ski needs, from shops and cafés to bars and memorable nightlife.”

See that? Whistler’s nightlife is both “exciting” and “memorable,” according to American fashion experts.

It’s hard to nail it down, exactly, but something about this list is just delightful. It is a perfect blend of mundane absurdity.

First of all, why Vogue? Why is it only the top eight, and not, say, top 10? And what is the methodology behind this seemingly completely subjective list of eight ski resorts?

The answer to all three of those questions is this: easy content.

There’s no method to the madness. It’s a list of ski resorts on a website, each with a brief description of its offerings gleaned from

WHISTLER VILLAGE IS A DESIGN MARVEL

Yes, it boasts cafés and shops, and nightlife that is both memorable and exciting, but there’s a subtle magic to Whistler Village that doesn’t quite translate in a paragraph written by someone who’s never seen it for themselves.

With its meandering flow and absence of right angles, the design was meant to encourage “variety, intrigue and excitement,” while also promoting “exploration” and “surprise,” its architect Eldon Beck said in a presentation in Whistler years ago.

Taking a page out of Vogue’s book, here are my thoughts on Aspen-Snowmass.

Having never set foot there in my life, and after just a cursory review of their village and shopping maps, I can say with a healthy degree of confidence that Whistler Village makes Aspen-Snowmass look like a shanty town at the foot of a backwater bunny hill in comparison.

THE FOUR-SEASON TERRAIN IS UNBEATABLE

When discussing the best ski resorts, the criteria is rightfully focused on things like lift capacity, elevation, and skiable terrain—areas in which WB excels.

But the true value of Whistler’s natural

Again, having never set foot in any of them, and exerting only exactly as much research effort as I imagine Vogue did, I can say with absolute certainty, that no, they cannot.

NO OTHER ‘SKI RESORTS’ CAN MATCH WHISTLER’S SENSE OF COMMUNITY

One of Whistler’s main points of pride is how many workers actually live in the resort.

Thanks to the efforts of the Whistler Housing Authority and local government over the years, Whistler has consistently hit its target of housing 75 per cent of the workforce locally for many years running.

I’ll never forget my first winter in Whistler, when a drunk Texan struck up a conversation with me at a urinal in a village pub. Through his slurring southern drawl, he asked me where I was visiting from—and was positively shocked to learn I live in the resort (yes, these are the polite conversations men sometimes have with strangers while they pee).

The efforts to ensure Whistler is still an actual community are not seen in ski resorts the world over, and the results are particularly evident around Christmastime.

It’s the season of giving, after all, and while

In their endless ski-industry wisdom, the fashion scribes at Vogue ranked Whistler Blackcomb the No. 2 resort in the world, behind only Aspen-Snowmass in Colorado.

Google searches, the only purpose of which is to drive clicks for advertisers—and possibly spark a debate amongst overly passionate locals and ski bums.

On that note, how dare you, Vogue? Second place? Seriously? Stay in your own lane.

Here are just a few of the reasons why Whistler Blackcomb, and Whistler in general, is unequivocally the best damn ski resort in the entire universe—if only to tide you over while I finish my list of the Top 8 Fashion Trends to Get Excited About This Winter.

offerings can’t be seen from a distance, or on a week-long ski vacation.

Do any of the other ski resorts on Vogue’s list also boast one of the best mountain bike parks in the world in the summer months?

No fewer than four pristine lakes in biking distance of the town centre? More than 40 kilometres of paved trail connecting nearly the entire valley?

Can any of the other resorts on the list even begin to compare with Whistler’s total, year-round offerings?

This elegant suite at the Westin Resort and Spa offers seamless ski-in/ski-out access to Whistler Mountain, perfect for indulgent getaways or lucrative nightly rentals. Features include granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a cozy gas fireplace. Two private balconies offer views of Whistler Mountain. Immerse yourself in the indoor/outdoor swimming pool, unwind in two hot tubs, workout in the gym, or pamper yourself at The Westin Spa. Ideally located just a short stroll from Whistler Village’s best restaurants, nightlife, activities, and shops!

Whistlerites don’t contain their generosity to just one month, they go above and beyond in December.

There are endless ways to give back this holiday season, whether it’s donating to the food bank or the Whistler Community Services Society’s outreach programs, the Whistler Museum’s fundraiser for a new building, or any of the other nonprofits that would be eternally grateful for your support (find more ways to give back at whistlerfoundation.com).■

WILLS & ESTATES BUSINESS LAW REAL ESTATE LAW

Asking -$1,225,000 921-4090 Whistler Way

FREE CONSULTATION

Meet with me via video conference, telephone, and email.

Virtual Tour

8 DECEMBER 22, 2023

SHOLTO SHAW

604.932.3211 332-4370 lorimer road s.shaw@raceandco.com

RACEANDCOMPANY.COM

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Canadians are slipping through the cracks A version of this letter was sent to MP Patrick Weiler and MLA Jordan Sturdy, and shared with Pique.

A bit roundabout, but this is actually a wages and housing issue. You might be surprised that our neighbours to the south, both in the U.S. and Mexico, don’t rely on food banks like Canada does.

This may seem counterintuitive, with thoughts of Americans slipping through the cracks of a social safety net. However, Americans make better money in general, and pay less for housing (location matters). They also have programs like food stamps and various others, which really do help with food security.

Canada, on the other hand, is tied at the hip with corporate-donated food banks.

Go ahead and look at food-bank use in the States versus Canada (I’ll wait) and you will see it’s not that common compared to here.

Canadians are slipping through the cracks. As someone with kids, guess what?

I’m likely to use a food bank, even though I have full-time employment. So is anyone on social assistance or on CPP. When CERB was available to out-of-work Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was $2,000/ month, but what do retired singles get? Or a

“It’s a mess out here. Food is expensive and housing is insane. Do something, and do it fast.”

- TERRY O’CONNOR

disabled person probably paying a minimum of $1,500 a month rent? Do the math.

We need better-paying jobs. I am pretty savvy and grinded hard to find an employer who pays well, but I know tons of parents making far too little in this economy. We also need to increase housing supply, and kill short-term rentals. Minimum wage should be a living income like it was in the ’70s. It should also be tied to inflation. Buying power of wages versus costs in Canada (and the States) has done nothing but drop since the equity markets started to be the most important thing in the economy.

On that note: how is it possible that corporations own houses? We need some government levers to fix supply issues.

Municipalities and long-term home owners, you can chip in, too, to stop the red tape and NIMBYism.

It’s a mess out here. Food is expensive and housing is insane. Do something, and do it fast. Don’t spend on food banks—spend on actual programs that will help Canadians get ahead.

Terry O’Connor // Pemberton

Why another tax increase in Whistler?

We pay for parking. We pay for swimming.

We pay for cross-country skiing. We pay for development permits. We pay for business licenses. And so on.

So where do out municipal tax dollars go?

Sewage. Roads. Water. Police. Fire Department.

Happy Holidays

Green Lake Estate

Whistler

8065 Nicklaus North Blvd

9335 Emerald Drive

Squamish

Ucluelet

101-41105 Tantalus Road

204-596 Marine Drive

NEW PRICE

$3,249,000 $7,249,000

$720,000

$1,824,999

$299,000

3.5 BED | 5 BATH | 3,497 SQFT

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

1 BED | 1 BATH | 820 SQFT

STUDIO | 1 BATH | 475 SQFT

• Lakefront views across Green Lake

• Incredible views with development plans

• UNIQUE 2 level, SW corner townhouse

• Oceanfront studio in Black Rock Resort

• One of the best lots in the Nicklaus North Golf Course

• 14,272 sq.ft., build your dream home!

• Views, privacy, sunlight + high ceilings!

• Owners can use 35 days at each stay

• Fully serviced lot

• Skylight, gas f/p + range, large windows

• Up to 155 days owner use a year

• Short drive to Rainbow shops and Whistler Village

• No one above, sec pkg + storage locker

• Revenue producing when not in use by owner

• Decks for morning sun facing Whistler and Blackcomb Mtns or afternoon on the West deck overlooking Green Lake

MARSHALL VINER

Personal Real Estate Corporation marshall@marshallviner.com

604-935-2287

LOCAL EXPERTS 10 DECEMBER 22, 2023

DARIN JOSEPH

Realtor darin@darinjoseph.com

604-849-2656

suttonwestcoast.com

JENNIFER SALE

Personal Real Estate Corporation js@jennifersale.com

604-723-3525

LISA ASHCROFT

Realtor lashcroft@sutton.com

604-905-8912

NATIONWIDE EXPOSURE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Not really sure what else.

Generally, if you charge someone more, then you offer additional services. Not the Resort Municipality of Whistler. Another tax

increase with no additional visible benefits.

So why the increase?

Inflation, I guess. Thanks, Justin.

Patrick Smyth // Whistler ■

Ne

w

to

rk Ma

et

1503ALTAVISTAPOINTE Spacious 2 bedroom and loft townhome, views of Whistler Mountain.

$1,699,000

Backcountry Update AS OF WEDNESDAY, DEC. 20

This season has been a bit rough, with plenty of warm weather and rain—especially earlier this week. In general, the snowpack is shallow, and skiing is challenging below treeline with such minimal coverage. On the bright side, after several days of rain and sustained high freezing levels, we are becoming less concerned with the weak layers that formed in late November and early December.

This low, early-season snowpack is reminiscent of 2022-23, but this year, we have the advantage of much warmer weather.

This means the base layers aren’t rotting out

WH IS TLER’S #1 RE/MAX AGENT

like they did last season, and we’re actually building a pretty strong foundation for when it finally starts snowing.

If you’ve been waiting for a good day to head out ski-touring, get stoked. With some fresh snow expected, followed by cool temperatures and some sun for Saturday, Dec. 23, it’s likely to be a nice day to head out into the backcountry. The skiing will likely still be fairly rugged below treeline, but above that we are forecasting a pretty good time. By checking the forecast and making keen observations, good, safe riding shouldn’t be too hard to find. ■

Warner Real Estate Team

Register at marshallviner.com to receive weekly real estate updates

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

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

Maximum length is 450 words. Pique Newsmagazine reserves the right to edit, condense or refrain from publishing any contribution. Letters 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.

Viner & Associates

604-935-6287

marshall@marshallviner.com

5221 Jordan Lane $7,890,000

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

PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION +1 604 935 4680 www.jodywright.ca jody@jodywright.ca

$150,000 WHISTLER

New to Market 5221 Jordan Lane is a wonderful home that is located on a remarkable lot, which is over an acre in size and offers beautiful southern exposure. Walk in through the front doors of this excellent property into the spacious foyer and be greeted by the stunning Whistler mountain views that are visible throughout. Desirable zoning allows this home to be rented on a short term; nightly/weekly basis and gives you the opportunity to reap the benefits of healthy rental income when you are not using the property. A fantastic perk of this property is the easy walking distance to the Creekside ski gondola, Nita and Alta lakes and the amenities of Nita Lake Lodge.

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 22, 2023

11

A great year continues!

Looking forward to helping you where we can in 2024.

TEAM

TRELEAVEN ANGELL HASMAN & ASSOCIATES

#9 - 2500 TALUSWOOD PLACE

SO

4 bed | 3.5 bath | 2,461 sqft Perched up on Whistler Mountain is this premier ski-in/ski-out property. Lookout at Taluswood boasts a bright, open floor plan with afternoon sun and Whistler Peak views, two primary bedrooms and spacious 2 car garage. The ultimate Whistler retreat.

LD

Whistler’s finest sweater selection for 30 years

Offered at $3,999,999

DOUG TRELEAVEN

604.905.8626 Douglas.treleaven@gmail.com

JACOB PALLISTER

604.352.9736 Jacob.pallister@gmail.com

teamtreleaven.com

ANGELL HASMAN AND ASSOCIATES S

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

Call at 604-602-9000 or visit www.macleanlaw.ca Maclean Law is headquartered in Vancouver with offices across British Columbia.

On the Village Stroll - close to the Visitor Centre

whistlersweatershop.com

4857 PAINTED CLIFF ROAD WHISTLER

FOR SALE

FOR SALE REDUCED PRICE

$1,999,000

$2,995,000

2

2

SQFT: 1198

3

9199 EMERALD DRIVE WHISTLER

#219-2202 GONDOLA WAY WHISTLER

FOR SALE

$1,995,000 2.5

SQFT: 2,417

1.5

2

SQFT: 970

• Step right onto Blackcomb ski hill

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

• Experience ski-in/ski-out living in Whistler!

• Renovated townhouse in sought-after Benchlands area

• Private primary bedroom on whole top floor

• Warm + inviting, with wood/stone accents throughout

• Zoned for nightly rentals but available for personal use

• Vaulted ceilings, views of Wedge and Armchair Mountains

• Steps to trails, shops, restaurants in Creekside

• Two outdoor covered patios, mature landscaped grounds

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

• Personal use or nightly rentals

PETER LALOR

SADIE BRUBAKER

NICK SOLDAN HARRISS

604 902 3309

604 907 1400

604 902 0091

peterlalor@stilhavn.com

sadie@sadiebrubaker.com

nick@nicksoldanharriss.com

12 DECEMBER 22, 2023

*PREC

PIQUE N’ YER INTEREST

Don’t take Christmas for granted DESPITE HOLDING an American passport, I grew up in Canada for most of my life and (mercifully) have not experienced Black Friday south of the border. I love great deals as much as the next guy, but I’m simply unwilling to line up at 4 a.m. and fistfight other men to score the latest iPhone, gaming console, or landscaping implement.

At times, I’ve felt like The Onion’s satirical 2012 article about 42 million people dying on

BY DAVID SONG dsong@piquenewsmagazine.com “the bloodiest Black Friday shopping event in history” is only a moderate exaggeration of what my fellow United States citizens do every Friday after Thanksgiving.

And isn’t that timing ironic? Days after driving or flying across the country to gather with loved ones and express gratitude for what they have, many Americans freak out about buying things on the one weekend when their bank accounts go a lot further than normal. All the peace and contentment we should strive for during Thanksgiving is gone, just like that.

I’m not writing this to take potshots at Americans. Here in Canada, we are equally guilty of bowing to the golden calf

of consumerism—we just have an extra opportunity to do so over the course of Boxing Week.

But I’m also not writing this to decry the dark side of capitalism and consumerism.

That horse was beaten to death long ago.

Instead—and at the risk of sounding incredibly cliché—I’m exhorting all of us to think about what truly matters this Christmas: the people we hold dear. Money

Brandon, I only live one province over from my mom and dad, who have the means and desire to visit me every so often. Combined with my biannual trips home for summer and Christmas, that means I get to see my family at least four or five times a year—a blessing many don’t have.

Still, my parents aren’t spring chickens anymore. They’re in good health, but that could change at any moment. A friend of mine

It’s easy to take Christmas for granted—to get carried away in the bustle of family plans and deal-hunting.

comes and goes, and fancy products inevitably lose their luster, but humans are social beings tied together by relationships more than anything else.

In April, former Pique features editor Brandon Barrett wrote a column that resonated with me. In it, he asked a poignant question: “if I make it home, say, once a year, how many more times will I get to see my mom and dad?

Ten? Fifteen? Maybe 20, if I’m lucky?”

I ponder that question frequently. Unlike

recently lost her father to illness, and I can only imagine her pain. I wish I could do more to help.

That’s not all. While I stood at the base of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park’s Boneyard in July, waiting for Emil Johansson and company to drop in for Red Bull Joyride, my pal called.

He’d just gotten word that a plane carrying six men had gone down in the Rockies. I used to go to church in Calgary with five of them.

We eventually learned there were

no survivors. All the deceased left behind wives or significant others. Four left behind infant children.

Then, in August, after two weeks of volunteering at a Bible camp called Camp Evergreen (which is dear to my heart), our executive director told us a staff member from two years ago had died. She was a lovely young woman, and I enjoyed talking to her in the time we worked together. Her family didn’t reveal what happened. I’ll never know.

What do you even do?

You could pray, or you could selfishly be glad it wasn’t someone you were close with. You could donate to a GoFundMe for the deceased’s family, hoping your small contribution can play an even smaller role in alleviating their grief. You could also feel fear, because what if next time it is someone you love?

Honestly, I’ve done all four.

It’s easy to take Christmas for granted— to get carried away in the bustle of family plans and deal-hunting. But I would strongly recommend against doing so from here on out.

We all have different situations. You may not be tight with your family. You may not have treasured friends at hand. If so, I hope you can find another avenue of community.

Ask that acquaintance out for coffee. Tell your friendly coworker you appreciate them. Do something this Christmas with someone else.

Above all: identify the people who love you. Love them back, while you still can. n

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13

NEWS WHISTLER

RMOW decides on 8.18% tax increase for 2024 budget PROPERTY TAXES WILL INCREASE BY MORE THAN EIGHT PER CENT FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW

BY SCOTT TIBBALLS WHISTLER PROPERTY taxes are going up by 8.18 per cent in 2024.

That number was voted on and supported by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) council at the Dec. 19 meeting, following an extensive staff presentation.

Some other numbers from the 2024 budget: Sewer rates will increase by seven per cent; solid waste rates by five per cent; and water rates by four per cent.

The increases are the same as those presented at the mid-budget engagement process in November.

The 2024 budget will therefore mark the second year in a row in which taxes have increased by more than 8 per cent. In 2023, property taxes went up by 8.4 per cent.

The RMOW’s director of finance, Carlee Price, provided a breakdown of all the numbers that led to the 8.18-per-cent increase, noting general non-tax revenue (drawn from sources other than the tax base) is contributing almost $6 million in funds that don’t have to come from ratepayers as a result.

Even with the $6 million, the RMOW still requires an additional $3,887,928 for 2024, with some of the line items soaking up funds noted to be general payroll and benefits (requiring an additional $2.6 million); transit

FINER FINANCE Resort Municipality of Whistler director of finance Carlee Price presents staff recommendations on the 2024 budget at the Dec. 19 council meeting.

PHOTO BY SCOTT TIBBALLS

14 DECEMBER 22, 2023

($400k); fleet and equipment replacement (just shy of $1 million extra); and reserve contributions ($1.8 million).

How the change in property tax affects residents depends on the value of their property: Going by the RMOW numbers, the owner of a condo valued at $1 million in 2024 would pay $1,368.40 in property tax that year—an increase of $103.48 over what they would have owed in 2023.

Likewise, the owner of a single-family home valued at $4 million would pay $5,473.60 in municipal tax in 2024—an increase of $413.93 over what they would have paid in 2023.

equivalent (FTE) roles assigned to Whistler Fire Hall No. 3 at Spring Creek beginning in the second quarter of 2024.

“This change is proposed as a first phase of a multi-year process that will lead to 24-hour-per day staffing at this facility by 2026,” reads the report.

