Members of the Lil’wat Nation talk about preserving their language and culture for future generations. - By Roisin Cullen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
06 OPENING REMARKS When it comes to housing in Whistler, the Sea to Sky, B.C., and Canada, something’s gotta give, writes editor Braden Dupuis.
08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter writers weigh in on “illegal” camping, and what’s on tap at the Whistler Public Library.
11 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST Four decades after the fact, the legacy of Terry Fox lives on in Canada, writes Liz McDonald.
54 MAXED OUT Max reflects on two true pioneers of Whistler: Hugh Smythe and Nancy Wilhelm-Morden.
12 SEASONAL WRAP Visitation was up slightly in Whistler this summer compared to last, but still trending below pre-pandemic numbers, according to Tourism Whistler.
14 HISTORICAL HUTS Whistler’s mayor and council discussed the future of some of the resort’s oldest structures at this week’s committee of the whole.
34 LASTING LEGACY Twenty-five years after his Regeneration Tour, Whistler’s John Ryan continues to live beyond disability.
38 CAPTAIN’S ORDERS After a successful premiere at this year’s Flag Stop Theatre and Arts Festival, Aye Aye A.I. is headed to the Maury Young Arts Centre.
COVER Pretty sure most people in this world would feel offended if you entered their home and acted like you owned the place. I wish it was common sense, but it takes some effort to deserve a warm welcome. - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art
Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com
When it comes to housing in Whistler and the Sea to Sky, something’s gotta give
LATE LAST MONTH , I wrote in this space about the need for compassion in addressing long-term campers on Whistler’s outskirts.
No matter where they come from or their specific reason for living out of vans and motorhomes, the people we’re talking about are human beings first and foremost—people who staff local businesses and make this town
BY BRADEN DUPUIS
Then, as if the universe wished to test my noble sentiment, a pair of them started setting up camp on my street in Whistler at night.
Let me tell you: it is difficult to practise compassion when you are face to face with a woman exiting a beat-up camper on your residential street first thing in the morning holding a bottle of what is (presumably) her own urine.
She smiles sheepishly; I can only glare back in response.
I stand by my previous words—the current state of housing in Whistler, the Sea to Sky, B.C., and Canada is beyond dismal. Affordability is a misnomer at this point, and people will do what they have to do to get by.
By the same token, I also don’t want my dog scampering through ditches lined with human poop and pee just metres from my front door.
I’ve always found NIMBYs detestable— the underlying message always being some variation of, “I got mine, screw the other guy”—and suddenly I am one.
“We must show compassion for people living in campers… just not when they’re doing it near my house! Does anyone know the number for bylaw?”
The irony is not lost on me—though I didn’t actually report anyone to bylaw.
This week, local officials, with a bevy
of provincial and regional counterparts, visited several sites in and around Whistler where people have set up camp for extended stretches this summer. What comes of that exercise, and any potential next steps to address the issue, remains to be seen.
But this election season, one thing is clear: on housing and affordability, something’s gotta give, in Whistler and beyond.
According to stats presented at the Whistler Community Services Society’s (WCSS) AGM earlier this month, the dearth of affordable housing in Whistler—of any housing—is driving immense need for services.
Food bank visits are up a whopping 45 per cent this year, while the number of outreach visits jumped 30 per cent.
“The food bank was overrun during COVID. The first four months of this year, we’re serving almost three times the number of clients that we did during COVID—how is that even possible?” said outgoing WCSS board chair Steve Aikins at the AGM. “This is a town that is really struggling, and it’s a shame to see, [but] it’s also really beautiful to see how WCSS has become a rock for this community.”
toll on our ability to earn and prosper (to the surprise of absolutely nobody).
“Expensive housing is eroding the core of B.C.’s economy,” said CCPA senior economist Marc Lee, the report’s co-author, in a press release.
“In recent years, speculative behaviour from real estate investors has been top of mind as home prices rise beyond the reach of many households.”
The CCPA report looks at policy changes like new public investments in affordable housing, changes to exclusionary municipal zoning and restricting more-speculative forms of investment.
It considers how both supply and demand are impacting the current housing crisis, in particular the surging cost of rental housing and limited new rental housing development.
The authors conclude public and nonprofit housing are needed to deliver and maintain genuine affordability (read it in full at policyalternatives.ca).
“In the context of the housing shortage, allowing new non-market and market rental apartments is crucial, particularly in the large
The BC NDP has taken drastic steps to attempt to increase housing supply provincewide through its Homes for People plan, including the small-scale, multi-unit housing zoning reforms to increase density on singlefamily and duplex lots.
Though the move has its detractors, in theory, the legislation has the potential to wildly increase the number of housing units being built in B.C. (much to the chagrin of NIMBYs everywhere).
For its part, the surging BC Conservative Party, led by John Rustad, has said it would revise or repeal some of the housing legislation introduced recently by the NDP.
And on Sept. 23, the Conservatives announced the B.C. Rent and Mortgage Rebate—which would allow people to deduct up to $3,000 a month for mortgage and rent payments from their income tax, at a projected cost to taxpayers of about $3.5 billion.
Somewhat lost in the policy debate is the actual impact on people and businesses. As politicians and policy wonks go back and forth with their proposals, vying for votes and influence, there is still nowhere to live.
You don’t have to work in social services or be some sort of math genius to know these numbers are simply not sustainable.
The risk and concern goes beyond sanitation, wildfire threat, or human mental health and safety.
According to a Sept. 18 report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), the lack of housing in B.C. is taking its
areas of cities currently reserved exclusively for low-density housing,” said CCPA senior economist Alex Hemingway, the report’s other author, in the release.
“Where possible, land-value increases from upzoning should be used to meet affordable housing objectives, while ensuring projects remain economically viable so they actually get built.”
So if you’re one of the dozens of people camping on the outskirts of Whistler, or in municipal boundaries, just trying to find a place to park and sleep for the night where you won’t be disturbed, keep fighting the good fight.
I still empathize with you. But for the love of all that is good and pure—don’t dump your piss jugs in my ditch, please. n
On ‘illegal’ camping
Quite sure there is absolutely nothing illegal about the activity of camping. Camping is a wonderful pastime and deserves to be provided for and regulated, allowing for underprivileged citizens to find employment and have a roof over their heads.
Provisions must be made for designated locations with affordable nightly fees in relative accordance with the amenities provided. Sanistations, fresh water, electricity and additional accoutrements could be made available to enthusiasts.
This, in turn, would create employment and residual monetary benefits and much-needed stability for the Whistler community. Whistler, originally sought by humble skiers, has been introduced and promoted to the masses, and in my opinion now has an inherent responsibility to provide for all those it has attracted. In a proverbial sense, the crows have truly come home to roost.
Dave
Whibley // Whistler
October is Library Month in Canada
All across Canada, October is “Library Month,” a time to celebrate the ways libraries enhance our lives. Libraries are about so much more than just books. As chair of the Board of
Trustees, I’m especially proud of the Whistler Public Library’s role in making Whistler a stronger community through programs, services, and events that connect us and foster engagement on issues that concern us all. October is filled with creative opportunities to converse, collaborate, and connect at the library.
Here’s a small sample of what’s happening at the library this month.
• On Thursday, Friday, and Sunday mornings, join us for Family Storytime.
• Oct. 2, come sing your heart out to Great Big Sea’s “Ordinary Day” as part of our monthly Barbed Choir program.
• Oct. 3, come craft by the fireplace at Stitches in the Stacks, a fibre arts night for knitters, sewers, embroiderers, and more.
• Oct. 5, join the library, the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler by bringing a broken item to our Repair Café, where skilled volunteers will help you repair it for free.
• Oct. 7, play a favourite board game or learn a new one at Games Night.
• Oct. 10, come connect with Whistler’s growing scene of electronic music producers and DJs in the library’s Wonder Lab at the Electric Kitchen Music Production Night.
• Oct. 17, join us for Canada’s Best Indies, a free Whistler Writers Festival event where Whistler Independent Book Awards finalists from across Canada will read from their work.
• Oct. 20, stretch your imagination (if you’re 18 or under) at Cheat Code for Conflict, a free Whistler Writers Festival creative writing workshop for youth.
• Oct. 23, join Whistler’s Vital Conservations, a community conversation on Whistler’s future, in partnership with the Whistler Community Foundation.
• Oct. 26, learn about the Hospice Experience, which launches a new monthly series on health and well-being for seniors, in partnership with the Whistler Mature Action Committee.
• Oct. 30, swap ideas at Art Hive, an arts and crafts night at the library, with crafting materials, tea, and good company provided. (Visit whistlerlibrary.ca/events for the full details on all of these programs.)
Interested in supporting the library? One of the most meaningful ways to support your library is to use it. Sign up for a library card, visit the library, attend a program, or check out a book or an item from our Unusual Items collection.
Want to take your support one step further? On Oct. 12, meet fellow gardeners and support the library at the Friends of the Library Bulb Sale, where you can pick up bulbs for $10 a bag, proceeds to the library.
Our heartfelt thanks to our donors, whose
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
generosity does so much to keep our library an inspiring and inviting place. Whether or not you’re in a position to donate, your support means everything.
Sarene Bourdages // Chair, Whistler Public Library Board of Trustees n
PIQUE TAKES TWO GOLDS AT CCNAS
Pique Newsmagazine earned top honours in two categories at the 2024 Canadian Community Newspaper Awards, along with a second- and third-place nod.
Megan Lalonde took gold in the Best Historical Story category (circulation 10,000 and over), for her cover feature “Busting Whistler Myths,” while Robert Wisla also took first place in the Best Business Writing category for his feature looking at Indigenous tourism in the province.
Pique columnist Glenda Bartosh earned a silver in the Best Historical Category, for her cover feature looking at the life and legacy of Whistler Question founder Paul Burrows.
Lastly, contributor tobias c. van Veen landed a bronze in the Best Photo Essay category, for his piece “The Last Drag Show,” immortalizing the final drag performance to take place at Quest University in 2023. Find a full list of 2024’s winners honouring work from 2023 at nmc-mic.ca. 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.
CALL FOR FUNDING APPLICATIONS
Applications are now being accepted for our October 1, 2024 Fall Funding Deadline.
The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation is dedicated to providing financial support to community groups and charities whose activities provide benefit to residents of the Sea to Sky Corridor in the areas of health, human services, education, recreation, arts & culture and the environment. Special emphasis is placed on children, youth and family programs For more information, eligibility requirements and to complete an application, please visit our website at whistlerblackcombfoundation.com, Or contact Mei Madden, Executive Director at mmadden@whistlerblackcombfoundation.com
On Terry Fox and the need for hope these days
EACH WEEK, I scroll social media looking for story ideas or event photos. Sometimes, I come across an event that unites past and present, old and young and the diverse populations of Canada—no, I’m not talking about Beer Fest.
While looking for event photos for our weekly photo page, Partial Recall, I came across images of a recent Terry Fox Run
BY LIZ MCDONALD
emcdonald@piquenewsmagazine.com
fundraising event, held by The Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler. I suddenly was taken back to my childhood in Ontario. Without fail, each September I took part in the run with my entire elementary school. The distance, which I can’t recall these decades later, seemed daunting, despite my highly active childhood. I usually walked or jogged around several blocks in my small town, through muggy days or rainy ones, wondering why some, like my tall and lithe music teacher, ran fervently, looping the route multiple times.
Soon after seeing the photos of Whistler’s run, I was out on a run myself in Squamish. I came across nostalgia-inducing chalk writing with quotes from Fox and the words “Terry
Fox Run 2024” etched into pavement near the Smoke Bluffs. Decades have passed since I’ve gone from small-town Ontario to playing in these sport meccas. I, and the country, have changed. My disdain for running has merged into a deep appreciation for the meditative act. Our country has become more divided.
Yet, the Terry Fox Runs live on. I didn’t expect to get philosophical about the event, but here we are. I think the ubiquity of the fundraiser provides something we
use. In one way, a broad media diet can be healthy. In another light, if the information we receive is highly biased and encourages conflict over conversation, it chips away at our ability to understand each other, let alone reach consensus. It disrupts our ability to share in a narrative.
And narratives are important. They subtly shape our beliefs. Whether it’s the Indigenous creation story of Sky Woman and Turtle Island, the concept of
I think the ubiquity of the fundraiser provides something we desperately need as a country: shared, unifying experiences with positive goals.
desperately need as a country: shared, unifying experiences with positive goals. In an age where we can’t seem to agree on very much, nor are we proving highly capable of having civil discussions about the issues we care about, we need experiences that connect us in communities and across the country.
The rise of the internet and social media giants have created a world where what we read, watch and hear varies vastly based on the accounts we follow and the platforms we
multiculturalism, or the idea the Earth is flat, stories create beliefs about how we should operate in our society. I don’t expect or want everyone to have the exact same experience in Canada—we all come from different ethnicities, cultures, places and caregivers—but I do wish we had more shared experiences which create solidifying societal glue.
We need more people like Terry Fox, a man who sought to unite Canadians in his
Marathon of Hope. After being diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, Fox set out to do something incredible because of a deeply personal yet universal experience: cancer. He wanted to raise more money for research, and he was going to run across the country to do it.
He started on the East Coast, dipping an artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean on April 12, 1980. He ran through all conditions, captivating audiences from coast to coast to coast, before cancer returned to his lungs and he had to stop Sept. 1, 1980, after running 5,373 kilometres.
This happened before I was born, yet I learned about him through our education system and from participating in the run each year. His narrative, imparted to me at a young age, can still stir up a warmth in my chest, and matter enough for me to sit down and think seriously about his legacy and what impact it has had on Canadians.
His narrative of hope lives on, 44 years after the fact. Now, I can’t help but wonder— if another Fox came along, would we stop and pay attention the same way? Could we? Even if you didn’t participate in the event, or disagree that it is unifying, I hope you can agree any functioning society needs some glue to hold itself together.
I’d far prefer that glue come from positive group experiences and action than fear-baiting algorithms, conspiracy theories or hate. n
Visitation up slightly in Whistler this summer
TOURISM WHISTLER CONTENDS WITH ‘A NUMBER OF ECONOMIC FACTORS’ AS TOURISM CONTINUES TO LAG BEHIND PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS
BY LIZ MCDONALD
SUMMER VISITATION in Whistler equated to the second-busiest summer season since 2019, according to Tourism Whistler.
As fall officially started Sept. 22, Pique spoke with Barrett Fisher, president and CEO of Tourism Whistler, about how the second most popular season for Whistler fared in terms of visitation.
“As we continue to move through other economic cycles, we have not returned to that pre-pandemic level,” Fisher said. “But what we are seeing is that in accommodation occupancy and room nights we’re anticipating approximately one per cent above 2023.”
That said, occupancy and room nights are close to four per cent below 2019 numbers for the May to September period.
PER-CAPITA RECESSION
While Canada has thus far avoided a recession, Fisher pointed to what economists are calling a per-capita recession as the cause.
“What that means is that as a nation, our GDP has not declined two quarters in a row, and the reason for that is because we’ve seen a growth in population through immigration, but when you actually look at individual spending, that has decreased,” she said.
That’s in line with what the commercial
sector has expressed to Tourism Whistler.
“Restaurants and activities are not seeing the same customer expenditures,” she said. “And that’s not a Whistler phenomenon, that is a national and international phenomenon.”
