Crankworx Whistler 2024 unveils women’s slopestyle, returns the Garbanzo DH and revamps Kidsworx with two new events. - By David Song
06 OPENING REMARKS Editor Braden Dupuis contemplates the karmic forces of the universe after a bad joke about bees.
08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter writers keep the discussion going about the Whistler Waldorf School, while also sharing notes of thanks.
11 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST Having expectations for visitors, and messaging them clearly, won’t scare tourists away, writes Scott Tibballs.
46 MAXED OUT In the absence of information, we are only left with speculation—which is generally not kind toward the party or parties who could cast light on the issue, writes G.D. Maxwell.
12 BIRTHDAY BASH The Whistler Community Services Society celebrated 35 years of giving back to Whistlerites last week.
13 FINANCIAL FORECAST Tourism is showing early signs of slowing, according to Whistler’s Q1 financial update.
28 SPEAK UP The Whistler Mountain Bike Park is commemorating its 25th year in operation with a new speaker series.
32 FLAG ORDER The Flag Stop Theatre and Arts Festival returns Aug. 7 with a little bit of everything on offer.
COVER Jakob Jewett (in yellow) embraces his brother Dane as a crowd of thrilled fans look on at the 2023 Canadian Open DH in Whistler. - Photo by Clint Trahan // www.clinttrahan.com
Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com
IN LAST WEEK’S Opening Remarks, I made a (very funny) joke about a hypothetical swarm of killer bees, or the possibility of such a swarm, detracting visitors from driving up the highway
BY BRADEN DUPUIS
Smirking to myself, confident in the fact such a swarm was impossible, the stuff of madeup situations floated by jackass newsmagazine editors to make a point, I wandered outside ’s offices after completing the paper last Wednesday afternoon to enjoy the day…
And was immediately set upon by a massive swarm of bees (presumably of the killer variety).
Having never experienced such a phenomenon, I could only assume this was some sort of universal transaction playing out; my karmic chickens immediately come home to roost.
As I scooped up my puppy and scampered back to the safety of the office, I promised never to make another joke about bees.
But relaying the experience to my coworkers, I learned something new.
“They’re looking for a hive!” reporter Liz McDonald offered helpfully.
As a general rule, I am often skeptical of information shouted across open rooms, but having just read a story by Liz about bees in Whistler, I trusted she had an idea of what she was talking about.
Where my bees came from and where they were headed remains a mystery to me—
by the time I built the courage to venture back outside they were gone—but bees are an increasingly common sight in town of late, and Whistler residents and guests to the resort have new ways to interact with one of nature’s greatest heroes this summer.
You probably read about Ensure Hive Future in last week’s Pique, or even saw them, hives and all, marching along the Village Stroll on Canada Day.
Through their website, you can book a two-hour, Whistler beekeeping excursion, or even immerse yourself in courses ranging from a 16-hour introduction all the way to a comprehensive, year-long beekeeping course complete with virtual field work.
one-size-fits-all: bumble bees are better pollinators than honey bees if you are growing blueberries, Glass used by way of example—they fly in colder, wetter weather and can handle a wide variety of blueberry bush species.
But changes to B.C.’s farm land over the years play a role, too.
“When I was a youth the recommendation for the Fraser Valley was one honey bee colony for every two acres of blueberries. It is now two to four colonies per acre,” he said. “In fairness, it’s probable that the benefits are more appreciated now than back then, but we didn’t have the intense monoculture.”
Bees and plants have evolved
pollinators like bees to reproduce, and some say one out of every three bites we consume relies on pollination.
One famous (likely mis)quote, attributed to noted smart guy Albert Einstein, sums it up thusly: “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left.”
Where the quote originated from isn’t clear, but “while probably true, he didn’t say it,” Glass said.
With that sense of urgency in mind, we can’t just throw any old bee at any old flower and call it a day—it’s native bees we really need, Glass said.
“Luckily, ‘save the bees’ resonates with a
“The good thing is that once people start learning about honey bees, they start to understand the roles and balance within ecosystems—a pathway to education and change.”
- IAIN GLASS
But what, exactly, is all the buzz about?
Just how important are bees, really?
To hear it from Ensure Hive Future’s Iain Glass, bees may represent the “canary in the environmental coal mine” for human kind.
“Our dependence upon honey bees is a reflection of environmental impact. A sound ecosystem has lots of native bees (remembering that honey bees are not native to North America). We have approximately 450 native bee species here in B.C. and around 4,500 in North America,” Glass said.
But bees and their benefits are not
symbiotically, Glass added, noting their tandem evolution only increased plants’ dependence on bees.
“The plants’ colours evolved, as did the nectar concentrations to be attractive to the appropriate bees. This includes the ability for some flowers to actually change the sugar concentration within seconds of the buzzing sound of the appropriate pollinator.”
Who knew nature could be so nimble?
You’ve probably heard how bees and their relationship to plants is vitally important to us humans. Most flowering plants rely on
large portion of the populous. But passion not appropriately applied is dangerous. Throwing imported honey bees at the ecosystem is frequently harmful,” he said.
“The good thing is that once people start learning about honey bees, they start to understand the roles and balance within ecosystems—a pathway to education and change.”
I don’t know about you, but I sure am learning a lot about bees lately.
Learn more yourself and book your own excursion at ensurehivefuture.org. n
• Premier seating with unobstructed views directly above the finish line.
• Complimentary host bar & catering.
• Shuttle service from Whistler Village and/or Creekside Village to the event finish area, plus return.
• The ultimate view of Red Bull Joyride 40’ above the action
• Refreshing cold beverages, Red Bull, and a full service host bar
• A selection of tasty appetizers
• Premier seating right beside the DH track finish line.
• Complimentary catering plus 2x drink tickets.
• Shuttle service from Whistler Village and/or Creekside Village to the event finish area, plus return.
• 2 complimentary drink tickets + welcome Red Bull cocktail
• Elevated viewing experience
• Passed appetizers
• Access to full-service bar
• Exclusive access to the Red Bull Joyride Trackside VIP zone.
• Two refreshing beverages
• An assortment of tasty appetizers
Whistler Waldorf is not a ‘private’ school
Dear Max, obviously you have not been taking care of yourself during this very sunny stretch of weather, as your last opinion piece about the Whistler Waldorf School* (WWS) lease predicament sounded like you composed it in the depths of a heat stroke stupor. So I have taken it upon myself to clarify a few of your Trumpian facts, as I believe it is only myself, JJ and a few other deadbeats that still read your column.
So, let me begin to enlighten you, Max. WWS is not a “private” school. I was beginning to wonder if you wrote your latest article as a bet with JJ to see how many times you could get the word “private” in. Five is a darn good effort in such a short opinion piece—well done, sir!
WWS is a non-profit society and accredited by the B.C. Ministry of Education as a Group 1 independent school. Provincial funding is capped at 50 per cent of the per-student allowance equivalent to fulltime attendance within SD48. WWS is also ineligible for capital grant funding, including for school property and equipment through the provincial government. To bridge the gap between government funding and the
cost of educating its students, WWS charges tuition and actively fundraises through grants and private donations. Ensuring educational accessibility is a key component of the school community and WWS offers new student scholarships and provides tuition adjustments to between 20 and 35 per cent of its students annually.
In the past, WWS has tried to work with landowners and developers, but the former CAO’s thinking at the time was that the school was not a significant community benefit, and that bed units could not be part of the deal.
WedgeWoods was outside the municipal boundaries, leading to objections. It increased the school’s environmental impact and would have limited daycare accessibility.
The Summit Centre would have provided extensive community amenities and had strong community support. Sadly, COVID hit three weeks after it launched and the project came to an end. That land is now up for sale.
WWS wanted to open up the Spruce Grove Field House for community groups outside of school hours, but its lease with the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) did not allow for this. WWS had offered to give up the Spruce Grove Field House, and asked to build a few more classrooms on the very small parcel of the park that WWS occupies. WWS had been working with RMOW staff for the past year and spent thousands on plans believing new spaces would be a win-win for the school and larger community. How great
would it have been for the Mature Action Community to have had a space within this footprint, so that the community elders could interact with its youth?
As a side note, the Audain Art Museum is a “private” gallery/museum and was built on public land that was earmarked for future development as a public park. I’m delighted the zoning was changed and feel very privileged that we now have this worldclass institution in our community!
Whether or not one’s child receives the education offered by WWS, the organization contributes significantly to the educational fabric of our community and generates a substantial flow of financial resources that positively impacts individuals and the broader business community. From the school’s annual budget of $3.2 million, it is estimated WWS generates approximately $2 million in local economic benefits.
The WWS community is made up of various professions, all of whom feel privileged to be able to send their children to an alternative school, but take offence to you labelling them as entitled.
All community groups should be able to eke out an existence in this very small area of Spruce Grove. There really is not a good reason for everyone to come together and make this happen.
So Max, my friend, please follow our Aussie mates’ advice of slip, slop and slap during this prolonged sunny spell. I’m worried
about you! And do not judge before you have all the facts, and that’s good advice to some of our councillors, too.
Lots of love, your favourite picture framer, Harvey xo.
Harvey Lim // Whistler
Leasing land to Waldorf school not in Whistler’s interest
This letter was sent to Whistler’s mayor and council, and shared with Pique.
We are writing to congratulate council on its decision to end the lease arrangement for the Waldorf School at the Spruce Grove Field House.
Whistler desperately needs space for a wide variety of community activities and meetings. To have such a community-owned space leased to an indpendent school for so many years has not been in Whistler’s interest.
The proponents of the Waldorf school should have used the past 23 years to secure a private space for their school instead of relying on the municipality to provide it. If the lease continues, taxpayers will always be supporting the school while, at the same time, demanding the municipality construct some other community space.
David and Lynn Ashton // Whistler *Editor’s note: Find more Whistler Waldorf School letters at piquenewsmagazine.com this week.
Whistler Valley Housing Society says thanks
The vision of the Whistler Valley Housing Society (WVHS) started soon after Whistler Village and Blackcomb opened in the fall of 1980 with the northside expansion of Whistler Mountain. The mountain operations, accommodation, restaurants, and other businesses meant the number of employees required to keep the resort running exploded. There was no new residential housing built to allow for these changes until 1983, when a group of business owners got together to form WVHS and built 2178 Sarajevo Dr., which opened 40 years ago. Until the Whistler Housing Authority was formed in the late ’90s, WVHS continued to advocate for and build employee-restricted housing.
The WVHS board had the vision to recognize that we could use the equity from our 40-yearold employee-housing building to buy a lot and finance a new one. Garry Watson was one of those board members and 2178 Sarajevo Dr. will be re-named in his honour.
Thank you to all the board members that have served over the years—your efforts contributed to this day.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) allowed WVHS to participate as the only nonWHA employee-housing provider in Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2. WDC received the occupancy permit June 26. Thank you for the efforts that are put into employee housing. WVHS was able to negotiate new housing agreement policies such as permitting tenants that are legally able to work in Canada—not just citizens or PR.
WDC built the project on time and on budget. We are so fortunate to have this expertise in our community. Thank you to the WDC board, staff (Rob Laslett) and contractors for your efficiency and excellence.
Thank you to our tenancy advisor Jessie Abraham and to our property manager Mountain Country, and in particular Gina Ciccone, who ensured our tenants could move in June 28.
Thank you, tenants! WVHS is happy to have you settled in the Nest. We hope that you find your home as welcoming and cosy as the name.
This building was built at a time of high building and financing costs. Unless you are directly involved in rental projects it’s difficult to comprehend how a non-profit developer and housing provider struggles to make rents affordable. GST alone adds almost $4 million to the cost, which is added to the mortgage, and in 30 years, tenants will have paid more than double that amount. WVHS will do whatever it can to continue to advocate for affordable rentals for the full spectrum of housing needs.
We can say we have built social housing, but if it isn’t affordable for social service clients—is it social housing?
Cathy Jewett, WVHS chair
// Whistler
Congrats to the Racket Club on 30 years
The Whistler Tennis Association (WTA) would like to congratulate the Whistler Racket Club on a very successful and well-attended event commemorating the 30th anniversary of this much loved indoor/outdoor racket facility in Whistler.
In early June the Whistler Racket Club (WRC) held a community party celebrating 30 years of on-court and off-court activities and memories. The event was attended by more than 250 people made up of locals, weekenders, and visitors of all ages. The full-day event included many free activities including introductory tennis and pickleball clinics as well as tennis and pickleball social mixers. The evening ended with dinner and dancing to a live band. A fantastic community gathering! Thank you Whistler for your enthusiastic and passionate support of the WRC.
The Whistler Tennis Association would also like to send a big thanks to everyone who generously donated experiences and items to the WTA silent auction held at the WRC 30th anniversary celebration.
The WTA is a registered non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that a viable indoor/outdoor racket facility will always be a part of Whistler’s future.
Esther Gorman, secretary/treasurer, Whistler Tennis Association // Whistler n
Write to us! Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s name, address and a daytime telephone number. Maximum length is 450 words. Pique Newsmagazine reserves the right to edit, condense or refrain from publishing any contribution. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine. Send them to edit@ piquenewsmagazine.com before 11 a.m. on Tuesday for consideration in that week’s paper.
Rules for the red carpet
HAVING LIVED or worked in a handful of tourism-focused small communities in the world (three, to be exact), each at different degrees of dependency, it is fascinating that the discussions around tourism and its degree of welcome in the community is… exactly the same, everywhere.
The debates around the benefits of
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
tourism dollars, the value of municipal attention being directed into amenities that feel more visitor-focused than locals, the crowds, parking, locals with their noses out of joint, and whatever other competing interests, are more background noise for this piece, where I’d rather argue it is possible for multiple ideas to be held and applied at the same time—something that gets lost in a lot of general rhetoric.
The ideas I’d like to espouse are: It is possible to roll out the red carpet to visitors, while also having rules and expectations around behaviour that are not optional.
We actually do it already—those tiredlooking signs on the side of the highway saying “keep right, let others pass” might read
like a suggestion, but according to the road rules, that’s the law. Go for a drive down the Sea to Sky and count the number of peanuts hanging out in the left lane for no reason, and it’s clear there are at least a few drivers who cannot read.
Feeding wildlife is also illegal, but when gaggles of tourists encounter a black bear on the valley floor, there is a chance you will see something thrown at them to eat.
It’s also illegal to be drunk in public, but…
officer or do something that gets them filmed by a nosy local and slandered on a local community group.
There are plenty of examples of stricter rules and harsher applications in other parts of the world—like Thailand, where nobody is permitted to criticize the royal family. Or many Muslim nations where women are expected to cover their hair, or in China, where publicly acknowledging the Tiananmen Square massacre will avail you to a tour of
Go for a drive down the Sea to Sky and count the number of peanuts hanging out in the left lane for no reason…
well there’s a reason the municipality’s resort operations department have theories on who is pulling up flower beds around town late at night.
My point is Canada already applies rules with harsh consequences upon everybody, and by extension visitors. But visitors are less likely to be aware of what the rules are, unless there’s signage everywhere.
It’s a kindness to let visitors know what they can do, and more—how they should behave—when in Canada, lest they run afoul of a more-zealous-than-normal police
Beijing’s finest dark rooms.
These are extreme, but we know about them. Laws in Canada are no different, we’re just a little more passive about advertising them, and far less enthusiastic about the degree of application.
A comparable country is Australia. Many Whistlerites would have travelled there, and seen that educational message from the Australian government that says in no uncertain terms you cannot bring any unprocessed food with you, and all the ways you will have a bad time if you do. There’s also
a checklist of all the other things you need to be thinking about, and you can get in pretty serious trouble for lying, or even be turned around and sent back the way you came.
Yet, Australia is still regarded as a friendly and welcoming tourist destination despite the government being clear about import rules, up front.