“The 2024 budget includes just over $600,000 in addition to annual WFRS costs.

These annual costs will increase again in each of 2025 and 2026 when full implementation of the staffing plan is proposed to be in place, along with the associated costs.”

As noted, this change wasn’t put before the

“I am convinced our budget process is getting better each year.”

- JACK CROMPTON

CHANGES IN STAFFING

According to a staff report to council, service delivery is expected “to look very similar to 2023” given the community’s preference for maintaining service levels, besides two major changes in staffing flagged by staff—though one was struck during discussion.

The change that got struck from the 2024 budget and pushed to a later council meeting did not appear at the budget open house in November, and was to do with the Whistler Fire Rescue Service (WFRS), with the report proposing the RMOW add 4.3 new full-time

public at the November open house, leading Councillor Jeff Murl to make an amendment to remove it from the budget and push it into 2024 as a staff report that could be decided on then, while diverting the funds required (a little over $600k for 2024) into reserves (and within reach of a change of heart by council down the line).

“Given this change came in fairly late, in order to be comfortable with the decision I need to be informed with the data… [I have] not had the opportunity, neither has the public,” said Murl.

Murl’s amendment was supported by the majority of council, with only Coun. Arthur De Jong opposed, while Coun. Jen Ford had a conflict of interest and was not present for the discussion.

A change from the November open house that did make it in was to the building department, which staff noted has seen “a sharp increase in the number of permit applications as well as the complexity of the associated approvals work in recent years.”

As a result, the changes proposed are the addition of 5.5 new full-time equivalent (FTE) roles in the building department to help share the workload. However, the report also said there are proposed adjustments in fees charged to those that utilize the building department’s services.

“For that reason, there is no net additional cost to ratepayers to implement these proposed staffing changes,” reads the report. “Shorter permit wait times and an improved level of service to applicants is expected to result.”

THE THINKING BEHIND THE BUDGET

In analysis of budget considerations, the staff report talks about staff’s continued search for additional non-tax revenue—that is, revenues not drawn directly from ratepayers just doing their thing.

Besides the booming building department, which could draw on funds from building applications, the report highlights parking revenues as a growing source of cash for the municipality due to increasing fees and more visitors. Parking being a cash cow is no doubt helped along by year-long day

NEWS WHISTLER parking fees introduced earlier this year in Day Lots 4 and 5.

According to the report, the RMOW is intentionally using parking as a way to change behaviour, while tempering the need for general taxes.

“Continuing to focus on pricing parking appropriately moves the RMOW towards its stated climate objectives by encouraging a shift away from private transportation to lower greenhouse gas emitting alternatives,” reads the report.

“This approach also helps to assign items such as rising snow-clearing costs in public lots to the users of those services and not to general ratepayers. Finally, it also provides an important tool to ensure that visitors to the community contribute a share to the municipality’s operating costs.”

Day Lot parking revenues are anticipated to reach $1.2 million in 2024, with that number expected to grow to more than $2 million by 2028 should past results inform future returns. The funds are often funnelled into transit initiatives.

Another non-tax revenue (at least on residents) is the hotel tax (MRDT), which is collected by the province and applied to overnight stays in communities across B.C. Whistler, as a resort municipality, is a community that generates a lot of revenue, and receives millions back.

Other non-tax revenues are transit fees, price increases at Meadow Park Sport Centre, and the provincial Growing Communities Fund.

Inflation was singled out as a major force on the municipality’s overall operations, driving up costs across the board, with particular note that it is impacting the cost of projects in the resort (of which the RMOW has well over a hundred active at any given time).

Asset replacement is also part of that equation, with the long-term forecast for maintenance driving up at the same time as immediate project cost, which, according to the staff report, requires the RMOW to increase its reserve contributions in anticipation.

Much of the staff report analysis went towards discussing reserve contributions, which meshed with inflation, asset renewal and community expectations.

On community expectations, the report noted the RMOW “has heard this year from ratepayers who would prefer that taxes not rise at all or rise by a smaller amount. Given the reality of higher quoted costs for services and other committed arrangements (wages), such an outcome can only be achieved by reducing service levels, or reserve contributions relative to the prior year,” reads the report.

“This would mean changing (reducing) the municipal services available within the community in order to satisfy those in search of a smaller tax bill. All of the same services that were delivered to the community in 2023 are also planned to be delivered in 2024, plus the additional work as noted above.

There were no service level cuts identified that staff believed would be accepted by the community. This may change in future years.”

CHANGES ON THE FLY

Besides the previously mentioned striking of the proposed WFRS funding to the tune of $600,000, councillors also dwelled on four optional projects which were presented: A heritage strategy which would cost $55k over

three years; additional weeks in the planting season for staff to beautify the community as a result of longer spring and fall seasons, which would cost $30k in 2024; funding support for the Pemberton commuter service to the tune of $50k for 2024; and $50k in new funding for the Whistler Institute.

Discussions hinged on a motion by Coun. Jessie Morden to strike the heritage strategy and planting season costs and provide funding for both the Pemberton commuter and Whistler Institute, and ended up with all four items being voted on on a case-by-case basis.

The heritage strategy was excluded from the budget with no councillors stepping up to support it. The $55k over three years was to come from MRDT, and those funds will now flow back to that reserve.

The request for $30k to extend the planting season was also excluded from the budget, with only Coun. De Jong defending it, noting it is a reasonable request, and as a tourism community the beauty of the surrounding environment is of importance.

His thoughts made no difference, with all other councillors pouring weed-killer on the idea. Those funds will go back into the general capital reserve.

The Pemberton commuter also got the support of the majority of council, with only Coun. Ralph Forsyth speaking against, saying given it is an initiative of another community, it does not make sense for Whistler ratepayers to put $50k towards it.

Mayor Jack Crompton defended it, saying while it is a Pemberton project, many of those employed locally reside in Pemberton, and it is a vital bridge project on the journey towards establishing regional transit.

Finally, the Whistler Institute received unanimous support to receive $50k. Those funds, and the funds for the Pemberton commuter, will come from the general capital reserve and have no impact on the budget increases.

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FINAL THOUGHTS AND NEXT STEPS

The budget as presented (with the minor changes implemented above) was supported unanimously by council after well over an hour of discussion, and questions across myriad topics to the roster of staff on hand at the Dec. 19 meeting.

Questions ranged from enquiring about changes to the cost of RCMP services (which will jump from a 70-per-cent cost share falling to the RMOW to 90-per-cent when the community grows larger than 15,000 residents, expected to occur in coming years), to the allocation of MRDT funds in employee housing, to payroll and inflation pressures, water metering and more.

Crompton was impressed by the process as a whole, and commended staff on seeking community input earlier to guide decisionmaking and inform the finished product.

“I am convinced our budget process is getting better each year,” he said in closing remarks.

With the budget guidelines endorsed by council, staff will now craft the five-year financial bylaw which will come before council in early January 2024 for adoption.

The complete budget staff report is available at whistler.ca/budget. n

DECEMBER 22, 2023

15

H A P P Y H O L I D AY S F R O M W H I S T L E R ’ S L E A D I N G R E A LT O R

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NEWS WHISTLER

Years-long mission returns quilt to Whistler family made to honour war hero, Sonya d’Artois FAMILY RECEIVES QUILT MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AFTER PRITCHARD HERITAGE GROUP MADE IT TO COMMEMORATE ONE OF CANADA’S FIRST FEMALE SPIES

BY BRANDON BARRETT FOR YEARS , Whistler realtor Michael d’Artois and his loved ones were unaware of the legend surrounding family matriarch, and one of Canada’s first female spies, Sonya d’Artois (née Butt). However, once the proverbial cat was out of the bag, so to speak, and his mother’s outsized legacy had fomented itself in the Canadian imagination, it wasn’t unusual to get the odd book deal or offer to turn his mom’s story into a movie.

So, when a woman reached out about a quilt bearing his mom’s photos and story, Michael took it with a grain of salt.

“I was skeptical, because I didn’t understand what she wanted me to do with the quilt,” he recalled. “I thought she was looking to sell it—but I was totally off the mark.”

As it turned out, unbeknownst to Michael and his family, a heritage quilting guild based in Pritchard, B.C. had selected Sonya as the subject of their latest commemorative quilt— and they wanted to get it in the hands of the d’Artois family.

“The group had been running for about 20 years, and it was a heritage quilting group, so they studied heritage quilts and made reproductions of some of them,” explained Lyn Longair, who made the quilt by hand.

“They would pick a woman out of history, usually Canadian, and learn about her and make a quilt that represented something about her life.”

By 2017, the group had gotten to the Second World War years, and settled on Sonya’s remarkable story as a secret agent for Britain’s Special Operations Executive, whose clandestine work was instrumental in helping the Allied forces make their D-Day landing in 1944. The problem was, the guild was under the gun to finish the quilt in time for a special exhibition at the R.J. Haney Heritage Museum in Salmon Arm. Longair’s mom, Diane, a regular member of the group, tapped Lyn to get the job done. Within a month, the quilt was complete, featuring images of Sonya and the war-time years, blue-and-white “friendship” stars, as well as a short biography stitched into the back.

“I was so impressed with what she had done in her life,” Longair said. “She was such an adventurous woman—and it was all before she turned 20. She was squished into this small timeframe, it amazed me. I was always very impressed with the women who were researched for all of these quilts, but she really struck me as an amazing woman who needed to be recognized.”

Sonya’s daring feats are almost too many to number. Trained as an explosives expert, she aided in the French resistance’s sabotage efforts. She regularly hobknobbed

18 DECEMBER 22, 2023

LASTING LEGACY A heritage quilt made in honour of Canadian war hero and spy, Sonya d’Artois, in the hands of her son, Whistler realtor Michael d’Artois.

PHOTO BY BRANDON BARRETT

with German soldiers, all while coordinating ambushes against them. She narrowly evaded capture on numerous occasions, proving a master at deception. She foiled an assassination attempt on her life by skipping a resistance meeting based on gut feeling alone. In the chaos of liberation in 1944, she was shot at, her jacket riddled with bullets. At various times, she worked as a bicycle courier, recruiter, and intelligence gatherer.

“It’s very humbling,” Sonya’s son, Michael, said of his mom’s legacy. “I never knew why as a kid—we travelled as a family of six—both my parents were treated like they were royalty. Because we moved in military circles. Because of the adventures my parents had, we definitely had special treatment. As kids we always sensed that.”

For some time, the quilt stayed at Di-Versity Quilting Supplies in Pritchard, the shop the heritage quilting group was based out of.

“A lot of people said it should go back to the family, but I didn’t have any way of getting ahold of them,” Longair said.

Eventually, the group connected with Brenda Miller, a fellow quilter in Coquitlam who also had connections to the local legion.

Through that network, Miller eventually got in contact with the d’Artois family in Whistler.

By October, more than five years after its last stitch, the quilt was in the family’s possession.

Although he could see it eventually being preserved somewhere like the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, for now, Michael said the quilt will likely stay in the family.

“It’s going to find its home amongst the grandchildren, I would say,” he noted. “The grandkids just revered their grandmother, and even though she has this history, they revere her as a grandmother first and foremost. She was a wonderful, totally unconditional person.” n

WHISTLER

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NEWS WHISTLER

Whistler has a ‘long way to go’ on wildfire resiliency, but progress being made COUNCIL HEARS UPDATE ON 2023 COMMUNITY WILDFIRE RESILIENCY PLAN

BY SCOTT TIBBALLS THE RESORT Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is making progress in implementing the 32 recommendations outlined in the Community Wildfire Resiliency Program (CWRP), according to a report by staff to the Dec. 5 Committee of the Whole (COW).

The CWRP, which was updated in 2022, identifies issues and suggests solutions to make the community safer in the face of “an ever-increasing threat of wildfire,” according to the CWRP itself.

According to the staff report put before the COW, the RMOW has made progress in education, legislation and community planning, interagency cooperation, training (of staff and between agencies and stakeholders), emergency planning, and vegetation management—all of which are recommended areas of focus of the CWRP. In her presentation to the COW, the RMOW’s manager of climate and environment, Luisa Burhenne, gave some comments on why the work is so important.

“We in Whistler are surrounded by forest, and many of the areas (of forest) have been

clearcut in the ’60s and ’80s. The forest hasn’t really been well managed in its regrowth, so we have very dense, young forest, with a lot of dead trees in between, and underbrush,” she said.

“We also know that climate change is happening, which leads to longer, hotter, drier summers. These longer drought periods and higher temperatures combined with

effects of climate change really are.”

Burhenne gave the examples of the Kelowna wildfire earlier this year, which jumped the Okanagan Lake, and the Downton fire closer to home, where a “fire tornado” formed due to the conditions.

“We have to accept now that climate change will bring these unpredictable events that we somehow need to prepare for,” she said.

“We have to accept now that climate change will bring these unpredictable events...”

- LUISA BURHENNE

those dry, dead forests really increase the risk and severity of wildfires here in Whistler.”

Burhenne said that, while these are established facts and information she herself has conveyed at meetings past, “what’s new this year is we had an incredibly impactful and devastating wildfire season (in 2023), and that made us realize how unpredictable the

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

Dividing the update on the program into the six key strategies, staff touched on progress across them all.

On education, the RMOW’s manager of protective services, Lindsay DeBou, said the municipality is leaning into a communications plan to educate residents on the important

role they play in fire safety.

“We focus a lot on educating homeowners—homeowners are really important to our whole program, because on an individual basis, people can make a huge difference,” she said.

“We try to have a communications plan that brings in the homeowners to be motivated to be part of our program.”

DeBou said 82 homeowners did a home partners assessment in 2023, which she said was a “pretty phenomenal” number due to the amount of work that went into the program. She added the RMOW assessed eight neighbourhoods for fire safety, and there were 28 FireSmart work days (which bring together stratas to make areas safer), while 237 properties were serviced by the RMOW’s wood chipper. DeBou also said that, through the FireSmart program, 900,000 metric tonnes of fuel has been cleared from municipal forested areas in four years.

The RMOW’s fire chief, Thomas Doherty, shared an update on various levels of training being done with the fire department, and talked about the importance of planning.

“This wildfire defense plan is the largest

SEE PAGE 24 >>

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NEWS WHISTLER << FROM PAGE 22 defense plan done in the province of B.C. to date, according to our BC Wildfire specialist that we’re working with on this. What they do is they go into each of the neighbourhoods, and they assess everything in the neighbourhoods from access, egress routes, water fill sites, safety zones for responders, and all the critical infrastructure … all of this information is compiled into tactical sheets, and these tactical sheets are then made available to responders that may come to Whistler,” he said, noting that if there was a large fire event in the area, fire resources (and personnel) would be drawn in from across the province.

“When they arrive, they will have this information made available to them through these sheets … What we’ve done is we’ve taken a proactive approach. In most municipalities, this work is done at the time of a wildfire encroaching upon it.”

Doherty also talked of the resources within the community not directly under the control of the fire department, noting Whistler Blackcomb’s fire-fighting teams, fire hydrants used for snow making, and staff within the RMOW itself who have training applicable to fire safety.

THICK AND THIN

Burhenne talked a lot about the importance of vegetation management, noting the strategy has two goals in reducing the fire risk posed to and by the forest itself, and also maintaining the health of the natural environment.

24 DECEMBER 22, 2023

FIRE BRIGADE Whistler’s Committee of the Whole heard a presentation on wildfire resiliency in the resort on Dec. 5.

PHOTO BY SCOTT TIBBALLS

“We’re really trying to find a way to achieve both at the same time,” she said.

Burhenne added the FireSmart team finalized a three-year strategic plan this year that identified areas in need of vegetation management treatment: In 2023, there were 90 hectares of land treated out of 355 hectares identified, with the areas done in 2023 being the Kadenwood Gondola, Riverside, and the Rainbow area. Areas identified for 2024 are Emerald West, Brio,

and along Highway 99, which Burhenne noted will be a multi-year component.

Fuel thinning was carried out to make the forest more resilient to fires by reducing undergrowth and removing dead trees.

Burhenne explained with a young, dense forest, the natural areas around Whistler are at high risk of burning completely, and do not present ideal habitat for wildlife due to a lack of sunlight getting through to the forest floor.

Thinning the forest and clearing undergrowth

could improve forest health and resiliency, she posited.

“This type of forest has more capability to grow into those very resilient old-growth forests that we’d like to see here,” she said.

In conclusion, Burhenne stressed that when it comes to the future, “wildfires are the highest climate change-related risk and vulnerability for us here in Whistler, and we really need to do everything that we can to mitigate that risk.”

The RMOW’s focus for 2024 will be highpriority risk area mitigation, a wildfire defense plan, and the ongoing FireSmart program, which focuses on mitigating risk on private properties.

In comments following the presentation, Councillor Jen Ford noted more information out in the public is better for understanding, because thinning of forested areas is a process that is “not well understood” in regards to benefits.

Coun. Arthur De Jong asked Doherty what is being learned through the process on assessing community safety and individual neighbourhoods in Whistler, to which Doherty said outside insight from experts who have witnessed fires all across B.C. is that Whistler has a long way to go.

“They were shocked at what we have to deal with here,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do, and it’s going to be a huge challenge for us, but through the process we learned a lot, even throughout our own organization.”

The full presentation, along with questions and answers from council, can be found at whistler.ca. n

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NEWS WHISTLER

Whistler splashes more money into upgrading water systems THE SOUTH WHISTLER WATER SUPPLY PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE CAPACITY, AND RAISE THE PH OF MUNICIPAL DRINKING WATER TO REDUCE CORROSION

BY SCOTT TIBBALLS WHISTLER HAS AWARDED a multimillion dollar contract for the construction of Phase 2 of the South Whistler Water Supply (SWWS) upgrade project.

The overall project is intended to enhance the capacity of the Cheakamus water system, and allow it to pump water north towards Creekside and Whistler Village. According to staff documents presented at the Dec. 5 council meeting, it is vital to the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) Official Community Plan for future growth in the area.

Phase 2 of the project focuses on the construction of a pump station and treatment facility to tie in to works completed in Phase 1 during 2023. In that phase, more than 500 metres of new water mains was installed from Lynham Road to the Cheakamus Crossing water system on the other side of Highway 99.

According to the RMOW’s manager of capital projects, Chelsey Roberts, this phase of the project has many benefits.

“Firstly, it enhances the system’s capacity, allowing for efficient water distribution to the north when needed,” she said at the council meeting. “Additionally, it introduces

redundancies to the Cheakamus and Function Junction water systems, ensuring reliable operation. Furthermore, the project tackles corrosion management in the drinking water system, aligning with Health Canada drinking water guidelines. It also involves upgrading assets and contributing to improving operational functionality.”

On the corrosion issue, the overall

compliant tender submission prices.