In response, Tourism Whistler has used promotions to encourage visitors to get good value for their money.
Other countries Tourism Whistler typically targets for international visitors are experiencing economic slowdowns, with Reuters reporting Germany is showing signs of a recession. Popular Australian markets also have a weaker exchange rate, which impacts their visitation.
“And so we’ve got a number of economic factors that are challenging tourism on a yearround basis,” Fisher said.
which was dampened by the weather.
However, July and August were consistent with 2023 for occupancy, and the balmy September has proved helpful for positive pickup.
Wildfires are one concern, aside from economic factors which impact all destinations in B.C., and thankfully, this year Whistler fared well in terms of smoke or proximity to fires. It’s also hard to peg exactly how the psychology of visitation factors in, as some people choose to stay away altogether when they hear about wildfires, whereas others are drawn to the area because it is cooler than destinations in Interior B.C.
The cool spring and atypical August rainfall helped quell potential wildfires in the area.
Some large-scale events like Tough Mudder
“As we continue to move through other economic cycles, we have not returned to that pre-pandemic level.”
- BARRETT FISHER
CONFERENCES, WEATHER AND REGIONAL MARKETS
Heading into the summer season, Tourism Whistler was anticipating a softening in visitation similar to last winter. Simultaneously, the conference bookings for spring were softer, and cooler spring weather also impacted business.
Regional tourists from B.C., Alberta and Washington are more likely to take last-minute trips to Whistler when forecasts are promising,
and Ironman haven’t taken place in Whistler for several years, but Fisher said Tourism Whistler has filled those gaps through conferences and marketing leisure activities.
“That’s actually quite positive, that we’ve been able to fill some of those gaps without having those large-scale events in place,” she said.
“Since the Ironman left, Tourism Whistler has proactively promoted that July period, and you start to see summer become more popular over the years, because Whistler was
historically known as a winter ski destination, but as it has grown in awareness of being a summer destination, we see that July filled in beautifully. And now, June and September are filling in beautifully, and then we start to see growth in that May and October period.”
October is considered a need period as the leaves fall and snow has yet to fly in the valley, so Tourism Whistler tries to focus on leisure events to attract visitors.
One such event is Whistler Wine Walk, where every Friday night in October guests are invited to explore art galleries and savour hors d’oeuvres. Room rates for the annual event, which often sells out, are lower, and Tourism Whistler offers a $100 dining voucher when guests stick around for three nights or more.
While the numbers aren’t in quite yet for weekend versus weekday stays, Fisher said the organization is still focused on trying to balance visitation throughout the week, especially for regional markets.
Weekdays tend to be quieter, but there are still lots of events going on. Tourism Whistler tries to entice regional markets to think of coming for a midweek stay versus a weekend getaway.
While projections for Whistler’s winter are still too far away, Fisher noted the La Niña year will hopefully mean colder temperatures and lots of snow flying.
Sightseeing using Whistler Blackcomb’s (WB) lift infrastructure ended Sept. 22, but access to biking in Whistler is still on with the Fitzsimmons Express running until Oct. 14 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
WB’s opening day for 2024-25 winter operations is slated for Nov. 22.
On that note, the annual Turkey Sale is also just around the corner. The sale starts Oct. 4 and runs until Oct. 14. n
SEASONAL WRAP As summer rolls into fall, Tourism Whistler breaks down what summer tourism numbers looked like.
PHOTO BY MIKE CRANE / TOURISM WHISTLER
Early budget feedback points to continued community focus on housing in Whistler
THE RMOW KICK-STARTED ITS BUDGET PROCESS WITH AN EARLY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
THE RESORT MUNICIPALITY of Whistler (RMOW) is busy trying to get the jump on the next budget, with a recently-completed early survey going before the committee of the whole on Sept. 24.
According to a staff report, the “budget prioritization survey” conducted in July and August this year saw increased engagement over the previous year, with 314 contributions made up of 239 survey responses and 75 poll responses helping inform staff of community priorities.
While the increase over the 2023 survey was noted (from only 228 last year), the level of engagement was less than outreach suggested it could have been. The promotion campaign for the survey ran for 40 days, with the Facebook portion garnering 29,520 impressions and 2,376 engagements.
The staff report played down the relative lack of community input, however, noting the survey was “one component of a multi-tiered engagement and communications effort underway to educate and encourage municipal budget participation.”
The report also notes the survey results are not statistically relevant, given participants were choosing to participate. The permanent population of Whistler was 13,982 people in 2021.
“However, the results of this survey are intended as a conversation starter for council and the survey itself is brought forward as a means of creating interest in the municipal budget process for the public,” the report said.
“It is hoped it will also serve as a gateway for further democratic participation for those who may not have participated in the past.”
While the numbers were low, the results still yielded insight into respondent priorities: “Housing remained the highest overall priority, followed by smart tourism, community engagement, and climate, which were essentially tied for second place,” reads the report.
Housing was selected by 53.8 per cent of all respondents as being the highest priority for council to tackle by a large margin, followed by climate action at 19.2 per cent.
Despite being the second-highest ranked priority, climate action was also selected by the most people as being the lowest priority: 35 per
cent put it dead last in their rankings, compared to only 9.7 per cent who said housing wasn’t a priority.
On housing, respondents wanted the RMOW to put money to it as well, with 67.3 per cent saying they believe the municipality should invest more in enabling affordable housing.
On questions around putting more or less money towards issues, respondents were more united in wanting to spend more money than less: 54.3 per cent wanted more to go towards recreational facilities, and 50.6 per cent wanted more to go towards emergency preparedness.
On the other end, 38.3 per cent said there should be less money put towards parks planning and projects (as separate items), 23.8 per cent wanted less towards climate response, and 18.4 per cent of those responding to an RMOW survey believed the RMOW should spend less on communications and engagement.
Overall, respondents indicated they were satisfied with the level of funding across services.
The report noted respondents were asked to rank options in balancing the budget to hammer home the trade-off nature of spending more on some items and then having less for others. Most opted to postpone projects around new amenities, followed by an option to offer the same services but scaled back, and then by an option to increase business property taxes. Of all options, postponing repairs to existing infrastructure was the least preferred option to balance the budget.
According to the staff summary of openended questions that allowed respondents to write in answers, there was a “general satisfaction with core services,” together with concerns about overcrowding, requests for a local focus, “a need for increased transparency and accountability” on behalf of the RMOW, more affordable housing, more transit, and concerns about tax increases.
Beyond the presentation on the early budget engagement, there remains a long process of bureaucratic bean-counting, public engagement and council decisions to come. The RMOW will host a ‘”coffee with council” event focused on the budget on Oct. 10, giving councillors an opportunity to hear from residents on their budget priorities.
A budget information night will not happen until November, while related bylaw readings will take place in the new year. n
BUDGET SEASON Budget prep is well underway at Whistler’s municipal hall.
FILE PHOTO BY BRADEN DUPUIS
Whistler council approves plan to demolish one of the community’s oldest buildings
CITING COST, LOCATION AND USEFULNESS, STAFF RECOMMENDED USING THE MONEY ON OTHER HERITAGE PROJECTS IN NEED OF CASH
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
ONE OF THE OLDEST buildings in Whistler could soon be set for demolition.
Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) staff recommended the building—the Gebhart/ Hillman cabin located at 5298 Alta Lake Road— be demolished; a recommendation ultimately supported by a majority of council at the Sept. 24 committee of the whole meeting.
According to a staff report and presentation at the meeting, the decision was forced on council due to the cabin’s location at what is an active construction site, with the developer obligated to move the structure under a previous agreement with the municipality, so that it can continue with works on a housing project that must have access to the area before January 2025.
The building is currently owned by the developer, but was supposed be transferred to the RMOW and placed in a public park nearby on the same lot to be developed as part of the development agreement.
However, the costs associated with moving the structure to the new site, and then refurbishing it to an acceptable level, were deemed by staff and council to be too high to justify retaining it given its current condition, and what it could be used
for at a new park location.
Those costs were determined to be $100,000 to relocate the building and another $250,000 to keep it standing—with those combined costs to be borne by the developer. Another $65,000 was estimated to be required to be spent by the municipality to bring the interior of the building up to code to allow for, at minimum, seasonal use.
The costs add up to $415,000 for the RMOW to take ownership of a building it could only use seasonally, that would still require ongoing maintenance and upkeep.
In its report to council, staff explained there was a large gap between the state of the
building today, and a day where it could be used for anything at all.
“If the internal part of the building were to be used for community purposes … the RMOW would be responsible for paying for those internal upgrades. That’s walls, floors, lights, ceiling,” said manager of parks and planning Martin Pardoe. “The development site … is quite isolated from the rest of the community, there is no vehicle access. Access would be by walking in via the new Valley Trail the developer is obliged to construct.”
Notably, Pardoe said the RMOW would require a long-term plan for the use of any buildings it wanted to plow money into, and there was currently no plan.
Current state, costs, location and access meant the cabin didn’t rank highly in staff estimations.
“We question whether these factors are sufficient enough to not justify expenditures to retain or annually maintain this building going forward,” he said, explaining the RMOW already has several expensive-to-maintain older buildings, and all of them require “potentially significant” investment.
In giving a high-level assessment of the other buildings, Pardoe touched on those costs, and staff recommended another solution: Take the money from the Gebhart/Hillman
cabin relocation and refurbishment, and put it towards new amenities and the upkeep of the other buildings. Those include six structures at The Point, the Old School House at 5528 Old Mill Lane, and three buildings at Alta Lake Station—all of which are in different states of repair, use, and usefulness to Whistler.
As such, staff recommended the RMOW go down a new path: Demolish the Gebhart/ Hillman cabin and provide a replacement amenity at the new park where it would have gone, suggested to be reflective of the history of the area. The developer would also take the funds it would have spent, and make a cash contribution to the RMOW’s recreation works and services reserve, with the money to be dedicated to municipal heritage preservation.
Council ultimately opted to go for the staff recommendation, but it was not unanimous: Councillor Jessie Morden was opposed, saying the loss of heritage didn’t sit well with her while acknowledging the cost.
“I think this is part of our history, and is important to a lot of people in this community,” she said.
The decision will come back to a regular council meeting in October.
Find the full story at piquenewsmagazine. com. n
LOCAL HISTORY The Gebhart/Hillman cabin.
Provincial election 2024: Who wants your vote in Whistler?
THE
WRIT FOR THIS FALL’S ELECTION DROPPED SEPT. 21, WITH POLLING DAY SET FOR OCT. 19
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
WITH THE DROPPING of the writ on Sept. 21, B.C.’s 2024 provincial election is officially underway, and voters will head to the polls Oct. 19.
All 93 ridings in British Columbia are up for grabs. Here in West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, there are three candidates in the running to replace outgoing MLA, Jordan Sturdy of BC United, who announced he would not seek reelection back in January 2024.
Pique reached out to all three candidates to offer them the opportunity to give a 120-word elevator pitch to voters as the formal part of the campaign kicks off.
All three received the same question: “With the writ dropped, how are you pitching your candidacy to the people of Whistler, and why should they vote for you?”
BC NDP
Representing the BC New Democratic Party is Whistler Councillor Jen Ford, who is contesting a provincial election for the first time after multiple terms as a Resort Municipality of Whistler councillor. Here is her response:
“Whistler is home. I’ve worked for two decades in service to our community—in
tourism, then at council and the regional district. I know the people, I’m raising my family here, I know what we care about.
“In office, I’ve taken action on the issues that matter to people, whether it’s housing or childcare. I’m running with the BC NDP because they’re taking action, too. David Eby has put a plan in place that has us turning the corner on housing, on the cost of living, and on health-care. We’re not where we need to be yet, but things are trending in the right direction. We need to keep pushing, and we can’t stop until the job is done.”
BC GREENS
For the BC Green Party, Jeremy Valeriote is taking a second crack at the race, having come within just 60 votes of unseating Sturdy in 2020. Valeriote provided this response:
“As an engineer, I am a problem-solver, and will represent you independent of entrenched corporate interests and big-party ideology. Your choice is between two big parties using fear and anger to win votes, or the BC Greens, putting people first, and proposing solutions to our challenges. Our record in Victoria shows that we are the adults in the room, acting as a moderating influence between warring factions, and holding the government to account. In 2020 I proved that we can win here, coming within 60 votes of being elected, with
a different vision for what politics can be. This time we are poised to make history by electing the first Green MLA on the B.C. mainland.”
BC CONSERVATIVES
For the BC Conservatives, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist Yuri Fulmer has stepped up for what is his first run at politics on any level. The chancellor of Capilano University, Fulmer has close business ties in the riding. Here is his response:
“Whistler voters have deep concerns about our province’s direction. Over my 30-year business career and decades of supporting charities and social enterprises, I’ve built a track record of delivering solutions. With Intelligent City, I developed innovative housing, and at Goodly Foods, I made food more affordable while ensuring living wages for people facing employment barriers. A strong voice in Victoria is important, but a problem-solver is essential. I am the only candidate with both the voice and action to address Whistler’s key issues— affordability, housing, health-care, regional transit, the environment, and more. Fact-check my results; I deliver.”
There may be more candidates yet: Up until Sept. 28, others can still nominate to run. After that day passes, candidates who filed will appear on ballot papers at a polling station near you.
WHAT NEXT?
Expect to see much in the way of kissing hands, shaking babies and brightly-coloured signs multiplying by the roadside: The 2024 campaign comes with the benefit (or drawback?) that candidates and volunteers can actively get out and about to campaign compared to 2020, when the election was restricted by the pandemic.
Voters will have many opportunities to cast their vote: Early voting in Whistler will take place at an advance voting station at the Whistler Conference Centre, at 4010 Whistler Way. It will be open from Oct. 10 to 13, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
On election day, Oct. 19, there are two polling stations in Whistler: At Myrtle Phillip Community School, at 6195 Lorimer Road; and at Whistler Secondary School, at 8000 Alpine Way. Both will be open between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Oct. 19.
There are also mail-in voting options, and voters can also vote at the district electoral office for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, which is in Squamish at 38144 Second Ave. It opened Sept. 21, and is open Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Whistler voters can hear from the candidates themselves at the Oct. 1 all-candidates forum, co-hosted by the Whistler Chamber, Arts Whistler, and Pique Newsmagazine, at the Maury Young Arts Centre. Attendance is free, but registration is required. n
Sidecut Steakhouse introduces... The 4- Course Fall Menu
Invictus Games builds hype with (some) Opening Ceremony details revealed
NOAH KAHAN, NELLY FURTADO AND ROXANE BRUNEAU
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
WITH THE INVICTUS GAMES around the corner, organizers have shared details on how the Opening Ceremony is coming together with three headliners revealed.
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, B.C.’s own Nelly Furtado and Quebec musician Roxane Bruneau will headline what organizers described as a “cast of hundreds” in the Opening Ceremony to be held on Feb. 8 next year.
“We’re really excited to be able to share the three headliners that are the first of many,” said chief operating officer of the 2025 Invictus Games, Robyn McVicker, adding there will be more headliners and more detail on both the opening and closing ceremonies to come in the weeks ahead.
The Opening Ceremony will be held at Vancouver’s BC Place.
In an interview with Pique, McVicker said the headliners were about bringing the community together and getting everyone excited about the games to come, and also choosing artistic talent that complemented the spirit of the games.