Likewise, Italy is regarded as friendly and welcoming, yet it grapples with overtourism in communities that unlike Whistler, are a critical mass of everything and not just a resort community. Various communities in Europe weigh up limiting visitation, charging for attendance, fining visitors who misbehave and more—and yet the tourists go, and the locals take their money.
Whistler can do the same. How? Well, that’s another debate, but rolling out the red carpet without being clear that this is a community where people live, and it collectively has expectations of visitors, is an invitation to be treated like a doormat.
So don’t be afraid to have expectations around visitors, Canada. For the sake of your sanity, and the future of the tourism sector, you may need it. Having expectations will not scare visitors away.
Not setting out and voicing expectations will simply breed resentment, and it is resentment that would jeopardize Whistler’s reputation as a welcoming community, not entirely reasonable rules of conduct. n
WCSS celebrates 35 years of community service
SINCE 1989, THE WHISTLER COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY HAS EVOLVED TO INCLUDE 50 STAFF OVERSEEING TWO SOCIAL ENTERPRISES WHICH RAISE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE COMMUNITY
BY LIZ MCDONALD
THE SUN WAS SHINING and there were smiles all around for the Whistler Community Services Society’s (WCSS) 35th-anniversary celebration.
The July 11 parking-lot party at 8000 Nesters Rd saw flocks of Whistlerites and WCSS staff unite over food and games, sweet treats, a photo booth and face painting. Attendees lined up for a bite to eat from Splitz Grill, with music, bubble machines and water-misters creating a fun yet cool atmosphere for the celebration.
WCSS has been a bedrock of social support in Whistler since its inception, starting with a Christmas hamper program, a food bank and an outreach team. Since 1989, it has evolved to include more than 50 staff who oversee two social enterprises which raise millions of dollars for community services. The Re-Use-It and Re-BuiId-It Centres divert a metric tonne of waste every day, while annually WCSS outreach
services connect with more than 8,000 people, all five local schools receive 100,000 snacks, and the food bank has 20,000 visits. Other funding comes from a refundable recycling program, and would-be contractors can access tools by becoming a member at the Tool Library.
Jackie Dickinson, executive director for the organization, beamed with pride as she discussed what the birthday means for WCSS and Whistler’s community.
“We’re celebrating 35 years of growth and development and response to a changing community. And I think that some people wonder like, ‘is that something we celebrate?’ I think we celebrate when people ask for help,” she said.
The birthday party was almost a year in the making, and Dickinson gave credit to Cara Burrows, Dave Clark and Jenn Hashimoto for planning and execution.
“Literally after last year’s event, which was our first big birthday party bash we’ve had in our parking lot, they were planning for 11 months straight for today to happen,” she said. “Our focus was to really provide an atmosphere where someone walked in, and they didn’t have to pay a cent.”
WCSS used social media and signage to get the word out, and their advertisements highlighted the diverse range of people who frequent their services to ensure everyone knew they are welcome.
Dickinson tipped her hat to Splitz Grill owners, Lindsay and Peter Goff, for donating food and their time to flip burgers for the community. Nesters Market came with cupcakes and another hot-day essential—ice and coolers—to keep everything cold on a day with temperatures hitting 30 C.
Games for the day included corn hole tosses and guessing mystery cans of food. Guests shook unlabelled canned goods and speculated what was inside, then wrote their answers down for a chance to win a $25 gift card at Nesters.
While some waited in line for delicious burgers, other people sat down for facepainting under the shade tents, grabbed cotton candy or took silly photos commemorating the day in a photo booth.
WCSS’ headquarters are open for anyone who wants to come in and ask for help, with air conditioning providing welcome relief from the intense summer sun. Inside, the food bank has volunteers working 37 shifts a week. It’s open Mondays and Fridays from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesdays from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
WCSS’ community-care model includes safer sex and drug-use kits, and staff are trained to use a mass spectrometer for drug testing, which can save lives from contaminated drugs.
The space even has a cooling centre and
room for cots when someone needs to rest.
The Re-Use It Centre is conveniently located on site, with gently used treasures for whatever needs bring you into the space— from festival clothes to houseware, work attire, fashion accessories and more.
Dickinson said she appreciates when people tell her they’ve donated a closet full of clothing just to turn around and buy a whole new wardrobe from the centre—not because it generates revenue, but because it’s an ethical fashion choice.
“I appreciate when people are buying second-hand, and they’re not subscribing to this textile industry that is just incredibly wasteful and built on business models that are so unethical,” she said. “That’s powerful.”
The core of Dickinson’s message and the WCSS’ goal for the community is normalizing asking for and receiving help, a value that’s worth celebrating as the organization’s services continue to evolve to meet community needs.
“We’ve created within charitable work a focus on giving. We haven’t always focused on what that looks like when we need to receive it. And I think that’s a conversation that needs to be more at the forefront,” she said. “We can develop a healthy community by people asking for help.”
Find more resources, or donate to the cause, at mywcss.org. n
FUN AND GAMES Whistler Community Services
Society staff Tom Chatwood (left) and Holly Watkins man a games booth during the organization’s 35th birthday party on July 11.
PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD
NEWS WHISTLER
Tourism showing ‘early signs of slowing’ in Whistler in Q1 numbers rundown
TOURISM WAS SLUGGISH, BUT INDICATORS FROM AMENITIES SHOW THE LOCAL ECONOMY WAS STRONG
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
WHISTLER’S FIRST QUARTER of 2024 was a mixed bag of numbers for the local economy, according to the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) chief financial officer, Carlee Price.
“In summary, the quarter showed that the tourism economy is showing very early signs of slowing, and that the local economy remains strong,” she said in delivering an update for the quarter ended March 31, at the July 9 regular council meeting.
Parent company of Whistler Blackcomb, Vail Resorts, reported a 7.8-per-cent drop in skier visits across its North American operations for the quarter.
On the revenues side of things, “we saw particularly impressive growth at Meadow Park Sports Centre,” Price said.
“This is true of both passes and admissions. Daily activity at the centre was about 1,500 people per day, that’s obviously showing through to revenues.”
The RMOW numbers show $900,698 in revenues from programs and admissions—108 per cent of what was projected in the 2024 budget.
Transit saw similar growth.
“We also saw continued uptake in transit revenues for the month of March specifically. Revenues for the transit system actually exceeded those from 2019,” Price said.
Under transit fares, leases and rent, the RMOW received $1,416,759 in revenue—133 per cent of the expected amount.
“It seems that some of the moves we took earlier in the post-pandemic period to return people to the transit system are in fact working,” said Price.
Speaking to tourism visitation, Price said there appears to be “an emerging weakness,” seen in slowing growth in MRDT revenues compared to Q1 2023, and growth in parking revenues also slowing down.
“We’re still tracking above 2023 levels, but not by much,” she said.
In comparing the parking revenues and MRDT revenues by month, Price said the numbers were “topping over,” in that they had stopped rising.
MRDT revenues are from overnight hotel stays, and therefore drawn from visitation.
“We can’t say if this is a downturn coming, or if this has to do with things like a poor ski season,” Price said.
“When considered alongside things such as the economy, this is something worth paying attention to.”
The building department was itself a story in changeable fortunes: While the number of permits processed for the quarter was up by 41 per cent, the value of the permits processed was down.
“How this happens is the value of each individual permit is off about 46 per cent relative
TIBBALLS
to 2023,” said Price, explaining much of what was being processed was more renovation work, and less in the way of whole-home projects.
In raw numbers, there were 133 building permits processed by the RMOW in the first quarter of 2024, coming in at $421,827 in revenue for the municipality from issuing those permits.
In a report to council, Price wrote the change would precipitate some budgetary adjustments.
“The result [of the decline in permit value] was that the total revenues generated by this department in the period were down -24 per cent compared to last year,” wrote Price.
“The speed with which this change took hold and the magnitude of it have been a surprise. At a forthcoming meeting council will be asked to consider a budget amendment that includes more context for this challenge and proposes some funding solutions.”
On the project side, speaking at the July 9 meeting, Price said project spending is typically slow in the first quarter.
“We tend to see a lot of progress on things like studies, surveys and strategy work. And then construction work—built assets—tends to accelerate in the summer. We are delivering at a pace of about 7.7 per cent of total project budgets for the first quarter, which is above typical levels for this time of year.
Investments yielded what Price called a “mixed blessing” in the rate cut that came earlier in June.
“While we are happy to see rates tracking inflation and coming down ever so slightly, the reason for the change is a slowing economy,” she said.
“And that is something we will want to keep a very keen eye on as a slowing economy affects the resort municipality by typically depressing levels of visitation, depressing the rates that hotels can secure for a night of accommodation, and slowing overall activity in the community.
“It’s something we’ll want to keep our eyes
SEASONAL SLOWDOWN The winter season at Whistler saw some not-great numbers for the tourism economy overall, which showed signs of slowing down.
FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT
Rare bird entangled in fishing wire in Whistler lake
THE SURF SCOTER WAS SPOTTED ON ALTA LAKE BY A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER
BY LIZ MCDONALD
A RARE BIRD tangled in fishing wire has local birders calling for vigilance from lake users.
On Tuesday, July 2, Liz Barrett was out paddleboarding on Alta Lake. In the distance, she spotted a surf scoter gliding on the water. An avid birder and photographer, Barrett had her camera with her and took a photo with her long lens. It wasn’t until she got home and uploaded the photo she realized the bird had tangled fishing wire and a lure on its back.
“When I got home, I put it up on my computer, and I’m like, ‘What the hell?’ And on its back, it seems to have a very large lure,” she said. “And I would think it probably came from the sea—this looks like serious fishing gear. If you look on the back, you also see this like green nylon [fishing wire]. It’s all wrapped up. So, this poor bird has got this lure attached to its back.”
She’s gone out paddleboarding since and hasn’t seen the bird again.
Surf scoters are usually only seen while migrating through Whistler, with the Western population breeding primarily in Alaska, but also in northern Yukon and northwestern Northwest Territories.
Barrett hopes education and vigilance will prevent incidents like this in the future.
“I think a lot of the fishermen are very responsible. It’s the odd tourist that will come through that is just not aware,” she said.
She suggests signage to remind anglers and bins for discarding fishing equipment.
Longtime local glaciologist Karl Ricker is a birder with the Whistler Naturalists, and he said there are only a few sightings in Whistler of scoters each year while migrating.
“Usually it’s [groups] of one or two or three, but occasionally it’s big flocks,” he said, noting Green Lake is their most popular sighting spot, with Alta and Shadow Lake rarely attracting sightings.
While it’s unknown what exactly happened to the scoter, or its fate, there are options for people who find a bird in need of help.
“I think a lot of the fishermen are very responsible. It’s the odd tourist that will come through that is just not aware.”
- LIZ BARRETT
Barrett encourages anyone who sees a bird in distress to post on the Whistler Naturalists Facebook page or the Sea to Sky Birding page. Members will swiftly work to rescue the bird from harm and get it the care it needs.
There are designated wildlife rehabilitation centres in the Lower Mainland that can take in birds, assess the likelihood of rehabilitation and heal them, or euthanize them if necessary.
Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Delta rehabilitates raptors and Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. in Burnaby also takes bird species. n
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SURF’S UP A surf scoter on Alta Lake entangled in fishing wire.
PHOTO BY LIZ BARRETT / WHISTLERSWILDTHINGS.COM
Whistler hotel worker jailed for two years for sexual assault, appeal dismissed
THE MAN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED A CO-WORKER AT A PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN 2020
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
A WHISTLER WORKER imprisoned for sexual assault has had his appeal dismissed.
On May 22, Nicholas Nolan Roche Hurley was sentenced to two years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a co-worker on Dec. 14, 2020.
According to court documents, Hurley was found guilty on Dec. 19, 2022 of sexually assaulting his female co-worker in a private residence in Whistler. At the time, Hurley and his co-worker were employed at a hotel in the community, and were living in the same residence together with other hotel employees.
Sentencing Judge, Joanne Challenger, found Hurley guilty of engaging in sexual activity with his co-worker “contrary to her clearly and verbally communicated lack of consent.” Hurley attempted to have sex with his co-worker while she was intoxicated and trying to sleep, and continued despite repeated requests he stop. Prior to the assault, Hurley had developed a romantic interest in his co-worker that was not reciprocated, according to court documents.
In his appeal, Hurley claimed Challenger had failed to consider his mental-health disorders— listed as ADHD and “related social and learning issues”—diminished his moral culpability, and had failed to give weight to Hurley’s own childhood abuse as a mitigating circumstance.
Hurley sought to have his imprisonment substituted for a “conditional sentence order” (CSO) of two years less one day, which would have allowed him to serve his time in the community, with conditions, followed by probation.
While Hurley was allowed to appeal, his appeal was dismissed unanimously by three justices in the court of appeal.
Justice Ronald Skolrood, in a decision handed down in North Vancouver on July 12, and concurred by two other justices, wrote Challenger had considered Hurley’s mental condition, and consequently rejected that it had contributed to a misunderstanding of the “clearly communicated” lack of consent.
“It is clear the judge found that the appellant’s decision to disregard the complainant’s communicated lack of consent was driven by his desire to satisfy his own sexual and romantic desires. The appellant’s ADHD and related learning and social issues thus had little or no bearing on the appellant’s moral culpability for the specific conduct that grounded his conviction,” wrote Justice Skolrood.
On the claim Challenger had not considered Hurley’s own victimization as a child, Skolrood ruled Challenger was aware of Hurley’s childhood trauma, and found the evidence did not establish it played a part in the sexual assault of his co-worker.
Finally, Hurley’s appeal of the severity of the
sentence was also dismissed. Hurley had argued a CSO would be more proportionate, given his appeals on culpability and prior trauma, but Skolrood wrote that because he had found no fault in the sentencing judge’s arguments, and the sentence handed down was at the “very lowest end of the range established by this court for sexual assault against an adult,” two years’ imprisonment was not an unfit sentence.
A CSO was argued for in sentencing, but Challenger ruled that the absence of sexual penetration did not reduce the need to denounce Hurley’s conduct, or deter others. A CSO was found to not be proportional with the degree of the offence, while the concern that Hurley would
Q1 FINANCIALS FROM PAGE 13
on for 2024, especially as we move into the 2025 budget, but not a massive concern for the time being.”
RMOW revenues from its investments valued at $64,496,182 was $799,139 for the first quarter, which was 79 per cent of the total budgeted investment income for the period.
During questions, Councillor Arthur De Jong posited the numbers show the impact of the poor ski season “wasn’t that bad,” noting while visitors weren’t skiing as much, the numbers at Meadow Park Sports Centre show they were still in Whistler.
“not cope well” in a custodial institution due to psychological and emotional issues did not sway Challenger, who ruled that the evidence did not establish he would suffer any excessive hardship exceeding the normal consequences of a conviction that would result in imprisonment.
While what was referred to as “collateral consequences” of his conviction—being social stigmatization, the loss of soccer coaching as a career option, and ongoing anxiety and depression—were also considered in sentencing, Challenger ruled imprisonment was needed to instil basic communal values, “and to demonstrate that our society views the nature of such crimes as abhorrent.” n
Price said it was fair to take that view, but added consecutive bad ski seasons would cut deeper into the economic fortunes of Whistler.
“The damage was contained this year, but that may not be true if there are multiple seasons of low snowpack; people may choose to go elsewhere,” she said.
Asked in a follow-up question if there was anything in the quarterly numbers that concerned her, Price’s response was broad.
“I’d say the economy is the No. 1 worry right now,” she said. “But it’s going to go the way it’s going to go.” n
ICBC records 99 crashes on Highway 99 in Whistler in 2023
ANNUAL CRASH DATA SHOWS THE NUMBER OF FENDER BENDERS WAS DOWN IN 2023 COMPARED TO THE TWO YEARS PRIOR
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
THERE WERE 214 CRASHES recorded in Whistler in 2023, according to annual ICBC data—well down from 297 recorded the year before, and below the 249 recorded in 2021.