Drake “submitted the most competitively priced bid,” reads the staff report, “presenting a significant cost advantage.”

“This cost-effectiveness, coupled with their compliance with the project requirements, positions Drake as the preferred contractor for the SWWS Upgrade Project Phase II.”

“[I]t enhances the system’s capacity...”

- CHELSEY ROBERTS

project is intended to raise the pH level of the water, and reduce corrosion in municipal and private water systems with a pH control treatment.

The phase is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2025, with staff noting there will be longer lead times due to expected procurement delays.

Maple Ridge-based company Drake Excavating was awarded the contract for the project, with its tender submission coming in at $6,138,500—29-per-cent less than initial project estimates, and below the two other

Drake also carried out Phase 1 works on the SWWS project.

The company under-bid Whistlerbased Coastal Mountain Excavations (which submitted a $7.8-million tender), and Canadian company NAC Constructors ($7.7 million).

The RMOW budgeted $8,650,000 for this phase of the project, with the initial cost estimate coming in at $8,617,000.

The entire SWWS project has $11.16 million budgeted over three years, with $4.49 million in funding covered by grants secured by the municipality, which will come from the

federal and provincial governments in 2023 and 2024. The remainder will come from the RMOW’s water capital reserve.

The only question from council came from Councillor Arthur De Jong, who queried the corrosion aspect of the works and the required pH of drinking water.

According to the RMOW’s general manager of infrastructure services, James Hallisey, the required pH range of drinking water is between 7 and 10.5, with Whistler’s drinking water being mildly acidic, causing the corrosion in water infrastructure.

“Most of the well water in Whistler has that issue, we’re falling in that 6.5 to 7 range, so this was the first system where we’re going to make this change to adjust it,” he said.

“We’re going to easily ensure it’s above 7 … we probably won’t get close to 10, but we won’t need to.”

Previous Health Canada recommendations required pH in drinking water systems to be between 6.5 and 8.5—meaning the RMOW systems were previously within guidance.

Council voted unanimously to award the contract to Drake Excavating at the Dec. 5 council meeting, with procurement set to begin immediately, construction in 2024, and commissioning and completion in the first half of 2025. n

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South Britannia surf park development clears bylaw hurdles SLRD SECURES MORE BENEFITS FOR COMMUNITY AS THE LARGE, MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT MOVES FORWARD COMMUNITY AMENITY CONTRIBUTIONS INCREASED

BY SCOTT TIBBALLS THE SQUAMISH-LILLOOET

Regional District (SLRD) board voted to give third reading to a raft of bylaws and apply a handful of requirements on the proponents of a major mixed-use development in South Britannia on Dec. 13, clearing some barriers for the ambitious project to proceed to next steps.

At its Sept. 27 meeting, the SLRD requested staff and the developer of the major mixed-use proposal, Tiger Bay Developments Ltd., to provide more information, with questions and concerns about timing of amenities, construction of housing, and the needs of current and new residents as impacted by the masterplanned community proposal.

Tiger Bay, which has received overall community support as seen at a Sept. 6 public hearing, will include 1,050 apartments and townhomes, the construction of a surf park, between 51,000 and 77,000 square feet of commercial space, and room for professional services and child-care facilities.

SLRD staff were back before the board on Dec. 13 with a lengthy update based on discussions with the developer after third reading of related bylaw amendments was originally deferred.

With more information at hand, following a lengthy discussion, the board voted (mostly) to support two bylaw amendments (Official Community Plan, and zoning) for third reading as put forward by staff, to refer the development to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) for assessment, and to make three adjustments to the development agreement.

The funds are for the SLRD to spend on community amenities in the area that generates them, in this case, SLRD Area D. The previous proposal from the developer of $2,000 per market unit—of which there will be 900—would have generated $1.9 million for the regional district, while the new $5,000 CAC will generate $4.5 million if all 900 market units are built.

The staff recommendation on Dec. 13 was initially for those funds to be paid to the SLRD

“For me, this is not meeting the bar of what I think is a complete community. We can get there, but we are seeing a singleindustry commuter town, which we’ve pretty explicitly said we don’t want to do.”

- CHRIS PETTINGILL The three adjustments were in response to board queries at the previous meeting.

Under the resolutions passed, the developer’s Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) is upped from $2,000 per market residential unit to $5,000.

The CAC funds will be paid to the SLRD upon the issuance of a development permit.

on sale of each unit, but the board voted unanimously to amend the resolution so the funds will be paid when the development permit is issued.

Another change will bump up construction of a community centre at Tiger Bay to Phase 3 of construction, rather than Phase 4, with the board retaining the ability to

push that requirement back to Phase 4 if they choose to do so.

The third change touched on overall housing in Phase 1, and worker housing.

According to staff, the development phases now include 20 “interim housing cabins” to be built in Phase 1, which will be used to house construction and other workers, and eventually be repurposed for tourism accommodation.

The item garnered discussion about permanence, and raised fears about the potential of the site being a temporary work camp, but staff explained building requirements will force the 20 initial housing cabins to be of high quality, and therefore, not suitable as only a temporary installation.

CONCERNS RAISED

Two directors from Squamish, Councillors Chris Pettingill and Jenna Stoner, did not support approving the bylaw amendments, with Pettingill saying the proposal isn’t robust enough to serve as its own community, but is likely going to be a commuter town.

“I don’t see sufficient employment opportunities planned that match the affordable housing there,” he said.

“For me, this is not meeting the bar of

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NEWS WHISTLER << FROM PAGE 28 what I think is a complete community. We can get there, but we are seeing a single-industry commuter town, which we’ve pretty explicitly said we don’t want to do.”

Stoner noted that, while there has been a lot of work on affordable housing, childcare, and in providing recreational space over the years, “the commercial space that is being provided is not setting the community up for success in terms of a long-term complete community.

“The lack of any form of light industrial space is a significant concern to me,” she added. “We know that’s one of the highest demands throughout the corridor, and there just isn’t any here.”

Both Pettingill and Stoner opposed the OCP and zoning bylaw amendments, which passed. Only Pettingill opposed referring the amendments to MOTI for approval, while all adjustments to the development agreement were unanimously supported.

‘SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED’

Speaking to the overall development and the process to get to the Dec. 13 board meeting, Pemberton Mayor Mike Richman talked about the improvements made to the development proposal.

“What’s before us today is substantially improved over what we first got years ago, and months ago,” he said. “I think we’ve done a good job. Have we done a complete job? We’ll find out, but I think we’ve done a good job in taking it from where it was, as painful as the

30 DECEMBER 22, 2023

RIDING THE WAVE The land at the centre of the rezoning application is located about 14 kilometres south of Squamish.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TIGER BAY DEVELOPMENT CORP.

process has seemed at times … but it proves to me that the process works.”

Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton touched on the importance of the developer working to provide employee housing through its commitment to build 20 cabins early on in Phase 1, saying he hopes they have considered the adequacy of that housing deeply, and don’t come back to the SLRD seeking any temporary building permits for more housing.

“We took time with this, and I think the result isn’t perfect as we see from people voting against it, but I think it’s a project that the developer will be more proud of; I know I’ll be more proud of it, [and] I know it’ll serve the region better than what we originally considered,” he said.

TIMELINE

The project’s construction timeline is divided into four phases, with housing mostly going up during Phases 2 (231 units), 3 (410 units), and 4 (259 units). Where the 150 affordable housing portions are included is yet to be determined, with the SLRD board to have a say through the housing agreement with the developer, which will be decided on before the first residential phase is approved.

The first housing development is not expected to occur until at least three years after rezoning and overall development approval.

Phase 1 of the development will be mostly for the recreational and tourismfocused facilities, with the surf park, skate

park, and pump track to be constructed in this phase, along with a pedestrian and cycling path to North Britannia and associated trails. The 20 interim housing cabins will be built in this phase.

Phase 2 will include 231 units worth of housing, along with the dedication of parks, parking lots, land for a community centre, and more, while Phase 3 will include the construction of those amenities, more housing, the addition of a permanent CN Rail crossing at Minaty Bay Park, and the provision of 38 childcare spaces.

Phase 4 will include more park construction, more housing, and the provision of an additional 38 childcare spaces.

As noted, commercial space at the development will be between 51,000 and 77,000 square feet, with a central neighbourhood commercial area.

There will also be space for professional services such as health-care, and the developer notes there is potential for a police station in the commercial space on plan.

The makeup of commercial users will be determined by market demand. Industrial zoning is not included, though staff noted there is scope for very light industrial uses in the commercial zones.

With bylaw amendments in place from the SLRD and pending approval by MOTI, the developer can now proceed to the next steps of seeking a development permit.

The developer has previously noted the whole project has a 15-year construction timeline. n

NEWS WHISTLER

SLRD splits up last of COVID restart grant funds, throws an extra $4k each to food banks THE SEA TO SKY REGIONAL DISTRICT WAS FEELING GENEROUS IN THE LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, ALLOCATING AN EXTRA $16K OUT OF GRANT FUNDS TO THE FOUR FOOD BANKS IN THE AREA

BY SCOTT TIBBALLS THE SQUAMISH-LILLOOET Regional District (SLRD) recently divided up the last of its allocation of COVID restart grant funding, which it received back in 2020.

The regional district originally received $627,000, of which it had already allocated $575,250, leaving it with $51,750 as of December 2023.

The majority of the funds, which it received through the federal and provincial governments as part of efforts to assist local governments in making up funding shortfalls and getting programs back up and running after pandemic disruptions, went to revenue shortfalls ($164,567), general government services ($102,266) and improving virtual accessibility ($159,147).

At the Dec. 14 regular board meeting, the district board chose to split the remaining $51,750 four ways: $10,750 will go to cybersecurity at the SLRD; $11,000 will support transit initiatives in Area C; $14,000 will go towards a project to upgrade the SLRD website; and $16,000 will be donated to the four local food banks in the

SLRD, at $4,000 each.

The four food banks are in Whistler, Pemberton, Squamish and Lillooet.

Originally, the split was going to be $15,000 to Area C transit, and $12,000 to the four food banks, but Pemberton Mayor Mike Richman indicated interest in finding other funding sources for the other programs to divert more

website were derailed by Squamish director Jenna Stoner, who said she wouldn’t support moving grant funding around in a way that would have to be made up through taxation.

Lillooet Mayor Laurie Hopfl indicated she wanted to use the grant money for SLRD programs and leave donations to community groups up to the community.

“Personally, I am totally in favour of funding food banks...”

- SAL DEMARE

funds toward food banks, which he noted were struggling in current economic conditions.

Following some discussion, it was decided the Area C transit project could have some funding shaved from the restart grant allocation, which other grant sources would then cover. Pulling funds from either of the other projects would have meant additional taxation for residents.

Initial discussions on directing funding away from efforts to upgrade the SLRD

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“Food banks, while a great cause … it’s not our job to be giving taxpayer’s money to certain not-for-profit sources,” she said, noting that while it was COVID restart grant funding, if the SLRD gave it to community groups, it would need to levy taxes on ratepayers to make up gaps in funding for its own programs.

“If people want to donate to certain groups, then that’s their choice to donate to certain groups. It’s not our choice to donate

their money.”

Eventually, the board decided to divert more funding to the food banks anyway, with the money coming from the transit project.

Stoner seemed content with learning funds for transit can be made up in other ways that won’t draw down on taxation sources, and made the resolution to draw $4,000 from the Area C transit allocation and put it towards the food banks.

Before the final vote, Area A director Sal Demare made general remarks in defence of directing funds toward food banks.

“We have lots of non-profit organizations that we fund through taxation that we receive,” he said. “Personally, I am totally in favour of funding food banks, because it does help our community.”

Hopfl was the lone dissenter in voting to allocate the funds, with the rest of the board voting to support the proposed division.

Of the entire restart grant package, the SLRD had already allocated $82,000 to food banks before the Dec. 14 meeting, with the additional $16,000 bumping that number to $98,000 over the years.

The full staff report on the allocations can be read on the SLRD website. n

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NEWS WHISTLER

Federal funds help expand Sea to Sky corridor transition house, Pearl’s Place WITH $1.55M IN FUNDING, TRANSITION HOUSE EXPANDS TO AID MORE SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE

BY JENNIFER THUNCHER Squamish Chief THE AIM is to help more survivors safely rebuild their lives after fleeing intimate partner violence.

West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country MP Patrick Weiler was in the bright and cosy, teal-coloured lobby of PearlSpace on Third Avenue in Squamish Friday afternoon, Dec. 15, for a funding announcement supporting the expansion of the Pearl’s Place Transition House.

On behalf of Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sean Fraser, Weiler announced funding of more than $1.55 million through the National Housing Strategy’s Affordable Housing Fund.

The new funding helped add new beds to Pearl’s Place Transition House in Squamish, operated by PearlSpace Support Services Society (formerly the Howe Sound Women’s Centre).

Shana Murray, community program director for PearlSpace, said the funds, which it received from the feds through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), help the organization address capacity demands by adding five new bedrooms, three of which are in addition to the existing

residential home and two in the form of a fully mobile, accessible carriage house.

“With these additions, we are now able to house up to 15 survivors fleeing intimate partner violence,” Murray said at the press conference.

The house is an emergency safe space to stay for women and gender-diverse people leaving violence, as well as their

our community. And this is a challenge that we cannot ignore.”

Those who stay at the corridor transition house have access to full-time services to support their needs while they find more long-term security and housing.

“With dedicated family bedrooms in a residential home, residents will also have access to a communal kitchen, free shared

“With these additions, we are now able to house up to 15 survivors fleeing intimate partner violence.”

- SHANA MURRAY

children and pets.

“Statistics show that sexual and genderbased violence increased dramatically throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. And this trauma from a once-in-a-century pandemic ... remains today,” Weiler said.

“Combined with the strain of elevated cost of living challenges caused by global inflation, the stress fuelled continued risks to some of the most vulnerable members of

laundry, multi-purpose spaces and a fully fenced and private backyard equipped with family play spaces,” reads a federal government news release.

The local transition house expansion was complete as of July.

Murray said the transition facility has had an average of eight women, children and their pets at a time.

“With operating funds from CMHC, we

are working through increasing staffing capacity to ensure we have enough staff on shift to fully support an occupied house and all the needs of those who access the program,” she said.

In terms of dealing with the source of violence upstream from the need for transition houses, Weiler said the government is working on various initiatives, including combating hate online.

“What we’re focusing on right now is the role of social media promoting a lot of misogyny and discrimination, and hate speech, frankly. Right now, we’re also in the process of working on a piece of legislation ... related to online harms, and that’s something that we’re very close to being able to announce,” he said.

“But it’s really about funding for the organizations that are combating genderbased violence like PearlSpace that we see our role is ... so that’s why today’s announcement is really so important.”

The total funding for PearlSpace breaks down into: $1.03 million from the federal government through the Affordable Housing Fund, plus $92,000 per year in a subsidy for six years, totalling $552,000; $247,000 from the provincial government, through BC Housing’s Capital Renewal Fund; and $1,500 in kind from the District of Squamish.

Find more info at pearlspace.ca. n

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NEWS PEMBERTON

New committee aims to make Pemberton more accessible FIRST DRAFT OF NEW ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION PLAN SHOULD BE READY BY SPRING

BY RÓISÍN CULLEN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter PEMBERTON WILL BE a more accessible community in the coming years, thanks to a new accessibility committee.

Christine Burns, the Village of Pemberton’s (VOP) manager of recreation services, is spearheading the committee, which she hopes will make life a whole lot easier for wheelchair users, parents with strollers, people with disabilities, and the elderly. An accessibility page is now also live on the Village of Pemberton website.

Burns gave an update on the VOP’s accessibility and inclusion plan at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Tues, Dec. 5. The plan is intended to help Pemberton meet new guidelines set out by the provincial government.

The province introduced accessibility

MEASURING UP According to the B.C. government, more than 926,000 people in British Columbia are living with a disability.

PHOTO BY MANU VEGA / MOMENT / GETTY IMAGES

36 DECEMBER 22, 2023

legislation through the Accessible British Columbia Act in June 2021. More than 750 public-sector organizations across B.C. are now required by the act to establish an accessibility committee, an accessibility plan, and a tool to receive feedback on their accessibility.

According to the province’s website, there are more than 926,000 people with disabilities living in British Columbia. Made up of seven members, Pemberton’s Accessibility and Inclusion Committee had its first meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

“This summer, we got the ball in motion,” said Burns. “We put a call-out into the community to see if individuals would be interested in participating on an accessibility committee. We are really excited. We got representation from a vast majority of demographics in the community.

We have seniors representation; we have early years representation; we have people with disabilities; we have Indigenous representation as well.”

Burns said she feels very fortunate so many people were willing to step forward and have their opinions heard. With Pemberton planning

for its population to reach 5,000 in the coming years, the committee is currently developing a plan it hopes can grow with the town.

“The B.C. accessibility hub has also reached out with potential free money for individuals who will help write the plan,” said Burns. “We will go from there. The next steps will be further updates with the draft plan coming sometime in the spring. That would be our goal at this point in time.”

Councillor Ted Craddock welcomed the new committee, but wondered how improvements will be paid for.

“It’s great to see this coming,” he said. “Is there any money behind this to back this up?

Is this just going to be a plan again, or is there some funding behind it?”

Burns stressed there is funding available for suitable projects.

“The province is putting money into this one. The federal government is putting money into this one across the country,” she said.

“Part of the monies that the library received was through an accessibility grant offered through the federal government. We have supported the library in a number of grant

applications. The plan is we will be putting a ramp on the facility at the front side.”

Burns explained a project would have to meet certain criteria to receive the province’s funding.

“There are grants out there available for that. The granting opportunities exist,” she said. “It’s just a matter of having the project that you want to do in order to make that application. They are not just giving out that money and letting people do whatever project they want. They are putting onus on all organizations to step up and make their facilities more accessible.”

The first plan will start off small in comparison to neighbouring communities’ plans, Burns said, adding the initial feedback has shown making curbs and sidewalks more accessible should be the committee’s first priority.

“Whistler’s accessibility plan is very broad, but they have had an accessibility [focus] for over 20 years,” she said. “They have been doing this for a long time. Hence, why their plan is so broad. Our plan would be to start off small.” n

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Property Tax & Utilities Payment Options:

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In-Person Payment: Visit the Village of Pemberton office by Friday, December 22, 2023, before 12:00 p.m. to make your payment in person.

Please ensure sufficient time for processing.

Mail Payments: If you choose to mail your payment, it must reach the Village of Pemberton office by December 31, 2023. Remember, postmarks are not considered as the date of payment, so plan accordingly.

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Find more information, including additional payment options, on the Village of Pemberton website at: www.pemberton.ca/propertytaxes.