“Noah Kahan is an amazing artist … One of the things we think is really amazing about Noah is how forward he is about his
ANNOUNCED FOR FEB. 8 OPENING
own recovery journey as it relates to mental health,” she said. “He really connects with our competitors, especially those that are struggling with PTSD and are really coming through this on their own—so we really appreciate what he’s doing with his own charity and everything.”
Nelly Furtado likewise received praise for her journey and advocacy around mental
health—and her star power.
“She is somebody that can really bring a stadium to life, for sure,” McVicker said. “She’s an internationally recognized icon, and somebody local. We wanted to make sure that B.C. was certainly represented.”
The Opening Ceremony is about showcasing Vancouver—and particularly Whistler—because the 2025 Invictus Games
are the first to include winter sports.
“Knowing that this Invictus Games is the first-ever winter hybrid games, it’s really important to the Invictus Games and the patron, Prince Harry, that we showcase the incredible opportunities that Whistler is presenting and this beautiful village. So rest assured, there will be opportunities to do that in the Opening Ceremonies that really celebrate the winter and what’s different about these Invictus Games,” she said.
“We’ll also be celebrating the incredible partnership we have with the four host nations. Lil’wat and Squamish Nation have been so present from the very beginning, so bringing these games to Whistler, to Vancouver, and really showcasing what this area’s about and whose land we are operating on.”
Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies went on sale to the public on Sept. 26. Tickets cost $40 plus $27.07 in fees.
McVicker encouraged the public to get a hold of tickets early for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as events in Vancouver.
Of note, events in Whistler will be free of charge.
“In Whistler, it’ll all be free,” she said. More information on the games, the events before, during and after, and ticket sales can be found at invictusgames2025. ca. n
OPENING ACTS Noah Kahan, Nelly Furtado and Roxane Bruneau are three of many headliners at the 2025 Invictus Games Opening Ceremony in Vancouver on Feb. 8, 2025.
IMAGE COURTESY OF INVICTUS GAMES
Whistler’s Callaghan trail network ticketing split in two
A SEASON PASS USED TO GIVE ACCESS TO BOTH WHISTLER OLYMPIC PARK AND EVO / THE CALLAGHAN
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
A LONG-STANDING ticketing agreement between Whistler Olympic Park (WOP) and evo / The Callaghan for trail access has come to an end, with both organizations establishing separate ticketing for their respective trails in the Callaghan Valley for the coming winter season.
In an email to customers on Sept. 12, Whistler Olympic Park alerted passholders to the end of the agreement.
“As a result, each venue will now operate a distinct network of trails and services,” reads the email.
Previously, a season pass to Whistler Olympic Park granted access to evo / The Callaghan’s extensive trail network, just next door. Revenues were then shared between the two operations.
Speaking to Pique, Roger Soane, president and CEO of Whistler Sport Legacies, which operates WOP, explained it came down to a disagreement between the two parties, which he said had an agreement to allow access to trails that was renewed every year.
“This year we were negotiating, and we had thought we had an agreement, but at the end of the day it wasn’t agreed in writing, and so we’ve said let’s go our separate ways,” he said. “We haven’t been able to come to an agreement for the coming season.”
Soane said it was an annually renewed agreement since evo / The Callaghan came under the ownership of evo back in 2021, explaining previous agreements hadn’t transferred over to the new ownership.
Asked whether there would be efforts to renew the arrangement, Soane said anything was possible, but added they are two different companies with different business outlooks.
“Whistler Sport Legacies is a non-profit sport organization, Evo is a for-profit organization, so there are going to be differences in how we look at things and how we run our businesses,” he said. “I respect their vision for what they want to do and vice versa I’m sure. There’s no bad blood between the two of us, we will still be very neighbourly and we will work together for the good of the Callaghan Valley, it’s just that we are two separate business organizations.”
Founder and CEO of evo, Bryce Phillips, said in an email to Pique he hoped evo / The Callaghan and WOP would be able to re-establish
the agreement.
“Most importantly, I wanted to share that we want nothing more than there to be one, cohesive experience for Nordic skiers as there has been for many years,” he said.
“Many of our friends and families are amongst those that have loved the experience across the entire offering, and it is our desire that the experience remains intact.
“With regards to the relationship with the Whistler Olympic Park, our hope is that we can carry on with the agreement that’s been established in years past.”
According to Phillips, the door is still open to achieve that for the 2024-25 year.
“We hope that there’s progress over the weeks ahead and are committed to doing everything within our power to delivering on what I’ve shared above,” he said.
Until then, trail users wanting access to either will have to secure tickets to the respective network. Up until recently, tickets were sold with the understanding they would grant access to both networks.
With the agreement lapsed for now, passholders who secured tickets for the 2024-25 season prior to the news breaking will have to buy separate tickets to access the Callaghan trails if that’s what they were planning to do. Passholders who bought tickets to WOP expecting access to the Callaghan will be able to apply for a refund, if the change isn’t acceptable to them.
A season pass to WOP costs $399 for an adult ticket between now and Nov. 3 under early bird pricing, while the same ticket costs $499 from Nov. 4 onwards.
Evo / The Callaghan, for its part, will start charging for a season pass to access its trails as well, with early bird rates from now to Nov. 3 at $99 for an adult, and $129 from then on.
While the changes may have just occurred, both WOP and evo / The Callaghan websites have been updated to articulate that tickets for one do not grant access to the other.
Rates charged to access the WOP trail network will not change despite the end of the agreement, said Soane.
“We offer a great product—55 kilometres of groomed trails. Our goal and our mandate is to grow sport and to support the people who use our facilities and I think we offer a great value, so no we will not be changing our prices,” he said.
The combined WOP and evo / The Callaghan network consists of 112km of trails. n
DIVERGING TRAILS Cross-country skiing in Whistler.
PHOTO BY ASCENTXMEDIA / E+ / GETTY IMAGES
Another loss and a new dynamic in Ottawa, Liberal MP says voters sending a message
PATRICK WEILER SAID
BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
THE MESSAGE DIDN’T SEEM TO HAVE ‘FULLY SUNK IN YET’
WITH ANOTHER POOR byelection result behind his party, West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country MP, Patrick Weiler, said the result is disappointing and repeated concerns he raised three months prior in suggesting the prime minister reflect on the direction of government.
“It’s a riding that’s in downtown Montreal, so it very much should be a Liberal riding, and the fact we lost that is very disappointing,” he said of the Sept. 16 result in LaSalle—Émard— Verdun that saw the Liberal Party lose a riding it held with a 10,000-vote lead in the last federal election.
The Liberal candidate lost by only 248 votes to a Bloc Quebecois challenger—a result Weiler said echoed the similarly close Liberal loss of Toronto-St. Paul’s in June to the Conservatives.
Weiler said it wasn’t doom and gloom because of the nature of byelections, but added the government needs to listen more intently.
“While that’s very frustrating, it is very different than a general election because byelections are an opportunity to send a message to the government without risking changing
what the government is,” he said.
“But those two results show that the message is being sent, and I don’t think it has fully sunk in yet. It’s the kind of result that should prompt that serious reflection because the voters of those two ridings are sending a message and it’s important the government listen.”
The comments echo what the local MP said in reaction to the byelection loss in Toronto-St. Paul’s, nearly three months prior.
The timing of the loss came only days after the party had wrapped up a caucus retreat in Nanaimo—which served as an opportunity for the caucus to come face to face with the Liberal leadership and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to push for more change.
“We had very frank conversations in Nanaimo,” Weiler said. “The substance of those conversations are meant to stay within the walls of those meetings, but it was the first time for us to have gotten together since the byelection in Toronto-St. Paul’s and the message was sent very clear by [MPs] about the kind of change they want to see based on what they are hearing in their own ridings.”
Weiler said he continues to hear frustrations from constituents on cost-of-living pressures.
“A lot of people lay that at the feet of government and with the prime minister,
WITH THE LIBERAL PARTY
so people are looking for a change in their circumstances, which is totally understandable,” he said, adding he is also hearing many government policies around childcare and housing are landing well in the community.
“The other thing that I’ve been hearing from a lot of people is fear of what a Conservative government might be, and what that might mean for our riding … So that message was definitely sent, and we had some frank conversations on that. I have some ideas on what to do moving forward, so it was really important we had that opportunity to have those conversations as we go into what will be a
PUTSPEOPLE FIRST
more turbulent fall session.”
On the fall session in Ottawa, Weiler said the retreat was a good opportunity to prepare for what he described as a “very different dynamic” in Ottawa, with the NDP supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberal government coming to an end.
“There’s a lot of intrigue right now happening in politics at all levels … But the one thing I was very frustrated to see recently was the NDP flip-flopping on carbon pricing, and really buy into the Conservative misinformation that somehow this makes life less affordable for working people ... But it just shows me that the NDP is not serious about fighting climate change, and unfortunately, both this and the fact they are ripping up the deal essentially is them succumbing to Conservative bullying tactics,” he said, explaining he believes much of the work both the Liberals and the NDP accomplished together was good for Canadians.
“So, very disappointed to see the NDP go down that road, but now we’re in a minority situation, we’ll on a case-by-case basis hopefully work with the NDP, hopefully at times work with the Bloc and maybe at times work with the Conservatives. But it’ll certainly be constantly changing, but it should make for an interesting fall.” n
MESSAGE SENT MP Patrick Weiler speaking in Whistler in 2024.
PHOTO BY SCOTT TIBBALLS
Naturespeak: Spore Stories—the many mouths that feed on mushrooms
BY CHLOE VAN LOON
IN THE HEART of Whistler’s ancient forests, where the air is thick with the loamy scent of resinous twigs and damp ferns, I dwell—small and unseen, a rove beetle (genus Staphylinidae). I was about to sink my mandibles into the soft, spongy flesh of the delectable Ganoderma polypore (a.k.a. Artist’s Bracket or Reishi) mushroom—when it happened. Suddenly, my world was uprooted— literally. With a flash, a hand equipped with a curved knife sliced my resting spot from the earth. As the ground fell away, I was forced to leap. I landed with a soft thud in the moss, just in time to see the mushroom, once seamlessly attached to an ancient Douglas fir, along with every other mushroom around me, disappear into the forager’s basket. Now, scuffling across the forest floor, I wonder, will there be any place left to hide?
From fungal hyphae to mature mushrooms, insects use various fungal species throughout their lifecycle. “Fungi are an important food source for insects since they accumulate high amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic compounds such as chitin” (Stefani et al., 2016). These nutrients are vital for growth, development, and reproduction. Some insects, like beetles and ants, actively cultivate or harvest fungi, while others, such as flies and moths, lay their
eggs in fungi, providing their larvae with an immediate, nutrient-rich food supply upon hatching.
In a nearby valley, I make my way back to one of my hidden and reliable spots deep in the forest where mushrooms grow in abundance, where I, a mule deer, spend time in order to build up my fat stores before winter’s dawn.
But this year, when I arrive, the earth is bare. The mushrooms, usually sprouting in clusters, are all gone, picked clean by unseen hands.
My heart sinks as I paw at the empty ground, knowing the cold days are coming fast. Where will I find the food I need to survive the long, bitter months ahead?
Nibbled mushrooms may induce
grumbles of frustration from foragers looking for a clean cap, but little teeth marks are a good reminder we aren’t the only ones who love consuming fungi. For herbivores, like our local deer, “mushrooms are generally a good source of proteins and are highly digestible,” and contain various nutrients and vitamins, which make them a high-quality resource (Cadotte et al., 2021).
Besides rove beetles and mule deer, birds like the grouse, various squirrels, and rodents, as well as slugs, snails, and a wide variety of insect species, all incorporate mushrooms into their diverse diets during their yearly woodland routines. Since mushrooms are the fruiting body of the fungi, many will return the following year, depending on the species and favourable environmental conditions. When a mushroom reaches maturity, it spreads spores, microscopic “seeds,” primarily via wind dispersal, so consider your impact if plucking immature mushrooms from the ground. Mushrooms, like other fellow native plants, provide renewable and sustainable food sources. So what four- or six-legged forest friend will you be considerate of when foraging mushrooms this year?
Learn about our local and diverse mushrooms at the 2024 Fungus Among Us Mushroom Festival on Oct. 18 and 19. Tickets will be available at whistlernaturalists.ca. Naturespeak is prepared by the Whistler Naturalists. To learn more about Whistler’s natural world, go to whistlernaturalists.ca. n
SLUG LIFE A banana slug munches down on a gilled mushroom.
PHOTO BY CHLOE VAN LOON
Health-care gala planned for Pemberton
LOCAL DOCTORS SAY A ‘CRISIS’ IS ON THE HORIZON IF PEMBERTON DOESN’T GET AN EXPANDED HEALTH-CARE FACILITY
BY LIZ MCDONALD
AT FIRST GLANCE, Pemberton’s health-care seems stable.
Any resident who needs a family doctor can get one, the Village successfully attracts new physicians, and the hospital and health clinic operate within the same building, providing a team-based care model which benefits patients and employees.
Despite this, the Pemberton & District Health Care Foundation and a local physician say they are “bursting at the seams,” and if the town doesn’t get an expanded facility, the highquality health-care will buckle under the weight of increasing population and adventure tourism.
PEMBERTON’S HEALTH-CARE FACILITY
Jim Fuller is a family doctor who has worked in Pemberton for 10 years, joining the health foundation a year ago. He explained how the health-care system currently runs in Pemberton.
The Pemberton Health Centre is run by Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), and it holds an emergency department with five beds and operates 24/7. There’s a mental-health unit, community nursing and public health nursing, while a section of the space is rented by VCH to general practitioners (GPs) and nurse practitioners (known as the Pemberton Medical Clinic). GPs take shifts in the emergency room as
a condition of their employment, which Fuller said helps serve the community and support fellow physicians to be sustainable.
“There are a lot of other small communities in rural B.C. which are losing doctors and having to close health facilities, and that’s very, very sad,” Fuller said. “But in the last 10 years, we’ve been very lucky, and we’ve done well, and we’ve managed to grow our numbers of doctors and practitioners, and we’re all still friends with each other.”
However, the space for GPs was designed for two doctors, according to Anne Crowley, foundation director.
Currently, eight doctors, three nurse practitioners and two trainee physicians use
enlarged medical centre, not only for the family practice clinic, but also for a bigger emergency department, a bigger mental-health department, a bigger community nursing space and a bigger public-health space,” Fuller explained. “That’s what I see as the boots on the ground, and all of my colleagues agree.”
However, that can’t happen without the support of VCH.
SEA TO SKY HEALTH-CARE PLANS
VCH is currently working on a healthcare master plan for the Sea to Sky. Pique previously reported on the first phase, which
“Occasionally, one of the practitioners has to work from home doing phone consults because there’s no office available.”
- JIM FULLER
the office. Add in a rotating roster of specialists from Vancouver who come up once a month for services like neurology, endocrinology, geriatrics and OBGYNs, and it is tight quarters.
“Space is super tight, we have to be very creative with our roster,” Fuller said. “Occasionally, one of the practitioners has to work from home doing phone consults because there’s no office available.”
The solution, according to the foundation and physicians, is an expanded health centre which keeps everyone working under the same roof.