It should come as no surprise the lion’s share of the 214 collisions recorded in the municipality last year occurred on Highway 99, with a coincidental 99 crashes along the road that runs the length of Whistler. The four intersections that recorded incidents numbering in the double digits are all located along the highway.
Of those 99 crashes, 18 were at the intersection with Lake Placid Road in Creekside—making it the sketchiest of all intersections in the community.
The intersection—which is the first major turnoff for northbound traffic seeking to access major tourism amenities in Whistler— had a crash almost every single month of the
year, with December being the busiest at four collisions. Only in the quiet of November 2023 were there no crashes recorded.
The Lake Placid Road intersection is often the top offender in the community—in the five years of reporting data ICBC makes public, there have been 73 crashes there.
Two intersections tied for second in the 2023 data, with 11 collisions reported at the intersection of Highway 99 and the Function Junction/Cheakamus intersection (Alpha Lake Road and Cheakamus Lake Road) and 11 reported at the Highway 99 intersection at Nesters.
Taking into account five years of data, the Function Junction intersection is the gnarliest of all of Whistler’s intersections, with 77 collisions reported there since 2019.
Looking at intersections that don’t include Highway 99, Blackcomb Way is the second-most collision-prone roadway, with 25 crashes in 2023, including five at the intersection with Glacier Drive, and four each at Lorimer Road and Village Gate Boulevard.
Breaking down the types of crashes recorded, there were 36 with “casualties”—meaning there were injuries or fatalities—while the remaining 178 were listed as “PDO”—or Property Damage Only.
On a month-by-month basis, the busiest months for ICBC-recorded incidents were February (31 crashes), and December (29)— which makes sense given seasonal activities. While the number of incidents quiets down in the shoulder seasons, it comes roaring back in summer: In July 2023 there were 22 crashes reported.
The data also includes numbers on crashes involving cyclists, of which there
were only five recorded by ICBC in Whistler in 2023—which represents a jump, as there has only been 13 crashes involving cyclists recorded in Whistler in the five years of data available.
A full spread of ICBC data from across the province can be accessed on the ICBC website. The annual numbers are updated each July.
For comparison, there were 324 crashes recorded in Squamish last year, of which 148 were along Highway 99, and the top intersection was the Highway 99 turnoff to Cleveland Drive to downtown Squamish, where there were 37 collisions recorded. n
CRASH COURSE Of 99 crashes on Highway 99 in Whistler last year, 18 were at the intersection with Lake Placid Road in Creekside—making it the sketchiest of all intersections in the community.
PHOTO BY ROBERTCRUM / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Whistler plays host to Pacific NorthWest economic summit
THE FIVE-DAY
EVENT
BRINGS MORE THAN 500 LEADERS OF STATES, PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES ALONGSIDE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND BUSINESS LEADERS TO DISCUSS REGIONAL ECONOMIES
BY LIZ MCDONALD
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST Economic Region (PNWER) summit rolls into Whistler July 21 to 25, and this year’s theme centres around clean energy and innovation.
The summit brings Canadian and U.S. delegates together to rub shoulders and brainstorm issues that impact the Pacific Northwest, with roundtable discussion topics on energy security, tourism and food sustainability, to name a few.
Matt Morrison is the executive director and CEO for the group, and said the event is a highlevel broad discussion that spans topics relating to the integrated economic and geographic region of the PNW.
“‘It’s a very broad discussion, some 20 different working groups, everything from housing to energy, aquatic invasive species, animal health, [and] water policy,” he said.
The attendee list includes high-up politicos in B.C., like Premier David Eby and Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon, as well as federal officials like Minister Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board of Canada. Representatives from the Yukon, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories will be in attendance, and U.S. ambassador David Cohen is also listed.
CLEAN ENERGY
Shifting to clean energy requires cross-border partnerships between states and businesses, and one important discussion is how to shift to hydrogen as a low-carbon option.
“We’re in the midst of doing a study on the B.C. and Washington hydrogen hubs and how they can benefit from each other, and what is the future of the hydrogen economy,” Morrison said.
“So, there’ll be a panel on both hydrogen
production, what’s happening throughout the region, and then hydrogen demand. How are we utilizing hydrogen in heavy duty trucks, industrial applications, and how does this all fit into a decarbonized future?”
Decarbonization discourse will focus on road and maritime transportation, with ideas on decarbonizing ferries, potential for high-speed rail, and how to reduce emissions from trucking.
“EV charging is moving, but the trucks are really a problem,” Morrison said, pointing to
drayage trucks in particular, “which are the dirtiest trucks on the road, and they go usually on a 100-mile circuit.
“We’re trying to electrify the drayage trucks in both Vancouver and Seattle,” he said, adding there are 8,000 split between Vancouver and Seattle.
State and provincial efforts to create hydrogen fuelling stations will need federal support north and south of the 49th parallel, according to Morrison.
Companies sponsoring the event include carbon emitters Enbridge and Teck, and Morrison said these companies use hydrogen in their refining processes and work towards decarbonization.
“Part of the challenge of building a hydrogen economy is finding people who use hydrogen,” he said.
Morrison also highlighted First Nations equity partnership discussions tabled for the summit that focus on First Nations rights and commercial partnerships. There are an estimated 470 projects in the next 10 years which impact First Nations land and represent $525 billion in capital, with sectors including electrification, clean energy and critical minerals.
SEE PAGE 18 >>
SUMMER SUMMIT The Fairmont Chateau Whistler will see more than 500 political figures and business leaders converge for an economic summit from July 21 to 25.
PHOTO COURTESY OF YASMIN HAUFSCHILD / FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER
PearlSpace to launch permanent safe home in Whistler
DEDICATED ACCOMMODATION WILL BENEFIT SURVIVORS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
BY BRADEN DUPUIS
THOSE FLEEING gender-based violence now have a permanent safe place in Whistler.
In a release on July 15, PearlSpace announced it has finalized an agreement with BC Housing to operate a new safe home in Whistler to support the needs of survivors of gender-based violence and their children.
The agreement includes about $1.9 million, along with annual operating funding of about $135,000, from the provincial Women Transition Housing Fund to help PearlSpace expand its services in the resort, the release said.
“PearlSpace has long been aware of the need for emergency housing for survivors of gender-based violence in the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) and has advocated for housing solutions that provide safety for survivors and their children fleeing violence,” said PearlSpace’s executive director Ashley Oakes in the release.
“We are thrilled that these advocacy efforts have led to securing a Safe Home in the community that will provide temporary emergency housing with access to crisis support services.”
PearlSpace has provided safe housing in Whistler for the past two-plus years, utilizing
hotel accommodations, with funding for emergency response from the RMOW and the Union of BC Municipalities.
“This funding, which expired in September 2023, allowed the organization to pilot a safe home in the community and collect data to share with BC Housing in support of long-term operational funding for a permanent Safe Home in the RMOW,” the release said.
The new Whistler safe house comes on top of a safe home in Pemberton and transition house in Squamish, which
was recently renovated and expanded from three bedrooms to eight (including a two-bedroom, wheelchair-accessible auxiliary house). Addressing a lack of similar services in Whistler has long been a strategic priority for the charitable organization.
“Previously, survivors of gender-based violence in Whistler were forced to make the difficult decision to leave their community or decline short-term emergency housing available through PearlSpace. This has left many survivors and their children
ECONOMIC SUMMIT FROM PAGE 17
TOURISM
Vancouver is a host city for the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and Morrison said preparation for the event is on a larger scale than the 2010 Olympics.
“How do we get four Amtrak Cascades trains a day into Vancouver from Seattle? Since the World Cup is in three countries, we’ll have a whole series of meetings on border processes,” he said.
Issues around security are also on the table, with organizers trying to streamline border entry without compromising safety.
Reporting from BIV indicates the City
of Vancouver will spend $73 million on the event for safety and security.
“It’s two years away, but Vancouver has a very robust planning process, and so does Seattle, but we need to be working together to address the cross-border elements of the 900,000 people we expect are going to be coming,” Morrison said.
He described planning to be a challenge not faced before, when considering the seven matches spanning June and July 2026 at BC Place and another six matches at Lumen Field in Seattle.
“It’ll be a challenge unlike anything we’ve faced,” he said. “I think it’s bigger than the
in dangerous or difficult situations,” the release said.
“The RCMP has reported an increase in domestic violence calls over the past year, and PearlSpace has housed individuals in need of emergency housing for nearly 2,495 nights throughout the Sea to Sky corridor. The Whistler safe home will not only address the increased demand for emergency shortterm housing, with stays up to 10 days, but will meet the needs of Whistler survivors like never before.”
Read more at pearlspace.ca. n
Olympics that we had in 2010.”
The summit takes place at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
According to a release sent by Global Public Affairs, PNWER is a public/private non-profit organization created in 1991 whose mission “is to increase the economic wellbeing and quality of life for all citizens of the region, identify and promote ‘models of success,’ and serve as a conduit to exchange information.”
Canadian member jurisdictions include B.C., AB, NWT, Sask., and YK, and U.S. members include Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon. n
Naturespeak: New records of slime moulds found during BioBlitz
BY PAM JANSZEN
THE WHISTLER NATURALISTS invited my slime mould colleagues (Ryan Durand and Tyson Ehlers) and I to the first-ever Whistler Slime BioBlitz, and boy, did we have fun!
Slime moulds (Myxomycetes) are strange little guys, not plants, or fungi, or animals. Slime moulds are protists, singlecelled amoebae, that live in the soil of every continent on Earth. When the time is right for reproduction, they crawl out of the ground and transform into complicated structures that produce spores.
To learn more about slime moulds, researchers have put food out arranged to imitate the nodes of the Tokyo subway system to see how efficiently the slime mould Physarum polycephalum hunts for its food. It turns out the slime mould made some efficiencies the subway engineers had missed. Another “famous” slime is Fuligo septica, which can grow quite large, at least in slime-mould terms. This slime mould inspired the 1958 science-fiction horror movie The Blob.
Going from the laboratory to the classroom, during BioBlitz, we gave several classroom presentations to students of all ages. Trying to teach six-year-olds about slime moulds quickly brought out the grandma in me—they were all such awesome little people, even the ones who couldn’t quite behave. We also gave a community presentation one evening.
But for us, the best part is always when we are outdoors looking for slime moulds— especially snowmelt slime moulds. Snowmelt (or “nivicolous”) slime moulds are adapted to developing under a persistent snowpack, and happily, there is no shortage of perfect environments for them in the Whistler area.
I live on Saturna Island, far from those snowy conditions. Tyson and Ryan live in
the Kootenays where, like Whistler, it snows enough for snowmelt slimes. They introduced me to the joy of collecting snowmelt slimes, which are so much fun because they are relatively abundant, especially compared to what I find on the Gulf Islands.
You might have seen us crawling up a ski run on Blackcomb, examining the twigs, branches, dead grass and dead wood that snowmelt slimes fruit on; or watched us working our way through the bushes at Callaghan Lake looking for the perfect snow patch with a bunch of new slime aficionados in tow.
The small ones— some less than five millimetres—are the most beautiful.
And we were so successful we haven’t had time to examine all our treasures. Together, we collected more than 300 specimens, most of which will require microscopy to positively identify. So far, we have confirmed about 30 species that are all new records for Whistler, and some for B.C., Canada, and even North America. Many of our other finds have only a handful of documented occurrences in B.C.
I could write more, but the best way to appreciate slimes is by photos. The small ones—some less than five millimetres—are the most beautiful. It is a wonder-world of iridescence, pastels, and intricate fruiting bodies.
We offer special thanks to the Whistler Naturalists for being such exceptional hosts and for all they do to promote biodiversity and conservation for Whistler. Naturespeak is prepared by the Whistler Naturalists. To learn more about Whistler’s natural world, go to whistlernaturalists.ca. n
SLIME OR REASON Lamproderma splendidissimum is a new species record for B.C. found at Callaghan Lake during the Whistler Naturalists’ spring BioBlitz. PHOTO BY TYSON EHLERS
Council discusses plan to move and reshape
Pemberton ‘mound’ to make space
for PlayScape
PRELIMINARY PLANS WILL BE DISCUSSED FURTHER AT THE PEMBERTON VALLEY UTILITIES AND SERVICES TABLE
BY RÓISÍN CULLEN
Local Journalism Initiative
Reporter
PEMBERTON COUNCIL has a new plan in place to bring the PlayScape back into the community.
New plans include a relocated and reshaped mound near the Pemberton and District Community Centre. The mound is currently a pile of excavation material placed on the green as-is. The relocated mound will be in the south-east corner of the site, while the Nature Play Park will be moved to where the mound currently is. Additional elements would include walking loops in the pocket park, an adjusted paving area along the Community Centre, shade trees, furnishings, and fencing.
Site prep work for the daycare expansion began in late 2022, necessitating the relocation of the nearby Nature Play Park and PlayScape structure. The Village of Pemberton (VOP) received $2,771,000 through the ChildCare BC New Spaces Fund for the expansion in April 2022.
At a committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, April 9, officials discussed the possible relocation of the play area, while councillors also raised concerns over the ever-disappearing green space in Pemberton’s downtown core. Location options on the table included the community centre, Den Duyf Park or any other site.
Staff presented a new report to the committee of the whole on July 9 regarding the results of a recent joint planning and design exercise undertaken by council and representatives from the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD).
Staff asked Tom Barratt Ltd. Landscape Architects (TBLA) to provide a quote for the cost of creating a new design for the installation of the PlayScape. They also asked the architects to consider various priorities for the use of the green space. The proposal received from TBLA included a joint planning exercise, which took place on Tuesday, May 28.
Landscape elements including play equipment, planting, and furnishings were provided as cut-outs participants could lay out on the site. Both teams developed an overall site design approach before presenting it to the rest of the crowd. Participants were encouraged to look at the site as part of a larger network of
included in the plans.
The option of splitting up the Nature Play Park to create more flexibility with plans was previously discussed. However, both groups eventually shot down this idea, deciding the play park should go where the mound currently is. The mound should then be moved to the south-east corner and shaped to better suit the site.
There was an “overarching” similarity between the plans the two groups came up with. Participants then allowed TBLA to merge both plans to produce a preliminary “long-term concept plan” and a suggestion for a “first phase concept plan.”
“Let’s figure out how much it’s going to cost and finish it.”
- RUSSELL MACK
green space within the community.
TBLA encouraged participants to consider the community centre grounds as part of a larger network of green space within the community, emphasizing the grounds as functioning as a cohesive space that should consider the long-term needs of a growing Pemberton.
Participants in the exercise stressed the grounds should provide space for the entire community, not just children. Many were concerned development chews up shared green space. There was a call for areas of respite for elderly neighbours and safety concerns about the mound in its current location. People also asked for additional screening, shade, bicycle parking, seating and picnic tables to be
TBLA’s Alex van Zyl said in a letter to council they worked “to create a cheerful and balanced plan that aims to integrate various values and functions with ease and long-term use in mind.”
Councillor Ted Craddock wanted to know more about how much the plans will cost, to which staff explained a clearer view will be discussed at the Pemberton Valley Utilities and Services (PVUS) table.
Coun. Katrina Nightingale asked for safety to be put first. “Moving forward, I think we have created a really positive space for the entire community,” she said. “My only comment would be making sure that kids can’t slide onto the road. I am supportive of the plan.”
Mayor Mike Richman said the planning
and design exercise resulted in a great site.
“We have landed at a great place here,” he said. “I like where we have landed. It might see us look to our community to find ways to do this. I think there would be folks in the community who would be willing to step up and support. I think some of it can be accomplished fairly simply.”
PVUS committee director Russell Mack recently voiced concern that funds were not already allocated for the reinstallation of the PlayScape.