VillageofPemberton

pemberton.ca DECEMBER 22, 2023

37

NEWS PEMBERTON

SLRD adds another $95k to Friendship Trail project SLRD BRIEFS: DISTRICT SEEKS MORE FUNDING SOURCES FOR SEA TO SKY TRAIL MORE FUNDS SOUGHT TO MAKE UP MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR GAP

BY SCOTT TIBBALLS THE SQUAMISH-LILLOOET

Regional District (SLRD) board voted to allocate $95,000 in funding towards Pemberton’s Farm Road East Connector Trail recently, with the money to be used for lighting.

In a letter requesting the additional funds to come from the SLRD’s Area C Community Works Funds, Pemberton Mayor Mike Richman talked up the importance of the broader Friendship Trail, which connects Mount Currie and Pemberton.

“Primarily due to inflation, the increased cost has exceeded initial projections. This requested additional investment is crucial to ensure the trail’s safety and accessibility for residents and visitors, particularly during evenings and adverse weather conditions,” he wrote to Area C director Russell Mack in October 2023.

“The Friendship Trail serves as a bridge between neighbourhoods and communities, fostering economic opportunities and facilitating cultural exchanges. Through your support in this investment, we will see strengthened connections between neighbouring communities.”

The SLRD board voted unanimously to support the additional funds at the Dec. 13 board meeting.

38 DECEMBER 22, 2023

LET’S BE FRIENDS A pair of key trails in the Sea to Sky corridor are getting attention from the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District this month.

The Farm Road East Connector Trail is part of the broader Friendship Trail, which has received millions of dollars in funding over the years, including almost $420,000 in federal funding earlier this year for the Farm Road East Connector itself.

The Farm Road East Connector is a 0.75-km section of trail intended to connect two existing segments of the Friendship Trail to Pemberton Farm Road East, and would therefore complete the link between Pemberton and Mount Currie.

When the federal funding was announced in late July, it was noted the Village of Pemberton was contributing $186,800 to the project, while

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER

the SLRD was contributing $92,000.

The additional $95,000 therefore more than doubles the SLRD’s contribution to the connector portion.

In the works for more than a decade, the Friendship Trail is a collaboration between the Village of Pemberton, Lil’wat Nation and the SLRD, and is expected to be fully completed by 2024.

The trail functions as “a safe and designated pathway” for residents of all ages—including Lil’wat Nation members living in Mount Currie—to travel to school, work, or access other essential services on foot, by bike or even on horseback.

Hot off the heels of a $1-million grant application, the SLRD has applied for another $60k from the Trans Canada Trail Funding program for the Sea to Sky Trail.

The hope is the funds can be used to close a 4.5-km gap in the Sea to Sky Trail referred to as the Cheakamus Canyon Highway section, right next to Highway 99 and the Cheakamus River.

According to a staff report presented at the Dec. 13 SLRD board meeting, “a majority of the proposed trail construction will take place within the highway right of way and BC Hydro right of way, requiring close cooperation with provincial agencies,” lending to the complexity of the segment the district is seeking funding for.

The Sea to Sky Trail has been a project of the SLRD since 2007, with 130km of 165km of trail constructed so far.

The Cheakamus Canyon segment is estimated to cost $3,977,873, with the SLRD having secured $1,007,000 in funding to date.

The $1 million in extra funding applied for in October will close the gap to a little over $1.9 million. The $60k applied for on Dec. 14 is the maximum amount able to be applied for under the Trans Canada Trail Foundation’s current grant program. n

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Located in Blueberry Hill. Features include a spacious living area with cozy fireplace and fine finishes. Covered decks and garage. Comes furnished, available for immediate occupancy.

One of only 7 homes in the Snowcrest complex. Cross Glacier Drive, and you’ll find yourself on the slopes, ready to ski down to the vibrant Whistler Village.

This Court Ordered Sale presents an opportunity to acquire the Alpine Chalet Pension and Wellness Retreat nestled in Whistler’s coveted Alta Vista neighborhood.

Nestled in Pemberton Valley, surrounded by nature, this hidden gem is a custom log home with 2 master bedrooms, 2 additional bedrooms, and 5 bathrooms.

Just 8 minutes from charming Pemberton village, this home offers This recently updated home boasts fresh paint throughout, breathtaking Mount Currie views in the morning and serene bathrooms completely updated including heated tile flooring. farmland vistas in the evening.

The kitchen has been revamped, with new floor and appliances.

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This spacious, elegant duplex features an open-concept layout complete with designer finishes and expansive deck to enjoy unobstructed mountain views. Ideal for growing families or the perfect weekend home with plenty of room to entertain. Move in ready!

Enjoy spectacular views of Mount Currie from this gorgeous new home with 1-bedroom suite in Pemberton’s premier Sunstone neighbourhood. The smart open floor plan features key elements of mountain modern architectural style. Move-in ready. 3% mortgage financing available - ask for details.

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Situated on the top floor, this home is flooded with natural sunlight, a large balcony and spectacular views. Offering the convenience of two parking stalls.

This property offers gorgeous views of the valley and Mount Escape to your own private oasis! This property is an Currie and allows for a single family home with secondary suite entertainer’s dream with an open layout and offering a as well as an accessory building or structure. separate 2.5 bedroom cabin on-site.

From my Family to yours, HAPPY HOLIDAYS

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From my family to yours, wishing you a season full of

Open House Friday Dec 22nd 3-5PM

Joy, Peace and Love.

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Turnkey, and amenity rich- Lost Lake Lodge in the Benchlands has it all! Pool, hot tub, free shuttle, bike storage, fitness room & nightly rental from the desk

1st hole of the Chateau Whistler Golf course-with fairway and mountain views from this 3 bed 2 bath townhome. Heated floors, wood-burning fireplace and two decks.

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There’s not a better place to spend the holidays than Whistler, and I’m blessed to call this home.

If you’d like to explore what ownership can look like for you, reach out, I’m here to help.

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Steps from the Creekside Gondola, vaulted ceilings, wood fireplace, stunning views of Whistler Mountain, wrap-around deck and garage.

Recent high-value updates include a new roof and paved driveway.

Enjoy this versatile 3 bedroom unit – a fully equipped 2 bedroom suite plus studio lockoff at the base of Whistler. Phase 1 nightly rentals are permitted, and owners have unlimited use year-round.

Renovated and zoned for nightly rentals. Steps from the new Whistler Creekside Gondola. Heated outdoor pool, hot tub, ski + bike storage and spacious lobby area.

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Wishing you and your families the Best of the Holiday Season and a New Year full of Health, Happiness and Dreams come true!

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This suite embodies the essence of an idyllic vacation escape or a coveted full-time abode. Just 20 meters from the ski in ski out trail!

Awe-inspiring mountain VIEWS and exclusive amenities top it all off.

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Escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and find solace at Anderson lake. Meticulously updated while effortlessly combining modern luxury and the warmth of a lakeside escape.

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This fully renovated modern 1.5 bedroom/2 bathroom property is priced BELOW Assessed Value. This top floor east facing corner unit offers views of Whistler Peak.

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Come on over to Whistler Resort Club located in the heart of Whistler Creekside. This fully renovated 1.5 bedroom/2 bathroom property is a ground floor, west facing unit.

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Welcome to Elements located in the heart of Pemberton, so close to everything. This 1.5 bedroom plus den and office is an end unit and has new kitchen countertops and wide plank flooring.

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Are you looking to get out of the hustle and bustle? Surrounded by mountain views and part of the growing community that is Birken. This lot is truly a recreational paradise.

This ready to build lot, with truly out of this world views is perched Are you ready to call stunning Lillooet your new home? high on The Ridge, one of Pemberton’s most sought-after This 4 bedroom home is perfect for a large family or to host neighbourhoods. Zoned RSA 2 – Residential (Amenity) Zone. guests on the weekend!

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A testament to luxury living, imagine crafting your dream home in this haven, where the soft rustling of leaves and the gentle murmur of nature form a soothing daily chorus.

This remarkable homesite guarantees unparalleled privacy and breathtaking vistas that showcase the mesmerizing beauty of the nearby mountains and landscapes.

Baxter Creek caters to outdoor enthusiasts, providing access to exceptional hiking and biking trails that seamlessly integrate the allure of nature into your daily routine.

Horstman House is the perfect start for your winter adventures – whether Nordic skiing or snowshoeing at Lost Lake, skiing home right to your door, or a long soak in the hot tub!

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Steps to Nicklaus North Golf Course with groomed Nordic skiing, walking trails and Table 19’s cosy setting with Fondue and a great happy hour menu. Delightful for the holidays!

NEWS PEMBERTON

Pemberton Airport seeks funding to repair runway ‘riddled’ with cracks NEWS BRIEFS: PEMBERTON FIRE RESCUE FIELDS DOZENS OF FALSE-ALARM CALLS

BY RÓISÍN CULLEN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter PROPONENTS OF THE Pemberton Regional Airport are hoping to initiate vital repairs with help from the British Columbia Air Access for Airport Infrastructure program. The Village of Pemberton (VOP) vowed to support a funding application for up to $200,000 at a council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 5. Mayor and council also agreed to contribute a matching contribution of up to $50,000 (25 per cent) towards the project.

Project engineer, Sachindra Wijayabandara, told council repairs on the runway are needed sooner rather than later. Runway resurfacing is a top priority, as the tarmac is currently “riddled” with large cracks—some measuring up to 10 centimetres wide. They also risk getting far bigger if moisture permeates the asphalt.

The cracks create an uneven surface and disrupt visual painted markings, and are causing a serious safety hazard to aircrafts using the facility. Wijayabandara told council they run the risk of the problem becoming far worse.

“It’s needed now,” he said.

Cracks on the runway were last repaired in 2016. The village’s contribution to the project will now be incorporated into 2024 budget deliberations. The airport has several hundred landings per year, with most happening in August. They include fire and rescue vehicles,

FLIGHT PATTERNS The Pemberton Regional Airport is in dire need of urgent repairs. commercial activity companies, gliders, local aircraft and helicopter companies.

However, there is no runway lighting, taxiway lighting, control tower, or navigational assistance at the site. Access is also limited during the winter months. The runway and taxiway are only cleared when the VOP has resources available and when there is a period of extended good weather. Arrangements can be made to have the runway cleared at cost between November and April.

FALSE ALARMS

Pemberton Fire Rescue has responded to 35 false alarms this year, according to Fire Chief, Cameron Adams. None of the false

FILE PHOTO

alarms were connected to an actual fire.

“At a minimum, we would like to have at least eight responding to those. An alarm is not a false alarm until it is proven to be false,” said Adams. “We would want to attend to them like we would any actual report of fire.”

The multi-residential buildings are the ones that most commonly produce false alarms, he added.

“We are probably seeing an increase because our population is growing,” he said.

As of November 2023, Fire Rescue had responded to 41 alarm calls, 35 of which were false alarms. In 2022, there were 47 callouts with 40 deemed false alarms.

Adams said false alarms are a common

problem across North America. They can result from various causes, such as someone pulling a fire alarm (typically kids in school), burned cooking, or problems with alarm panels.

Other challenges the crew faces were highlighted in Pemberton Fire Rescue’s 2023 Third Quarter Report.

One big hurdle is the fact many Pemberton firefighters have to hold down full-time jobs in other sectors, limiting the crew’s ability to attend daytime calls. Thankfully, the number of members has grown significantly since 2019, from 25 total members per year to 36 in 2023.

In both the VOP and Lil’wat Nation, the highest number of incidents were related to medical aid. The callouts for medical aid accounted for 37 per cent of the total number of incidents.

The Village of Pemberton had the highest number of incidents in the crew’s jurisdiction, accounting for 38 per cent of all incidents.

Lil’wat Nation came closely second at 34 per cent. The regional district accounted for 17 per cent, and the broader fire district came in at 11 per cent.

The highest number of incidents per year happened in June of 2023, with 47 incidents reported. The lowest came in February, when the crew only recorded 21 incidents. ■

DECEMBER 22, 2023

43

THE OUTSIDER

Making the best of low tide “It was the best of times. It was the BLURST of times?!”

– C. Montgomery Burns

I’VE NEVER been great at writing reflection articles. I’ll preface this attempt at a “year in review” by saying it’s not going to be the novel-length caption on social media crying out about the challenges faced this year, all the adversity overcome, giving 2023 the middle finger, bring on the new year of opportunity,

BY VINCE SHULEY and all the other navel-gazing hogwash that will likely permeate your Meta feeds over the next week or so.

Instead, I’m going to focus on some of the lessons I’ve learned.

MOUNTAIN LIFESTYLE IS MORE THAN ACTION SPORTS

This one has been getting more real the last few years, but it really does take the mandatory timeout of an incapacitating injury to fully realize. Since I moved here, skiing was life. A few short years after, biking became life when skiing wasn’t life. Every winter became about

LOW TIDE LIVIN’ A weak start to the snow season gives you a chance to reflect on other important life elements.

PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY

44 DECEMBER 22, 2023

how many days I logged on the mountain, how much pow I skied, how many big days of backcountry I got in.

Summers were about reaching peak fitness, fitting in multiple riding road trips, and finding the most recently-built trails via our local need-to-know network. As I’ve written in this space before, that all starts to change after the first 10 years or so. My career became more of a priority. The relationship with my partner became more of a priority.

While the skiing and biking never stopped, the focus began to shift.

mountain activities. The beer and burger at the end feels that much more deserved. This feeling isn’t exclusive to mountain recreation.

It can come from any type of DIY project, whether it’s constructing a backcountry shelter, renovating parts of your home, or building trails in the woods.

For me, it was collecting my own firewood.

The money saved heating your home with wood you collected is one advantage, but another is the time you spend outside in the forest searching for the motherlode. Cruising on FSRs with rounds you just chainsawed,

I went for my first laps of the season the other day. It was the fastest I’d travelled outside of a car in more than nine months.

Conditions were poor. Terrain was limited.

Coverage was thin. But damn it felt good to be skiing again.

Acquaintances who never grew out of the insular Whistler lifestyle began to fade away.

The ones who grew up became cemented as lifelong friends and real members of our community. Maintaining these friendships has itself become a priority over getting in laps or logging vert. Of course, if you can combine the two, all the better.

splitting and stacking for a winter’s worth of warmth, then kicking back on the deck with a cold IPA that I brewed in my own garage?

It’s not an epic pow day, but it’s something I got a surprising amount of satisfaction from in 2023.

SWEAT EQUITY IS THERAPEUTIC

It’s a tough time of year for a lot of folks.

Missing family back home, societal expectations weighing down on you, even feeling like you’re constantly letting down the

We’re all familiar with the satisfaction that comes with putting a big day into the

IT’S OK TO NOT ALWAYS BE OK

ones you love. I’ve had more conversations about mental health with friends this year than I ever have, and I consider that a win.

Seeking help should not wait until we’re in the fight-or-flight crisis mode.

Consider your mental health as a vehicle in need of periodic maintenance, even if it appears there’s nothing wrong at the time.

Time in the mountains with your mates can be therapeutic in itself, but don’t use it as your only source of assistance when things get really hard. There are some great clinical counsellors in town, and the Whistler Community Services Society has outreach workers available if you need to talk.

WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS, SKIING IS BETTER THAN NOT SKIING

I went for my first laps of the season the other day. It was the fastest I’d travelled outside of a car in more than nine months. Conditions were poor. Terrain was limited. Coverage was thin. But damn it felt good to be skiing again.

I wish the snow would show up and give us that spiritual winter lift we all need for the holidays. But let’s remember, there’s more going on in our brains than the number of centimetres that fell in the last 48 hours (it can be hard to imagine sometimes, I know).

Take a breath, remember why you moved to Whistler, and make it the best bad start to a season you can.

Vince Shuley is maintaining a positive attitude to the 2023-24 season. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider, email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_vince. ■

Real Estate Association of Whistler

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WE ARE TAKING APPLICATIONS NOW! EMAIL: info@whistlerlistings.com

whistlerlistings.com DECEMBER 22, 2023

45

FEATURE STORY

46 DECEMBER 22, 2023

FEATURE STORY

Like the warm glow of the holiday fireplace ,

simulated or all-natural, there’s just something comforting about sharing stories during the yuletide season.

The holidays are all about gathering, after all, and whenever friends and loved ones get together for a little festive cheer, the tall tales are never far behind.

It’s why Pique has shared the stories of local writers at Christmastime for many moons now. In a town where family is often miles away and the locals are more attuned to the distinct needs of visitors than their own, it’s important to hold on to the traditions that make this time of year so special.

So, however you celebrate the holidays, we hope you enjoy the following tales from four talented local scribes, and, more importantly, we hope you get to spend some quality time with your own uniquely Whistler family— whatever that looks like.

B o b C r atch it ’s D r e am

E

By Katherine Fawcett benezer Scrooge wobbled up the sidewalk trying to watch his feet while holding the roasting pan. It tipped a little. The bird slid around inside, and some of the meat juice sloshed onto his brown corduroy pants. “Oh, smack,” he grumbled.

“That’ll never come out.”

“We have some OxiClean,” “Eh? What?” Ebenezer looked up. It was Tiny Tim. “Stain remover. We can spray that. No problem.”

“Sure,” said the old man. “And I’ll sit through Christmas dinner in my

briefs.”

The young Cratchit tried not to picture his father’s former boss from the car dealership at the dining room table without pants on. Skinny pink legs, wrinkled and hairless, sagging at the knees, like the plucked skin of the turkey itself before the man cooked it in his own oven and brought it over Christmas afternoon like he’d done for the past 20-odd years.

“I’m sure father has some extra pants you could—” “Never mind. I’ll live. Happy Christmas, and all that.” Ebenezer frowned and looked the young man up and down. “What are you doing here anyhow? I thought you’d left town.”

“I’m just back for the holidays. Classes start up again January third.”

Ebenezer frowned. It seemed like only yesterday the boy was recovering from spinal surgery to correct whatever it was that made him so small. That would have been back when the family was living in the old townhouse by the recycling depot; the one with asbestos in the ceiling, mice in the walls, and holes in the floorboards. They’d still be there if it weren’t for him, thought the old man, giving himself a mental pat on the back. The kid would still be a runt. And the family certainly couldn’t afford to send him away to some fancy school.

“Engineering? Medicine? Economics? Remind me.”

“Music,” said Tiny Tim. “Oh. Good grief.”

“I’m a choral major.”

Ebenezer chose to redirect the conversation before getting worked up about careers in the arts and other poor life choices. “Tell me: when the dickens are you going to stop growing?”

“My basketball coach says hopefully never!” He made a floppy slam-dunk wrist over his head and said, “Swish!” Ebenezer said nothing. He had no use for sport, either.

Tiny Tim shuffled his feet. “Happy Christmas to you as well.”