“I see a need for a new, significantly
included a report focusing on “critical gaps and challenges around current health services in the Sea to Sky corridor, as well as future priorities and opportunities.”
The health authority couldn’t speak yet to which community would get what type of facility.
Pemberton health-care practitioners hope their community is chosen for expanded services.
“I believe all the physicians have said to the Sea to Sky master plan consultants that, A) we need a new building that’s twice the size, at least, and B), we all want to be under the same
roof to preserve … communication,” Fuller said. “The frequency of these interactions really helps to bind teams together, share information more effectively, and it just allows the health-care team to function effectively.”
Pemberton’s population is expected to hit 5,000 soon enough, and in the next 20 years, it is anticipated the village (which won’t be a village by then) will need more units of housing.
“It’s not just Pemberton. Some of the surrounding communities are also growing strongly,” Fuller said. “We’ve got to try to anticipate what those needs are going to be and grow our number of providers and, crucially, facilities, because we are maxed out right now in our current medical centre. It’s really bursting at the seams, and it is time to plan for a much larger health-care facility.”
Crowley said a short-term goal includes a temporary new space for a walk-in clinic, which could provide IV infusions for patients who currently must travel to Vancouver or Squamish for the service, or provide space for visiting specialists.
“These services really can be delivered very simply. We just don’t have the space,” she said.
FUNDRAISING FOR AWARENESS
To increase attention to the growing need, the Foundation is throwing a fundraiser gala Oct. 19 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Pemberton Community Church.
The evening includes live music, food and refreshments, as well as speakers. Tickets cost $50 and are available on Eventbrite, and while there is no set fundraising goal, Crowley hopes the evening can raise awareness.
“We are going to be in a crisis if we don’t do something about it,” she said. n
Poor communication blamed in Pemberton sani-dump dispute
PEMBERTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE REQUESTED THE MAYOR RETRACT COMMENTS, WHICH HE CHOSE TO CLARIFY INSTEAD
BY LIZ MCDONALD
THE CLOSURE OF the Pemberton Visitor Centre has triggered a minor back-and-forth between the partners involved in its funding and operation.
After Pique reported Pemberton’s visitor centre would close permanently this month and the sani-dump would shut down at the same location, Adam Adams, with the Pemberton & District Chamber of Commerce, submitted a letter requesting Mayor Mike Richman retract statements published in Pique Aug. 26.
In a letter submitted to council and included on the Sept. 10 agenda, Adams and the Chamber argued the mayor’s comments amounted to “misinformation.”
In case you missed it, when the news first broke on Facebook, Pique reported that Richman said he was unaware of its imminent closure, based on statements he gave.
Tourism Pemberton will take over the visitor centre at a new, yet-undecided location, but the sani-dump has yet to find a new home, leaving vacationers without an effective solution moving forward.
Adams asserted in his letter that he and executive director, Ariane Larouche, met with Councillor Katrina Nightingale for a separate issue and informed her “that once we knew when the student employees had to go back to school is when we would be closing for the last time. It was communicated that the sani-dump would have to be closed at the same time, as there are consistent issues with the station, and it needs to be monitored.”
It is asserted the Village of Pemberton’s (VOP) chief administrative officer, Elizabeth Tracy, received an email Aug. 9, informing her the last day of operations for the sani-dump and the visitor centre was Sept. 1, 2024, and that the village has known “as early as October of 2023.”
For their part, Adams wrote the Chamber does “acknowledge that word to the public could have gone out sooner regarding the status of both the Visitor Centre and the sani-dump, and that is a reputational risk we will bear as an organization.”
That said, he stressed the Chamber clearly communicated in a timely manner the centre and sani-dump were closing imminently, and was
PAUL VE NNE R
Sept.29, 1946 –Sept.17, 2024
It is with greatsadness that we announce the passingofour belovedPaulVenner. Paul wasanamazinghusband to wife Lynne and alovingdedicated dadtoLeahChristoff,(Grant Christoff ) TraceyCruz,(ErnestoCruz),Mitch Hunter,(Dawn Hunter) and Kerri Hunter.Pappa’s 10 beautiful Grandchildren were the light of his life: Madeline and CalebChristoff, Lucas, Tegan, and Levi Cruz, Alexa,Rubyand Bree Hunter andZac andZoeyVerloop
also upfront with Destination BC and Tourism Pemberton on the matter.
“We believe the Mayor’s comments to be incorrect and harmful to the reputation of the Pemberton & District Chamber of Commerce. As such, we are requesting that the Mayor retract his statement to the Pique regarding when the Village was informed of these events. We feel this is an adequate remediation to this situation,” Adams wrote.
Richman responded to the letter with his experience. He said he was given a one-hour deadline before Pique published the story, and as he was working, he did not have time to reply. Subsequently, he replied to the reporter’s questions for the article in a text message.
“I answered the question directly in a text message that I didn’t know was going to be entirely quoted. I didn’t have the opportunity to give backstory,” he said regarding his response.
Richman went on to say there has been communication from Adams that staff received stating it would be difficult to keep employees on at the visitor centre until the end of September.
“To be 100-per-cent clear, there was an email that Mr. Adams sent to I believe Destination BC, somewhere in early July, and one of our staff is cc’ed, informing of some of the struggles regarding staff and pressures to vacate the premises at a certain point and that that might result in an early closure,” he said. “I don’t feel the need to retract my comments, but to clarify, because, honestly, when I responded to the call, I wasn’t aware.”
He stressed there was no malice intended by his comments, but the incident shows there has been a breakdown in communication between various stakeholders.
“There was certainly no malice or fingerpointing meant. But what it all boils down to, to me, is two things. No. 1, the tourism info booth and the sani-dump are important assets for our community, for our business community, for the tourism industry and for the environment, so people aren’t dumping their waste in the bush,” Richman said. “The Chamber does super important work for our business community, and I have respect for that work. And what this kind of indicates to me is that we have a gap in communication somewhere that we need to look at, perhaps at a board-to-council level, perhaps at a staff-to-staff level, perhaps both.” n
Paul foughtabattle with renalcancer forthe past year and passed away in the earlymorning of Sept.17th with an incredible Super HarvestMoonshiningon him andthe Northern Lights dancingin thesky.Weloved him dearly and we will all misshim so much.
Thank youtoDr. BMillar,the mostamazing Palliative Care Dr.and her teamofwonderful caring nurses,Pip,Amy C, AmyD, Catherine,Emma, and Gillianfor their impeccable loving care for Paulatthe Squamish Hospice.
A celebration of an incredible life well lived, will be held at afuturedateinWhistler.
2024 Property TaxSale
PursuanttoPart11, Section405 of the Local Government Act,the followingpropertieswill be offeredfor sale by public auctiontobe conductedat7400 Prospect Street,Pemberton, BC in Council Chambers, (located in theWhite Building) on Monday,October 7th, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.PST,unlessdelinquenttaxes andinterestare paid priortothe startof the sale
Successful bidders must immediately paybycash, certifiedcheque, or debitcardofnot less than theupset price. Failure to paythisamount will result in thepropertybeing offeredfor sale again. Anybalance must be paid by cashorcertified cheque by 3:00 p.m.PSTthe same day. Failureto paythe balancewill result in thepropertybeing offeredfor sale againat 10:00 a.m.PSTthe followingday
TheVillage of Pembertonmakes no representation expressorimplied as to the conditionorqualityofthe properties forsale.
Thepurchaseofa taxsalepropertyissubject to taxunderthe Property Transfer TaxAct on thefairmarketvalue of theproperty.
CLOSED FOR DUMPING Pemberton’s now-defunct sani-dump
PHOTO BY ROISIN CULLEN, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
Body found in search for fisherman who fell into Fraser River
RANDALL ‘ALVIS’ NED’S WIFE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE LOVE OF HER LIFE ON FACEBOOK
BY RÓISÍN CULLEN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
FAMILY AND FRIENDS are mourning the loss of a man who fell in the Fraser River while fishing earlier this month.
Randall “Alvis” Ned, a member of St’at’imc Nation, fell into the river while fishing on Sept. 6. The incident occurred near the “6 Mile” fishing grounds off Highway 99.
“According to witnesses Randall was fishing with a dip net when the current pulled on the dip net and he fell into the water,” said Lillooet RCMP in its initial press release.
RCMP confirmed to Pique a body was found in the river late last week, though they could not immediately confirm its identity.
Family members took to the “Remembering Randall Alvis Ned” Facebook group to share memories of the beloved father and husband.
Alvis’ wife, Tamara Ned, previously told Pique her childhood sweetheart loved fishing and was always willing to lend a helping hand to people in the community. The loving couple have a 13-year-old daughter.
“He is well-loved by so many people,” she said. “He is always helping people.”
Ned, who knew the area like the back of his hand, was reportedly fishing in a group at the time of the accident.
“There were a good few people there,” said Tamara. “One fishes, one packs, one cleans. They all have their duties that they share. They automatically called 911. I was just on my way to the fish camp at that time.”
Alvis’ cousin, Donovan Adolph-Fletcher, was cutting salmon nearby when the tragedy happened.
“I was there in our traditional fishing grounds,” he said. “I was cutting my salmon when people starting hollering that he fell in. I raced down the river to see if there was any sign of him, but he was gone.”
Adolph-Fletcher paid tribute to his cousin.
“He was a good man—always smiling, laughing and joking around,” he said.
The family member was part of the community search party. He launched a man tracker into the Fraser River, a device that has been used in the area before.
“The man tracker was used a few times in our territory with a few people that went
missing,” he said. “It’s a tracking method on trying to find out where they might show up along the river.”
The family has requested hand drummers and singers to come to the Lillooet District Hospital on Sunday, Sept. 29 to start Ned’s journey home in the traditional St’at’imc way.
Life-long family friend Trish Andrew thanked everyone who stepped up to help with the search.
“We are forever grateful for whoever jumped up and pitched in at a moment’s notice.” she said.
Tamara also voiced thanks to the community for rallying around her during the search.
“I keep them all in my prayers. It means so much to me,” she said.
Her traditional faith is keeping her going during this awful time.
Following news of Ned’s discovery, Tamara paid tribute to the love of her life on Facebook.
“Kayshia and I love you so much,” she said. “You will be dearly missed, Alvis, my love, watch over our girl. I will always love you.” n
TRAGIC LOSS Missing man Randall ‘Alvis’ Ned.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TRISH ANDREW
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Rustad pledges to close B.C.’s overdose prevention sites
BY ROB SHAW
BC CONSERVATIVE leader John Rustad had been building for months to his announcement Sunday, Sept. 22 that he’d close B.C. safe injection sites and replace them with addiction intake facilities. He’s been hinting at the move for most of the year, as his drug policies emerged in dribs and drabs. The culmination occurred before a major rally in Surrey on Sunday.
“These inhalation sites, they’re not safe, these injection sites as well. Enough of the drug dens. We need to be converting them over to make sure they’re connected with recovery,” Rustad told me.
There are 48 supervised consumption and overdose prevention sites in B.C. Rustad said he could foresee leaving a small number open temporarily during the transition to treatment intake sites, but they could not be disruptive to neighbourhoods.
“I mean, look, the intention is here to link people to recovery,” he said.
“We have to stop the drugs. Doctors are telling me that the street drugs that are out there today, within two to three years, can cause permanent brain damage. Once that starts happening, there may be no path back to recovery. We need to end this rate as soon as we can.”
The idea drew immediate condemnation from NDP leader David Eby and Green leader Sonia Furstenau.
“When you close these sites, people don’t stop using drugs—in fact, they have less contact with the people who can help them get into recovery and rebuild their lives,” Eby said at an event in Langley.
The Conservatives, though, are anything but.
The move on safe injection sites is but the latest attempt to reverse NDP drug policies and capitalize upon public fatigue at two years of rising street disorder and open drug use.
Conservatives have said they will curtail so-called “safe supply” of government replacement drugs, like hydromorphone, due to concerns they are being diverted on the street for resale by organized crime.
Rustad has pledged to fully end decriminalization, close hospital vending machines that dispense crack pipes and cocaine-snorting kits, shutter new drug inhalation sites opening in places like Vancouver and invoke involuntary treatment laws for those who repeatedly overdose.
Also, the Conservatives have publicly called for provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry to be fired over her recommendation the province move toward regulating and one day selling hard drugs through retail stores like cannabis.
Altogether, it’s a not-insignificant series of reforms, upon which cancelling safe consumption sites now sits atop.
But what’s equally striking about all of it is how many issues the BC NDP have already moved on, in an attempt to address simmering public dissatisfaction with their drug policies.
On safe supply, Eby has ordered chemical tracers to determine the extent of diversion, which he now admits is concerning; on decriminalization, the NDP underwent a full political retreat earlier this year; on the vending machines, Eby ordered them closed until a review could be
“When you close these sites, people don’t stop using drugs...”
- SONIA FURSTENAU
“And so all of a sudden they’re using drugs in the community, in parks, in the doorways of businesses, in alleyways, and they’re more vulnerable to contracting HIV and hepatitis and dying of overdose.”
He accused Rustad of playing politics with people’s lives, and for supporting the idea of supervised injection sites just two weeks ago at a town hall in Richmond.
Furstenau pointed out Rustad was part of a 2000s-era Liberal government that supported safe injection sites.
“Did John get spun by his backroom federal Conservative strategists or did he just wake up and decide that further endangering the most marginalized British Columbians was the best path to power?” she said in a statement.
“Either way, he should be ashamed of himself.”
conducted; on involuntary care, the NDP reversed course to match Conservative position; and on Dr. Henry, Eby has refused to consider her recommendation to regulate hard drugs and sidelined her in favour of his new addictions expert Dr. Daniel Vigo.
True, on safe consumption sites, the NDP and Conservatives remain far apart. For now, anyway. The way the NDP are reversing course on issues in this election, though, you never know.
Rob Shaw has spent more than 16 years covering B.C. politics, now reporting for CHEK News and writing for Glacier Media. He is the co-author of the national bestselling book A Matter of Confidence, host of the weekly podcast Political Capital, and a regular guest on CBC Radio. rob@robshawnews.com n
Tales of the Overstoke, Part 1
I’VE BEEN avoiding the word “stoked” for years. It’s a word that has well overstayed its welcome not just in ski towns, but in popular culture as a whole. While there aren’t many great alternative words to describe such an elated, positive feeling or immense satisfaction, I still endeavour to avoid using “stoked” in everyday conversation, and definitely steer
BY VINCE SHULEY
clear of it in my writing, where I can (don’t worry, the irony is not lost in that statement).
That doesn’t mean I don’t have fun anymore—I still very much enjoy finding new hobbies and activities that rival getting pitted in deep pow or landing a jump right in the sweet spot. But there’s another side to getting (or being) stoked that can tip over from immense positive into borderline negative. It’s called overstoke.
Let’s take a look at a couple of textbook cases of overstoke in the mountains, which you’ve probably read about as human factors, or psychological factors that have a high chance of affecting sound judgment in the backcountry.
OVERSTOKED
The “Blue Sky” or “Euphoria” effect is when everything seems to line up right for a day of awesome ski-touring. The weather is clear, the group is strong and the skiing is the best you’ve had all year. Everyone wants to maximize days like this, but the overstoked skier MUST do that extra lap—and feels compelled to drag a tired group along. The overstoked may also consider pushing into riskier terrain, because the FOMO of not skiing it in these great conditions is going to weigh on them all season.