“Right now we have no money to put this back to where it is. The money that we had has been used,” he said. “It’s gone. We need to come up with a budget and come up with the money. We are starting over together.”
He emphasized he would like to get the project over and done with to cause minimal disruption to the community.
“We need to finish it,” he said. “Let’s not do it in three or five phases because then it would be a construction site for a period of time. Let’s figure out how much it’s going to cost and finish it.”
Mack said the next PVUS meeting isn’t until October. He asked if that timeline could be pushed forward to get the show on the road. “We need to speed that up,” he said. “We need to have a meeting sooner than later.”
The VOP’s recreation manager, Christine Burns, said she would need time to get everything ready.
“This isn’t just a simple cut-and-paste report,” she said. “I would be striving for the Oct. 9 PVUS meeting. That would be in time for the 2025 budget.” Burns reminded council the majority of funding opportunities happen during the first months of the new year.
Council forwarded the preliminary plans to the PVUS table for the next steps in the decision-making process. n
PLAY DAYS An earthly mound near the Pemberton and District Community Centre will be relocated.
PHOTO BY ROISIN CULLEN
New Arn Canal pump would reduce the risk of evacuations in Pemberton
PVDD IS WORKING WITH THE VILLAGE OF PEMBERTON TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES
BY RÓISÍN CULLEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
THE VILLAGE OF Pemberton (VOP) is working with the Pemberton Valley Dyking District (PVDD) to improve the community’s ability to handle flooding. Officials hope to reduce the need for evacuations in the future as the community continues to grow.
At a committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, June 18, council supported an application to the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund administered by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities on behalf of the PVDD for funding of the proposed Arn Canal Pumping Station.
PVDD’s operations and maintenance manager, Kevin Clark, provided background information about the Arn Canal, drainage passes and creeks, and presented the plan for the proposed pumping station.
He highlighted the goals of the pump installation, which include: Eliminating the need to evacuate some areas of the village during a low to moderate high-water event; protecting farmland; allowing future development to use the Arn Canal as a drainage path; and avoiding the transfer of risk from future VOP developments to properties in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) or to existing structures in the Village.
The VOP declared a state of local emergency on Jan. 30 due to flooding, and many locals were temporarily displaced from their homes due to an evacuation order on Airport Road.
The SLRD later issued an evacuation alert for 33 properties in Area C, citing “potential danger to life and safety.”
At a council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 13, Mayor Mike Richman said the Pemberton Creek Bridge poses a great weakness, adding he worries Pemberton residents only have one road to use to get out of the village during an evacuation order. He said Pemberton got lucky in January, but that shouldn’t be a reason for people to ignore evacuation orders or alerts in the future.
Clark explained why the Arn Canal Pumping Station is needed now.
“When the dikes were originally built, it really messed up the drainage of Pemberton,”
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he said. “All the natural drainage was covered by dikes. Pemberton became like a swimming pool. There are only four ways for water to get out of the area from this side of the mountain all the way to the Highway 99 bridge. A couple of times a year, Two Mile Creek comes back to life and we get an event.”
Clark referenced 1984’s flooding event as an example. He stressed that all development and redevelopment can increase the risk of flooding in Pemberton and neighbouring communities. “You have to be cognizant of what you are doing to your neighbour,” he said.
The operations and maintenance manager has seen his fair share of once-in-a-lifetime weather events since he took the reins.
“Since I started in 2020, we have had several evacuations,” he said. “In low to medium events, there wouldn’t be a need for evacuations because the pump would pump the excess flow. We don’t need to pump the whole canal. We just have to pump some of the canal.”
Clark added Pemberton will need the pumps over the next 20 years. “When we need pumps, everyone else does, too,” he said. “We run out of people to call to get a pump.”
Benefits of building the pumping station include: building trust with the community, de-watering faster to reach the post-flood recovery phase quicker, reducing the need to remove river sediment from Pemberton Creek, reducing the transfer of risk from Village developments, and mitigating risk from future Lillooet River aggradation from the Meager slide.
The PVDD is not eligible to apply for funding under the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund administered by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. Therefore, Clark requested support from the VOP, which would submit the application and would own the infrastructure. The PVDD will allocate $35,000 from project reserve funds for preliminary engineering, and its offiicals will also collaborate with staff to prepare the application, manage the project, deliver the final report, and ensure financial accuracy.
Clark estimated the first phase would cost between $1.2 and 1.8 million. He stressed this would make later phases easier. CAO Elizabeth Tracy noted the measures will be needed as the community continues to grow. n
Katherine Currall
Real Estate Advisor 604-966-1364 katherine@whistlerlegacy.com
Level3 Water
Restrictions In Effect
When CanI Water?
Even addresseswater on Thursdays
Oddaddresseswater on Wednesdays
Sprinklingbetween 4- 9amor7 -10pm
In-ground irrigation systems between 10pm -4am the followingday
Usinga garden hosetowashoutdoor surfaces, including sidewalks, driveways, andwashing of recreational vehicles, includingmotor vehicles,boats or trailers,isprohibited. Hand watering,dripirrigation,orvegetable garden watering is permitted.
CAR WASHED A car stuck in flood water on Pemberton’s Airport Road in January.
PHOTO BY TARA LUNDRIGAN
Public Notice Partnering Agreement& Licenceof Occupation
Council of theVillageofPemberton gives noticethat, under section21of theCommunity Charter, theVillage of Pembertonintends to provide assistance undera partnering agreementtoR &G Holdings Ltd.
Under thepartneringagreement, R& GHoldingsLtd.will have anonexclusivelicence fora period of 5 years, with an option to renewfor an additional term of 5years,touse part of AsterStreetonPlan7706
Adjacent to Lot3,DistrictLot 203 Plan 9887 andLot BDistrictLots 7926and 203 Plan EPP66105, shown outlined in boldonthe accompanying aerial view
In return fora licence of occupation, R& GHoldings will providethe Villagewiththe following services with respecttothe licence area: generalmaintenance andrepairofthe surface, not includingasphalt repair or linepainting; and snow clearing.
Formoreinformation,pleasevisit www.pemberton.ca or email admin@pemberton.ca.
GwendolynKennedy CorporateOfficer
604.894.6135
Pemberton Fire Rescue makes short work of house fire
‘CRUCIAL’ WATER RESTRICTIONS INTRODUCED; VOLUNTEERS TACKLE GUN LAKE FIRE BY RÓISÍN CULLEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
PEMBERTON FIRE RESCUE raced to a house fire on Prospect Street on Sunday, July 14, making short work of the small blaze.
Firefighters were on the scene for three hours, said Pemberton Fire Rescue Chief Cameron Adams, who told Pique the cause of the fire is still unknown.
“On arrival, there was fire on the rear exterior of the home,” he said. “The fire was quickly knocked down and had no extension to the interior of the home.”
The family whose house caught fire thanked emergency services for their prompt response in a post on the Pemberton community forum.
“My mother and I would like to thank everyone that helped keep the fire contained at our house,” the post said. “All the firefighters, police, paramedics, neighbours and friends. Thank you so very much.”
WATER RESTRICTIONS INTRODUCED
The Village of Pemberton (VOP) introduced “crucial” water restrictions on Friday, July 12. The new measures will ensure sustainable water usage during the summer months.
Restrictions in Pemberton are in effect from June 1 through Sept. 30 each year. They vary in level based on weather and consumption.
The VOP has four levels of water restrictions, and is currently at Level 3.
A growing population and climate change have increased pressure on the village’s water supply. On average, residents in the community use 518 litres per person per day, according to the VOP. Pemberton’s usage is more than double the national residential average of about 215 litres per day.
The current Level 3 restrictions include:
Even addresses water on Thursdays; Odd addresses water on Wednesdays.
Sprinkling is allowed between 4 and 9 a.m. or from 7 to 10 p.m.
In-ground irrigation systems are permitted between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. the following day.
Using a garden hose to wash outdoor
surfaces, including sidewalks, driveways, and washing of recreational vehicles, including motor vehicles, boats or trailers, is prohibited. Hand watering, drip irrigation, or vegetable garden watering is permitted.
At Level 4, sprinkling and using a garden hose are prohibited.
Last week, Lil’wat Nation introduced water restrictions of its own to “protect water infrastructure” and to “ensure there is adequate water storage available for firefighting.”
For more information on the VOP’s water restrictions, head to pemberton.ca.
VOLUNTEERS TACKLE FIRE AT GUN LAKE
A fire at Gun Lake north of Pemberton was quickly extinguished last week thanks to the quick thinking of local volunteers and the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
Members of Gun Lake Fire (GLF) were on the lake when they spotted the blaze on Friday, July 12. They raised the alarm at 9:55 a.m. and an immediate broadcast was made to muster at the fire hall. Thirteen brave active members of the volunteer fire brigade responded. GLF reported the fire to the BCWS and requested an initial attack crew.
GLF raced to the scene with one of its fire trailers. They set up a bucket line until a pump and hose was in place to fight the fire.
Thankfully, BCWS was on patrol close to Gun Lake and arrived on scene by 10:30 a.m.
GLF headed back to the fire hall at 11 a.m. while BCWS ensured no hot spots remained. GLF thanked all of their hard-working firefighters in a Facebook post for making sure the fire didn’t spiral out of control.
“The fast response by GLF firefighters and the BCWS IA crew had an enormous impact on the prompt resolution of this fire!!” they wrote. “Thanks to all that kicked it so hard this morning!!”
Last summer, residents of Gun Lake watched their homes burn in real time on social media. Lightning is believed to have sparked the Downtown Lake fire on July 11, 2023. The fire burned out of control for weeks before a cold front caused flames to intensify resulting in a rare “fire tornado.” n
ON THE SCENE Emergency services at the scene of a house fire on Prospect Street in Pemberton on July 14.
PHOTO BY CHERYL IBBOTSON
TomThomson +FairmontC hateau Whistler
TomThomson (1877–1917), Northern Lights (detail),1916 or 1917, oilonwood, 21.5× 26.7cm, National Gallery of Canada,Ottawa,Bequest of
Toronto, 1944, Photo: NGC.
Pour one out for The Escape Route
ONE OF the unfortunate recurring events in Whistler is local businesses shutting down. Back in April, staff from Whistler Bike Co. took down their iconic Rasta-coloured sign from outside the shopfront in Marketplace, ending a 30-year stretch as one of Whistler’s favourite bike shops. I’m not privy to the exact circumstances of why the management and
BY VINCE SHULEY
owners of Bike Co. pulled the plug on their Whistler storefront, but I hope their Pemberton location carries on serving the local community of mountain bikers in Spud Valley.
A couple weeks ago, another staple local business in Marketplace shuttered: The Escape Route. I’ve chosen to write its obituary because I have a connection to that little backcountry store. I worked on its shop floor for the better part of five years, made friends I still catch up with (and sometimes ski with) and learned so much about the gear that lets us go on our adventures. I’ll preface the rest of this column by saying I’m not reporting on The Escape Route’s closure or speculating
about what’s going on behind the scenes. What I do know after walking through Marketplace last weekend is the Whistler location has been emptied of all inventory, but the website is still live and seems to be functioning for ecommerce transactions.
The Escape Route was the first outdoor specialist store in Whistler, opening its doors in February 1990 on the Village Stroll in what is now the Crystal Lodge.
“It was a good opportunity to stimulate the local mountain community and get people equipped,” said Jayson Faulkner, one of The Escape Route’s original owners, in an interview with Pique in 2011. “All the money we’d saved had to go towards the lease, so our inventory was pretty low. In that first year,
spawned such organizations as the Whistler Alpine Guides Bureau and the Whistler section of the Alpine Club of Canada. Ski mountaineers such as Eric Pehota, Trevor Petersen and Johnny “Foon” Chilton all bought equipment from the store before setting out on expeditions in the early ’90s.
My time with The Escape Route began in 2009. The store had expanded into the neighbouring space and now sported one of the biggest selections of Arc’teryx and Icebreaker products in North America. The Whistler Alpine Guides Bureau had also outgrown its desk at the back of the store and had moved to its own location. Ski touring was just starting to enter the mainstream, and The Escape Route was one of the only
Not all great things last forever, especially in the tough world of brick-and-mortar retail and especially in Whistler’s cut-throat environment of commercial real-estate rents.
whenever we sold something we’d be left with a blank spot on the wall.”
In 1993, Faulkner and his business partner at the time, Tom Duguid, made the decision to move the store to the Marketplace Lodge. This was the heyday of The Escape Route, where it became a hub for outdoor enthusiasts and
stores to carry this specialty gear. The ski tech in the back, Alex Wigley, a member of the Canadian Ski Mountaineering Team, took me on my first dash around the Spearhead Traverse in a day and my first foray into the Duffey. He went on to become an ACMG ski guide in Squamish and we still catch up every
few months.
The knowledge I gained from spending all this time in the store helped fuel my backcountry aspirations, not only as a skier but my current occupation as a writer. Faulkner and James Retty (his business partner at the time) came from careers in everything from technical apparel to tourism marketing. Both these men were sources for many of my news stories and feature articles over the years, including the events The Escape Route would host, such as Banff Mountain Film Festival screenings, the Rubble Creek Classic trail running race, and countless fundraisers for building sanctioned backcountry huts.
“So many of our staff over the years used Escape Route as a launch pad for their careers, whether it was moving into guiding or taking jobs working for the brands that we carry,” said Faulkner, shortly after he sold his share in The Escape Route in 2011. “Seeing our staff move on to bigger and better things has been a point of pride for us.”
Not all great things last forever, especially in the tough world of brick-and-mortar retail and especially in Whistler’s cut-throat environment of commercial real-estate rents. But The Escape Route endured for 30 years, bringing gear and good times to the backcountry folk of the Sea to Sky. And I’m proud to have served alongside it.
Vince Shuley, like everyone else, needs to do more to support local businesses. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider, email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_ vince. n
NO ESCAPE The Escape Route closed recently after more than 30 years of serving Sea to Sky backcountry travellers.
PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY
ENJOY CRANKWORX
A LITTLE BUD
NEW WAYS TO RIDE
By David Song
Crankworx Whistler 2024 unveils women’s slopestyle, returns the Garbanzo DH and revamps Kidsworx with two new events
CRANKWORX WHISTLER IS ABOUT TO GET BIGGER, BADDER AND BETTER.
This year’s festival, running July 19 to 28, is set to deliver the high-octane speed, nerve-racking precision and authentic mountain bike culture its fans know and love… but this time around, it’s also breaking barriers and resurrecting some past favourites.
Women’s slopestyle ushers in a long-awaited paradigm change, making Red Bull Joyride an equal-opportunity extravaganza. A heralded test of mettle, the Garbanzo DH, will return after a five-year absence. The kids will certainly be alright with two exciting new options in their Kidsworx lineup: dual slalom and pump track.
Labouring tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all happen is a dedicated trail crew who want nothing more than to ride the same paths they curate each and every day—at Crankworx and beyond.
There’s plenty to go over, so let’s dive right in, shall we?
JOYRIDE IS FOR THE GIRLS
Some athletes, like Robin Goomes of New Zealand, become rather tight-lipped when you ask them about their views on ladies’ slopestyle. They’re evidently weary of the gendered narrative and would prefer people shift their focus: viewing female riders as riders first and women second.
That perspective has merit. In an ideal world, perhaps women’s slopestyle wouldn’t be a newsworthy development. On such a planet, aspiring competitors would have always enjoyed equitable pathways into any sport they chose—as long as they possessed the ability and drive to thrive.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case in our world.
Crankworx is doing its part to foster positive change in mountain biking. Prize money between genders has been equal for nearly a decade, and the number of women’s events has increased with Jump Jam in 2018 and Speed & Style in 2019. Yet the big-ticket item is slopestyle, and integration on that front has proven tricky due to a historical shortage of competitive opportunities.