In the house, Ebenezer set the roasting pan down on the Cratchits’ kitchen island, plunked himself on the stool, used one of their Rudolf napkins to wipe the sweat from his brow, and asked Bob Cratchit what a guy had to do to get a beer around there.

Drinks were poured. Appies were laid out. And the Cratchits thanked Ebenezer for not forgetting his promise from so long ago: to bring them a Christmas turkey every year, even though they were perfectly capable of supplying all the fixings for the holiday themselves by now.

“It smells delicious,” said Emily Cratchit, mixing the gravy with one hand and nursing a

Richard (Rich) William Prohaska passed away in Squamish, B.C., on Dec 4, 2023.

Rich fought his cancer diagnosis with a vengeance, living beyond his prognosis. Rich was a devoted husband to Heather(Bettcher) and father to Naomi and Anna.

He leaves behind his parents, Bill and Helen, sisters Kimberly and Julie(Rev. Michael), brother Stuart, nieces, nephews, in-laws Fred and Lynda, and brother-in-laws Dwight(Melody), Trevor(Alica). He also leaves friends who are family, Kate and Andy, Jia, Andrew and Wendy, Johnny and his Pemberton Community Church family. Rich was born in Kingston, Ontario, May 3, 1969.

He was an athlete trying Schuplatten Austrian dancing, bike racing, skiing, hockey, and motorbiking. A friend, Franzel, took him rock climbing, which changed his life. Climbing, skiing, and mountaineering became his focus, leading to a prolific career with many first ascents/descents in the Yukon, Baffin Island, China, Greenland, and Antarctica. Mt. Logan was a special place for him which he summited 8 times.

The last time was with his daughter Naomi, making her the youngest to summit.

Becoming an ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide was a natural step leading to a career in heliskiing. In the off-season, Rich ran Iron Mountain Works, a metal fabrication business.

Rich's faith in Jesus became an integral part of his being. Rich's faith was about loving Christ and loving people. It was what carried him through his cancer journey. Family life was important; Rich embraced it. What a blessing he lived to see his daughters become young women. He was so proud of them. Rich's fantastic smile and calm demeanour will be missed. Heaven has gained a kind soul. Instead of flowers, consider donating to Sea to Sky Hospice Society. https://seatoskyhospicesociety.ca/richard-rich-william-prohaska/

Celebration of Life Friday, January 5, 2023 Pemberton Secondary School • 5:00pm

DECEMBER 22, 2023

47

FEATURE STORY and started singing a song about love and hope and generosity that no one had heard before. It was catchy and beautiful. Bob and Emily listened, then started singing along. Even Ebenezer joined in with his deep, gravelly voice, and although he was way off key, he managed to get some of the words right.

When they finished, everyone clapped, hugged and high-fived. It was a festive scene and Ebenezer felt like he was truly part of the family.

“That’s a lovely song, Tiny Tim,” said Bob. “Where’d you learn it?”

Tiny Tim beamed. “I composed it today. I call it ‘A Christmas Carol.’”

Emily winced. “’A Christmas Carol?’ Really? Great melody, but isn’t that name a bit, you know, generic? For a literal Christmas carol?”

“What else would it be, Mom?” said Tiny Tim. “A play? A novel? A movie?”

While the family discussed this and sang a little more, Ebenezer quietly took off his trousers, sprayed them with the OxiClean, laid them over a chair in front of the fire to dry, and sat on the couch in his briefs. “’A Christmas Carol,’” he muttered as he gazed at the flames, “‘Starring Harrison Ford as Ebenezer Scrooge.’ Maybe it does have legs.”

Katherine Fawcett is a Squamish-based author, playwright, teacher, musician and host of the Tap In Creativity Retreat for Writers. Her most recent books are The Swan Suit and The Little Washer of Sorrows.

O p e r atio n : C h r is tm as

By David Song

“ cinnamon-spiced martini in the other. “So, Ebenezer. Are you still keeping that dream journal?”

“Bah, no. Stopped that years ago.” There had been a time that Ebenezer believed in dreams.

Visions. What-have-you. He’d paid attention to the night-messages from spirits. That was the year he gave most of his money to people on the street and so-called friends, shut down his business and found work in an animal shelter. Talk about a mid-life crisis. But that was all behind him now. He was lucky to have his pension.

Ebenezer looked up from his beer. The pair were staring at him.

“What?” said the old man. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I had a dream,” said Bob. Emily nodded like a maniac. “He did. He woke me up to tell me about it. Quarter past three in the morning.”

“It was so realistic. And you were in it, Ebenezer.”

Ebenezer raised a thick eyebrow. “Go on,” he mumbled through a mouthful of Ritz and salami.

Bob told Ebenezer all about his dream. About getting a phone call from Hollywood.

About Bob and Emily and Ebenezer and Tiny Tim flying to L.A. (first class!) to talk to Reese Witherspoon about a screen adaptation of Ebenezer’s life. About premier screenings. About film festivals. About royalties and red carpets. About telling the world the story of Ebenezer’s arc: from miser to benefactor.

“My dream was telling me: it’s not everyone who gets visited by a ghost of Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas future and wakes up a changed man. It’s a Christmas miracle!”

Emily chimed in. “I was like: ‘Bob, that’s brilliant!’ and he was like, ‘But it was just a dream,’ and I was like, ‘Let’s make that dream come true!’ and then he fell back to sleep. Well, the very next day I contacted a few of my friends from film school—did you know I went to film school?”

(Ebenezer did not, but he was not surprised.) “—and they were all like, ‘this totally has legs!’ so we started brainstorming. Long story short, Hallmark wants to see a proposal ASAP. But of course, Bob was like, ‘we’ve got to run this by Ebenezer. We can’t just sell the rights to the story of our friend’s life,’ and I was like, ‘you have a point.’”

“I had a point,” said Bob. Emily finally took a breath. “So? What do you think? Want to share the story of your life?”

The dry meat and cracker sat in Ebenezer’s mouth as he tried to process what the Cratchits were saying.

“If you’re worried about privacy, we can fictionalize some parts,” said Bob. “Make it set in England. Make it turn-of-the-century. Make you an investment banker, not a used-car-salesman.

Make all the characters ducks, for heaven’s sake. Whatever you want. Doesn’t matter! It’s Hollywood! They can green-screen anything.”

Ebenezer rubbed his hands along the front of his stained trousers, then yelled for Tiny Tim. “Hey, kiddo! It’s sinking in. I need that Oxi stuff!”

“Right away!” said the boy from downstairs.

Bob kept right on talking. “Think of it, Ebenezer. A movie of your life. A theatrical masterpiece that will inspire goodness and peace throughout the world.”

Finally, Tiny Tim came into the kitchen. He set the bottle of stain remover on the counter

48 DECEMBER 22, 2023

P

artridge, this is Golden Ring. Come in, Partridge.”

“This is Partridge, I read you loud and clear.”

“Illusion projectors are up and running in all six relevant continents. We’ve had some minor glitches with frequency jammers on the Eastern Seaboard and are expecting a one-hour delay at this time. How copy?”

“Partridge acknowledges. Keep us posted, over.”

Blitzen paced around the gargantuan hangar he and his fellow reindeer called home, listening to radio chatter with interest. It was that time of year once again, and each hair on his broad back stood on end.

“Calling Bird, this is Partridge.”

“Go for Calling Bird.”

“Be advised, Golden Ring reports a one-hour delay with countermeasures on the United States East Coast. Recommend you hold your advance teams for the time being, over.”

“Calling Bird copies. Advance teams will hold until further notice. Over and out.”

Heck yeah, Blitzen thought to himself. Can’t wait to go to work.

“Yo, give it a rest!” Donner implored. “You haven’t sat down in, like, an hour.”

Blitzen grinned at his twin brother. “You know me. This stuff gets me hyped. I mean, we’re about to bring joy and happiness to billions of children around the world! What could possibly be better?”

“Yeah, but… you start buzzing like this every year,” said Donner. “After a couple centuries, one would think you might calm down just a tad.”

Comet looked up from her bowl of lichen. “But you never stop, do ya?”

“Can’t stop, won’t stop, baby!” Blitzen exclaimed. “What we do is a frickin’ privilege, and I ain’t never gonna lose sight of that!”

Once upon a time, Santa Claus had been an unheralded bringer of hope to humble agrarian families trying to survive the winter. That changed in the 19th century, when Americans decided they wanted Christmas to be a family holiday. Consumerism took off from there, forcing Santa and his crew to adjust accordingly.

The practice of all nine reindeer dragging one sleigh around the world to deliver gifts had become obsolete long ago. There were too many kids to reach, even for supernatural beings capable of manipulating physics. Nowadays, each reindeer pulled his or her own sleigh and led companies of elves who gave out presents over a defined geographical area.

Christmas as people knew it wouldn’t be possible without elves, who boasted all kinds of magic. For example, Golden Ring’s unit was responsible for establishing global countermeasures so that others wouldn’t be detected on their mission. Meanwhile, Calling Bird’s forerunners deployed 24 hours before the sleighs to gather intelligence.

Turtle Dove, French Hen, Drummer Boy, Leaping Lord… each elf commanded a different group with a different job. Managing it all from the Pear Tree—their control tower at the North Pole—was Partridge, a.k.a. Mrs. Claus.

The reindeer had specialties, too.

Dasher, Comet and Prancer were speedsters even by supernatural terms. Cupid, Vixen and Dancer could manifest wormholes—an exhausting technique, but one that allowed them to play catch-up in the event they or others fell behind schedule.

Blitzen and Donner stood three metres tall at the shoulder, with muscular bodies and antlers over four metres wide. Although slower than their siblings, they were also much more powerful.

They all deferred to Rudolph, who had been Santa Claus’ personal steed for years. Rudolph’s famous nose could outshine Midtown Manhattan if he cranked it up, and his navigation abilities were the stuff of legend. He got everyone where they needed to go, come storm or solar flare.

Blitzen hated that one Christmas carol, which dared to insinuate Rudolph had ever been bullied by the other reindeer. He was their leader, and they’d follow him to the ends of the Earth without a second thought.

—

HELP THEM GO BIG AS THEY GROW BIGGER.

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CAN YOU IMAGINE? DECEMBER 22, 2023

49

FEATURE STORY The next day, Blitzen found himself hooked up to his familiar sleigh, Good King Wenceslas, as elves rushed about conducting final pre-flight checks. Of course, the term “sleigh” had become a colloquialism for the massive floating barges they now used. Good King Wenceslas and Donner’s sleigh, Merry Gentleman, were the largest ships in the fleet: red and green behemoths loaded with 3D-printed gifts.

Blitzen looked beside him, where Donner and Comet also prepared themselves for the task at hoof. “You guys ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” Donner said.

Comet winked. “I’ll be back before 2 a.m. No way Dasher’s beating me again!”

“Keep dreaming, little sister!” Dasher replied from somewhere down the line.

“I’ll show him,” Comet muttered, screwing up her face.

Two figures entered the hangar from a side door: a heavy-set, white-bearded man dressed in unmistakable red garb, and a crimson-nosed reindeer dragging the Herald—an innocentlooking wooden sled.

Everyone quieted long before Santa Claus spoke, filling the space with his warm-yetbooming voice. “Well, good evening, everyone! How are we doing?”

Drummer Boy, the bespectacled elf responsible for overseeing cargo, responded. “We’re on schedule, sir! Sleighs are fully loaded and gift distribution crews are on board. Just waiting on the all clear!”

“Good, good.” Santa nodded, locking eyes with each of his reindeer in turn. “And how about you, my old friends? Ready to head once more into the fray?”

“Oo-rah!” Blitzen yelled amidst the cheers of his siblings.

Rudolph stepped forth. “Listen up, team. North America is not going to be an easy trip this year. We’ve got bomb cyclones pummelling both coasts and the human media’s calling them once-in-a-century storms. Blitzen, you take the Eastern Seaboard instead of Comet, and Donner, you’ll switch with Dasher to cover the West Coast.”

Blitzen and Donner nodded confidently. Storms, they could handle.

“As usual,” Rudolph continued, “Saint Nick and I are deploying immediately to be your pathfinders. Any questions?”

They all shook their heads.

Santa smiled so widely you could drive a sleigh through his mouth. “It is always my privilege to spread joy and goodwill with you. Stay safe, stay responsible, and let us make this another merry Christmas for all!”

The hangar doors slid open with a speed and soundlessness not befitting their size, as caution lights pulsed in rhythm with Rudolph’s nose. That revealed a foreboding landscape: seemingly endless ice sheets beneath a placid sky dotted with vast clouds that looked like ships from another planet.

Arctic air invaded the giant hangar, but the cold was of no concern to Blitzen and his family.

The next voice they heard came from the Pear Tree. “Saint Nick, this is Partridge. All departments are reporting green light. Waiting on you, love.”

Santa climbed onto the Herald, which—despite its humble appearance—was one of the most powerful objects in the North Pole. “Saint Nick copies. Wish us luck, my darling.”

He took the reins, and Rudolph tensed as he felt his yoke tighten. The Herald hummed, buzzing with invisible magic. Then it rocketed forth into the silent night at velocities that would have shamed any human aircraft.

The reindeer and elves looked up, watching Santa and Rudolph disappear into the ether. It wouldn’t be long until they broke free of the stratosphere and began relaying navigational data from on high. Then the other sleighs would launch in time-honoured fashion: Dasher first, then Dancer, then Prancer, and so on.

Blitzen’s mouth curled into an ecstatic grin. It was go time.

E s ca pe t he B eas t

By Kate Heskett

L

Lauren picked at a glob of mashed potato glued to the top of her boot. It wasn’t how she’d imagined spending Xmas Eve, scrubbing wasted food from the plates of wasted people, but it was good money, and her colleague had been grateful for the night off. The free turkey dinner had definitely sweetened the deal, but if she was being honest, everybody Lauren loved was on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. The only plans she had involved sitting on the couch eating too many Walker’s shortbreads and watching Boy All of which she could easily do when she got home. There’s no curfew About a Boy. on Xmas alone.

By the time dinner was done, and the kitchen was clean, Lauren’s feet ached and spatters of grease and gravy clung to her hair and clothes. She wondered briefly if she’d be troubled by any hungry wildlife on her way out. The raccoons in particular had been getting more brazen. No longer content to forage through the bins after closing, last week a family of three had rushed her from behind, knocking the compost bag out of her hands and dragging it into the forest.

One turned and snarled at her, baring its teeth, before following the trail of scraps into the trees.

When she’d complained about it to her boss the next day, he’d just laughed at her and rolled his eyes. “Nice try,” he’d said, “but you’re not getting out of garbage duty that easy.”

Lauren shivered, and zipped her ski jacket all the way up to her chin. The night was cold and crisp. Frozen water particles hung in the air, catching the light and burning her throat. Children climbed atop a mound of snow leftover from clearing the stroll, shrieking as they slid back down.

Lovers stopped to take selfies in front of the frozen stream, festive lights covered every tree, and the whole thing was very pretty, like she’d walked onto the set of a Hallmark holiday movie.

50 DECEMBER 22, 2023

Lauren longed for a hot shower. “I bet I smell delicious,” she thought, as she turned off the stroll, checking over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t being followed by any furry masked bandits in search of their next meal. She didn’t see the tips of the forgotten skis that had slid out across the darkened path.

--Lauren lands heavily on her belly, legs sprawling out behind her, left forearm protecting her face from the snow. Pain spasms grip her chest as she tries to gulp air.

“Damn, are you okay?”

Lauren groans as she pushes herself up to sitting. Just what she needs, a ski injury that didn’t even happen on the hill.

“Stupid place to leave your skis. Probably won’t even be able to find ‘em in the morning ‘ey?

Then they’ll be all angry and shitposting and, ‘Where did all the good humans go?’ and, ‘Who steals skis at Xmas?’ Right?”

Lauren looks up and sees two small, black eyes peering out of a big, woolly head. She blinks a couple of times and tries to stand. Did she hit her head too?

“Sorry, shit, sorry. Let me help you.”

The creature extends a paw and yanks Lauren up into a broad-chested hug, smooshing her nose into matted fur that smells of earth, and damp, and something putrid that makes her nose crinkle.

“Shit, sorry, again,” it says, putting her back on her feet. “You’re not as heavy as you look.”

“Thanks? I think?”

“Sorry, I mean…”

Stepping back, the creature takes a deep breath.

“Hi, I’m Sam.” “Sam?” “Sasquatch Sam. Sasky for short. Some people think I’m from Saskatoon or something. Not enough fur for that. This here’s B.C. water resilient. Doesn’t have the downy underlay you need for the prairies. Do you know how cold it gets out there at night? Enough to freeze your—” “Body parts, yes.” Lauren looks around. Is she the only one seeing this? A couple have stopped to take a selfie on the stroll. She waves, and they smile and wave back. They don’t seem alarmed?

“So Sam,” she says, deciding a no-nonsense approach is probably best, “What are you doing—” “Rescuing clumsy damsels from themselves?”

She was going to say in the village.

“Sure.”

“Oh I like to help out where I can. The other magical folk are so busy, you know? With the toy-making, and the list-keeping and the around-the-world-in-one-night…ing.”

“Okay…”

“Like their job descriptions are real specific. And then here I am, like, lurking around, not like stalking or anything, just you know, adding a little mystery. Hiding behind trees, giving that feeling there might be something out there, watching you from the shadows.”

“Sounds creepy.”

“I know right? Like hey, let’s give away magical powers, and the reindeer get to fly, and the elves are like hella efficient, and Santa gets to literally bend time and space, and what do I get?

Big but not that big, weird and a bit scary, but also furry and maybe cuddly? If you get to know

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51

FEATURE STORY me? But I only ever get one task. Don’t be seen. That’s it, just stay hidden. If they just got to know me…”

Lauren slowly brushes some snow from her jacket, noticing for the first time that her elbow is throbbing. She’ll have to wait until she gets home to really have a look at it. At least her jacket isn’t torn, though it wouldn’t be the first time. Duct tape might not cut it on an elbow.

“Excuse me? Hello?” Sam waves a paw in front of her face, “Are you even listening?”

It’s a good question. Summoning the last of her will power, Lauren turns her attention to the shaggy smelly animal-man standing between her and her bus home.

“You know what mate? You’re right. I’m not listening.”

Sam’s thin black lips curl up into a smile. “I was saying—” “And I’m not going to.” Lauren claps her mitts together. “I’m out.”

She flips up her hood, steps over the wayward skis and walks away. Behind her the creature huffs and puffs, blowing steam out its nostrils, but she doesn’t look back. Just because it’s Xmas doesn’t mean she has to work service all day.

At home, freshly showered, with her pjs on and her feet up, a cup of tea and a fresh pack of shortbreads on her lap, Lauren inspects her elbow. It’s bruised, but it will heal. Maybe she will go snowboarding tomorrow.