The “consistency” effect can sneak up on people in the mountains, but the overstoked
hiking and scrambling, the route may look achievable and the sunny weather might look like it’s going to hold, but just because you had a goal of making it to the peak doesn’t mean you have to push your group past their own physical or mental comfort levels.
Up until this point, I’ve described scenarios where sober second thought and an open dialogue with group members can alleviate getting into unsafe situations. The better you know those in your group, the easier that dialogue is to initiate, and the easier it is to flag when overstoke is
Everyone wants to maximize days like this, but the overstoked skier MUST do that extra lap—and feels compelled to drag a tired group along.
are the most vulnerable to it happening without them realizing it. Consistency is when people begin to obsess over reaching their goal for the day, the risk compounding with each subsequent decision that gets them closer to the objective. The sentiment of “we’ve come this far, might as well go for it,” becomes more and more of a deciding factor for the overstoked. “Summit fever” is an example of this. When summer alpine
taking hold of one or more members and compromising the safety of the whole group.
Then there’s the whole other side of the overstoke, where people can end up doing harm to their social or intimate relationships in the mountains. To keep it light in this first instalment of Tales of the Overstoke, I’ll describe an opening day on Whistler Mountain some years ago. I uploaded from Creekside with five other friends, some whom
I knew better than others. It was an opening day for the books, with more than a metre of unconsolidated snow waiting to be skied. After a few laps on the Emerald and Red Chairs and many, many pow turns, I urged the group to follow me into a zone I knew would be the best skiing of the day. What I didn’t take into consideration was three of our group were snowboarders, and getting to this spot required a requisite amount of traversing and sidestepping.
But my overstoked self didn’t see it that way. I knew the mountain the best and I was going to help everyone get the deepest snow of the day. I was convinced they’d all think the extra hassle and frustration of getting to this spot (which more than one person voiced) was worth it.
The whole group made it to the spot and one by one, we all got the deepest powder turns of the day I was hoping for. I had my camera in tow and got some amazing shots which I shared with them that evening. And while everyone agreed that, yes, the turns were great, I’d earned myself a reputation as someone who prioritizes powder over social norms. My close friends might have come to expect it over the years, but it isn’t the best impression when you’re making new ones. Do I regret going to that zone on that day? Not really. What I do regret is dragging people there who didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. Lesson learned.
Vince Shuley is now more cognizant of his overstoke. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider, email vince. shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_vince. n
PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY
Ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, three people from the Lil’wat Nation talk about preserving their language and culture for future generations
BY ROI ´ SI ´ N CULLEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
This story contains content and themes that may be upsetting to some readers.
he lifeblood of any community is its children—the future. Earlier this month, the youngest members in the Sea to Sky corridor got ready for their first day of school. They posed for photos outside their front doors with eager smiles and freshly ironed uniforms. Most parents could not even imagine these blessings being ripped away from them for even a day.
Today, people in the Lil’wat Nation celebrate the culture their ancestors fought so hard to save. Canada’s historical residential school system threatened to stamp out their language, their songs and their way of life. It cast their infinite wisdom aside and called them stupid.
Through the residential school system, Canada took Indigenous children away from the families that loved them. It broke their spirit and tortured them in ways that go against the very meaning of humanity. It turned bustling communities into ghost towns and schools into places of horror. But hope perseveres.
Ahead of the fourth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Pique spoke to three inspiring members of the Lil’wat Nation about their efforts to celebrate their land and customs in a world where being different no longer means being less-than.
EDUCATION
Dr. Lorna Wanosts’a7 Williams is Professor Emerita of Indigenous Education, Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Victoria and Canada Research Chair in Education and Linguistics. She has spent her life ensuring Indigenous children get the start in life they deserve—a start stolen from Wanosts’a7.
“The main battleground for the rights of Indigenous people was really education,” says Wanosts’a7. “This whole push for reconciliation is because Canada, like other colonizing countries, sought to silence the languages and knowledge of Indigenous people.”
She explained the remoteness of Mount Currie served as a blessing when it came to protecting a language spoken since time immemorial.
“We were really fortunate in Mount Currie that it was tough to get there,” she says. “We were able to maintain our language longer than many other communities. But because of residential schools and other polices of their government, we did see a real rapid decline of language. We also saw a decline in our relationship with our land. The governments
Dr. Lorna Wanosts’a7 Williams. File photo
and capitalism devastated the forests and everything that grows there.”
Before being sent to St. Joseph’s Mission near Williams Lake, and the St. Joseph’s Indian Residential School that operated there from 1891 to 1981, Wanosts’a7 went to day school in Mount Currie.
“I could see what they were doing to us,” she says. “Before we were going to the public school in Pemberton, they brought psychologists in to test us. Most of the people in the class, 45 of us, were designated to be ‘retarded.’ I was one of that group. At the time we found out, we were laughing at it because we knew we weren’t. But that’s how we were designated. They used those tests to put us into modified classes in public school. That’s what was happening to our people.”
The group of friends joked about the label, knowing even at their young age it was a lie. However, the designation lingered in Wanosts’a7’s head for decades.
“We laughed it off, but it was something that hung over me,” she says. “I questioned my capacity and ability. I didn’t have an understanding of a difference of cultures. The way that we speak is different from the English world. The way that we organize our information and our knowledge is different from the English world. In the English world, when people are different it means less-than. It becomes devalued.”
But Wanosts’a7’s first introduction to education was a pleasant one. Her brothers were ahead of in her school and helped her to learn a few English words.
“I started school in Mount Currie,” she says. “In our family, we only spoke our language. I remember them trying to teach me some English before I got to school. They taught me ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ and ‘maybe.’ We had a really good teacher and I learned a lot of English that year.”
Then, at just six years old, she was taken from her loving family and sent to residential school—were she completely lost what she had learned.
“In a very short space of time, I lost all capacity for communication,” she says. “I couldn’t use any language.”
When little Wanosts’a7 came home, her spirit was broken.
“I was so confused, and I didn’t know what the heck was going on,” she says.
Wanosts’a7’s physical health was also cause for concern. She recalls ending up in the hospital for four months when she came home from residential school.
“I learned English during those months. Then, the older people in the community helped me to regain my own language,” she says. “That was so key to who I am today. At a very young age, I was bilingual even though I didn’t know what that meant at the time.”
The helpful kid would volunteer her services as a translator, even though she didn’t know it at the time. “If the old people needed to go to the Indian agent, to the store or the doctor, they would take me with them,” she says. “I could translate. At the time, I didn’t know that was what I was doing for them.”
In 1973, Wanosts’a7 was instrumental in opening Mount Currie’s band-controlled school, the second First Nation in Canada to do so.
“It was a concerted effort by lots of people in the community,” she says. “We knew we had to try to change it. One of my sisters was the only teacher in Mount Currie. Her name was Mary Louise Williams. She worked with the Union of Indian BC Chiefs at the time to advocate for our rights. It was through the work of the union and the National Indian Brotherhood, which became the Assembly of First Nations. They put together a case.”
The people of the Lil’wat Nation finally got a chance to say what they wanted their children to learn, and Wanosts’a7 recalls visiting every household to talk to every family about what they wanted for their children.
“That’s what guided our school that exists now in Mount Currie. The people said that they wanted the school to focus on the retention of our language, for the children to learn how to speak our language. They wanted their children to learn our history,” she says. “At that time, what existed in the school curriculum about us was either zero or it was to help Canada become a country. It was also that we were poor and not able to look after ourselves.”
Parents wanted their children to learn what Canada had done to them. “At that time we weren’t using words like ‘colonization.’ That’s what they meant,” Wanosts’a7 says. “They wanted their children to learn the effects of what happened to us with the imposition of Canadian laws. They took away our languages and made us fight for our rights.”
However, families stressed that their children had to learn how to live in two worlds.
“They have to be able to live in our world, and they have to be able to live in the white man’s world,” Wanosts’a7 says. “At that time, it was pretty insightful.”
Some were afraid to practise their culture and speak their language—a sentiment that hasn’t fully vanished.
“There are some who still have those thoughts and feelings,” Wanosts’a7 says. “People wanted the best for their children. They were being told that our languages were a detriment for people. We were told that we would never be able to make it in the world if we spoke our language.”
Wanosts’a7 says people still struggle to understand
the importance and depth of First Nations languages and knowledge systems. In March, she was invited by Pope Francis to speak in the Vatican Apostolic Palace as part of the Meeting on Indigenous Peoples, organized by the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences.
“He believes that Indigenous knowledge will help the world deal with the damage that humans have done to the Earth,” she says. “This was big. He invited 50 Indigenous people from across the world to have this discussion for two full days. They are still working on the report.”
The road to reconciliation is long, but Wanosts’a7 is hopeful.
“I can see the changes that we are able to make,” she says. “Just being asked about reconciliation is a big step. It’s something that Canadians are struggling with and having conversations about. Sometimes, they aren’t good, but at least there are conversations. The only way that we are going to be able to reconcile is if we can talk with one another, share and not be silenced.”
She watches proudly as the next generation of Lil’wat take the baton.
“It makes me happy when I see young people using the drum and singing our songs,” she says. “Knowing that finally people in Whistler and Pemberton are wanting to know our history is important. There is so much work that needs to be done, to document and safeguard our languages. I see people who are working on this, studying, learning and exploring. It comforts me that the work will continue.”
Wanosts’a7 had simple advice when asked what Canadians can do during this era of important change.
“To want to know and not to be afraid to ask, even if they ask in the wrong way,” she says. “Our people have always been very generous and accommodating. They will continue to be.”
ART
Twenty-one years ago, Lenny Martin Andrew, the son of former Lil’wat Nation Chief, Leonard Andrew, began carving. What started as a way to put food on the table became a lifelong passion that would capture people’s hearts around the world.
Andrew was going to college in Squamish, he recalls—a starving student who needed money.
“I had these carving poles that I had bought a long time ago,” he says. “The first thing that I ever carved was a rattle. I brought it to the local gallery. I sold it for $300. That’s how it all started. I created my own style, my own art form.”
Along the way, Andrew realized the importance of his work and the legacy it will leave behind.
“It gives us identity—who we are and where we come from,” he says.
He started small with plaques, then moved on to masks. A decade ago, he had the opportunity to study with master carver Rick Harry.
“He is what I would consider a grandmaster carver,” Andrew says. “He has done it all.”
The market for his work has opened up in the last five years, as the conversation about reconciliation in Canada has gained steam. Andrew says he doesn’t even really have to advertise anymore.
“I let my work speak for itself. I always felt a little bit shy about marketing my work. I decided just to make it super beautiful, and that works,” he says. “I have collectors. I never get to finish my work before it’s sold. I show pictures on Facebook. I sometimes get three people at the same time looking to buy it. Whoever hits me up first, gets it.”
It wasn’t always like this. Andrew recalls being a “starving artist,” adding he had to earn the recognition he has today.
“I like to challenge myself with every piece I make. I like to make it more extreme than the last one,” he says. “My work has evolved over the years, like me.”
In recent years, Andrew has taken on the role of teacher, in the hopes of passing the art form into the safe hands of the next generation.
“There has always been someone younger than me beside me, interested and willing to learn,” he says. “It’s fun. I enjoy teaching and showing.”
Carving by Lenny Martin Andrew
MUSIC
Russell Wallace is an award-winning composer from St’at’imc and Lil’wat Nation who shares the songs his country once tried to steal from his mom. When Flora Wallace attended residential school in Kamloops in the 1930’s, she was beaten by nuns for singing in her own language. That didn’t stop her. Now her son passes her stories on to “anyone who will listen.”
“She was beaten for speaking the language or singing the language, but she was determined to keep it going,” says Wallace of his musically gifted mother. “She could pick up a melody and remember it and sing it back to you. Even before speaking English, you would learn songs from the gramophone. She didn’t speak English at that point, but she was singing country songs. I think that comes from the oral tradition as well.”
Flora got scarlet fever while in residential school. The adults there left her to die.
“A number of children died from it,” says her son. “She was there to witness it. They put them in a room, like a cold room, and it had a dirt floor. All they did was put beds in there and put a bucket of water in the middle. Every day, she crawled to that bucket of water and made sure she was hydrated. She knew she had to keep drinking, so that’s what she did.”
The little girl heard the other children’s cries slowly disappear. She knew, even at her young age, that she would never hear them again. For a long time, nobody would believe Flora Wallace’s story. They couldn’t believe a human would do that to defenceless children.
“The lawyers didn’t believe her,” says Wallace. “They said
that no person would kill a child and bury them in the schoolyard. They were kind of gaslighting her, saying that it didn’t happen.”
Flora eventually met the love of her life and moved to Mount Currie, where she was determined to learn as much as she could about her culture—including the songs she was so instrumental in carrying forward for future generations.
The strong-willed, no-nonsense lady always sang at the top of her lungs while doing housework. She taught her children bits and pieces of their language when they asked, determined to pass it on.
Flora’s dying wish was that future generations would share the songs some tried to stomp out forever.
“Before she passed away, she told me to keep sharing these songs and not to let anyone to stop me from sharing them,” Wallace says. “So many people had tried to stop her from sharing them. My responsibility is to keep sharing them out of respect for her. I share them with anyone who wants to learn.”
He explains his role as a teacher is incredibly important. Wallace spends a lot of his time working with youth in universities and helping disadvantaged teens get the start they need. Hearing his own songs sang back to him never gets old.
He is currently teaching refugees all about his First Nations history through a Vancouver Youth Choir project called Kindred.
“A big part of why I am an artist is to teach,” he
says. “As an artist, I have a responsibility to express myself and create new works. But in the end, I have a responsibility to share these songs and the language that my mom taught me. I don’t have all the language, but I pass on the little words I learned from her.”
Trailblazing Flora had 11 children, and was always thinking about keeping them fed and healthy. She also ensured they had food stored in the house, food that couldn’t be taken away.
“Every day she would say, this is what the church did to me,” says Wallace. “This is what the government of Canada did to me. She talked about growing your own food and eating your own food. It was important to ensure that everyone around you is fed. It was because they were basically starved in school.”
That’s not to say there was a shortage of food in Canada at the time.
“There was plenty of food,” says Wallace. “A lot of the food was sold or whatever to make money for the church. If someone high up in the church came to visit, they were given the best food. The children were the ones who were starved. Their food was basically gruel. They boiled potatoes without peeling them and just mashed them. She remembered eating this really horrible porridge and finding mouse droppings in there. They were so hungry that they just ate whatever they were given.”
Russell believes the path towards truth and reconciliation is only beginning.
“I think Canada has a long way to go,” he says. “I feel like we haven’t even started. We have people who are denying that residential schools were that bad. We have people denying that there were bodies under their schools. How can we move forward when people don’t even believe us?”
Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, held Sept. 30 each year, marks an important step in moving forward. In Whistler, admission to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is free on Sept. 30. Read more about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at slcc.ca/ntdr. n
Russell Wallace. Photo by Tim Matheson
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‘You never know how you’re going to deal with something until you’re dealt the card’
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER HIS REGENERATION TOUR, WHISTLER’S JOHN RYAN CONTINUES TO LIVE BEYOND DISABILITY
BY DAVID SONG
JOHN RYAN WILL never forget Remembrance Day in 1994—but not for the reason most others wouldn’t.