As a result, many view this season as a landmark deserving of some spotlight. That group includes Australia’s Caroline Buchanan, who earned bronze at the inaugural
women’s slopestyle competition on March 24 in Rotorua.
“It was so emotional for me because I would have never imagined that, at 33 years old and after my successful career, I would have diversified to slopestyle and be a part of ‘herstory,’” says the two-time Queen of Crankworx. “I was definitely nervous and excited on competition day and so proud of all the girls laying down top-to-bottom runs.”
Goomes and Harriet Burbidge-Smith grabbed gold and silver, respectively, in Rotorua. The lone Canadian in that field was Natasha Miller, who scored less than a point behind Buchanan to end up fourth.
“It was a super sick experience,” recalls Miller, a 17-year-old from Coquitlam. “I wasn’t super ready with my riding, but I still went because I got invited and why not? The course was so much fun and everyone was supportive.
“For young girls, being able to see women riding slopestyle … is really helpful. When I was growing up, there weren’t many [female mountain bikers] to look up to—maybe Casey Brown—but now I feel like there’s a lot more women out there.”
On July 27, Goomes and company are set to vie for the honour of first female Joyride champ in history. It’s only fitting they challenge the exact same venue as the men.
“While chatting with Paddy Kaye, the owner of the company behind the construction of the Crankworx Whistler Red Bull Joyride course, we learned that they are tackling this iconic course build with the same devotion to progression they give to all their courses,” reveals Pierre Ringuette, Whistler Blackcomb’s senior manager of snow surfaces, grooming and trail maintenance.
“The choice to maintain their usual construction parameters was made after hearing feedback from different stakeholders and athletes involved in the competition. This summer’s event promises to deliver an even more thrilling experience for both competitors and fans.”
ENTER GARBANZO
Georgia Astle and Mitch Ropelato were the last two people to win a running of the infamous Garbanzo DH. They pulled it off back in 2019, with Astle also prevailing the year before.
Time will tell if they return to defend their crowns, but a lot can change in half a decade. One thing that won’t change
is this: Garbanzo is not for the faint of heart.
High-calibre male downhillers can complete a race in four minutes, give or take. The Garbanzo DH is a veritable marathon in contrast, with finishing times in the 13-minute range or longer. At no point does any rider get a break: they’re locked in for seven punishing kilometres and 3,400 feet of stomachchurning descent, buffeted the whole way by unsympathetic twists and turns.
How does one survive such a gruelling ordeal, let alone conquer it? Physical endurance isn’t the only key ingredient, for patience and mental poise are also vital.
“Getting the email that said Garbanzo DH was coming back definitely put a smile on my face at the coffee table,” remarks first-year elite rider Tegan Cruz. “It tests the body with a long, physical, rough track. Garbanzo is definitely a special race, a beast of a race, and it [pushes] all of us: from top riders in the sport to everyone else out there.”
The 18-year-old Pembertonian pauses for a moment, then adds with a wry grin: “I hope I’m ready for it.”
Unlike its much newer counterpart, the 1199 track, Garbanzo winds a well-established line through the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. It has been tweaked, reworked or overhauled entirely through the years, and will be touched up in the lead-up to Crankworx, though trail crews will likely focus the bulk of their prep on other tracks in greater need of attention.
The Garbanzo DH returns on July 23, and it’s a sight most riding enthusiasts won’t want to miss.
TOP - Robin Goomes (left) and Harriet Burbidge-Smith at the 2023 Crankworx Whistler Speed & Style event.
Photo by Clint Trahan BOTTOM - Two youngsters cross the finish line at the 2023 Whistler Kidsworx Enduro. Photo by Jake Paddon
‘ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES’
Kidsworx already boasts an embarrassment of riches when it comes to programming, and it’s about to get even richer.
For the first time, athletes aged 12 and under will get to face their very own dual slalom contest, experiencing the same pulse-pounding head-to-head action as international standouts like Tuhoto-Ariki Pene, Bas van Steenbergen, Martha Gill and Harriet Burbidge-Smith.
“[Kids’ dual slalom] has been requested for years, and they do it at other stops on tour,” says Kidsworx supervisor Carly Fox. “We held a clinic on the pro dual slalom track last year and it was spicy, but the plan now is to actually build a Kidsworx dual slalom course.”
Furthermore, the youth pump track challenge will return after logistical and scheduling issues forced it out of the rotation at Crankworx Whistler 2023. Youngsters have raced on the same track as adults before, but will receive their own purpose-built venue this time around.
“Pump track is back, thank goodness,” Fox says. “The full head-to-head timed pro gates and all the bells and whistles.”
Children’s pump track is scheduled for July 27, a few hours before Joyride kicks off, while dual slalom follows a day later. Professionally-led instructional clinics will still be offered in both disciplines on July 23 and 24 for kids who are not inclined to race.
The B-Line DH, Air DH Invitational and Kidsworx Enduro are also back, rounding out what promises to be another topflight experience for the next generation of bikers.
“Kidsworx was a huge part of my career,” says Cruz. “Having that opportunity for younger riders—including my little brother Levi—who look up to a bunch of us Canadian racers is pretty amazing, for sure.”
HOW IT HAPPENS
A platoon of approximately 30 crew members, including machine operators and hand-tool specialists, is integral to the smooth unfolding of Crankworx and the entire Sea to Sky mountain bike season.
During spring months, the team evaluates how Whistler’s trail network held up in the face of winter’s punishment. Frigid springs leave behind obstinate snowpacks at higher elevations that must be expediently cleared, while heavy rainfall at the wrong time can soften dirt and cause it to deteriorate under tire traffic more quickly.
West Coast mountain weather and climate trends keep everyone on their toes.
“When we have wetter summers, we’ve learned over the years to be good at thinking ahead about things like drainage issues that may arise.” Ringuette explains. “Ditching, culverts and catch basins are essential for lots of water and to prevent erosion.
“Drier summers present other challenges, like forest fire risk [and the fact that] dry dirt does not compact well. To address this, we installed irrigation with access to some of our snowmaking hydrants. This lets us keep some of our most popular trails damp through the hottest summers.”
Trail crews work a four-day, 10-hour schedule. Shifts begin bright and early at 7 a.m. with a safety briefing as crew leaders liaise with the patrol team to ensure relevant course closures have been communicated to the public via adequate signage and the bike park website.
The gang does its best to implement quick fixes and minor maintenance before guests arrive, saving most of their legwork for new trails or isolated zones. When issues that require more substantial attention arise, Ringuette asks visitors to heed the resulting closures—especially during Crankworx when all sorts of races need to be accommodated.
It’s no easy feat, keeping the Whistler Mountain Bike Park operational for months on end, but it can be a fulfilling job for the right kind of person.
“I think the quality of the trail crew’s work is directly related to what their own expectations are,” says Ringuette. “When we onboard new members, a requirement is that they have a strong passion for riding bikes. When you have a crew that loves to ride, you get trails that everyone loves.
“It is really awesome to see the stoke on our social media accounts for our trails and our crew, and how much appreciation they get when the park is running well.”
For more on this year’s festival, pick up the Official Event Guide at the Whistler Visitor Centre or other locations around the resort. Learn more about Crankworx Whistler 2024 at crankworx.com/whistler and event-related bike park developments at whistlerblackcomb.com/explore-the-resort/ activities-and-events/whistler-mountain-bike-park/whistlermountain-bike-park.aspx. n
TOP - Chris Beaton on course at the 2023 Canadian Open DH in Whistler.
Photo by Jake Paddon BOTTOM - Riders assembled at the 2023 Crankworx Whistler Whip-off.
Photo by Alexa Christensen
‘We’re
all fortunate to be able to play here’
JACKSON GOLDSTONE, ANDREW SHANDRO, GEORGIA ASTLE AND CHAD HENDREN REFLECT ON 25 YEARS OF THE WHISTLER MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK
BY DAVID SONG
FOR OLDER LOCALS reading this story, it might be hard to believe the Whistler Mountain Bike Park (WMBP) has been around for 25 years already. For youngsters, it’s hard to imagine life without such a thing.
It’s likewise difficult to encapsulate a quarter-century of loam trails, gnarly tricks, breakneck speed and generational progression through storytelling, but the WMBP is doing its best with a new 25th anniversary speaker series. The first of these events went down on July 10 with four rock stars of the sport taking centre stage.
Jackson Goldstone is firmly entrenched as one of Canada’s favourite riders after a 2023 campaign that saw him seize two World Cup downhill victories and a runner-up spot in the overall ranking.
Georgia Astle is something of a local legend: a two-time Garbanzo DH winner and all-around Crankworx veteran now transitioning into freeride.
Chad Hendren owns Gravity MTB and works as head coach for the national downhill team. He also prevailed in the WMBP’s very first DH race on Sept. 4, 2001.
Andrew Shandro boasts World Cup wins, Canadian titles and an X Games gold medal on his resume, plus his role as Trek Factory Racing’s downhill team manager and owner
of Summer Gravity Camps (SGC).
People flocked to the Garibaldi Lift Company (GLC) to hear the panel share its thoughts, moderated by longtime Crankworx host Derek Foose.
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME
During its early years, the WMBP attracted a fraction of the number of guests it does now.
Trails were relatively rough and limited in number. Equipment of the ‘90s and early 2000s was primitive compared to what manufacturers like Trek, Specialized and Commencal are making now: handlebars were narrow, build geometry was wildly different and helmets were, according to Hendren, “terrible.”
These factors did not stop a generation of pioneers from taking to the slopes with vigour, carrying their vehicles on their laps before the advent of bike racks on chairlifts. It’s no surprise they did, for Whistler is an example of the old adage: “if you build it, they will come.”
The diehards of Hendren and Shandro’s heyday blazed a route for others to follow as new zones like Garbanzo in 2004 and Creekside in 2015 expanded the local menu into a smorgasbord of riding options. Tourism Whistler statistics count roughly three million visitors to the resort each year, with 55 per cent of them showing up to enjoy summer activities like biking.
“There’s a vision of the bike park and people behind it that made the park happen,” Shandro pointed out. “The access to coaching and training, and the passion that is in this valley, is bar none. It’s a special place. We all
know that, and we’re all fortunate to be able to play here.”
The WMBP’s literal growth in size is mirrored by the emergence of different pathways into racing.
Goldstone has what you might call a conventional success story. He’s a homegrown boy who rode his first bike at three years old and just kept going until he became an elite downhiller. The Squamolian can’t pinpoint an exact moment he chose to be a pro—his trajectory has simply reflected his love for mountain biking.
On another end of the spectrum is Astle, the daughter of two ski bums who grew up snowboarding and playing hockey. She didn’t even realize she lived next to a top-flight bike park as a girl, and didn’t truly find it until high school. Astle proceeded to make up for lost time, “skipping every single stop sign” en route to her first downhill World Cup (in her second year of racing).
‘THE GREATEST EVER’
Go to the Bike Park on any given day of the season and you’ll find a melting pot of patrons from all walks of life. Some kids are already excellent riders at nine or 10 years of age, while others keep it rolling well into their 60s. There are internationals from all kinds of countries and far more women than years before.
None of it would have happened without a sustained full-court press from the biking community in terms of mentorship. Indeed, coaching future generations of talent can be just as gratifying as lapping A-Line on a bluebird day—perhaps even more so.
“I never thought I’d be doing this as a career. It just happened,” said Hendren. “As a coach. I’m here to help people. I’m here to help everybody who rides a bike, no matter where you are.
“I look at Miranda Miller. I used to ride with her all the time and we used to do Cycling BC DH camps. Seeing her come away with [medals] hits me pretty deep. Things like that are the greatest ever … and knowing that you’ve been a small part of [another person’s success] is huge.”
At age 17, Astle became a pilot project of sorts for Ride Like a Girl: a non-profit organization that helps young female bikers find professionals, skill clinics and community events designed to level up their confidence. She has since returned to the program to mentor fellow Whistlerite Mhairi Smart and hopes to do more when her competitive schedule allows.
“It started off as just a summer job,” Astle said. “I was coaching because that was what I wanted to do. Ultimately … you love riding that much, you get to show people how much you love it and teach them to love it too. It’s like the whole package.”
Crankworx Whistler kicks off July 19 and promises to be another iconic chapter in the history of a park that revolutionized mountain biking: from athletes to brands to other venues around the globe. In all likelihood, the story has just begun.
Goldstone certainly feels that way.
“A quarter of a century is a big milestone, especially for such an amazing place like Whistler,” he said. “It’s definitely going to make it to that century mark. I don’t see this place stopping anytime soon.” n
WHEEL TALK Left to right: Andrew Shandro, Jackson Goldstone, Chad Hendren and Georgia Astle at the GLC on July 10.
PHOTO BY DAVID SONG
‘A change of pace’
TEGAN CRUZ FINDING HIS GROOVE IN INAUGURAL ELITE DOWNHILL SEASON
BY DAVID SONG
AFTER MORE THAN a decade of tearing up Sea to Sky trails and distinguishing himself at various junior races around the globe, Tegan Cruz has made it to the big show.
The 18-year-old is in the midst of his inaugural season as an elite-level rider. He’s had some growing pains: after a respectable 15th place finish at the Crankworx Rotorua Downhill (DH), he’s failed to crack the top 35 at his first five UCI World Cup events.
However, Tegan is taking it all in stride.
“It’s definitely been a huge jump, moving from junior to elite, and it’s been a change of pace,” he said. “I think it’s pretty amazing to come from being a junior rider, looking up to Finn Iles and Loic Bruni and all those top guys in the sport, to now lining up in the same category as them. I look forward to one day giving them a fight, for sure.”
Tegan considers himself fortunate, being raised in Pemberton with two siblings who are as active as he is: older brother Lucas and younger Levi. They tackled many sports together as kids, from basketball to alpine skiing. Tegan’s first competitive riding experiences came by way of BMX, and at 13 years old he decided to pursue mountain biking for a career.
Like many young guns who hail from the Sea to Sky, Kidsworx played a huge role in Tegan’s development. At one point, he viewed it as simply a fun, weeklong excursion with friends, but quickly came to admire all the pro riders passing through. He wanted to be like Iles and Bruni, and as his dreams grew, so did his skill and focus.
‘THE
BEST YOU CAN’
In his final junior campaign last year, Tegan grabbed two Crankworx downhill silver medals at Innsbruck and Whistler. During the latter event, he finished roughly six seconds behind U19 Canadian Open DH champ Dane Jewett of Squamish, who managed the fastest time of anyone in any division that day.
“It’s pretty amazing to race at home,
having the grandparents, aunties, uncles and the whole family around to watch,” said Tegan. “I still haven’t claimed that gold medal in the Canadian Open yet, and now I’m moving into the elite so it just got that much harder.
“Still, you can’t help but want to do the best you can in front of your family and have a Canadian Open win under your belt, especially now with the new 1199 Stevie Smith Memorial track.”
Although Tegan is too young to have ever ridden with Smith, who died tragically in a 2016 motorcycle accident, he is one of many who look up to the Vancouver Islander’s legacy. On the other hand, Smith would likely be proud of how Canadian professional mountain biking has grown in the last decade or so.
There are plenty of top-flight Canucks in the saddle nowadays.
Whistler and Squamish have produced talents like Iles and Jackson Goldstone, who consistently push the world’s best when healthy. Lucas Cruz is a legitimate threat in his own right (though he’s currently recuperating from a major surgery). On the enduro side, Jesse Melamed has a World Championship title from 2022 under his belt and Rhys Verner won his first World Cup last June.
“It’s amazing to be on the World Cup circuit and have so many riders from the Sea to Sky here,” Tegan remarked. “It feels like the French have dominated for so long, and now with Finn and Jackson—and hopefully some of us moving up into elite throughout the [next few] years—we can start to rival France and get Canada up top.”