A C h r is t ma s Stor y

“

T

By Valerie Megeney

ake her down, Rudolph!” Santa pressed the transmitting button on his walkie-talkie and altered his course toward a small island in the Pacific Ocean; his “Welcome to Mexico” T-shirt was flapping in the wind.

“Go for it!” he hollered cheerfully, anticipating the excitement. It would not be an easy manoeuvre, but Rudolph and his team had done it many times.

Once close to shore and in a hovering position, Santa and Rudolph took charge.

Holding the reins as firmly as possible, Santa focused on the approaching wave and then, before it reached its optimum height, he positioned the sled runners on top of it.

“NOW!” he yelled. Seamlessly, 48 hooves lowered, caught the wave, and the reindeers surfed toward the beach, the sled following easily behind. For the benefit of the crowd gathered at the shore, Santa executed several elegant turns before the reindeer galloped across the white sand and came to a stop. The hooting and hollering drowned out the breaking of the surf. Santa, including the reindeers, took a bow.

“It’s great to be back,” he bellowed, and slapped Jose on his back while wiping his mouth to catch some of the butter drippings that were sliding down his beard and onto his T-shirt.

“How long has it been since I first arrived?”

“Oh, I don’t know; seems like you’ve been visiting us forever. I was just a little boy digging for crabs when I heard you shouting, ‘Make Way! I am coming in for a landing!’” Jose grinned from ear to ear. “My father didn’t seem surprised to see you, but I was. First time I ever saw a red sled, never mind one falling out of the sky.”

“Yep, that was before you taught us how to surf!” Santa put the last piece of crab meat in his mouth. “And, I have been stopping here, at my favourite crab shack, ever since.”

“Well, I better get going, my friends. Two more countries before heading north to Alaska and then home to the North Pole. The weather forecast is not favourable. La Niña is not behaving as she should. A low-pressure system is pushing into the Canadian Western Seaboard; usually that means bad weather. I’m glad most of our work is done. He shook the sand off his red coat and put it back on. “Gonna be cold up there.” He led the reindeer back to the sled, harnessed them carefully, and with a, “see you later, Alligator,” he lifted off.

His deliveries done, he set the course to Alaska. And not soon enough—a huge storm

52 DECEMBER 22, 2023

was gathering below him, and it took all his concentration to keep the reindeer in line. “I am beginning to wonder if Rudolph’s light will be bright enough to get me through this mess,” Santa thought to himself. He checked his GPS and realized he was near the Vancouver Airport.

What’s going on? Usually, the airport and the runways are lit up like a Christmas tree! He switched on his walkie-talkie and connected to the airport traffic control tower.

“Hey guys, what’s the problem?”

“Hey Santa. A massive city-wide electric power failure has put Vancouver and its surrounding areas into total darkness; that’s the problem. We have zero visibility. On top of that, we are having difficulties with our back-up generators. So far, ground crews are struggling to keep up with the falling snow. We have been able to keep one runway open, but I don’t know for how long. I still have one airplane up there.

“The pilot is requesting to land… I am confident he can do it with the automatic pilot, but there is no way, once he must change to manual flight, he can find the runway. There are no lights! Wait a minute, I put you on hold.”

“Air Canada 2156 to traffic control. Can you hear me?”

“Go ahead, Steffen.” Santa pressed the walkie-talkie to his ear.

“Not only are we stuck up here, but we are low on fuel. The situation is getting dire. The plane is filled with passengers trying to make it home for Christmas. How are the conditions at the airport? Do you have a runway for me?”

“Even though we have one runway open, the lights are not working. We are still dealing with the back-up generators; hopefully it gets solved soon. Give me a few more minutes. I suggest you inform your cabin crew and prepare your passengers for a rough landing. We have your position on our radar, and I will let you know when you can proceed.”

“Affirmative! Over and out.”

That was all Santa had to hear—he knew he had to act fast.

“Rudolph! Do you copy me?” he yelled into his walk-in-talkie. “We are changing our route; these are the new coordinates. We are heading to the ‘Man in the Moon’ to pick up some extra lighting. Put your nose on bright and lead the way!”

Watching the clouds rolling in, Santa switched his transmitter to another channel.

“Hey Buddy! It’s Santa! Roll up the carpet! I’m coming up!” He felt better after the bulky tarp was stored in the back of his sled.

“OK, Rudolph, how is your team holding up? Ready to head down to the airport? We have a plane to bring down.” Snow and wind were twirling around him, as he struggled to see ahead.

“We are waiting for permission to land. Please follow the instructions of the cabin crew as they prepare the cabin. Due to the high winds, we are expecting a turbulent landing. Please make sure you are well-secured and follow the crew’s instructions as they arise.”

The flight captain had advised his crew of the impending decision, and for now he and his co-pilot were sitting tight.

When a light on the control panel started to flash, Steffen and Robert looked at each other, full of encouragement; it was from the flight control tower.

“Hold your position for the moment. We have a small, moving object on our radar. It is directly in your flight path. Wait, I see it now,” the voice halted. “Well, who would believe this!?

It’s Santa’s sled! Rudolph’s team is guiding it above the open landing strip, while the old man himself is unfurling a star-spangled tarp. He is dropping it down!”

Harry swallowed for a second time. “Hey, it’s the Milky Way!” “I have a visual,” confirmed Steffen from the cockpit to the tower. “We are on our descent, and we should be on the ground in a few minutes.

“Come on down! You should have an easy landing,” was the response.

Santa and the reindeer heard the thundering applause through the intercom. He disengaged his walkie-talkie and set course for the North Pole.

To this day, boys and girls onboard flight Air Canada 2156 swear they saw Santa and his reindeer on their descent to the airport.

Ho, ho, ho, and a Merry Christmas to you all! ■

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DECEMBER 22, 2023

53

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SPORTS THE SCORE

Embyr-Lee Susko, Beattie Podulsky seventh at inaugural doubles World Cup race in Whistler DEVIN WARDROPE AND COLE ZAJANSKI WERE 12TH AMONG MEN

BY DAVID SONG AS SINGLES luge athletes, Embyr-Lee Susko and Beattie Podulsky want to beat each other.

Yet they’re also good friends off the ice, which helped them to click quickly and smoothly as Canada’s new lead women’s pair. Both are pleased with their first World Cup doubles outing Dec. 15 on home ice: seventh place in a time of 1:18.920.

Susko also finished second in Nations Cup action the day before her doubles debut.

“It’s too good. My home track, all of my family and friends are here, it is so much fun,” said the Whistlerite in a press release. “[The fun] brings me back to when I first started sliding here, and it is pure bliss every time I come down the track. I’m loving it.”

Podulsky was likewise beaming on the finish dock after the fact.

“It felt amazing,” she said. “It was really nerve-racking, but I am really happy that we were able to lay down two really good runs. It was awesome to be here and represent Canada in women’s doubles.”

Germany grabbed the top two spots on the podium. Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal won gold (1:18.371), while Dajana Eitberger and Saskia Schirmer slid to silver (1:18.451). Italy’s tandem of Andrea Voetter

DOUBLE TROUBLE Embyr-Lee Susko (right) and Beattie Podulsky placed seventh in their first doubles World Cup race in Whistler on Dec. 15.

PHOTO BY DAVE HOLLAND / COURTESY OF LUGE CANADA

56 DECEMBER 22, 2023

and Marion Oberhofer stopped the clock at 1:18.466 for bronze.

Susko and Podulsky were just four years old when the Whistler Sliding Centre (WSC) hosted the 2010 Olympics, but have found immediate chemistry since they paired up five weeks ago.

On Dec. 15, their bond was on full display atop the world’s fastest track.

“We just trust each other. I trust her to get us down, and she trusts me to save it when needed,” remarked Podulsky, who is from Calgary. “It is really good teamwork and

back and forth from singles to doubles, and it has been a lot of fun for me.”

FIGURING IT OUT

Canada’s men’s doubles specialists, Devin Wardrope and Cole Zajanski, found themselves in 12th after a two-run time of 1:18.046.

The Calgarians are still familiarizing themselves with a new set of gear, even as they try to find the fastest possible line each time out.

“For us personally, [we’re] figuring out

“It is pure bliss every time I come down the track. I’m loving it.”

- EMBYR-LEE SUSKO

friendship we got going here, and it really helps me with my mind at the top before heading down the track.”

The two 18-year-olds leaned on each other to shake off pre-race jitters and throw down veteran runs in contention against many of the world’s best. In the process, they continue to make necessary adjustments.

“The difference between [sliding doubles from singles] is like driving a semi-truck to driving a sports car,” explained Susko in a release. “It’s very big and wide … so it is very different. We have different ways to move

new equipment,” Wardrope revealed. “We’re on some new stuff, testing out some new things, and it’s a big change from last year, but we’re definitely ready for it.”

“It’s nice to have our 15 minutes of fame, having all the attention as the only men’s doubles sled [for Canada],” added Zajanski.

“Whistler’s our home track, so it’s the most comfortable place on tour for us.”

The Germans prevailed in men’s doubles as well. Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt claimed victory (1:17.300). Austria’s Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl stopped

the clock at 1:17.378 in second, while Hannes Orlamuender and Paul Gubitz found enough speed for bronze (1:17.405).

Years ago, Wardrope and Zajanski pushed Canadian standouts Tristan Walker and Justin Snith hard for a berth at Beijing 2022. With Walker and Snith now retired, the time has come for the youngsters to seize their moment.

MEN’S SINGLES

Theo Downey passed his first World Cup test, clocking a solid 17th-place time of 1:41.920.

“It feels awesome. Making my debut in senior sliding with a top-20 in the big leagues, there is not much to complain about,” said the Calgary native in a release, who was third in Junior World Cup action one week ago. “I had very consistent runs in the junior competitions, so I just tried to carry that over this week.

“It’s a privilege to be up there sliding with the big guys of the sport. They are really good, so to be around them was awesome. I definitely will take away that I can put down solid runs at this level. I’ll keep cleaning up my runs and continue to get my head back and go faster.”

Max Langenhan clocked the top time in both heats to snatch another gold for Germany (1:40.093). Austria’s Jonas Mueller was the runner-up (1:40.348), and Latvia’s Kristers Aparjods earned third (1:40.572).

Dylan Morse wound up 20th as the second male Canadian sled (1:42.164), but climbed four spots after his second run.

Full results are available at fil-luge.org/ en/multimedia/eberspaecher-world-cup-2. n

CURE

LOUNGE &PATIO

SPORTS THE SCORE

WITH GRATITUDE

We Welcome our Homeowners & Guests of Aloha Whistler Accommodations HAPPY HOLIDAYS

BORN TO LUGE Left to right: Canadian lugers Cole Zajanski, Embyr-Lee Susko, Trinity Ellis, Devin Wardrope, Theo Downey and Beattie Podulsky in Whistler on Dec. 16.

PHOTO BY DAVE HOLLAND / COURTESY OF LUGE CANADA

Canada finishes sixth in historic Whistler luge team relay EMBYR-LEE SUSKO EARNS FIRST WORLD CUP TOP 10 IN SINGLES

BY DAVID SONG AMIDST the backdrop of the Whistler Sliding Centre (WSC), seven Canadian lugers participated in a bit of history on Saturday, Dec. 16: the first FIL World Cup team relay ever to feature women’s doubles. Local standout Embyr-Lee Susko and her partner Beattie Podulsky anchored Canada to sixth place, combining with Trinity Ellis, Devin Wardrope and Cole Zajanski, and Theo Downey for a time of 2:50.366.

Germany won the relay (2:48.665), followed by Austria (2:49.215) and the United States (2:49.311) in that order.

“The relay is always a super fun event, [especially] racing the relay at home,” said Ellis. “Embyr and Beattie are such a new pairing—at the beginning of the summer we were kind of worried that we wouldn’t have a relay team. It’s super cool that things worked out the way they did.”

But the reworked format holds a deeper significance for some racers.

“It’s creating more space for women in sport, having men’s and women’s doubles,” Susko said. “I’m super happy to have done it with Beattie for our first-ever Canadian team relay.”

In past years, luge team relays consisted of only three sleds: a woman, a man, and a male doubles unit. The new format puts the women’s pair last: a novelty to athletes involved.

“It was super weird,” admitted Zajanski in a release. “We are not used to going after Trinity, but it is something we will get used to with practice, and it was nice having the first relay with the women’s doubles.

“It’s been so long since we’ve had a relay, so it was nice to get the cobwebs off and hopefully we can just get better and better.

Luge is such an individual sport, so getting to celebrate with the team just means so much more to each of us.”

Caitlin Nash and Natalie Corless became the first Canadian women to win a World Cup doubles luge medal last December in Park City, but with Corless retired and Nash focused on singles, the time is ripe for Susko and Podulsky to take the reins.

58 DECEMBER 22, 2023

‘WHISTLER MAGIC’

Earlier on Saturday, Susko paced all Canadian women with a ninth-place effort in singles (1:18.404). Ellis found herself 16th (1:18.569), and Nash was 18th (1:18.809), with Carolyn Maxwell bringing up the rear for Canada in 22nd (1:18.957).

“Stoked, that’s the prime word to use,” Susko gushed after the race. “I’m just so stoked.

Those were two clean runs. Not my best start on the second run, but I’m just so happy with what I was able to put down today.”

Victor Julia Taubitz led the podium sweep for Germany (1:18.066), followed by runner-up Anna Berreiter (1:18.177) and bronze medallist Merle Fraebel (1:18.179).

Susko now has her first top-10 result in just her second career World Cup. The Whistlerite found herself in the red for much of her allimportant second run, but discovered an extra gear in the final few metres of the track after Thunderbird Corner.

Then she stood in the leader’s box and watched as several other athletes lost speed in the very place she’d gained it, with home fans erupting each time.

“It was a little bit of Whistler magic going on,” Susko said. “You can find some secret lines when you slide here a lot. I’ve been on this track 12 seasons now, so you can definitely find some speed where other nations might not be able to.”

Meanwhile, Ellis is generally satisfied with her performance, but thinks she might have more to give.

“I had a really good first run. Second run, I had some mistakes and the speed just wasn’t really there for me today, but it was OK,” said the Pembertonian. “I’m happy with what I was able to put down.”

Nash, who, like Susko, hails from Whistler, is getting accustomed to life as a singles-only athlete.

“I definitely miss Natalie [Corless] and I miss our team dynamic, but honestly, I feel like the transition’s been going very well,” she said.

“I’ve really been able to embrace sliding singles as a whole this season. I feel like sometimes in singles, it’s easy now for me to think about it too much because I have less going on in my brain [compared to doubles]. It’s definitely something I need to learn to manage.”

Full results from the FIL World Cup’s 2023 stop in Whistler are available at fil-luge.org/ en/multimedia/eberspaecher-world-cup-27. n

WISHING YOU

A very very ry Merry Merry ry Christmas Chhriisstmas C School Registration for the 2024/2025 School Year Opens January 23rd-26th, 2024

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Kindergarten, French Immersion Programs, and All New Students to the District School District No.48 (SD48) is welcoming registrations for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year starting January 23rd, 2024, at 8:00 am and ending January 26th, 2024, at 4:00 pm.

There will be two key steps: Step One: Parents and Guardians will be asked to fill out an online webform through the school district website. This includes basic contact information such as name, email address, physical address and student name and grade. Parents will register as a new student to the district or a current student registering for French Immersion.

Step Two: Make an appointment to complete your registration at your English catchment school by booking online through the district website or by contacting the school directly.

Note - French Immersion registrations must be completed through your English catchment school, not the French catchment school. For Cultural Journeys and Learning Expeditions, complete your registration directly at St'a7mes School.

Please note the following important information and new changes for this year: A lottery system will be used to determine priority placement order for all pre-registrations on the webform. This will provide a more equitable process where space may be limited.

Parents and guardians will have 10 days to complete the registration process at their catchment school. After 10 days, the priority placement order obtained from the lottery will be forfeited.

Parents and guardians who miss the availability of the webform can register by contacting their English catchment school to book an appointment. In this case, a time and date stamp on the registration form will determine priority placement order.

For more detailed information visit: www.sd48seatosky.org or contact your English catchment school principal. We encourage parents and guardians to register as soon as possible to help schools plan for September 2024.

from our team fr from a at a

Whistler: (604) 938-1949 Squamish: (604) 815-0901

Join us for the Get Moving Challenge presented by

Back in Action Physiotherapy and WHCF in support of the WCSS rehabilitation program.

Move 50 km in January and help those in need access vital rehab services to get them back to work, play and life.

For more information, and to register go to the WHCF website: www.whistlerhealthcarefoundation.org Follow @whistlerhealthcarefoundation and @biaphysiowhistler for daily inspiration and prizes!

DECEMBER 22, 2023

59

EPICURIOUS

Whistler’s new community kitchen concept starting to take shape WHISTLER ROCKS SEEKING PERMANENT SPACE AND CHARITABLE STATUS IN 2024

BY BRADEN DUPUIS A NEW COMMUNITY kitchen concept is starting to gain traction in Whistler.

A passion project of longtime local Natalie Kingi, the Whistler Recreate Our Community Kitchen Society (or Whistler ROCKS) held its first fundraiser on Dec. 3, bringing in $2,000— or about two per cent of the group’s overall target of $100,000.

“It had about 50 people there, and everyone seemed energized by the idea and vision,” Kingi said in an email, adding that attendees took part in a “chairlift pitch” contest in which they envisioned how best to sell the idea of Whistler ROCKS. Even Mayor Jack Crompton was in attendance, and offered an “extremely clever” pitch of his own, Kingi said.

“We only need a few ears to prick up and say, ‘how do I get involved?’ and, ‘here, take all my money,’ (kidding),” she said.

Originally from New Zealand, Kingi has lived in Whistler for 15 years, overcoming all the obstacles that come with the territory along the way—whether that be learning to snowboard and mountain bike, navigating visas and citizenship, or dealing with Whistler’s tumultuous housing market… all while pursuing her own career in tech and raising a child.

“I was able to overcome all these obstacles, and want to make sure others can not only survive in this town, but thrive,” she said, of her passion for Whistler ROCKS. “I have determination and drive, and this gives me a great sense of purpose for this cause.”

On top of that, Kingi has seen many friends leave town for greener pastures over the years, whether that be Pemberton, Squamish, or moving back to their home countries, “and while there is little I can do to bring them back to Whistler, there is no reason I can’t help make it better for those who are still here,” she said.

To date, Whistler ROCKS and its four board members have connected with 195 people

60 DECEMBER 22, 2023

ROCK OUT Attendees at Whistler ROCKS’ first fundraiser on Dec. 3.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WHISTLER ROCKS

and groups, and have 36 “active volunteers” helping in various ways.