Ryan and his friend were driving home from Whistler Village that night. Thinking it would be a short trip, he declined to wear his seat belt: a choice that would alter the rest of his life.
An accident launched Ryan out the side window of his car. His pal, firmly belted in, walked away with nary a scratch. Ryan found himself paralyzed from the waist down. His days of running, jumping and biking the conventional way were over.
He could’ve given up. Another person might have done just that. Instead, the Whistlerite resolved to odyssey from Cape Spear, N.L., back to his hometown on board a three-wheeled handcycle, covering 8,688 kilometres to gather money for research into spinal cord treatments for the disabled.
Spoiler alert: In 1999, Ryan pulled off his
astounding Regeneration Tour with help from loved ones and fellow Canadians. In total, $1.2 million was raised in his name over the course of his four-odd-month mission. The number of people who were somehow impacted along the way might be even higher.
Ryan built his successful real estate career in the 25 years that followed. He still lives and works in Whistler, and plans to stay for the rest of his life. His two daughters look up to him,
press release. “The commitment [John] showed was truly remarkable.”
Added Ryan himself: “Oh my God, I can’t believe it’s been a quarter-century. Shocking that it’s been so long, to be quite honest. The Tour was quite an endeavour, physically and mentally. It was something that I’ll never do again, but very, very glad that we did it back in the day.”
“It is certainly one thing to say you are going to do [the Regeneration Tour], but a whole different story to actually do it.”
- TREVOR LINDEN
as do many others, regardless of his physical stature.
“It is certainly one thing to say you are going to do [the Regeneration Tour], but a whole different story to actually do it,” noted onetime Vancouver Canucks captain Trevor Linden in a
MEN IN MOTION
Even before his fateful accident, Ryan knew how to pick his idols: Terry Fox and Rick Hansen.
He witnessed Fox labouring outside of Thunder Bay, Ont., a single day before cancer
complications halted that nation-defining run. Hansen showed up next to Ryan’s hospital bed shortly after the car crash.
“It was quite inspiring,” Ryan remembered. “You’re lying there paralyzed, not really knowing much about anything, and Rick comes in. He looks good, and he’s got a cool wheelchair. It was a bit of a TSN Turning Point for me when he came to visit. [He helped me] to look forward, not back.”
Hansen, at that time, was approximately seven years removed from his Man in Motion World Tour: a breathtaking 40,000-kilometre journey across 34 countries and four continents in a wheelchair. Inspired by that world-record undertaking, Ryan pondered how he might also give to society. He wanted to improve life for those less fortunate, such as a quadriplegic friend from the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre who couldn’t brush his own teeth without assistance.
One night, an idea struck Ryan as he was hand-cycling through Lost Lake Park beneath a canopy of stars. That idea evolved into the Regeneration Tour.
“I always have said: you never know how you’re going to deal with something until you’re dealt the card,” Ryan commented. “If you told me the day before my car accident that I’d be
‘IT’S INCREDIBLE, THE DIFFERENCE’
paralyzed the rest of my life, it probably wouldn’t have been a positive response … but once [the accident happened] my mind instantly went: ‘OK, what can I still do?’ It was how I’m wired without even knowing it at the time.
“Doctors were so close to improving spinal cord injuries [in the mid-1990s] and I thought: if somebody could just get the use of their hands back, or their fingers, it can be the difference between brushing your own teeth or blowing your own nose to being totally dependent on someone else.”
FREEDOM RIDE
Ryan lacked access to social media or developed internet services to promote his worthwhile quest, but that didn’t stop a group of realtors in St. Johns, N.L. from hearing about it. They united of their own volition to establish a tour kickoff committee, and Ryan found himself at a fundraising luncheon with 300 people mere days after his arrival in the Maritimes.
“If everybody was from Newfoundland, there’d be peace on Earth because they are just incredible people,” quipped Ryan.
Sea to Sky folk stepped up to the plate as well. Local volunteers set up an organizing bureau in Whistler as the late Ted Nebbeling reached out to other mayors across Canada for their help. Real estate boards from coast to coast formed the initiative’s nervous system, garnering support by way of newspapers, TV channels and radio stations.
Of course, Ryan couldn’t ask any of these allies to make the trip in his stead, and he got going on May 1, 1999.
Various obstacles arose in sequence, from maritime blizzards and North Ontario’s thunderstorms to 50-km/h prairie headwinds, ill-timed heat waves and unrelenting elevation gain. Ryan spent up to seven weeks hospitalized in Barrie at one point, the mission taking its toll on his body, but he forged on astride his Freedom Ryder handcycle.
Thousands of Squamolians lined their streets to greet Ryan at the penultimate stop of his tour, followed by nearly 7,000 more in Whistler on Sept. 11, 1999 for the grand finale. He was “totally caught off guard” by the hero’s welcome, and still gets goosebumps thinking about it today.
Those living with disabilities still face myriad hurdles today, but sport has continued to be a tremendous vehicle for their cause. The 2024 Paris Paralympics drew a record-breaking 11 million Canadian viewers across CBC platforms, and February’s Invictus Games will be a rallying point for the Sea to Sky adaptive community. Ryan can only marvel at how things have changed for the better.
“It’s incredible, the difference,” he remarked. “When you have an accident now, there’s a lot of things they can do to minimize the impact of your injury if you get to a hospital quick enough. I credit Rick Hansen and his team because they really have made Canada a leader in accessibility.
“You go to Whistler or Vancouver in a wheelchair, and it’s amazing that there’s really minimal barriers now … versus going to South America, for example, where it’s still a challenge in a wheelchair. The technology of handcycles and downhill bikes and all of that has grown by leaps and bounds.”
Ryan admits one still needs a bit of homecourt savvy to navigate certain parts of Whistler Village, which was built in the early 1980s. Having said that, he believes it’s a great place for wheelchair-bound individuals to live and visit. The Valley Trail alone is a special amenity, for not every town is blessed with 45-plus kilometres of pavement linking north with south and east to west.
It’s a good thing that’s true, for the citizens of an active and recreation-focused community accept certain risks in their lifestyle. Any tumble off a bike or down a backcountry ski trail can be life-altering, but groups like the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program (WASP) ensure disability is not the end of adventure.
Just as important as the physical side of things, however, is the mental and emotional element.
“Surround yourself with others who have gone through [debilitating injury] and imagine how much you could learn quickly just by their experience,” Ryan said. “If somebody is paralyzed and reaches out to me—which some people do, and I encourage it—that would be [great]. Rick coming to visit me in the hospital really got me not feeling sorry for myself, you know? That would probably be my biggest piece of advice for someone with a new injury: get mentored by somebody who’s gone through it.” n
ALKA BOUT REGIONAL
ALMOST HOME John Ryan crosses into British Columbia during his Regeneration Tour in 1999.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN RYAN
Stand by for ‘Silly Season’
MORE FUN TIPS AND TALES FOR STAYING AFLOAT IN THIS CRAZY MOUNTAIN TOWN
SOME CALL IT Silly Season. Others prefer Liftie Season. Whatever you call it, we’re snowballing towards that time of year when all kinds of new folks—besides visitors—head up Highway 99 to join ranks with all the amazing people who keep Whistler’s wheels turning, day in, day out, throughout ski season and beyond.
Yes, Whistler can be an expensive, challenging place to live. But it’s also pretty dynamic. Kind of like a forge that lets you tap
BY GLENDA BARTOSH
your ingenuity and mix up new elements—an opportunity or three here, a few new pals and connections there—to see where you land. Me, I had the chance to buy the local newspaper when I was 31, and I grabbed it.
Things like that are totally individual. And circumstantial. But whether you’re a local who’s just landed, or one who’s been around for ages, we’re all trying to make it under that “expensive” yoke, wherever we call home.
Whistler, however, is particularly pricey like any international resort. (That’s me sidestepping the tired old “world-class” cliché Whistler aspired to for decades, and many
lament it finally achieved it.) So building on my last column about making life easier and more affordable at Whistler, and beyond, here are more tips to help smooth the way, especially if you’re hitting town for the first time this Silly Season.
DO-IT-YOURSELF IN THE KITCHEN AND BEYOND
There’s nothing more Canadian, and practical, than the twin exhortations I heard repeatedly from “the women” in the kitchen as I was growing up in Edmonton: 1. Make do. 2. Make it go further.
At Whistler, you might find yourself doing both in more ways than one. Like I remember “making do” my first night in town on the sofa of a chilly, empty ski cabin. In the kitchen, “making do” usually means substituting a cheaper, available item, like sliced wieners, say, for something out-of-reach, like baked ham, because you can’t afford it or you simply don’t have it and no one wants to hit the store.
As for making things “go further”—I’ll focus on the kitchen again and let you imagine how else you might apply it—that includes strategies like using last night’s leftovers, takeout or otherwise, and adding salad, a slice of good bread, and/or some rice, veg or the local stand-by, KD, to make it a full meal deal.
Either way, both tips grow out of the idea of cooking at home and ad-libbing to stretch your meals and your means. So I was happy to read in Pique that Hugh Flint and Richard Kinar have rustled up a cooking club at Whistler to help people build confidence in the kitchen and explore new food ideas, applying another thing near and dear to my heart—science.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the
best and cheapest way to eat is do-it-yourself. And it doesn’t need to be posh for it to be good for you, your community, and our wider world. Often the cheapest, tastiest, most nutritious and environmentally friendly foods are the simplest—like porridge, a classic Whistler favourite many old hands revere.
Beyond the dinner table, do-it-yourself— from building your own squatter’s cabin to making your own fun—has long stood Whistler in good stead. I’ll circle back on this as the season unfolds, but for now consider the many online resources, and hard copy ones, too, at your favourite library (like Whistler’s!) for saving time, energy and money using household tips from experts—including the thousands of readers who once shared them in daily newspapers when they were king.
NOTHING LIKE GOOD, CHEAP WHISTLER FUN
In the spirit of saving bucks, and soaking up “Whistler” fast, check out the latest fabulous fun-raiser by Arts Whistler—the first ever Artstoberfest Oct. 5. Cute, eh? Arts, October, beer. How Whistler is that?
Anything Arts Whistler is a super cool way to plug into the community. Guaranteed it’ll be a good party at the Maury Young Arts Centre, complete with Thomas Studer’s polka-style band, a full-on costume contest, fine local beer from Coast Mountain Brewing (or a nolo), and fine local bratwurst, from Bacon Eh thanks to the sausage-making skills of Eric “Don’t make friends with salad” Craig.
Jawohl, dig out that dirndl skirt or old Lederhosen, which would be totally in keeping with many a Whistler icon, including
Stefan and Gerda Ples—outstanding Whistler trailblazers who, in 1959, bought lakefront property on Westside Road where they lived for decades.
Stefan is best known for hauling supplies with teams of horses up Whistler Mountain in the early days, and helping start Tyrol Ski and Mountain Club. Like so many characters who built the resort, he’d pop into our office at the Whistler Question to regale us.
Since he loved hiking up Whistler Mountain on skis covered with fur “skins” and then skiing down (it took him all day), he’d gently decry what he called “yo-yo skiing”— taking a lift up the mountain and skiing down. Up and down, up and down, over and over. Like a yo-yo. Like most skiers do.
Two Whistler Mountain ski runs are named for him—Stefan’s Chute and Stefan’s Salute. In fact, to drill further into the local scene, check out how other runs got their names in Pique’s cover feature from Dec. 17, 2014, “What’s in a name?” written by Sarah Drewery, former executive director of the Whistler Museum and Archives.
Now you’ve got plenty of stories under your belt to share at Artstoberfest. But for more good, cheap fun, and the inside track, the Whistler Museum is the go-to spot. Bonus: entry is by donation. Or join their free Valley of Dreams walking tours, which leave at 11 a.m. daily until Sept. 29 from the Gateway Loop Visitor Information Centre— which, frankly, could easily drop “visitor” from its name since anyone can use good, solid info anytime about this crazy town called Whistler, whether we live here or not.
Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist who loves doing it herself whenever she can. n
SILLY US First season at Whistler? Take a breather and kick up your heels. Things might be cheaper and easier than you imagined.
PHOTO BY SRDJANPAV / E+ / GETTY IMAGES
MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM • SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH
Photo: Sean St. Denis
Maury Young Arts Centre presents Aye Aye A.I.
THE STEPHEN VOGLER PLAY RETURNS TO WHISTLER SEPT. 28
BY DAVID SONG
AFTER A SUCCESSFUL premiere at this year’s Flag Stop Theatre and Arts Festival, Aye Aye A.I. is headed to the Maury Young Arts Centre.
Written by Stephen Vogler, artistic director of the Point Artist-Run Centre, the play features a moribund theatre company in dire need of a new script and the government funding it would bring. The protagonists decide to use Open Source’s Chat GPT to write a story on their behalf, an apparent solution that results in various unexpected developments.
Kathy Daniels and Carla Fuhre of Squamish’s Between Shifts Theatre team up to direct, while the cast includes Susan Hutchinson, Andrew Wood, David Francis and Emma Strong.
Vogler was inspired to pen the project after a buddy of his showed off how easily Chat GPT can create fictional scenarios in real time. He started to experiment with the
ALL-ORIGINAL
A.I. platform before deciding to use it as the basis for his latest work.
Like many others, Vogler is ambivalent about the technology.
“I have another friend who’s been writing songs with A.I.,” he says. “He provides the lyrics and suggests a musical style and A.I. churns out a fully recorded and mastered
‘A CHALLENGING PROCESS’
Flag Stop’s signature stage, which floats atop Alta Lake, is a unique setting for actors and directors to work with. Vogler and his circle have done so for 13 years, rolling with disturbances like wind, rain and even the noise from a passing train. More than 200 people watched the premiere of Aye Aye A.I.,
“That was something I tried to explore in the play: that A.I. can be used as a tool, but it can’t truly supplant the artist.”
- STEPHEN VOGLER
song. Really he’s just the lyricist, but he’s got loads of new songs.
“So I think A.I. is going to flood the market with tons of new content, lots of it mediocre and lacking originality—whether it be music, writing, film or visual art. But I think the artist will always have the upper hand in terms of truly original creation. That was something I tried to explore in the play: that A.I. can be used as a tool, but it can’t truly supplant the artist. I do think it will supplant lots of jobs in the more technical aspects of artistic production.”
forming two sold-out crowds across Aug. 9 and 10.
Next on Aug. 23, the show travelled to the Heritage Playhouse Theatre in Gibsons alongside Crypto Caper, another Flag Stop play. It is the second time a Vogler-authored production has gone on the road, the first being 2019’s About the Moose Vogler is pleased with how things have unfolded with Daniels and Fuhre at the helm.
“I think Kathy and Carla did an incredible job of bringing a challenging script to the
stage, keeping the ideas present while really bringing the humour to life,” he says. “Going from script to stage was a challenging process that involved the cast, the directors and the playwright—a collaboration that was not unlike the theatre troupe in the play. Kathy and Carla really steered it along to a place we were all happy with.”
Meanwhile, the quartet of actors portrayed eight roles between them with poise and fluidity.
“It was a great challenge for Dave, Susan, Emma and Andrew and they all rose to the occasion beautifully,” Vogler says. “Not only do they each play two characters, but they interact with two more Chat GPT characters who are very sassy. I’d say they had to dig deep into their acting skills, and with the help of a few props and the excellent work of Tim Smith running Chat GPT voices and sound effects, it came together really nicely.”