Tegan still loves to dabble in various disciplines, like pump track, dual slalom and Air DH, when he can. Straight-up downhill is his modus operandi, however, with its 80 kilometre/hour top speeds and demanding technical requirements. In Tegan’s mind, there’s no better source of gratification than throwing down an excellent run at a World Cup race to the delight of tens of thousands.
He’ll get another kick at the can soon enough, when Crankworx Whistler returns from July 19 to 28. Look for the ascending Pembertonian to make noise at both his beloved Canadian Open and the returning Garbanzo DH. n
RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER COMMUNITY CHARTER NOTICE ON PROCEDURE BYLAW
In accordance with sections 94 and 124(3) of the Community Charter, the following serves as Public Notice that the Resort Municipality of Whistler is proposing to amend “Council Procedure Bylaw No 2207, 2018” with the “Council Procedure Amendment Bylaw (Presentations, Delegations, COTW and Code of Conduct) No. 2418, 2024” (Proposed Bylaw).
Council considered the first, second and third readings of the Proposed Bylaw at the Regular Council meeting of July 9, 2024. The Proposed Bylaw was par t of the June 25, 2024 Regular Council package A copy of the Proposed Bylaw can be found at www.whistler.ca.
The proposed amendments include:
• Redefining “Council Chambers”;
• Adding Section 2.9: Public Hearings, which establishes new rules about the date, time and format of public hearings;
• Renaming the “Public Question and Answer Period” to “Public Question and Comment Period”;
• Adding rules that clarify the content of minutes;
• Changing the requirements for correspondence to Mayor and Council;
• Adding the option to hold Committee of the Whole (COT W) meetings electronically;
• Removing the limitation on who may present at COTW meetings; and
• Adding a rule regarding “Code of Conduct Bylaw No 2397, 2023” to section 4.17 Pauline Lysaght Corporate Officer
Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca
CRUZ CONTROL Eventual U19 silver medallist Tegan Cruz carves down the 1199 track at the 2023 Canadian Open DH. PHOTO BY CLINT TRAHAN
While they’re sleepless in Seattle, we’re peachless in
B.C.
EXTREMES
IN WEATHER MEAN HUGE LOSS—AND CHANGES—FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL LOCAL FRUIT
THEY WERE DECENT enough looking peaches at a local farm stand. Good heft in the palm of your hand, so they must be nice and juicy. And a rich russet-orange colour, so they had to be ripe.
BY GLENDA
Right now is too early in the season to buy good local peaches any year, but the tiny handwritten sign saying they were from Georgia prodded us to conduct an experiment and try one. Given the radical weather Okanagan fruit growers faced this winter, we knew we wouldn’t be seeing any delicious peaches from there any time soon. Besides, we assumed they were some of those “sweet Georgia peaches” you hear about in literature and pop culture.
Silly us.
If you don’t remember our disastrous weather last winter, here’s a refresher—my February “Confusion reigns” column in Pique. In the Okanagan Valley, and across southwestern B.C., climate change delivered an unusually warm start to winter, followed by a nasty January cold snap when the polar
vortex zoomed out of the Arctic all the way south to Texas.
Temperatures plummeted from well above freezing to -30 C in mere days in the Okanagan. Orchardists there who grow our favourite stone fruits—cherries, apricots, peaches, plums and nectarines—saw 90 per cent, or more, of their crops destroyed.
Apple trees are hardier and we might even see bigger fruits this year because of the deep freeze. But normally plants can’t adjust to such extreme temperature changes in such a short period of time. Plant cells simply up and die.
Then this year B.C.’s snowpack was 30 to 40 per cent below normal across the province, with the Interior seeing what snow there was melting way sooner than normal due to a much warmerthan-usual early May after a cooler-than-usual early spring. The result? Drought conditions and more tough times for farmers everywhere.
Yes, it’s complicated, with temperatures and rain and snowfall levels zig-zagging up and down like a yo-yo. It’s also why wine expert Anthony Gismondi was seeing “brown” on his visit to the Okanagan a month and a half ago. In some cases, there were even sawn-off grapevine trunks sticking out of the ground.
Gismondi, who shared this space in Pique with me for years, noted in his Vancouver Sun column that the problems aren’t confined to tree fruits or the Okanagan. The talented grape growers there and in the Similkameen Valley who supply us with all those fabulous B.C. wines are contending with a kill rate in the area of 90 per cent or more in their vineyards.
Who knows where they’re going to finally land with their crops? According to Gismondi, dotted around those sawn-off trunks, some
SUPPLY
vine root systems are pushing up new shoots, which is hopeful. Plus vintners are looking at importing grapes or, maybe, going back to planting cherries and apples, which that land supported long before anyone even dreamt of growing grapes this far north. (My ancient rellies were orchardists in the Okanagan literally 100 years ago, so we’ve seen it all over the years.)
As for our precious B.C. stone fruits, with those crop losses in the 90-per-cent range and some orchards suffering catastrophic damage, they’re looking at mighty tough decisions, too.
Do you rip the old trees out—trees maybe your family has grown for decades? Do you plant new crops? And if so, what? Some are already moving into things like corn or grapes, but then what? With we humans warming the climate like nobody’s business, ahem, are we going to see banana or tobacco plantations one day?
Who knows? But for now, let’s get back to those so-called “sweet” Georgia peaches. Suffice to say, I sure am glad we bought only one.
I don’t know what I was thinking, or I guess I wasn’t, because I didn’t grab a photo of our little experiment once we sliced it open, so I’ll just say it was beyond words. And not in a good way.
The inside was so dark and funky it smelled. The stone even split open revealing the bittertasting seed inside that looks like an almond but isn’t. (I ate one as a kid thinking it was an almond. Never did that again.)
It was juicy. I’ll give it that, but the flavour? Meh. Nothing peachy about that sour peach. But what can you expect? It was grown 3,000 miles, or a 43-hour drive away.
I know, I know—a lot of fresh fruit comes from much further afield than that, but I was considering all this after reading an article in the Kelowna Capital News last summer about growers in California and Washington dumping (old) cherries below the cost of production in our B.C. markets after their prime cherry seasons ended.
The BC Tree Fruit Growers Association was all over it, asking the Canada Border Services Agency to monitor the situation. But I wonder what’s up this year, with the few B.C. cherry growers who are still trying to squeeze some income from the maybe 10 per cent of their harvestable crop. It’s all a good reminder to we, the mighty consumers, to stick to our local guns anytime.
Do your best to wait until B.C. crops are ripe, and watch for B.C. tree fruit branding. At the very least, buy fresh produce from as close to home as possible. In the case of cherries, here’s the best tip they’re fresh and tasty: Their stems will be green, not shrivelled and brown like they are on old cherries. Given our peach experiment, I haven’t any similar tips for buying fresh apricots or peaches, other than read your signs and labels and choose wisely (remember that 100-mile diet?).
As for those Georgia peaches so far from home and way past their best-before date, I can’t help but wonder, were they dumped, too? Our little experiment of buying one proved useful. A disappointing eye-opener—but the perfect reminder of why we treasure our local B.C. fruit and the people who grow it.
Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist who loved picking cherries in her great-aunts’ and -uncles’ orchards near Kelowna. n
PEACHING TO THE CHOIR Seen any good peaches in B.C. lately?
PHOTO BY FAMVELD / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
BARTOSH
MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM • SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH
I
‘A little bit of everything’
FLAG
STOP THEATRE AND ARTS FESTIVAL RETURNS AUG. 7 TO 10 FOR A 13 TH TIME
BY D AVID SONG
THE 13 TH ANNUAL Flag Stop Theatre and Arts Festival promises to offer more of the quality programming Whistlerites know and love.
Two new plays will premiere on the Alta Lake stage: “Aye Aye A.I.” written by Point ArtistRun Centre (PARC) artistic director Stephen Vogler, and Alan Forsythe’s latest brainchild “Crypto Caper.” Various bands will be rocking and rolling to liven up the summer as well: like Introduce Wolves, Balkan Shmalkan, Pointed Sticks and the Spiritual Warriors.
Onetime Pique features editor Brandon Barrett returns to help provide the standup comedy element alongside Sarah Carson Ford, and Cecilia O’Day will preview her new Vancouver Fringe Festival monologue.
“Flag Stop has a little bit of everything,” says Barrett, who has been involved in 12 editions of the festival. “You’ve got comedy, you’ve got live music, you’ve got sweaty dancing in an old heritage cabin at all hours of the night … lakeside campfires, sing-alongs, and all the things that make Whistler in summertime so great.”
A GOOD MIX
The centrepiece of any Flag Stop Festival is often live drama, and this year is no exception. Artificial intelligence (A.I.) looms over the
creative world like a cloud, with public opinion divided regarding its probable effects on the industry. While some are optimistic about its utility as a time-saving tool, others are worried about how it might take opportunities and livelihoods away from human beings. Vogler pondered the idea for a number of months before turning it into a play.
“A.I. is in the news, one way or another,
“Crypto Caper”: a whimsical tale of two ladies who own a struggling countryside inn. As pressure mounts, they are visited by a shady couple who end up dragging them into a messy situation involving cryptocurrency theft.
This production brings in some talent from outside the Sea to Sky, with Nolan and her cast all residing in Vancouver or Gibsons, B.C.
“I’ve had the pleasure of creating Alan’s
“We have amazing actors this year, so I’m really excited.”
- ANGIE NOLAN
almost every day right now,” he notes. “I wanted to explore how a theatre collective might try to create a play using it. There’s a play within a play that is made by the characters with the help of A.I.
“I had a lot of fun and was actually using ChatGPT to write certain passages that were admittedly terrible at times … and then leveraging that aspect in a humorous way to comment on [the potential future of A.I.].”
Kathy Daniels will helm “Aye Aye A.I.” in tandem with her fellow Squamolian, Carla Fuhre. Both are accomplished directors with Between Shifts Theatre and have played a key role in adapting Vogler’s nuanced, layered narrative. The PARC’s head man finds it fascinating to watch them work, developing on-stage blocking and the actors’ emotions.
Meanwhile, Angie Nolan is set to direct
work on stage before, so I know that he has a certain rhythm. His characters are always quite quirky, interesting and outside the box,” says Nolan. “We have amazing actors this year, so I’m really excited.”
An ideal fit, then, for the PARC’s floating stage: a venue that compels cast members to get out of their own heads. Sometimes they deal with wind gusts, sometimes a dash of rain, and always the possibility of losing spatial awareness and falling into the lake. In Nolan’s opinion, acting on water is beautiful and visceral, and it’s one of many things that distinguish Flag Stop on the annual arts calendar.
“It’s such a unique and rare experience for audiences too,” she adds. “We had some [first-time visitors] last year and they said: ‘I’m coming back every year.’ It’s a really special little festival.”
‘TRUE WHISTLER SPIRIT’
Flag Stop remains, first and foremost, a community-driven endeavour.
Athleticism and adventure may form the foundation upon which Sea to Sky towns are built, but the region’s heart beats in step with its diverse and eclectic creative talents. Performing arts in Whistler can be said to have their own flavour: a love of silly, escapist humour and entertainment mixed with a capacity to get serious when the occasion calls for poignance.
Barrett once tried to cater to what he felt was the local audience’s tastes: namely an emphasis on explicit humour related to drugs and sexuality. That isn’t his style, though, and over time he realized that Whistlerites want their artists to be genuine—not pander for the sake of pandering.
They also want to give their artists a chance.
“Flag Stop offers a pretty accessible way for people to try out theatre if they’ve never done it before,” says Barrett. “I’ve seen young actors flourish doing their first play. I’ve seen people in their 50s and 60s who have never [acted] before. The festival’s crowds are really special. They want to laugh, they want you to succeed as a performer, and they’re very generous with their support and applause.
“For me, Flag Stop is the closest event to capturing that true Whistler spirit. Even though it’s grown over the years, it’s still very DIY, very grassroots, very focused on what makes Whistler laugh and cry. It’s just a beautiful event that I’m amazed more people don’t know about.”
More information is available at thepointartists.com. n
STOP, DROP AND ROLL The Flag Stop Festival returns for a 13th year from Aug. 7 to 10.
PHOTO BY KELLY COSGROVE
Sheri Marie Ptolemy joins Archie Peters and Austin Ross at the Point
THE THREE LOCAL MUSICIANS WILL PLAY ON JULY 21
BY DAVID SONG
A RELATIVE NEWCOMER s slated to join two veterans of the Sea to Sky music scene at the next instalment of the Point Artist-Run Centre (PARC) Sunday Concert Series.
Sheri Marie Ptolemy will make her PARC debut on July 21, with Archie Peters and Austin Ross coming back to a stage they’ve graced before.
“I’m looking forward to that night because it showcases three diverse singer-songwriters that are local to the Sea to Sky area,” comments PARC artistic director Stephen Vogler. “It’s a really good variety of musicians that are all talented and quite distinct.”
A FRESH FACE
Ptolemy is a country singer who blends quality piano work with her vocals and the guitar, her main instrument. She recently dropped her second EP, Hometown: a batch of six tracks about life in her beloved Pemberton. Thematically, it runs the gamut from love and grief to resilience and dream-chasing.
“I think everything in life can be inspiring,” says Ptolemy. “I write a lot of my music outdoors. I love writing by nature, which is always inspiring. I like to write about my friends’ lives, my own experience, just everything.”
The Pemberton native began teaching herself music at 12 years of age and completed her first original song two years after that. Knowing she wanted to pursue a career on stage, Ptolemy then convinced her parents to take her to a gig at Nashville’s famed Bluebird Cafe.
Despite its status as an innocent-looking, 90-seat venue, the Bluebird has been graced by musical icons ranging from Taylor Swift and Keith Urban to Faith Hill, Garth Brooks and many more. Ptolemy was 16 when she played there: a nerve-racking experience by her own admission, but one that lit a fire in her creative soul.
Ptolemy ended up graduating from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing to go with her certificate from Berklee College of Music. She has also dabbled in acting and is a gifted filmmaker who produces and edits all of her own music videos.
“I get to bring my visions to life and represent my songs the way that they feel to me,” says Ptolemy. “I get to show the world what my life looks like.”
Vogler appreciates what he’s seen so far.
“I listened to Sheri’s music online and I liked it,” he remarks. “The lyrics were really good and [her university background] showed through in her writing. She’s a fresh face, someone that we haven’t had playing at the Point before.”
A REALLY UNIQUE ENTERTAINER
On June 8, 1967, nearly three decades before Ptolemy was born, Peters received two electric guitars and an amp. The Mount Currie lifer
grew up in a highly musical family, and the only piece of normal furniture in his old living room was an armchair. Drums, microphones, guitars and amps occupied the rest of the space in lieu of sofas and coffee tables.
“[What I enjoy most about musical instruments] is their ability to make anybody from a one-year-old child to a 101-year-old person dance and tap their feet,” Peters says.
Peters is known mainly as a slide blues guitarist and a classic rock aficionado. His creative impulses do not always take place in waking hours, for he tends to dream about people from his past (like an ex-girlfriend). At times, he wakes up to find a set of chords and words imprinted into his mind, ready to be brought to life.
“Archie performed for the first time at the Point for the opening of an Indigenous art show last July, and he’s a really unique entertainer,” comments Vogler. “He delves into blues and folk styles, but brings his own flavour to everything.”
In turn, Peters praised the PARC’s staff for taking care of their artists, maintaining a welcoming environment and being “totally awesome.”
Alas, he hasn’t necessarily had the same experience elsewhere.
“It’s really hard for Indigenous musicians to get noticed in Whistler or Squamish,” Peters says candidly. “I’ve been playing for 57 years, and people look at me like I’ve only been playing for two or three years. They don’t want to listen to me at all, whereas someone I taught to play guitar who’s not Indigenous can go [to a venue] and get invited to jam right away.”