“We still have loads of community outreach to do, as I think we only scratched the surface, but everyone has agreed that there is definitely potential for a community kitchen in Whistler,” Kingi said. “This is giving us the fuel to keep driving forward.”

The society’s overall goal is to create a permanent place where anyone can come together to cook, laugh, and eat.

“Just like they did on Friends in Monica’s kitchen, or like going back to your parents’ for a Sunday-evening dinner, or cultures where you get together as a community on a weekly basis,” Kingi said.

“By having this permanent place, I think it’ll help to ‘recreate’ a sense of community in

Whistler, as I feel like it’s slipping away a bit.”

Right now, the group is looking into two potential spaces—one in Tamarisk and another in Function Junction—but is unable to commit until it raises enough money to pay rent over the long-term.

“I know many businesses fail due to not understanding the complexity of commercial renting. My ideal space is Creekside and south, as not only is this area grossly underserved by hot food in general, [the community kitchen] is meant for the locals, and I want to keep it out of the village,” Kingi said.

“Right now, we are a small seedling looking for water (money), sunshine (energy) and nutrients (connections). An angel donor would obviously accelerate this, but if we need to take it step by step, we will. It’s just

about tapping into the right resources, which is new to me and the board, so we still have a lot of learning to do.”

Looking ahead to 2024, Whistler ROCKS plans to continue its community outreach and look into potential partnerships, while also pursuing charitable status—an endeavour in its own right.

Anyone interested in getting involved can start by reviewing the society’s website at whistler-rocks.ca, reach out via the volunteer form, sign up for the newsletter, or email hello@whistler-rocks.ca.

“We have loads of resources in Whistler available to us,” Kingi said. “Don’t be too afraid/proud/scared/angry to reach out, as once you make that first step, the reception you’ll get is always warm and welcoming.” n

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

FITNESS CLASS SCHEDULE DECEMBER 22

DECEMBER 23

DECEMBER 24

DECEMBER 25

DECEMBER 26

DECEMBER 27

DECEMBER 28

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

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

I Full Body HIIT 9-10 a.m.

Andy

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

Lou

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

Mel

I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m.

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

Closed Christmas Day

I Strength & Stability 9-10 a.m.

Lou

Boxing Day – No Classes

I Gentle Fit 1-2 p.m.

Diana

I Gentle Fit 1-2 p.m.

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

Andy

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

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

Laura

POOL HOURS DEC 22 FRIDAY

DEC 23 SATURDAY

DEC 24 SUNDAY

LAP POOL

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

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

LEISURE POOL

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

9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

HOT SPOTS

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

DEC 25 MONDAY

Closed – Christmas Day

DEC 26 TUESDAY

DEC 27 WEDNESDAY

DEC 28 THURSDAY

9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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

ARTS SCENE

Indiana Wilson, Izzie Larter win 2023 Sea to Sky Showcase WILSON EARNED THE JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARD, WHILE LARTER WON AUDIENCE CHOICE AT THE WHISTLER FILM FESTIVAL EVENT LAST MONTH

BY DAVID SONG TWO LOCALS , Indiana Wilson and Izzie Larter, received recognition and prize money at the Whistler Film Festival’s (WFF) 2023 Sea to Sky Showcase.

The event took place Nov. 8 at Buffalo Bills in Whistler. Wilson clinched the Judges’ Choice award for his piece, Still Living the Dream, and with it $2,000.

Meanwhile, Larter’s Belonging was a big hit with viewers, earning her $500 as the Audience Choice winner.

The young filmmakers hail from different backgrounds, but they share a love of camera work and a passion for the Sea to Sky corridor.

LIVING THE DREAM, A GENERATION LATER

Wilson’s movie and the love that went into crafting it goes far beyond himself. It is, in fact, a spiritual sequel to his mom Carin Smolinski’s decade-old photography project.

AS IF IN A DREAM A still from Indiana Wilson’s 2023 short film, Still Living the Dream.

PHOTO COURTESY OF INDIANA WILSON

62 DECEMBER 22, 2023

“Living the Dream” began in 2010 as an attempt to document the wild, wacky and sometimes downright unreasonable living conditions Whistlerites put up with, from camper vans to overcrowded squatter houses. Smolinski and Wilson once found themsleves in an unusual arrangement of their own: an old cabin on Alta Lake with no

situations,” Wilson reminisces. “I think because I grew up in Whistler, that idea of these ridiculous places where people live is so ingrained in me. When I bring it up with other people—you know, 15 people in a room, that kind of thing—they’re so shocked, but to me, it’s such a normal thing.

“Now, there’s plenty of social media and

“The Whistler Film Fest has been such a huge part of growing up, and I think it is a big reason that I got into film.”

- INDIANA WILSON

central heating.

The experience of waking up each day with frost on her sheets and those of her family ignited a desire in Smolinski to show others the dark side of a romanticized tourist destination like Whistler. It’s a story countless more have empathized with over the years.

“I remember in my youth, going to the shoots with my mom, helping her take her camera gear places and meeting all these people who had the most insane living

all these things, but back then it was just word of mouth. The people who lived here knew about it, but the tourists who had come here were blissfully ignorant about where their [lift operators] were cramming into.”

The family has, for years, wanted to continue their personal project, and the WFF—which they’re big fans of—ended up providing an opportunity. It took Wilson roughly a month to assemble his nine-and-ahalf-minute short: storyboarding, re-scanning

old photographs, and arranging on-camera interviews facilitated by his Capilano Film School classmate, Kate Henderson. The narrative heft involved was a change of pace for the 19-year-old, who is used to filming winter sports.

The end result paid off—literally and otherwise.

“Honestly, I’m still kind of in disbelief that I won,” Wilson admits. “The Whistler Film Fest has been such a huge part of growing up, and I think it is a big reason that I got into film. I think it shaped what I wanted to do because I didn’t have access to the Toronto International Film Festival, or even Vancouver International. This was my first solo entry into a film fest, and to come away with that award is very special to me.”

Smolinski might be even more excited about the achievement than her son.

“She’s a very passionate person,” explains Wilson. “Plus my friends and relatives like my grandpa have been really supportive. I’ve even had a lot of out-of-the-blue texts from people congratulating me.”

A SENSE OF BELONGING

While Wilson represents the born-and-bred Sea to Sky local, Larter embodies another key

SEE PAGE 64 >>

Discover convenient ways to navigate Whistler with our complete guide to winter parking Scan the QR code and plan ahead for stress-free parking and information on: • Winter Parking • Accessible Parking • EV Charging Locations • Oversized Vehicles • Transit • Beyond the Car

SCAN ME

THANK YOU

to all film-goers, sponsors, our tremendous volunteers, and everyone in our community who supported us in our 23rd year. We couldn’t have done it without you.

It takes a village.

Resort Municipality of Whistler www.whistler.ca/blog

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DECEMBER 22, 2023

63

ARTS SCENE << FROM PAGE 62 part of our demographic: the expatriate. She grew up in Oxfordshire, a county in southeast England, and discovered filmmaking by way of a media teacher named Sarah Wilson.

Larter and her brother Justus experienced a difficult upbringing, and Sarah played a key role in helping them overcome the obstacles in their path.

She also worked as a broadcaster for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

“I actually hadn’t heard of Whistler [as a teenager],” says Larter. “I hadn’t really planned on even coming to Canada. It wasn’t on my radar. I just knew I wanted to travel for 10 months before I went to university, and Sarah said, ‘you have to go to Whistler.

You’ll love it.’”

Larter touched down in the Sea to Sky in 2018, and inevitably fell in love with the place. She and Justus established themselves as ski instructors, but their early days here were anything but easy. Between past demons and mental-health afflictions, the 24-year-old had plenty to fight through, and it’s the community in Whistler that helped her pull it off.

Such was the inspiration for her latest project, co-narrated by herself and Justus.

“I couldn’t have gotten through it without all the incredible people I have met in this community,” Larter says. “[Thanks to them], some of the hardest times of my life have been overcome with the best times.

With the support and love from friends that I now call family, to my co-workers and

SHOW OFF Izzie Larter’s 2023 short film, Belonging, earned her Audience Choice at the Sea to Sky Showcase last month.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IZZIE LARTER

support from the incredible wellness team we have working for Whistler Blackcomb, I have been able to work through hardship.

For the first time in my life, I feel a deep sense of belonging and happiness.

“That was truly reflected the night [I won] the Audience Choice award, surrounded by

my friends and people I know through the Whistler community coming out to watch my film and support me.”

Belonging struck a chord with all sorts of folks. She remembers one individual saying her film made them feel prouder than ever to live in Whistler, with others disseminating

it across their circles to express why they’ve chosen the Sea to Sky. Larter recently began a new job as Whistler Blackcomb’s resort marketing specialist. In addition to that, she can’t wait to make more content representative of the heart and soul of her home. n

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A SEASON OF GIVING

Brought to you by

Support your local community.

Support your local non-profits.

There are a number of reasons to refocus your gifting habits this year.

Whether you’re concerned about the environment, not sure what to purchase or looking for more far-reaching presents, take a look at the community around you.Through out the Sea to Sky, we’re lucky to have a very caring communities, from environmental to health to homelessness, there are many worthwhile causes to consider. During difficult times it is more important then ever to provide assistance if we can.

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DECEMBER 22, 2023

65

ARTS SCENE PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE Here’s a quick look at some events happening in Whistler this week and beyond.

FIND MORE LOCAL EVENT LISTINGS (and submit your own for free!) at piquenewsmagazine.com/local-events

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

OUR LADY OF THE MOUNTAINS WHISTLER CATHOLIC CHURCH

Phone: (604) 905-4781 www.whistlercatholicchurch.ca • Email: whistlercatholicchurch@telus.net

2023 Christmas Mass Schedule

Our Lady of the Mountains, 6299 Lorimer Road, Whistler, BC St. Christopher’s, Highway 99, Mount Currie, BC St. Francis of Assisi, 1360 Pemberton Farm W., Pemberton, BC

Christmas Eve:

9:00 am 11:30 am 4:30 pm 7:00 pm 9:00 pm 11:00 pm

Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains Pemberton, St. Francis of Assisi Children’s Mass, Our Lady of the Mountains Mt. Currie, St. Christopher’s Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains

Christmas Day:

9:00 am 11:30 am 5:00 pm

Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains Pemberton, St. Francis of Assisi Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains

View online at www.whistlercatholicchurch.ca

Wishing you a Merry Christmas.

May the Gift of God’s only Son fill your heart with great peace.

PHOTOS WITH SANTA PHOTO BY AVID_CREATIVE / E+ / GETTY IMAGES

PHOTOS WITH SANTA

WINTERSPHERE

Get ready for a magical winter experience as Photos with Santa returns to Blackcomb Springs Suites for the third consecutive year! Join Santa from Dec. 22 to 24 for a joyful portrait session. Gather the whole family, even your furry friend! No reservations necessary.

Find more details at blackcombspringssuites.ca/ discover-whistler/Santa-2023. > Dec. 22 to 24, 4 to 6 p.m. > Blackcomb Springs Suites, 4899 Painted Cliff Road > $45 to 55

BEER YOGA Toast to a day well spent on the slopes—because nothing says après like downward dogs and craft suds!

Join Nicki from Wild Yoga Collective to wind down your time on the mountain and level up your après experience. Sip, stretch, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow beer enthusiasts as you balance your way into a unique après-ski. Yoga mats are provided. > Dec. 23, 4 to 5 p.m. > ALGN Whistler > $27.96

The ultimate winter wonderland experience awaits you this holiday season. Wintersphere celebrates this magical time of year with festive activities for the entire family! Join in the fun with visits from Santa, entertainers, a holiday café, kids crafts, signature holiday maze and much more. This spectacular, festive pop-up is a true holiday favourite for locals and visitors alike. Learn more at wintersphere.ca. > Dec. 23 to Jan. 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Dec. 31 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) Closed Christmas Day. > Whistler Conference Centre > Free

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

Get ready to jingle all the way to laughter with Laugh Out LIVE!’s new holidays 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 sketch, 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

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66 DECEMBER 22, 2023

VIEW CATALOGUE

MUSEUM MUSINGS

SPICE OF LIFE The excitement was high at the opening of the Black Forest Restaurant in 1984. Chef Herb Neiman’s recipe for Black Forest Chicken-Hunter Style was included in The Whistler Weekend Cookbook.

WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION, 1984

Christmas cooking in Whistler

BY ALLYN PRINGLE

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

68 DECEMBER 22, 2023

WHILE FOOD may not be the first thing many people associate with the Whistler Museum, the abundance of baking and celebratory meals this time of year recently had us looking at three cookbooks kept as part of the Museum’s reference section. Whistler Recipes, Festive Favourites, and The Whistler Weekend Cookbook all contain recipes, as expected, but they can also tell us about what businesses were operating in Whistler, who was working in the valley, and what was being eaten at the time of their publication.

Whistler Recipes is the first of two cookbooks published as fundraisers by the Whistler Museum & Archives Society’s Cookbook Committee. Published in 1997, it includes recipes gathered from past and then-present residents of Whistler and Alta Lake, as well as a few recipes from a cookbook published by The Vancouver Sun in 1940. Whistler Recipes included recipes like Yorkshire Puddings from Ann Bright, Myrtle’s Muffins from Myrtle Philip, Granny Cosgrave’s Scones from J’Anne Greenwood, and Lemon Loaves from Elaine Wallace, which we even tried making when the museum was closed in 2020.

The second book published by the Cookbook Committee in 2001, Festive Favourites, tells us less about the individuals who contributed recipes, but makes up for it by including food trivia and tips throughout.

Many of the recipes and festive tips appear to focus on the December holiday season— with instructions for preparing The Scent of Christmas, Spiced Yule Cake, and more alongside a short history of Christmas trees and stockings—though there are also some recipes for other holidays, such as Halloween Spicy Hot Chocolate.

Festive Favourites also suggested different ways to share meals with friends, proposing a “dine -around party,” which is “great for a small group of friends who live close together” as the group walks over to a different residence for each stage of the meal, and provided ideas

for entertaining and involving children for “when adults and children party together.”

For anyone interested in the history of restaurants in Whistler, The Whistler Weekend Cookbook compiled by Diane Nicholson in 1987 is a very useful resource. It begins with a list of all restaurants and delicatessens in Whistler at the time, of which seven are still operating under the same name today. For every recipe contributed by a chef at one of the restaurants, their name and place of work are credited. For example, Rolf Gunther of the Rimrock Café supplied his version of Mahi Mahi with Bourbon Pecan Cream while Toshi Saito of Sushi Village provided his Tempura Toshi.

It is made clear by book’s section names, such as “Mid-day & Apres Ski” and “Goodies & Supplies for Your Pack etc.,” that it caters to a population that spends quite a bit of time on the mountain. Each recipe is also accompanied by a difficulty rating in the form of a circle, a square, or a diamond— symbols that could easily be interpreted by most skiers.

The recipes and their contributors also reflect the prevalence of sports in Whistler.

Dave Murray provided instructions to make his Breakfast of Champions (oatmeal with nuts and apple), while Leanna Rath and Richard Kelly of Lifestyles Adventure Company included their Mountain Bike Greek Salad, and Rob Boyd supplied his recipe for World Cup Granola Bars (cooking must be a family affair, as his mother Molly Boyd’s Sunshine Pie can also be found in the book).

Like the cookbooks published by the Cookbook Committee, The Whistler Weekend Cookbook was also a fundraiser, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Whistler Public Library to purchase new-age/selfhelp books. Today, the books produced for such fundraisers can tell us more about the people and food in Whistler at that particular time. They can also be very helpful if you’re trying to recreate a meal you once had at your favourite restaurant, whether you miss the Southside Hot Antipasto Hero from the Southside Deli or the wings you used to get at Dusty’s. n

PARTIAL RECALL

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1 CHAMBER CHUMS The Whistler Chamber of Commerce recently elected a new board of directors for 2024. From left: John Holton, Nita Lake Lodge; Gregg Martin, Blue Shore Financial; Shona Pare, Caramba Restaurant and Quattro; Wendy Hargreaves, Fairmont Chateau Whistler; Chris Vick, Hilton Resort & Spa; Mike Hashimoto, B-Mak Construction; David Lowe, Community Futures Howe Sound; Kerren Bottay, Listel Hotel Whistler; Moody Dan, SLCC; and Jackie Dickinson, WCSS. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2 SEASON OF GIVING Team members from Canuck Place and Pan Pacific Whistler pose for a photo after the Pan Pacific donated $16,334 to Canuck Place earlier this month. Including this year’s donation, the Whistler hotel has contributed a total of $143,512.17 to the hospice, which is the only pediatric palliative care provider for children with life-threatening illnesses in B.C. PHOTO COURTESY OF PAN PACIFIC WHISTLER 3 FEELING FABULOUS Bea Gonzalez, Isobel MacLaurin, Catherine Power-Chartrand, and Janet Pashleigh got all blinged up for the Andrea Mueller Art Party at the Maury Young Arts Centre earlier this month. PHOTO BY ACE MACKAY-SMITH 4 BLINDED BY THE LIGHT A mid-December sunset in Whistler broke up the monotony of rain and clouds last week. PHOTO BY JON PARRIS 5 CHEER SQUAD Margot, Olivia and Theo spent a recent Friday afternoon collecting donations for Whistler charity Zero Ceiling, while spreading some holiday cheer in the process. PHOTO COURTESY OF ZERO CEILING

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

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RECYCLING COUNCIL OF B.C. MEMBER DECEMBER 22, 2023

69

ASTROLOGY

Free Will Astrology WEEK OF DECEMBER 22 BY ROB BREZSNY

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Notice of Proposed Zoning Amendment Bylaw - No Public Hearing to be Held

Zoning Amendment Bylaw (Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2 RM-CD2 Zone) No. 2419, 2023 (the “proposed Bylaw”) Purpose: The purpose of the proposed Bylaw is to amend the RM-CD2 zone to allow additional density on Lot 5 at 1475 Mount Fee Road. The bylaw proposes to increase the Gross Floor Area (GFA) and Floor Space Ratio (FSR). The bylaw also proposes to remove the requirement to step back the fourth storey, reduce the required parking to a minimum of one stall per dwelling unit and to permit a greater proportion of the required parking to be surface parking.

Subject Lands: The lands that are the subject of the proposed Bylaw are shown on the map attached to this notice, and are legally described as LOT 5 DISTRICT LOT 8073 GROUP 1 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT PLAN EPP111931 Bylaw Readings: Consideration of the first, second and third readings of the proposed Bylaw will be at the Regular Council Meeting on January 9, 2024.