Thanks to support from Arts Whistler and the Maury Young venue, Aye Aye A.I is soon slated to reach a wider audience. Viewers can expect to take in a more focused rendition of the show’s dialogue, humour and plot without the distractions inherent to an outdoor production.
Aye Aye A.I. next runs on Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at showpass.com/ flag-stop-in-the-fall-presents-aye-aye-ai. n
Aye Aye A.I., a play by Stephen Vogler, premiered at the Point Artist-Run Centre on Aug. 9.
PHOTO BY KELLY COSGROVE
Book Review—The Off Season by Amber Cowie
BY ALLI VAIL
THE THING ABOUT Amber Cowie thrillers is no matter how bad it is for the characters, you know it’s always going to get worse—in ways you couldn’t have fathomed or expected. She’s fearless about destroying fictional lives, and I am here for it.
Cowie goes all out in The Off Season, her latest thriller, which came out in May and pulls out the interpersonal drama, eerie setting, bad decisions, isolation, lies, interrupted internet connection, and chaos that form the foundation of her novels.
So where does it all start? Jane Duvall, a documentary filmmaker whose career has tanked, takes off for Europe. When she comes back, she’s married to a man, Dom, she barely knows, who has a daughter (Sienna) who absolutely hates her. Jane’s reckless decision seems like a safe bet at first. He’s employed (it can be a low bar), handsome, sexy, and appears to worship the ground she walks on. Did we mention he’s gorgeous? And a widower? If you’re getting Rebecca vibes, you’re not wrong.
When Dom suggests they all head out to a remote hotel in Chilliwack to act as caretakers and to bond as a family, Jane is hesitant but decides to go with it. She needs to keep a low profile anyway, so without further ado, the three of them decamp to
the country, where they meet Dom’s friend and hotelier, Peter. He’s rude out of the gate and takes off after insulting Jane. Most of the men in this book do not come off well.
Cowie thrives writing characters with screaming red-flags, and the entire supporting cast, and indeed Jane herself, all have serious judgment issues and emotional damage, which is what makes books like this so fun.
Cowie also excels at writing haunting and utterly creepy wilderness landscapes (as in her previous thriller, Last One Alive ) and The Off Season stays on trend. She leans into the physicality of a setting to make the outdoors an enemy, and the glorious and under-renovation Venatura Hotel is equally spooky. Nothing like a nearly empty hotel to send a shiver down your spine, at least when Cowie describes
it. She doesn’t waste time letting the reader get comfortable. Nope, the weather quickly turns inclement and the power goes out and it’s just a matter of time before the rain starts to fall. And fall.
Things start off benign enough, aside from the angry stepdaughter. The family tries to settle in, but it’s not long before Jane begins hearing things, there are issues with the power, Sienna starts to undermine her, and Dom wants Jane to handle the cooking, a skill she does not have. Jane’s hopes for a happy family and a fresh start go out the window about the same time as the weather turns for the worse.
With no one to trust and the situation getting more dire every day, what’s Jane going to do? Whatever she can to survive.
Personally, I’m never going to a remote hotel ever again.
Amber Cowie appears in Chilling Tales: Thrilling Fiction Oct. 19 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler as part of the Whistler Writers Festival. Tickets are available now. Cowie is a novelist living in Squamish and her work has appeared in The New York Times, Salon, The Globe and Mail, and CrimeReads
Alli Vail is the marketing manager for the Whistler Writers Festival. Her debut novel, Brooklyn Thomas Isn’t Here, came out in May.
Find more info and tickets at whistlerwritersfest.com n
Resor t Municipality of Whistler
Notice | Tax Sale Proper ties
Pursuant to Section 645 of the Local Government Act, the properties listed below will be offered for sale by public auction on Monday, October 07, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. in the Flute Room of Municipal Hall at 4325 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC , unless delinquent taxes plus interest are paid Payment for either the settlement of outstanding taxes prior to tax sale, or purchase of property at tax sale must be CASH or CERTIFIED FUNDS.
Those who wish to bid on properties must register between 9:30 a.m. and 9:50 a.m. on Monday, October 07, 2024 at Municipal Hall. Photo ID is required for registration.
Please note that under Section 648 of the Local Government Act a person authorized by Council may bid for the municipality at the tax sale up to a maximum amount set by Council Any person being declared the tax sale purchaser must pay the fu ll amount of the purchase price by 1:00 p.m. the same day. Failure to pay will result in the property being offered for sale again.
Property purchased at tax sale is subject to redemption by the registered property owner within one year from the day the annual tax sale began. Redemption price will be the upset price at the time of tax sale, plus required maintenance costs, plus any taxes paid by the purchaser, plus interest at rates established under section 11( 3) of the Taxation Act on the preceding and any surplus bid.
Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca
Register at gobybikebc.ca Submit completedcards to creid@awarewhistler.org to claimyourprize!
all candidates me eting
Whistler’s first marathon
BY ALLYN PRINGLE
FROM WORLD CUP downhills and Ironman triathlons to the annual October Turkey Trot, Whistler has played host to countless athletic competitions and events featuring many different sports. The Alta Lake Sports Club was founded in 1975, and though a lot of its efforts went to organizing cross-country ski trails and events, the group soon began organizing running events in the Whistler area. It was not until 1982, however, that Whistler hosted its first marathon.
Whistler’s first marathon and halfmarathon took place Aug. 29, 1982, and drew 131 entrants, though race coordinator Tom Sutherland had earlier expected only 50 to 75 participants to sign up.
A couple weeks before the race, the course was carefully measured by Sutherland and Wayne Fisher using a Jones Counter, a bicycle odometer, after the pair rode a measured kilometre certified by local surveying company Brown & Associates.
the operators of the sweeping equipment. Thankfully for the race, Art Den Duyf of Sabre Bulldozing Ltd. agreed to use his equipment to water the stretch of road, allowing highway crews to follow behind with the sweeper.
Despite being described by many as a difficult course, most participants appear to have had a positive experience, including Stephanie Greenall, who at 14 was the youngest runner. She ran the half-marathon alongside her father Dave who, having completed the course, spontaneously decided to run it again and finish the full marathon. Former Whistler resident Dag Aabye, who in 1982 was living in Squamish, told the Whistler Question, “I’ve run in five marathons, and this one is great!”
According to Murray Coates, the only full-time Whistler resident to register for the full marathon, “to say it was good would be an understatement. Everybody—the spectators, organizers, volunteers and runners—put all they had into it. It was mind-boggling how great it was.” Because it was the first time the event was held, winners of each category set new records, including Loreen Barnett, a member of the ALSC, who came first in the women’s marathon.
The 13.1-mile (or 21.1-km) course took runners from the bus loop in Whistler Village, north along Highway 99, through White Gold Estates, back to the highway, into Alpine
Meadows and down Rainbow Drive, along Alta Lake Road, back up the highway, through Brio, and then back onto Highway 99 and into the Village to finish at the bus loop. Those who chose to run the full marathon then ran the entire loop a second time.
While measuring the course, Sutherland and Fisher carefully placed mileage markers to indicate distances and aid-station locations. Unfortunately for them, two days after they marked the route, Alta Lake Road was sealcoated and all of their markers were wiped away. The process also left the road less than smooth, and highways district manager Ron Winbow told organizers crews would not be able to sweep the road until it had rained and the surface was damp, making it safe for
The marathon and half-marathon event returned the next summer as part of the
In 1984, the half-marathon returned but the full marathon did not, and despite early hopes to establish the Whistler Marathon as part of a marathon circuit, the event appears to have stopped altogether in 1985. Today, Whistler hosts a variety of running events, including the Whistler Half Marathon that began in the mid-2000s. n Despite
Whistler Fitness Festival held in July 1983 that also included the Whistler Molson Bicycle Race, a Windsurfing Regatta, and the Mr. Mountain Contest (the summer of 1983 also saw Whistler’s first triathlon). This time, almost 250 runners were registered, including local residents, repeat racers, and one couple from New York who decided the race would be a great addition to their honeymoon.
RUN IT BACK Runners (mostly) stick to the shoulder of the road during the first Whistler Marathon and HalfMarathon.
WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION, 1982
Resort Municipality of Whistler NOTICE | 2025 Council Meeting Dates
Council will meet in the Franz Wilhelmsen Theatre at Maury Young Arts Centre, 4335 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, British Columbia, starting at 5:30 p.m. on the following Tuesdays in 2025:
January 7
January 21
April 8
April 29
July 8
July 22
October 7
October 21
February 4
February 25
May 13
May 27
August 12
November 4
November 18
March 11
March 25
June 10
June 24
September 2
September 16
December 2 December 16
Notice of the 2025 Council Meeting Schedule is given in accordance with sections 94 and 127 of the Community Charter
Pauline Lysaght, Corporate Officer
Resort Municipality of Whistler Whistler.ca/councilmeetings
Anthony (Buz) Doyle
December 21, 1953 – August 1, 2024
Buz Doyle, 70, of Whistler Creekside, passed away unexpectedly on August 1, 2024, due to health complications.
Buz is survived by his beloved daughters Chelsey (Michael), Samantha, Britney, his cherished granddaughter Chloe, and his siblings Paul (Jewel), Peni, Pam, Kelly (David), Debra, and Sheree. He is also survived by Sandra, his former wife and mother of his children He is predeceased by his parents, Marina Doyle and Walter Jackson, nephew Ryan, and many Whistler friends.
While Buz was a father to three, he was a ‘Whistler Dad’ or ‘Uncle Buz’ to so many Working in Whistler Lift Operations for 45 years, Buz encountered millions of people from all over the world. Ready to help, learn, and mentor, Buz consistently demonstrated his commitment through action He watched people come and go but he remained, always there, always supporting, always smiling.
Beyond the mountain, he was a man of great curiosity for problem solving, unwavering loyalty to the Raiders, F1 and Survivor, and a father and grandpa who deeply adored every moment spent with his daughters and granddaughter; all which brought him great joy. His kind-hearted nature, genuine encouragement and pride in others, wisdom, silly jokes, and loving support will forever be remembered
ASTROLOGY
Free Will Astrology
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27 BY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Here comes the Hating and Mating Season. I want to help you minimize the “hating” part and maximize the “mating” part, so I will offer useful suggestions. 1. To the degree that you can, dissolve grudges and declare amnesty for intimate allies who have bugged you. 2. Ask your partners to help you manage your fears; do the same for them. 3. Propose to your collaborators that you come up with partial solutions to complicated dilemmas. 4. Do a ritual in which you and a beloved cohort praise each other for five minutes. 5. Let go of wishes that your companions would be more like how you want them to be.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Many fairy tales tell of protagonists who are assigned seemingly impossible missions. Perhaps they must carry water in a sieve or find “fire wrapped in paper” or sort a heap of wheat, barley, poppyseed, chickpeas, and lentils into five separate piles. Invariably, the star of the story succeeds, usually because they exploit some loophole, get unexpected help, or find a solution simply because they didn’t realize the task was supposedly impossible. I bring this up, Taurus, because I suspect you will soon be like one of those fairy-tale champions. Here’s a tip: They often get unexpected help because they have previously displayed kindness toward strangers or low-status characters. Their unselfishness attracts acts of grace into their lives.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You are in a phase with great potential for complex, unforeseen fun. To celebrate, I’m offering descriptions of your possible superpowers. 1. The best haggler ever. 2. Smoother of wrinkles and closer of gaps. 3. Laugher in overly solemn moments. 4. Unpredictability expert. 5. Resourceful summoner of allies.
6. Crafty truth-teller who sometimes bends the truth to enrich sterile facts. 7. Riddle wrestler and conundrum connoisseur. 8. Lubricant for those who are stuck. 9. Creative destroyer of useless nonsense. 10. Master of good trickery. 11. Healer of unrecognized and unacknowledged illnesses.
A celebration of Buz’s life will be held on
Friday, October 18, 2024, at Dusty’s
(2040 London Lane, Whistler Creekside Village) from 2:00 to 5:00pm.
We welcome all who knew Buz and who wish to commemorate him to join us in honouring a man who will be deeply missed In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Whistler Health Care Foundation in memory of Buz and don’t forget to always “walk your bikes” through the village
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Tanzanite is a rare blue and violet gemstone that is available in just one place on Earth: a five-square-mile region of Tanzania. It was discovered in 1967 and mined intensively for a few years. Geologists believed it was all tapped out. But in 2020, a self-employed digger named Saniniu Lazier located two huge new pieces of tanzanite worth $3.4 million. Later, he uncovered another chunk valued at $2 million. I see you as having resemblances to Saniniu Lazier in the coming weeks. In my visions of your destiny, you will tap into resources that others have not been able to unearth. Or you will find treasure that has been invisible to everyone else.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Marathon foot races are regularly held worldwide. Their official length is 42.1 kilometres. Even fast runners with great stamina can’t finish in less than two hours. There’s a downside to engaging in this herculean effort: Runners lose up to six per cent of their brain volume during a race, and their valuable gray matter isn’t fully reconstituted for eight months. Now here’s my radical prophecy for you, Leo. Unless you run in a marathon sometime soon, your brain may gain in volume during the coming weeks. At the very least, your intelligence will be operating at peak levels. It will be a good time to make key decisions.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Is there a greater waste of land than golf courses? They are typically over 60 hectares in size and require huge amounts of water to maintain. Their construction may destroy precious wetlands, and their vast tracts of grass are doused with chemical pesticides. Yet there are only 67 million golfers in the world. Less than one per cent of the population plays the sport. Let’s use the metaphor of the golf course as we analyze your life. Are there equivalents of this questionable use of resources and space? Now is a favourable time to downsize irrelevant, misused, and unproductive elements.
ROB BREZSNY
Re-evaluate how you use your space and resources.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): On the morning of Jan. 27, 1970, Libran songwriter John Lennon woke up with an idea for a new song. He spent an hour perfecting the lyrics and composing the music on a piano. Then he phoned his producer and several musicians, including George Harrison, and arranged for them to meet him at a recording studio later that day. By Feb. 6, the song “Instant Karma” was playing on the radio. It soon sold more than a million copies. Was it the fastest time ever for a song to go from a seed idea to a successful release? Probably. I envision a similar process in your life, Libra. You are in a prime position to manifest your good ideas quickly, efficiently, and effectively.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You have passed the test of the First Threshold. Congratulations, Scorpio! Give yourself a kiss. Fling yourself a compliment. Then begin your preparations for the riddles you will encounter at the Second Threshold. To succeed, you must be extra tender and ingenious. You can do it! There will be one more challenge, as well: the Third Threshold. I’m confident you will glide through that trial not just unscathed but also healed. Here’s a tip from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus: “Those who do not expect the unexpected will not find it.”