ACCOMPLISHED AND SMOOTH
Ross’ competitive freestyle skiing days are behind him, but the Pembertonian has since built his brand as a fashion model, digital content creator and backcountry ace. His social media channels feature gorgeous images of lakes, mountains and forests interspersed with skiing and paragliding action shots… and the occasional jam night.
Much like Peters, Ross inherited a passion for music from his family. He spent years hauling a guitar around to various ski hotbeds around the world and played his first show in 2018 at the Big Sky Golf Course. The man’s got a solid cover repertoire based on the work of classic Texan singer-songwriters, as well as a drive to expand his own portfolio.
“I don’t play a lot of the typical cover songs that you hear bands play on patios,” Ross said in a 2019 interview with Pique. “I just have a huge desire to play more original music. I go to a lot of concerts and writing is a huge passion.”
Recalls Vogler: “Austin has been at the Point many times for different types of events. He’s really accomplished and smooth. You can count on him every time to play some really nice tunes. Good songwriter, nice guy … I love listening to him, as do the audiences.”
Catch Ptolemy, Peters and Ross on Sunday, July 21 from 3 to 6 p.m. PARC’s Sunday Concert Series events take place rain or shine, with food and drinks available to buy. Tickets and details can be found at thepointartists.com. n
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Public Notice
NOTICE OF THEDISPOSITION OF LANDS
NOTICE is hereby givenunder Section26(3) of the Community Charter,thatthe Village of Pemberton proposestodisposeofcertain land or improvements:
DescriptionofLands or Improvements:
Portions of:
theRemainderofLot 1, DL 4769,Lillooet District,PlanKAP92761;and District Lot 4769, Lillooet District except PlansKAP44479, KAP87467 andKAP 92761; and District Lot 766, LillooetDistrict, comprising 36,018.63 square meters,more or less, shownonplanEPP115201,provided in thesketch.
Persons to Acquirethe Property:Blackcomb Helicopters Ltd.
Nature andTermofthe Proposed Disposition: TenyearLease with options to renewfor twoadditionalterms of tenyears each fora maximumtermofthirtyyears.The leaseis intended to facilitatehelicopteroperations,related services,and maintenance. TheLease also includeslicencestopermitBlackcomb Helicopters to sell aviation fuel andmaintain otherparts of theairport.
ConsiderationtobeReceived: In thefirst year,Minimum Rent of $1.37 persquare meter (estimated as $49,392.48 annually,not includingGST). This rate is adjusted annually based on thepreviousyear’sMinimum Rent plus CPI. Thetenantisalsoliablefor AdditionalRent, whichincludesAdditionalSnow RemovalService Costsand AirportFees,asmay be required.
For more information, please contact: GwendolynKennedy,Manager of Corporate& LegislativeServices, at theVillage Office at 604-894-6135 or by emailat corporate@pemberton.ca on or before July 31, 2024.
There’s still time to apply for programs launching at CapU Squamish this fall. All students are guaranteed a spot in student housing!
1 CRANK BANK With the biggest party of the summer, Crankworx Whistler, set to get underway, the course for Red Bull Joyride anxiously awaits its first
warriors. PHOTO BY BRADEN DUPUIS 2 SKY
Whistler’s recent prolonged heat wave has made for some epic sightseeing in the alpine at Whistler Blackcomb.
shore (she said yes).
PHOTO BY BRADEN DUPUIS 4 BURGER BASH Folks celebrated
Seppo’s Bar at the top of Whistler Mountain
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4867CCasabella Crescent 3bedroom 3bathMontebello Fractional, includes NewYears week
‘Someone is going to get killed there’
BY ALLYN PRINGLE
AT A COUNCIL MEETING in July 1984, council member Terry Rodgers stated, “I am very much afraid someone is going to get killed there.” He was referring to the unmarked crosswalk on Highway 99 between the village site and the Whistler Golf Course. The unofficial crosswalk also connected Whistler Village to the Valley Trail system, and was heavily used. With no marked crossing, pedestrians and cyclists crossing the highway were often unexpected by drivers.
Not long before the meeting, Rodgers had noticed long skid marks near the crosswalk left by a large, dual-wheel truck.
Rodgers’ concerns about the safety of the crossing, which had no signs for either motorists or pedestrians, were widely shared.
February 1986, WLC Developments Ltd. called for tenders on the building of an underpass leading off of Whistler Way beneath Highway 99 and an 82-space parking lot near the putting green. The job was expected to cost more than $500,000 and be completed in time for the opening of the golf course on May 1. The parking lot was necessary as the lot where golfers had been parking, which also housed the trailers of the Whistler Medical Centre, was slated to become a hotel, with construction beginning that April. (The Whistler Medical Centre was relocated to the basement of Municipal Hall.)
Construction of the underpass was underway by April. Because the highway had to be temporarily diverted and a road built to run parallel, the construction timeline was pushed back to ensure the diversion was not in place during the 1986 World Cup races in March.
The project was delayed when work stopped in early May after it was found the soil under the underpass footings was too soft to support them.
After a 1983 transportation study called for an underpass, the council of the day sent a letter to the Department of Highways, and WLC Developments Ltd. (the owner of the golf course at the time) promised to discuss the issue at an upcoming board meeting. When asked for the Whistler Question’s “Whistler’s Answers” features if they felt the area was safe, all three respondents said no.
According to Ron Winbow, the district manager for the Department of Highways, crosswalk lines were not an option because Highway 99 was an “arterial road,” and the policy on pedestrian crosswalks across highways was they were reserved for school purposes and were patrolled. Like the earlier transportation study, Winbow suggested the municipality build an underpass.
Despite worries about the safety of the unmarked crossing, it was another two years before an underpass was constructed. In
The project was delayed when work stopped in early May after it was found the soil under the underpass footings was too soft to support them. Though soil testing was carried out, it took place in January when the ground by the road was frozen, and so only the soil by the parking area was tested. Though the parking lot was completed, it could not be accessed until the underpass was complete.
Finally, in September 1986, the underpass connecting Whistler Village to the Valley Trail and the Whistler Golf Course was completed, a few months behind schedule and about $40,000 over budget. With two lanes for vehicles and a raised sidewalk serving as the Valley Trail, the underpass continues to be a much safer approach to both amenities for pedestrians and cyclists (apart from a few incidents with vehicles that proved to be taller than their driver expected). n
WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION, 1986
ASTROLOGY
Free Will Astrology
WEEK OF JULY 19 BY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Have you ever been given a Starbucks gift card but then neglected to use it? Many people fail to cash in such freebies. Believe it or not, there are also folks who buy lottery tickets that turn out to have the winning number—but they never actually claim their rewards. Don’t be like them in the coming weeks, Aries. Be aggressive about cashing in on the offers you receive, even subtle and shy offers. Don’t let invitations and opportunities go to waste. Be alert for good luck, and seize it.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The coming weeks will be a favourable time to enhance your relationship with food. In every way you can imagine, be smart and discerning as you plan and eat your meals. Here are ideas to ponder: 1. Do you know exactly which foods are best for your unique body? 2. Are you sufficiently relaxed and emotionally present when you eat? 3. Could you upgrade your willpower to ensure you joyfully gravitate toward what’s healthiest?
4. Do you have any bad habits you could outgrow? 5. Is your approach to eating affected by problematic emotions that you could heal? 6. Are you willing to try improving things incrementally without insisting on being perfect?
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Hybridization could be a fun theme for you in the coming weeks. You’re likely to align yourself with cosmic rhythms if you explore the joys and challenges of creating amalgamations, medleys, and mash-ups. Your spirit creatures will be the liger, which is a cross between a lion and a tiger, and a mule, a cross between a horse and a donkey. But please note that your spirit creatures will not be impossible hybrids like a giroose (a cross between a giraffe and a moose) or a coyadger (a cross between a coyote and a badger). It’s good to be experimental and audacious in your mixing and matching, but not lunatic delusional.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In 1986, Cancerian singersongwriter George Michael released his song “A Different Corner.” It was a big hit. Never before in British pop music had an artist done what Michael accomplished: wrote, sang, arranged, and produced the tune, and played all the instruments. I foresee the possibility of a similar proficiency in your near future, Cancerian—if you want it. Maybe you would prefer to collaborate with others in your big projects, but if you choose, you could perform minor miracles all by yourself.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the Biblical allegory of Noah and the Ark, God warns Noah about an impending flood and commands him to build a giant lifeboat to save living things from extinction. Noah obeys. When the heavy rains come, he, his family, and many creatures board the boat to weather the storm. After 40 days and nights of inundation, they are all safe but stranded in a newly created sea. Hoping for a sign of where they might seek sanctuary, Noah sends out a dove to reconnoiter for dry land. But it returns with no clues. A week later, Noah dispatches a second dove. It returns with an olive leaf, showing that the earth is drying out and land is nearby. Dear Leo, your adventure isn’t as dire and dramatic as Noah’s, but I’m happy to tell you it’s time for you to do the equivalent of sending two doves out to explore.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): According to an ancient Chinese proverb, “An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox.” I will add a corollary: An ant may be able to accomplish feats an ox can’t. For instance, I have observed an ant carrying a potato chip back to its nest, and I doubt that an ox could tote a potato chip without mangling it. Anyway, Virgo, this is my way of telling you that if you must choose between your inspiration being an ant or an ox in the coming days, choose the ant. Be meticulous, persistent, and industrious rather than big, strong, and rugged.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “If it sounds too good to be true, it always is,” said stage magician Ricky Jay. I only partially agree with him. While I think it’s usually wise to
ROB BREZSNY
use his formula as a fundamental principle, I suspect it won’t entirely apply to you in the coming weeks. At least one thing and possibly as many as three may sound too good to be true—but will in fact be true. So if you’re tempted to be hyper-skeptical, tamp down that attitude a bit. Open yourself to the possibilities of amazing grace and minor miracles.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): What is the largest thing ever sold in human history? It was a 530-million-acre chunk of land in North America. In 1803, the French government sold it to the American government for $15 million. It stretched from what’s now Louisiana to Montana. Here’s the twist to the story: The land peddled by France and acquired by the U.S. actually belonged to the Indigenous people who had lived there for many generations. The two nations pretended they had the right to make the transaction. I bring this to your attention, Scorpio, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to make a big, important purchase or sale— as long as you have the authentic rights to do so. Make sure there are no hidden agendas or strings attached. Be thorough in your vetting.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): An antiques dealer named Laura Young bought a marble bust of a distinguished man at a thrift store in Austin, Texas. Later she discovered it was more than 2,000 years old and worth far more than the $35 she had paid for it. It depicted a Roman military leader named Drusus the Elder. I foresee similar themes unfolding in your life, Sagittarius. Possible variations: 1. You come into possession of something that’s more valuable than it initially appears. 2. You connect with an influence that’s weightier than it initially appears. 3. A lucky accident unfolds, bringing unexpected goodies. 4. A seemingly ordinary thing turns out to be an interesting thing in disguise.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): My childhood friend Jeanine used to say, “The best proof of friendship is when someone gives you half their candy bar. The best proof of fantastic friendship is when they give you even more than half.” And then she would hand me more than half of her Snickers bar, Milky Way, or Butterfinger. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to give away at least half your candy to those you care for in the coming days. It’s a phase of your astrological cycle when you will benefit from offering extra special affection and rewards to the allies who provide you with so much love and support.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you’re a teacher, it’s a favourable time to enjoy a stint as a student—and vice versa. If you’re a health-care worker trained in Western medicine, it’s an excellent phase to explore alternative healing practices. If you’re a scientist, I suggest you read some holy and outrageous poetry, and if you’re a sensitive, introverted mystic, get better informed about messy political issues. In other words, dear Aquarius, open a channel to parts of reality you normally ignore or neglect. Fill in the gaps in your education. Seek out surprise and awakening.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Jane Brunette, a writer I admire, uses the made-up word “plurk” to refer to her favourite activity: a blend of play and work. I have always aspired to make that my core approach, too. I play at my work and work at my play. As much as possible, I have fun while I’m doing the labour-intensive tasks that earn me a living and fulfil my creative urges. And I invoke a disciplined, diligent attitude as I pursue the tasks and projects that bring me pleasure and amusement. I highly recommend you expand and refine your own ability as a plurker in the coming weeks, Pisces. (Jane Brunette is here: flamingseed.com)
Homework: What is hard but not impossible to change about your life? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.
In addition to this column, Rob Brezsny creates
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In-depth weekly forecasts designed to inspire and uplift you. To buy access, phone 1-888-499-4425. Once you’ve chosen the Block of Time you like, call 1-888-682-8777 to hear Rob’s forecasts. www.freewillastrology.com
Notice of Proposed Zoning andParking AmendmentBylaw -NoPublic Hearingto be held
Zoning andParking AmendmentBylaw (RI1 Zone Amendments)No. 2449,2024(the“Proposed Bylaw”)
Purpose: Thepurpose of theProposedBylaw is to amendthe densityregulations fortwo bare land strata planswithinthe RI1zonetoallow foranequal distribution of allowabledensity betweenthe affected strata lots andalsotoclarify setbackrequirementsonthese twostrata plans.
Subject Lands: Thelands that arethe subjectofthe Proposed Bylaware shownonthe map attached to this notice,and arelegally describedasSTRATAPLANVR426 DISTRICT LOT7250 NEWWESTMINSTER DISTRICT GROUP1,and STRATA PLAN VR1338 DISTRICT LOTS 2105, 2106 AND 7297 NEWWESTMINSTER DISTRICT GROUP1
BylawReadings: Considerationofthe first, second andthird readings of theProposed Bylaw will be at theRegular CouncilMeetingonJuly23, 2024.
•Municipal Hall at 4325 Blackcomb Way, Whistler,BC, during regular office hoursof8:00a.m.to 4:30 p.m.,MondaytoFriday (statutory holidaysexcluded)
•Onlineonthe Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) websiteat: whistler.ca/RZ001187
Formoreinformation visit:
Ian McLeod
1951 - 2024
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ian McLeod, 73. On July 11, 2024, after a long and hard battle with cancer, Ian passed peacefully in his sleep in Squamish Hospice surrounded by people he loved. Ian was born in July 8, 1951 to Eileen and Robert McLeod. He moved to Pemberton as a teenager where he made many lasting friendships. In 1983 he married his wife Donna, with whom he had five children, William, Margaret, Geoffrey, George, and Sarah. Ian worked hard to provide for his family, spending many weeks in logging camps or running equipment, eventually starting his own contracting company. After a brief move to Victoria, Ian and Donna returned to the Pemberton area and built their house in Birken from the ground up. Ian milled many of the boards on his own sawmill and created a beautiful home in which all five children grew up and where Donna still resides. The house remains a favorite gathering place for the family.
He will be dearly missed.
His family will be holding a celebration of life for Ian on July 27th, 2024 at 1pm. The service will be held at 3066 Sutherland Road.
There will be food, drinks, and music, to give Ian the send off he deserves. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Squamish Hospice Society.
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Employment
Opportunities
Úllus Community Centre
• Chief Administrative Officer ($160,000 to $180,000 per year)
• General Manager of Community Services ($120,000.00 to $135, 000.00 per year)
• Skel7awlh Steward ($17.40 to $20.90 per hour)
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Coordinator ($46,683.00 to $63,973.00 per year)
• Social Worker ($80,371.20 - $91,673.40 per year)
• Land Use Plan Project Coordinator ($46,683.00 to $63,973.00)
• Cook – Daycare ($17.40 to $20.90 per hour)
• Financial Reporting Manager ($59,878 - $74,564 per year)
• Human Resources Generalist ( $57,330.00 to $64,610.00 per year)
• Receptionist ($17.40 to $20.90 per hour)
• Custodian ($17.40 to $20.90 per hour)
• Housing Administrator ( $46,683.00 to $63,973.00 per year)
• Transition House Support Worker ($20.90 -$29.45 per hour)
• Temporary Assisted Living Supervisor ($25.65 - $35.15 per hour)
Xet’òlacw Community School
• High School Teacher (upper Math) ($60,015.00 to $109,520.00 per year)
• Social Worker/ Counsellor ( $80,371.20 - $91,673.40 per year)
• Elementary School Teacher: Grade 3 ($60,015.00 to $109,520.00 per year)
• High School English and Humanities Teacher ($60,015.00 to $109,520.00 per year)
• Pension Plan • Employee Assistance Program • Gym facility • Extended Health Benefits • Professional Development
Do not move the position or change the typesetting of the headline. The bottom angled keyline should always align with the angled gradient jolt. images mixed matched as needed.