To learn more: A copy of the proposed Bylaw and background documentation are available for review from December 27, 2023 to January 9, 2024 at: • Municipal Hall at 4325 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC, during regular office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (statutory holidays excluded) • Online on the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) website at: whistler.ca/RZ001181

For more information visit: whistler.ca/RZ001181

SCAN THE QR CODE FOR A COPY OF THE PROPOSED BYLAW AND BACKGROUND DOCUMENTATION

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries educator Booker T. Washington advised us, “Do the common thing in an uncommon way.” That’s a useful motto for you in the coming months. If you carry out ordinary activities with flair, you will generate good fortune and attract excellent help. As you attend to details with conscientious enthusiasm, you will access your finest inner resources and exert constructive influences on the world around you. Be thorough and unique, persistent and imaginative, attentive and innovative. Adore your chores in 2024!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus philosopher John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) was among the smartest people who ever lived. As is often the case with geniuses, he believed in the supreme value of liberty for all. He was a feminist long before that word existed. Like another genius, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, he thought that “individuality realized is the supreme attainment of the human soul, the master-master’s work of art. Individuality is sacred.”

I nominate Mill to be a role model for you in 2024, Taurus.

This could be a time when you reach unprecedented new heights and depths of unique self-expression and liberation. PS: Here’s a quote from Mill: “Eccentricity has always abounded where strength of character has abounded; and the amount of eccentricity in a society has been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigour, and moral courage which it contained.”

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Emotionally and spiritually, you will ripen at a robust rate in 2024. Your intelligence will mature into wisdom in surprising and gratifying ways.

Harvesting rich lessons from long-smouldering confusions and long-simmering mysteries will be your specialty. PS: Some of you Geminis joke around and say you never want to grow up. But I hope you minimize that attitude in the coming months.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Indigenous people study the intelligence of animals and incorporate it into their own lives. If you’re game to do that in 2024, I suggest you choose elephants as a source of teaching and inspiration.

Have fun studying and meditating on their ways! Here are a few facts to get you started. Problem-solving is one of their strengths. They are experts at learning how to get what they need and passing that knowledge on to their offspring. They seldom suffer from sickness, but if they do, they often selfmedicate with plants in their environment. Elder females are the knowledge keepers, retaining inner maps of where food, drink, and other resources are located.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Writer Janet Champ speaks about the joy of locating “the big wow, the big yesyesyes.” It happens when you find something or someone you regard as “better, greater, cuter, wiser, more wonderful than anything you have ever known.” I’ll be lavish and predict you will encounter a big wow and yesyesyes like this in 2024. Will you know what to do with it? Will you be able to keep it? Those possibilities are less certain, but I have high hopes for you. For best results, cultivate a vivid vision of how the big wow and big yesyesyes will benefit others as well as you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In 1916, most women in the world could not vote. Many men considered women to be inferior—lacking in courage and initiative. It was the Dark Ages! That summer, two sisters named Augusta and Adeline Van Buren rebelled against the stereotypes by riding their motorcycles across America. Roads were poor, rains were frequent, and police arrested them frequently for wearing men’s clothes. Male-dominated media derided them, with one newspaper criticizing their escape from “their proper roles as housewives.” I nominate them to be your role models in 2024, no matter what gender you are. It will be a favourable time to transcend conventional wisdom, override decaying traditions, and be a cheerful rebel.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): For hundreds of years, European nations stole land and resources from Indigenous

people all over the world. Among the thefts were art, ritual objects, cultural treasures, and human skeletons. Museums in the West are still full of such plunder. But in recent years, some museums have begun to return the loot. Germany sent back hundreds of artifacts to Nigerian museums. France restored many objects to the African country of Benin. Let’s apply this scenario as a useful metaphor for you in 2024, Libra. Is there a part of your past that was hijacked? Your memories appropriated or denied? Your rightful belongings poached, or your authentic feelings infringed upon? It’s time for corrections and healing.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I suggest we choose the brilliant Scorpio physicist and chemist Marie Curie (1867– 1934) as your role model in 2024. She is the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different fields. She managed to pursue a rigorous scientific career while raising two children and having a fulfilling marriage. Being of service to humanity was a central life goal. She grew up in poverty and sometimes suffered from depression, but worked hard to become the genius she aspired to be. May the spirit of Marie Curie inspire you, dear Scorpio, as you make dramatic progress in expressing your unique soul’s code.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In my fairy tale about your year ahead, I see you searching for treasure.

It’s not a wild and wandering exploration, but a diligent, disciplined quest. You are well-organized about it, carefully gathering research and asking incisive questions. You ruminate on the possibilities with both your logical and intuitive faculties. You meditate on how you might make adjustments in yourself so as to become fully available for the riches you seek. Your gradual, incremental approach gives you strength. You draw inspiration from your sheer persistence and relentless inquiry. And it all pays off by the second half of 2024.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “All the things I really like to do are either illegal, immoral, or fattening,” quipped Capricorn author Alexander Woollcott (1887–1943). Since he was never arrested, I conclude he didn’t get to enjoy some of the activities he relished. Was he immoral? Not exactly, though he could be caustic. Offering his opinion about a famous pianist, he said, “There is absolutely nothing wrong with Oscar Levant that a miracle couldn’t fix.” The good news for you, Capricorn, is that 2024 will be mostly free of the problems Woollcott experienced.

You will be offered an abundance of perfectly legal and moral enjoyments. They may sometimes be fattening, but so what?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Author Augusten Burroughs is a devoted urban dweller. He says, “When I get a craving for nature, I turn on TV’s Discovery Channel and watch bear-attack survivors recount their horror.”

Martial arts master Morihei Ueshiba had a different perspective. “Mountains, rivers, plants, and trees should be your teachers,” he advised. “Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks.” I recommend Ueshiba’s approach to you in 2024, Aquarius— not Burroughs’. Here are my predictions: 1. You will have no dangerous encounters with nature. 2. You will learn more than ever from the wild world. 3. To the degree that you wander in the outdoors, your spiritual life will thrive.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A study done at Union College in New York found that being fraternity members raised students’ future income by 36 per cent, but lowered their grade point average by 0.25 points. Would you make a similar trade-off, Pisces? Would you pursue a path that made you more successful in one way but less successful in another? I suspect you will encounter unusual decisions like this in 2024. My job is not to advise you what to do, but to make you alert for the provocative riddles.

Homework: What activity do you enjoy but rarely engage in?

Resolve to do it more in 2024.

Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.

In addition to this column, Rob Brezsny creates

EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca/RZ001181

70 DECEMBER 22, 2023

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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!

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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.

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MORE INFORMATION whistlerdental.com/careers

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HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC, Whistler – Red Seal Certified, Commercial Truck & Transport, Transport Trailer required. CVSE Inspector’s ticket, Air Conditioning ticket, Class 1 or 3 with air brakes, and several years’ experience preferred. $37.70-$39.80 per hour.

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Fame -- du jour

126 127 128 129 131 133 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142

Where Cardiff is Scull Actor -- Sharif Sluggish Dried grape Sudden movement forward Baton Scandinavian Movie on paper French river Opp. of SSW Selfishness Playing cards Was sufficiently bold

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 22 28 30

Wherewithal “Sesame Street” regular Italian poet Dined Smoked salmon Most certain Fixes Budge DDE, familiarly Stack or Pattinson Lessen in severity Footnote word Criticize, slangily Start (2 wds.)

Tough Repeatedly Look rudely Road Employed Tribal emblems Goose genus Skinny

32 34 36 37 39 40 42 43 44 45 46 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 57 59 61 63 64 66 70 72 74 76 79 80 82 84 86 87 88 89 91

“What -- --?”

Vegan gelling agent Look Make more flavorful Takes legal action Initial Wise adviser Cause Twofold Fill to excess Mouse action (2 wds.)

Car rental giant Mellow Proof of ownership Legal tender Old word for a baby grand Caste Mild oath Hazard Chewed the stage scenery Regretted Goods Hipster, formerly Chili con -Butt Dinner item Monarch Plate of mixed greens Add oxygen to Damaged Jekyll’s alter ego Benefit Vessel with a spout Molt Warsaw native Dalai -Dregs

93 94 96 97 99 102 104 105 107 109 110 112 113 114 115 116

-- salts Carefree Like a lion in color Defames Run off Erudition Song in opera Flies up and around Chronicle Five score yrs. (abbr.)

Instant Promise Flitted Spring blooms Tooth part Muscular fellow (hyph.)

117 118 119 121 122 123 125 126 130 132 133 134

Silly Break down Bowl Standoffish one High wave Nicene -Bird bill part Telegram Likewise not Behave Chapeau Olympics chant

LAST WEEKS’ ANSWERS

1

8

5 4 4 2 3 6

3 4 1 2 2 8 5

7 9

3 6 7 8 2 9 7 1 4 3 9 7 3

EASY

# 29

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: EASY

2 1

4 7 3 8 3

6 8

6 5 3

1 6

7 8

1 4 9

9 3

7 4 1 8 2

5 8

EASY # 31 Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com

ANSWERS ON PAGE 75

76 DECEMBER 22, 2023

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DECEMBER 22, 2023

77

MAXED OUT

Christmas in Whistler— Four Perspectives I — A TOURIST’S PERSPECTIVE Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

WELCOME TO WHISTLER . Been here before? Good. I don’t have to explain this to you, just empathize. Commiserate. Feel your pain. Can’t apologize, because it’s killin’ me as much as it’s hurtin’ you. Except for the fact I’ll be here all season.

“Where you folks from?”

“Coco Beach. That’s in Florida.”

“Was last time I looked. Been here before?”

BY G.D. MAXWELL “First time.”

“Sorry about that. But looking at the peasoup clouds from my house, they’re pretty thin. I’m sure it’s clear up top. Should be beautiful up there... though I don’t suspect you necessarily came for the scenery.”

“No problem. You roll the dice when you book a ski vacation early in December. Besides, I hear there’s a lot to see in Vancouver.”

“Yeah. I guess you’ve had the experience of people coming down to Florida and having it rain all week. Or arrive in time for a hurricane.”

“Nope. But there were tourists gunned down on the beach last year.”

“Unlikely to happen here. Hope you enjoy your stay. Hope those are rental skis.”

We’ve seen this movie before. Maybe it’s a little worse this year. Maybe there won’t be a Hail Mary snowfall in time for Christmas; maybe there will be. Either way, be kind to tourists. It’ll make a difference.

II — A CHILD’S PERSPECTIVE Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way...

Suppose you’re a child. You once were, so unless you’re suffering from a serious loss of memory, this shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. Suppose you’re a child growing up in Whistler. Until recently, this was a stretch. But with a growing inventory of employee housing, Whistler has undergone a baby boom of its own—so there are lots of children in Whistler, without even counting those of us who refuse to grow up.

Christmas here is just like Christmas everywhere. Toys, wrapping paper, empty boxes to play in, small Legos to choke on, more cookies than usual, and arguments with siblings, assuming you have any. And if you’re lucky, grandparents who visit to spoil you so much you can forgive them for thinking pyjamas are really Christmas presents.

Maybe your parents took you to see Santa.

78 DECEMBER 22, 2023

PHOTO BY STOCKSTUDIOX / GETTY IMAGES

Or Santa’s helper if you’ve gotten to the age where you begin to wonder how Santa’s going to get everything done if he wastes his time in Whistler when the world is so big. So like the kid before you, you, too, crawl up on this scary, bearded stranger’s lap, tell him what you want for Christmas, and get your picture taken while you wonder how someone so fat can have such bony knees. It’s the kind of early-life experience that explains why a significant portion of the adult population embraces therapy.

But, when you get a little older, you do what kids everywhere in the civilized world do—celebrate the Christmas school break!

And like kids everywhere, you celebrate by going skiing every day. What do you mean

I’ll share this with you. I don’t want you to feel guilty about this—and I’d be a fool to imagine you do—it’s just our reality. We’re cool with it.

Whistler never stops. And at Christmas, it particularly never stops. In fact, it hits warp speed. It’s as though the hand of Ullr, or God, or whatever power you believe in waves a magic wand and 50,000 very demanding, very stressed people suddenly appear before us... expecting us to make their beds, fix their meals, take care of their children, engineer perfect weather—apologies in advance— and make them better skiers than they are anywhere outside their fantasies.

Phrases such as “days off” suddenly disappear, and we find ourselves rolling into work in the dark, heading home 10, 11 or 12

Whistler never stops. And at Christmas, it particularly never stops.

In fact, it hits warp speed.

kids everywhere don’t spend Christmas break skiing? What’s the matter with them? If they don’t do that, what do they do? And why do adults keep referring to this place as a bubble?

III — A WORKER BEE’S PERSPECTIVE, PART I: JUST ANOTHER WORK DAY Joy to the world, the lord is come...

Except the Lord is a tourist.

Because you’re special, because you’re a guest, because you are what we live for, I’m sure you’ll understand, and, because of that,

hours later in the dark, and spending the hours in between caught in a world the only accurate metaphor for which can be found in nature. That metaphor, and I know you can all picture it, is captured perfectly if you visualize a nest full of baby birds, all chirping madly, all with their mouths wide open, all expecting you to regurgitate partially digested insects down their throats. Okay, they really only expect you to make their holiday perfect. But after a few days, a few weeks, a few years and, yes, a few decades of doing that, the distinction between making their holiday perfect and puking bugs gets a little bit blurred.

Yet, no matter how bizarre the request, you find yourself rising to the occasion and doing

the nearly impossible. And so it was, one year while working the reservation centre phones, I was asked if I could arrange a 10-foot-tall, Martha Stewart-decorated Christmas tree for someone’s holiday home.

The answer was, “of course.”

Unfortunately, this was followed by a request to find a Mariachi band to set the stage for a marriage proposal. “Ah, that might be a little difficult. But I can lend you a Flaco Jiménez CD if that would help.”

The only way for worker bees to survive is to remember Christmas comes but once a year... and it’ll be over soon.

IV — A WORKER BEE’S PERSPECTIVE, PART II: OH MY GOD, I’M NOT SCHEDULED TO WORK CHRISTMAS DAY! Rockin’ around the Christmas tree, at the Christmas party hop...

Somehow, a glitch in the system failed to schedule you to work Christmas Day. Don’t ask; they may change their mind. Christmas Day in Whistler is best spent doing what we live here to do: line up early and go sliding. Shred the slopes while the tourists shake themselves awake and open presents.

Between the first gondy and, oh, 10:30 or 11 o’clock, the runs are empty, as good as they’re going to be. The camaraderie is festive, the chairlifts lubricated with seasonallyappropriate cheer, and just for those couple of hours, it seems more like early December than Christmas.

It is not uncommon for the skiing to be soooo good, the runs to be soooo unpopulated and the warm friendships to be soooo gratifying that leaving becomes, well, difficult. And that’s why eating Christmas dinner in Whistler at, say, 10 p.m. is not an uncommon tradition.

Merry Christmas. ■

SO

LD

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

#329 - 2050 Lake Placid Road: Lake Placid Lodge offers 3359 Osprey Place: Stunning mountain and valley views outstanding amenities in an exceptional location! It’s just from this spectacular property perched above the Whistler steps to Whistler Mtn’s NEW Gondola. This cozy corner Golf Course in coveted Blueberry Hill Estates. Flexible unit, has an open living, dining and kitchen area with in suite zoning allows your own use, nightly rental or both. 6 beds, 6 laundry and lovely mountain views. $979,000 bathrooms and many options available. $7,900,000 Laura Wetaski 604-938-3798 Jane Frazee 604-935-2135

SO

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1563 Spring Creek Drive: Explore mountain luxury in this architecturally designed retreat. A southwest-facing sanctuary with a 66’ infinity pool, hot tub, steam, outdoor cantina, outdoor gas fire bowl and a chef’s dream kitchen.

Enjoying stunning panoramic views.$7,900,000 Connie Spear 604-910-1103

9112 Corduroy Run Court: Best priced lot in Whistler + great views & privacy. Over 1 acre, a size that is usually unavailable in this town. Build an up to 5,920 sq.ft. dream home + large coach house. $1,325,000

4751 Montebello Drive: Ideally located Montebello 3 bed/ 3 bath townhome. Steps away from the heart of Whistler. Easy walking distance to Lost Lake Trails, Tennis/Pickleball club, shopping and restaurants. Zoning allows full-time living or short-term rentals. Pet Friendly complex. $3,199,000 + GST Kathy White PREC* 604-616-6933

N

RE

EW

N

PR

TA L

IC

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Ken Achenbach

7308 Fitzsimmons S Rd: Charming 3br/2ba house, freshly painted and carpeted, on a generous 11,000‘ lot by Lost Lake Park. Short stroll to village and ski lifts. Perfect for winter adventures. Priced below assessed value - ideal for renovations or a rebuild. $2,500,000 604-966-7640 Rob Boyd - Boyd Team 604-935-9172

324 3309 Ptarmigan Place: 324 Greyhawk. 2 bedrooms plus loft, 2 baths. South facing. 1,470 square feet. Excellent views of Blackcomb Mountain. Phase 1 zoning allow for nightly rentals. Covered Parking, Hot Tub, Sauna $1,995,000 Javier Hidalgo

604-320-2426

1990 Dowad Dr, Squamish: Gorgeous state of the art home in Squamish’s new Skyridge area. Enjoy unobstructed SW facing views, 4 Beds, 5 Bath, private pool, 2 car garage, and more! Available for a 6-12 month lease. Contact Jake for more information. $8,000/mo. Rental.

Jake Breuer 604-698-7259

38049 Keel Way, Squamish: LIMITED-TIME OFFER - SELLING $ 130K BELOW COST - EXPIRES DEC 2023 BEST-PRICED UNIT IN SQUAMISH. 4-bed, 3-bath, 1,464 sq.ft.+ $50,000 in upgrades. One of the best locations in the development. $1,099,000 JODY WRIGHT PREC*

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*PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION. ©2023 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated.

604-935-4680

#602/604 4050 Whistler Way Hilton Whistler Resort

#50 - 1450 Vine Road

8235 Rainbow Drive

Peaks - Pemberton

Alpine Meadows

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CONDO

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TOWNHOUSE

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Skryabina

#257 - 4050 Whistler Way

Hilton Whistler Resort - Whistler Village SOLD

CONDO

CHALET

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5 | 3,479 SQFT

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Gun Lake, BC

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Horstman House

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7068 Gun Lake Rd West

Pension Zoning

CHALET

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4 | 1,900 SQFT

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Montebello - Quarter Ownership

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8404 Indigo Lane Rainbow

MOTIVATED SELLER

CONDO

LOT WITH FOUNDATION

TOWNHOUSE

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3 | 1,378 SQFT

$319,000

604.902.2033

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Brown

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Laura

Barkman

604.905.8777

LOT 6,609 SQFT

$1,450,000

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Chiasson

604.935.9171