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): What development are you so ready for that you’re almost too ready? What transformation have you been preparing for so earnestly that you’re on the verge of being overprepared? What lesson are you so ripe and eager to learn that you may be anxiously interfering with its full arrival? If any of the situations I just described are applicable to you, Sagittarius, I have good news. There will be no further postponements. The time has finally arrived to embrace what you have been anticipating.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn screenwriter and TV producer Shonda Rhimes has had a spectacular career. Her company Shondaland has produced 11 primetime TV shows, including Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton She’s in the Television Hall of Fame, is one of the wealthiest women in America, and has won a Golden Globe award. As you enter into a phase when your ambitions are likely to shine extra brightly, I offer you two of her quotes. 1. “I realized a simple truth: that success, fame, and having all my dreams come true would not fix or improve me. It wasn’t an instant potion for personal growth.” 2. “Happiness comes from living as your inner voice tells you to. Happiness comes from being who you actually are instead of who you think you are supposed to be.”
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I have performed in many poetry readings. Some have been in libraries, auditoriums, cafés, and bookstores, but others have been in unexpected places: a laundromat, a bus station, a Walmart, a grocery store, and an alley behind a thrift store. Both types of locations have been enjoyable. But the latter kind often brings the most raucous and engaging audiences, which I love. According to my analysis, you might generate luck and fun for yourself in the coming weeks by experimenting with non-typical scenarios—akin to me declaiming an epic poem on a street corner or parking lot. Brainstorm about doing what you do best in novel situations.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I have two related oracles for you. 1. During the unfoldment of your mysterious destiny, you have had several homecomings that have moved you and galvanized you beyond what you imagined possible. Are you ready for another homecoming that’s as moving and galvanizing as those that have come before? 2. During your long life, you have gathered amazing wisdom by dealing with your pain. Are you now prepared to gather a fresh batch of wisdom by dealing with pleasure and joy?
Homework: Maybe it’s time to fix a seemingly unfixable discomfort. Do it! Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com
In addition to this column, Rob Brezsny creates
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
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Parks and Trails Coordinator
(Regular, Full-Time)
Looking to contribute to your local community?
Consider a career in local government. Join the SLRD’s team of dedicated staff who work together to make a difference in the region
Headquartered in Pemberton, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) delivers a wide range of regional, sub-regional and local services to its residents. The SLRD is a BC Regional District consisting of four member municipalities (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Lillooet) and four electoral areas. Services include land use planning, solid waste management, building inspection, fire protection, emergency preparedness, 911 services, recreation, water and sewer utilities, regional transit, trails and open spaces as well as financial support for various community services. The region contains some of the most spectacular forests, waterways, and mountains in the province and affords an endless range of opportunities for outdoor adventure, making it an exceptional place to live, work and play.
The SLRD is seeking a detail-oriented and collaborative individual to fill the position of Parks and Trails Coordinator. The Parks and Trails Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the development, operation, and maintenance of community parks, trails, public spaces and other land-based services the SLRD provides.
The ideal candidate has a minimum of 5 years of related experience and a post-secondary degree or diploma in parks and recreation management, nature-based tourism management, landscape architecture, conservation and sustainability or a related discipline. For further information, please refer to the full job description at www.slrd.bc.ca/employment.
The salary range for this position is $81,414 - $91,632 annually. A comprehensive benefits package, participation in the Municipal Pension Plan, compressed work week (9-day fortnight), learning and career development opportunities and the eligibility to work from home in accordance with the SLRD’s Remote Work Arrangements Policy are also available with this position.
Interested candidates are invited to submit their cover letter and resume (preferably in pdf format) by email, no later than October 20, 2024 at 11:59 pm to careers@slrd.bc.ca.
We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those shortlisted will be contacted
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Whistler Home Exchange
Accommodation SEEKING
ACCOMMODATION WANTED
Fairmont Chateau
Whistler Resort is growing its Housing portfolio and sourcing additional Rental contracts for our Hotel Team Members. We are now sourcing larger condo or chalet space for shared, 2 persons per bedroom, ideally located walking distance from the Village. Contract terms for property Owners are stress free with no commissions and includes representation from our 4 person fulltime Housing Department working with you 24/7; maintaining all aspects of the tenancy including quarterly inspections. Let’s see if we can make a match and develop a long-term relationship here. General inquiries please email mark.munn@fairmont.com
604.935.2432 Pat Wiebe
604.902.9300
raymondo99.69@gmail.com
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!
JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT SSHS
• Community Health Nurse ($90 000 - $100 000)
• Home and Community Care Nurse ($90 000-$110 000)
• Clinical Services Manager ($100 000 - $125 000)
• Workers (Pared Support Men’s Health Lead ($53 000 $60 000)
About Us: SSHS is a non-profit Indigenous Health Organization dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous communities. Our organization provides culturally appropriate healthcare services, programs, and initiatives to support the holistic health of Indigenous individuals and families.
Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca/careers
Lil’wat Nation Employment Opportunities
ÚÍlus Community Centre
• Director of Community Programs ($88,015 to $101,556 per year)
• Elders’ Activity Coordinator ( $20.90 to 29.45 per hour)
• Financial Reporting Manager ($59,878 to $74,564 per year)
• Transition House Support Worker ($20.90 to $29.45 per hour)
• Family Mentor ($38,038 to $53,599 per year)
• Cultural Camps Supervisor ($46,683.00 to $63,973.00 per year)
• Social Worker ($80,371 to $91,673 per year)
• Family Enhancement Worker ($38,038 to $53,599 per year)
Health & Healing
• Health & Healing Administrator ($93,475 to $101,556 per year)
• Nurse – Community Health ($41.42 to $52.81 per hour)
Xet’òlacw Community School
• Social Worker/ Counsellor( $80,371 to $91,673 per year)
• High School English and Humanities Teacher
($60,015 to $109,520 per year)
• Elementary School Teacher - Grade 3 ($60,015 to $109,520 per year)
Ts'zil Learning Center
• Indigenous Support Worker – Academic ($38,038 - $53,599 per year)
• Receptionist ($17.40 to $20.90 per hour)
ACCESS CONTROL TECHNICIAN
Great opportunity for a self-motivated, organized, and energetic person to excel in the field of Access Control. Key duties include installing, troubleshooting, and repairing access control systems, as well as working collaboratively with the team. Ideal candidates will have experience with access control systems, conduit running, wiring, and low voltage troubleshooting. Must be able to work independently, possess strong customer service skills, and excel in a fast-paced environment.
Please reply to ryan@alpinelock.com with a resume and cover letter outlining your suitability and qualifications for the position.
No drop-ins or phone calls please, apply only by email.
JOB POSTING: COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE
Position Title: Community Health Nurse
Location: Mount Currie, BC
Type: Full-time employee or contractor
Salary: $90, 000 - $110, 000 (based on experience)
Other Benefits: SSHS offers a competitive benefits and employment package for full-time staff
Position Start Date: As soon as possible
About Us: SSHS is a non-profit Indigenous Health Organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Indigenous communities. Our organization provides culturally appropriate healthcare services, programs, and initiatives to support the holistic health of Indigenous individuals and families.
Position Overview: SSHS is seeking a self-motivated, autonomous Community Health Nurse to provide care to adult community members (19+) of 3 remote First Nation communities by: being responsible for full scope nursing care to a variety of clients, constantly promoting health and wellness education, and aligning care out of community. This is a non-union position. You will be supported through First Nations Health Authority nursing practice support and Vancouver Coastal Health.
Qualifications:
• Current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM)
• Current CPR course for Health Care Providers (HCP)
• Completion of specialty nursing certificate/certified practice (BCCNM) as applicable and two (2) years' recent, related public health nursing experience including experience related to the population applicable to the job or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• A good understanding of First Nations cultural principles and protocols
• Competent working knowledge of nursing processes, standards of practice and ethics
• Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s license
Additional preference given to candidates with:
• BCCDC immunization competency certification
• BCCDC STI certified practice
• Canadian Diabetic Educator Certification
• POATSP RN Certification
• Sanyas indigenous cultural safety
• Rural/remote nursing certified practice
Knowledge and Abilities:
• Care for clients with acute, chronic and palliative care needs, mental health and substance use issues.
• Deliver direct care, and provide care management to assist clients to manage their own care and navigate through the various services available within the community settings.
• Work in partnership with the client and family to establish wellness goals that are safe, realistic, and reasonable.
• Work in an interprofessional team model in collaboration with the primary care provider, and other care providers
• Knowledge of acute, chronic disease, palliative, mental health and substance use and health management and selfmanagement support
• Knowledge of community resources available for client/family support and related health services.
• Demonstrate ability to assess safety and risk prior to entering familiar and unfamiliar home environments.
• Comprehensive knowledge of public health nursing theory, practices and procedures.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Demonstrate ability to deal sensitively and tactfully with clients and provide culturally sensitive nursing services to diverse and marginalized populations
• Demonstrate ability to participate in the development and delivery of educational materials
• Confidentiality - Demonstrate ability to maintain client/caregivers’ privacy and confidentiality with respect to communication, documentation, and data, including when traveling between client homes and office/care settings
• Demonstrate computer literacy to operate a computerized client care information system as well as applicable word processing, spreadsheet and database software applications.
Special Requirements:
• This position requires travel to remote Indigenous communities served by SSHS, accessed by Forest Service Roads (FSRs) that require driving on rough gravel roads during all four seasons.
Please submit resume and cover letter by email to Julia Schneider, Executive Assistant, at julia.schneider@sshs.ca.
Please include in the subject line your name and the position you are applying for.
Thank you for your interest!
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
HEAVY
to brave inclement weather required. Previous experience preferred but not required. Training provided. $25-$32 per hour.
SNOWPLOW OPERATOR, Whistler – Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s Licence required. Must be available from November 15 through March 31. On-the-job training provided. Wage depending on experience. $28-35.02 per hour.
A well-deserved honour for two Whistler pioneers
NOT INFREQUENTLY , visitors ask, “Which mountain is your favourite?” Naturally they ask more during winter when we’re riding a chairlift on one or the other of Whistler and Blackcomb.
My general reply is, “If the hardest decision I have to make in the morning is skiing Whistler or Blackcomb, I feel pretty blessed.” And truth is, I’ve wavered over the
BY G.D. MAXWELL
years between the two. So I guess the real answer is the same one I give when people ask about my favourite wine, beer, whisky, meal: The one I’m drinking or eating at the moment.
But on a more philosophical, historical level—and putting aside the incredible alpine terrain on Whistler—I’d have to say Blackcomb. Please, no hate mail.
The reason is simple. Whistler without Blackcomb would be a nice place to ski. But it would be a regional ski resort. There’s nothing else close enough to create a critical mass. The weather is, well, the weather. The town itself would be quaint, but far smaller and with fewer amenities. And a lot of people here wouldn’t mind it that way.
But the development of Blackcomb was the key to making this place the 800-pound gorilla it has become, the ski destination every skier wants to visit.
Two people were instrumental in making Blackcomb a reality. Al Raine envisioned a village nestled between two grand mountains. Al saw the potential of Blackcomb. Al—as provincial co-ordinator of ski development— convinced the NDP government and its successor, the Socreds, on that vision.
For his service as one of Whistler’s original council members and for his vision and efforts to get the province’s agreement to develop Blackcomb, Al was honoured with the Freedom of the Municipality years ago.
But it was Hugh Smythe who got Blackcomb built and unleashed the 800pound beast. And finally, Hugh will receive the same honour on Oct. 22.
It is no hyperbole to say Hugh’s accomplishment is largely responsible for making Whistler, the resort, what it is today. But to travel that long, twisted road took ambition, skill, vision, trust, talented people, hard choices and an incredible amount of pure, blind luck, leading to a daisy chain of events that read like fiction.
Start with a 19-year-old Hugh showing up in Whistler the first year the mountain was opened, 1966, with a year’s worth of experience on Mt. Baker’s volly ski patrol, talking his way into a volly lifty job. Next season, volly patrol on Whistler, pro patroller a year later. Livin’ the dream. Absorbing everything he can about how a ski mountain runs, studying business in the summers.
Given the chance to manage Fortress
Mountain in Alberta in 1974—bankrupt since 1971 and owned by the Federal Business Development Bank (FBDB)—he grabs it. Has 60 days before opening to breathe life into disaster. Suggests FBDB talk to Aspen Corp to offload the thing since they didn’t want it. Aspen bites for 50%.
Meanwhile in Whistler, the provincial government was getting serious about Al Raine’s idea and preparing to call for bids to develop Blackcomb. Hugh and Paul Mathews—he of Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners and the Toad Hall poster—cobble together ideas, and a team with financial resources after Aspen, approached by Paul, takes a pass on the plan.
Al Raine’s still kind of keen on getting Aspen to take a second look. Aspen decides to bite after consulting with Hugh. Hugh has to make an agonizing choice: Go with
was pushing 20% and kept going up until the next season opened.
Aspen, owned by 20th Century Fox, had deep pockets, still awash with cash after 1977’s Star Wars phenomena. It is an unanswerable question whether the financial partners Hugh and Paul put together would have survived the market conditions that nearly bankrupted Whistler Village.
But the winning bid did survive. Blackcomb, a 97-pound weakling compared to Whistler across the valley, opened for business in 1980... and stayed in business.
Unable to compete on terrain, Hugh and his talented team focused on high-touch personal service, better food, a huge desire to make the total experience one that left guests feeling pampered. It worked.
The mountain increased visits yearly and developed a core of Blackcomb-only skiers.
It is no hyperbole to say Hugh’s accomplishment is largely responsible for making Whistler, the resort, what it is today.
Aspen, who he’s working for, or go with Paul.
On Oct. 12, 1978, the province awards the development rights to Fortress, the entity Hugh and Aspen bid through.
Consider for a moment: On Oct. 18 that year, the prime lending rate was 11%. That is not a typo. A year later it was 13.75%. When Blackcomb opened in 1980 it was 14.5%, and by the time it wrapped up its first season it
Hugh trusted his employees. When Peter Xhignesse suggested developing what became 7th Heaven, a slope no ski-area owner would imagine feasible, Hugh took the chance, light-fingered an unused T-Bar from Fortress and eclipsed Whistler as the Mile High Mountain.
Success followed success: Bringing Intrawest to the table when Aspen wanted out, bringing Nippon Cable in as a partner,
opening new lifts almost every season and finally, purchasing Whistler Mountain. So many astute moves to create the gorilla. Joining Hugh as Whistler’s latest Freedom of the Municipality recipients is former Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, herself no slouch in the amazing story, multifaceted accomplishment department.
From squatter to lawyer to councillor to mayor, Nancy has actively taken steps to enrich Whistler.
It wasn’t even Whistler when, as an 18-year-old, she arrived at Alta Lake. After doing the housing shuffle—always a challenge—she and partner Ted squatted along Crabapple Creek. As she said, no hydro, no toilet, no shower. But she studied by lamplight, finished uni and became a lawyer.
Nancy helped shape the community with multiple stints as an elected councillor and two terms as mayor. Among the achievements she holds most dear are preserving the Emerald Forest from development, helping to found the Community Foundation of Whistler—now the Whistler Community Foundation—and smoothing the way for the establishment of the Audain Art Museum.
My own favourite Nancy moment was watching her wield her skill as a lawyer and her way with words as she verbally eviscerated the spokesman for Larco’s unsuccessful bid to rezone the property below its hotel. Priceless.
Freedom of the Municipality is the highest honour Whistler can bestow on someone. Hugh and Nancy are only the 15th and 16th people to be so honoured since the creation of the Resort Municipality of Whistler. They are both, in the true sense of the word, pioneers in the incredible experiment that has seen this town go from zero to mind-boggling in the brief span of 64 years.