“Carve out path” always with a image
copy is block nudged balance visually in column
FACILITIES
SUPERVISOR, VISITOR SERVICES
Full Time, Year Round
ENGINEER Full Time, Year Round
Love a good challenge? Passionate about the place you call home? Tourism Whistler is looking for community-loving, mountain-appreciating, environment-respecting people to join our team.
The Supervisor, Visitor Services leads the Visitor Centre team with a focus on continuously providing an exceptional visitor experience.
The Facilities Engineer is responsible for the oversight, maintenance, repairs and efficient operations of all main mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and the overall common areas at the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Course and Driving Range.
The Supervisor also works closely with other Tourism Whistler teams, providing valuable guest information and feedback to assist in developing marketing, sales and visitor experience strategies that maximize resources and opportunities to achieve guest satisfaction, room night, and revenue targets.
This role requires an experienced team leader who is results driven and passionate about Whistler.
What we offer: nine-day fortnight schedule, an excellent benefits package, a commitment to health and wellness, and a fun and supportive team environment.
The starting salary range for this role is $53,000 - $55,000 annually.
This position requires an individual who possesses a 4th Class Power Engineering Certificate (or is currently enrolled), complimented with five years of related experience gained in a commercial building or hotel. Experience and knowledge of direct digital controls, energy management systems and green initiatives is also important. Previous leadership experience, with knowledge of applicable buildings codes and health and safety practices is an asset.
TO VIEW OUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISIT US ONLINE AT WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS.
TO VIEW OUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISIT US ONLINE AT: WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
TRUCK DRIVER - Valid Class 1 or Class 3 with air brakes required. Manual transmission. 2 years experience preferred. $32-$40.45 per hour.
HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, Squamish - Minimum 5 years or 5,000 hours operating experience on excavator. Full-time, Monday – Friday. $33-$42 per hour.
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 preferred. Toolbox available for rent. $39.70-$47.90 per hour.
CONSTRUCTION LABOURER – Great opportunity to learn on-the-job. Stamina for physically demanding work and perseverance to brave inclement weather required. Previous experience preferred but not required. Training provided. $25-$32 per hour.
our rapidly growing company and build yourself a sucessful career in construction. We offer opportunities for growth, competitive pay, a comprehensive benefits package, company cell phone plan, and plenty of fun social events. gavanconstruction.ca /careers
Xet’olacw Community School Job Postings:
High School Teacher (upper level Math)
Mount Currie, BC Full-time
Title: High School Teacher
$60015.00-$109520.00/year
Department: Community School
Status: Full Time Regular
Pay Grid: Teachers = $60,015-$109,520
Reporting to: School Admin Team
Summary of Duties:
• The High School teacher will teach courses, which involves instruction in differentiated classes under the supervision of the School Admin Team.
Key Deliverables and Expectations:
• Strong classroom management skills.
• Ability to accommodate the needs of students with a range of learning styles and abilities.
• Ability to use strength-based, student centered approaches to plan engaging and educational lessons and courses.
• Ability to motivate students and to adjust instructional strategies accordingly.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and collaborative skills including the ability to communicate effectively with students, staff, and parents.
• Strong assessment practices.
• Ability to use technology to enhance student learning.
• Ability to embed local First Nations culture into teaching practice.
• Experienced and/or interested in integrating place-based, outdoor learning practices in educational delivery.
• Knowledge of the B.C. curriculum.
• Perform other related duties as requested.
Experience and Attributes:
• Possession of / or ability to apply for a B.C. Teaching Certificate
• Must complete a Criminal Record Check
• TQS Category
Our team of people is what sets us apart from other builders. As we continue to grow as the leader in luxury projects in Whistler, our team needs to expand with us.
We are currently hiring:
Labourers ($20 - $30 hourly)
Carpenters Helpers /Apprentices 1st to 4th year ($25 - $35 hourly)
Experienced Carpenters ($30 - $45 hourly)
Carpenter Foremen ($40 - $50 hourly)
Rates vary based on experience and qualifications. Red seal a bonus but not mandatory.
EVR is committed to the long-term retention and skills development of our team. We are passionate about investing in our team’s future.
We offer:
• Top Wages
• Training & Tuition Reimbursement (Need help getting your Red Seal?)
• $500 Annual Tool Allowance
• Extended Health and Dental Benefits for you and your family
• Flexible Schedule - Work Life Balance. (We get it. We love to ski and bike too.)
• Assistance with Work Visa and Permanent Residency (We can help!)
• Positive Work Environment
We promote from within and are looking to strengthen our amazing team. Opportunities for advancement into management positions always exist for the right candidates. Don’t miss out on being able to build with the team that builds the most significant projects in Whistler.
Send your resume to info@evrfinehomes.com We look forward to hearing from you!
ARE YOU A SELF-MOTIVATED INDIVIDUAL LOOKING TO GROW YOUR CAREER IN SQUAMISH?
Come be a part of our awesome team as The Squamish Chief’s new Media Account Manager.
ARE YOU A SELF-MOTIVATED INDIVIDUAL LOOKING TO GROW YOUR CAREER IN WHISTLER?
If you don’t already live in Squamish, you should know it’s one of the most innovative and attractive communities on the West Coast just a short commute from the North Shore of Vancouver. It has a growing worldwide reputation for outdoor recreation with world-class mountain biking, rock climbing, water sports and skiing, boarding and the backcountry in the winter. We’re youthful, engaged and passionate about where we live!
Come be a part of our awesome team as Pique Newsmagazine’s new Media Account Manager.
And if you’re a local – well, you know you’re in the right place to forge a career and lucky to call Squamish home.
If you don’t already live in Whistler, you should know it’s one of the most innovative and attractive communities on the West Coast. We are youthful, engaged and passionate about where we live!
And if you’re a local – well, you know you’re in the right place to forge a career and lucky to call Whistler home.
We’ve got an opportunity to work and truly be a part of this inspired community at its media hub, The Squamish Chief. We’re part of Glacier Media Group and Local News Network, the largest local digital network in Canada. We work with our clients to offer cutting edge solutions like programmatic, Social, SEO, sponsored content and community display advertising on our website – and yes, we reach customers through our trusted newspaper as well. We’ve got media opportunities covered.
We’ve got an opportunity to work and truly be a part of this inspired community at its media hub, Pique Newsmagazine. We’re part of Glacier Media Group and Local News Network, the largest local digital network in Canada. We work with our clients to offer cutting edge solutions like programmatic, Social, SEO, sponsored content and community display advertising on our website – and yes, we reach customers through our trusted newspaper as well. We’ve got media opportunities covered.
Here’s what we’re looking for:
• You have sales experience and are comfortable making cold calls and setting up/ leading meetings with new and existing clients.
Here’s what we’re looking for:
• You have sales experience and are comfortable making cold calls and setting up/ leading meetings with new and existing clients.
• A self-starter with a consultative selling approach working with clients planning both digital and print advertising campaigns.
• Building and maintaining client relationships with your exceptional communication skills comes easy to you.
• A self-starter with a consultative selling approach working with clients planning both digital and print advertising campaigns.
• You are a goal orientated individual with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn.
• Building and maintaining client relationships with your exceptional communication skills comes easy to you.
• You possess strong organizational skills and have the ability to multitask in a fast paced environment.
• You are a goal orientated individual with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn.
Here’s the essentials of what we offer:
• You possess strong organizational skills and have the ability to multitask in a fast paced environment.
• Comprehensive health and dental coverage and extended benefits.
• Compensation package $50k plus including a competitive salary + uncapped commission.
• Extensive onboarding training and ongoing support.
• Comprehensive health and dental coverage and extended benefits.
• Extensive onboarding training and ongoing support.
Come join us!
Come join us!
Xet’olacw Community School Job Postings:
Title: Elementary School Teacher
Department: Community School
Status: Full Time Regular
Pay Grid: Teachers
Reporting to: School Admin Team
Summary of Duties:
• The Elementary School teacher will teach courses, which involves instruction in differentiated classes under the supervision of the School Admin Team.
Key Deliverables and Expectations:
• Teach all subjects in the selected i.e. Grade 2 Class with Physical Education, Ucwalmícwts (traditional language), and a library time supervised by other teachers or staff.
• Committed to excellent instructional preparation and consistent record keeping. Timely reporting to administration, when necessary, e.g., report cards, attendance records and data request
• Use data to drive classroom/school–wide improvement initiatives
• Maintain open and consistent communication with students and their families about their academic progress
• Teach numeracy and literacy in collaboration with others according to the school’s strategies for improving academic outcomes
• Be a positive team player committed to the belief that all children can learn at high levels
• Commit to ongoing professional development including willingness to be coached by the Elementary Supervisor and Regional Principal via school visits, video teleconference calls etc. and joining Provincial Professional Learning Community model (in Vancouver) and a School-Wide PLC model on site.
• Working in the ReadWell Program (platooned) as well as Literature program and centers.
• Work with Saxon Math in collaboration with other Primary teaching staff
• Enjoy participating in school event days such as Sports Day, Eagle Run, and Flake Rodeo etc.
• Perform other related duties as requested.
Experience and Attributes:
• Possession of / or ability to apply for a B.C. Teaching Certificate
• Experience and/or education in special needs an asset
• Strong interpersonal, communication and collaborative skills including the ability to communicate effectively with students, staff, and parents.
• Strong assessment practices.
• Strong classroom management skills.
• Ability to accommodate the needs of students with a range of learning styles and abilities.
• Ability to use strength-based, student centered approaches to plan engaging and educational lessons and courses.
• Ability to motivate students and to adjust instructional strategies accordingly.
• Ability to use technology to enhance student learning.
• Ability to embed local First Nations culture into teaching practice.
• Experienced and/or interested in integrating place-based, outdoor learning practices in educational delivery.
• Knowledge of the B.C. curriculum.
Please submit your cover letter and resume in confidence to: Susan Hutchinson shutchinson@wplpmedia.com
Please submit your cover letter and resume in confidence to: Cathie Greenlees cgreenlees@squamishchief.com
Closing date is July 25th, 2024
Closing date is February 2, 2022
• Must complete a Criminal Record Check
• TQS Category
Please visit our career page for more information: https://lilwat.ca/careers/ Elementary School Teacher - Grade 3
Rockit Coffee Co. is hiring! Come
our fantastic and funky team in Creekside! At Rockit Coffee we are passionate about our coffee and love working in Whistler’s grooviest
If
chill vibe
We are currently hiring for the following positions:
• Rockstar Baristas: $20 - $22 per hour depending on experience + tips!
• Kitchen Helpers: $19 - $22 per hour + tips! (Mix of kitchen and counter shifts)
• Kitchen and Food Program Manager: $23 - $25 per hour depending on experience + tips!
Come join the party at Rockit Coffee Co. Send your resume to mike@capitalzed.ca Seasonal and affordable staff housing available.
In the absence of info…
I CAPITULATE. While not exactly inundated by the pedantic semantic police, I’ve been schooled. Appropriate in this case, eh?
While my mail is running largely in favour of council’s most recent action regarding Whistler Waldorf School (WWS), those taking me to task seem to focus on my use of the word private to describe WWS. I
BY G.D. MAXWELL
shall, henceforth and forever, cease to call it a private school and use the term independent instead. Happy?
The province of British Columbia has decided independent, as it pertains to schools, is a term of art. It uses the term to distinguish between private schools as they’ve defined them, being strictly for-profit schools, and independent schools. That said, the definition of independent does violence to the standard definition of the word.
Outside of the province’s usage, independent generally means an undertaking free from outside control, not depending on another’s authority. As used to define independent school, it means a school outside the public school system that operates on a not-for-profit basis but receives funding from the Ministry of Education—half or 35 per cent—and teaches the B.C. curriculum.
So, WWS is an independent school. Not a private school. And definitely not a public school.
It is, perhaps, a distinction without a real difference. Under the BC School Act, every resident of school age is entitled to enrol in a public school. As a right.
If a school-age resident wants to enrol at WWS, they fill out an application, pay an application fee, and they may or may not get in.
If they want to go to a private school, same drill... only harder and more expensive.
So, independent-indeschmendent, the issues remain the same. WWS needs a home; Whistler needs to get Spruce Grove back to its parks-and-recreation purpose.
But enough about WWS. Sort of.
What I’m really curious about is who’s running the asylum, er, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW). Speaker after speaker during the public statement/ question period on July 9 referenced negotiations or discussions conducted with RMOW staff over the past year or two to work out a permanent solution, a forever home for the independent school.
By contrast, council in its closed session decided this year’s lease was the end. While the language, a final one-year lease, was absolute, I still suspect the intention was to light a fire under the independent school to find a permanent home.
Which raises the questions: Did staff— whomever they are in this case—know the intention of council? Does council know what staff are doing? Is there any communication between the two? What, if any, report did council have from staff that brought them to
the decision to inform the independent school this was the last lease renewal?
Apparently none of these questions can be answered since the closed meeting cone of silence fell on the proceedings.
The provision for closed meetings in the Community Charter is broad enough to allow municipal bodies to close just about anything other than the act of creating bylaws. Closed meetings and “no comment” answers are,
make that a group hallucination... and not one they’d want to trot out in public.
So if staff were discussing the issue in good faith, were they doing so at the behest of council? If so, did they report back to council that WWS’ wishes were so completely out of line council should take the action they ultimately took? Did council just decide this was as good a time as any to put pressure on the school? Were there questions raised about
What we need, instead of secrecy, is a coordinated, concerted effort to find that solution.
of course, antithetical to open, transparent government, something I seem to recall is one of council’s strategic initiatives.
If staff knew council desired to end the decades-long encampment of WWS at Spruce Grove, why engage in prolonged discussions with the school’s representatives about offering the current location or one nearby as a permanent solution?
I guess it’s possible all those speakers were making up references to discussions, but the weight of their presentations would almost
the school lease being incompatible with the terms of the Crown Grant for the land at issue?
Questions, questions, questions.
To trot out one of my favourite observations, in the absence of information, we are only left with speculation. And speculation is generally not kind toward the party or parties who could cast light on the issue.
There are valid reasons to hold closed sessions. I’m less sure there are valid reasons to fail to explain why a decision was taken.
This isn’t an issue that is going to go away. WWS is an important part of the education landscape. The school knows this; council knows this. Even if the existing public school capacity could absorb WWS students—it can’t—there are sound reasons it should continue to build on the success and reputation it has built over the past decades. As one speaker pointed out, there are only three Waldorf schools in Canada that offer K through 12 schooling. WWS is one.
Reading back to the early days of Alta Lake School, it’s clear the passionate people who founded WWS built it step by step. It took a great deal of commitment and a lot of work to make it what it is today. It is also clear the founders and builders always intended the location at Spruce Grove to be temporary. A lot of effort went into trying to find another location. Why none came to fruition is open to debate, but at this point the reasons seem less important than finding a solution.
What we need, instead of secrecy, is a coordinated, concerted effort to find that solution. This isn’t a Star Chamber, smoky back room problem to be solved. And it’s not an intractable problem. It will take good faith and compromise. Whistler may be relatively poor in land but the town is rich in enterprising people. I’m willing to bet this problem can be resolved.
The future of the independent school depends on it. n
