Pique Newsmagazine 3144

The evolving Point

From fishing lodge to arts venue, tracking the evolution of Whistler’s ‘hidden gem.’ - By Alan Forsythe

06 OPENING REMARKS With the provincial election behind us and opening day still three weeks away, now is the perfect time to delve into the weeds of Whistler’s budget.

08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter writers share thanks to the municipality and Whistler Blackcomb, and congratulations to the corridor’s newest MLA.

11 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST In order to truly appreciate nature’s beauty, we must also take its brutality in stride, writes David Song.

50 MAXED OUT Now that the dust has finally (mostly) settled, Max breaks down the results of B.C.’s provincial election.

COVER What’s the point? To evolve! - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art

Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Reporters

12 TAXING DECISIONS The Resort Municipality of Whistler looks to do more with less in upcoming budgets as it faces mounting cost pressures.

13 PERMIT PAIN Whistler builders are pushing back against the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s claims of reduced permit wait times.

30 YAY FOR NEIGH Horse fans, rejoice: a new organization up in Pemberton wants to help you connect with like-minded individuals.

34 SEW YOU KNOW Local seamstress Daniela Saulus is hosting sewing workshops Nov. 17 and Dec. 8 at the Point Artist-Run Centre.

BRANDON BARRETT - bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Contributors G.D. MAXWELL, GLENDA BARTOSH, LESLIE ANTHONY, ANDREW MITCHELL, ALISON TAYLOR, VINCE SHULEY, ALYSSA NOEL

Founding Publishers KATHY & BOB BARNETT www.piquenewsmagazine.com

Budgeting rocks

WITH THE PROVINCIAL election fading in the rearview and opening day at Whistler Blackcomb still three weeks away, Whistlerites can be forgiven if they’re feeling somewhat directionless.

Just what is a local in a tourist town supposed to do with themselves on these

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

Well, you could get a new hobby (we hear The Point is offering sewing classes—read more on page 34), or find somewhere to volunteer, but if you’d rather fill your time with something more cynical, there’s always the municipal budget!

Luckily, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is wasting no time getting deep into the weeds on Whistler’s 2025 finances, with a robust presentation to the committee of the whole held Oct. 22.

You can read more about it in this week’s lead story on page 12, but in the shortest possible terms, the current outlook is this: as Whistler’s population climbs, so too do expenses—so taxes must follow suit.

At this early stage of the budgeting process, officials are considering a general property tax increase of between 9 and 10 per cent for 2025, along with increases to parcel tax and user fees of between 4 and 8 per cent.

According to the RMOW’s presentation, that could mean anywhere from an additional $70 on your tax bill (if you own a Whistler

Housing Authority unit valued at about $500,000) all the way up to an additional $520 (for those of you living in $4-million singlefamily homes).

The proposed increase to utility and service fees would amount to about $80 more for a typical user, according to officials.

“But wait a minute,” we hear you say. “That’s MORE money. Can’t the RMOW take LESS of my money instead?”

An astute observation, and a relevant question for all. Sadly, the short answer, given current circumstances and cost pressures, is “probably not.”

That’s because, according to local officials, Whistler’s municipal finances are being

In Whistler’s case, the three “big rocks” are: policing, fire, and transit.

“Each of these helps us catch up to the size and shape of our community and puts public safety and climate goals at the top of the priority list,” Cullen said, noting staff is expecting significant increases in all three areas.

With that in mind, the focus in this year’s budget is constraining growth in other areas.

“We need to keep service levels the same, so we have added no extra programs, no extra hours, no extra staff,” Cullen said.

“We’ve been focusing on saving, shifting or redeploying, not expanding wherever possible, keeping our non-payroll operating

is disruptive and costs more to fix,” Cullen said, pointing to the failure of some municipal infrastructure on the north shore during recent high-water events by way of example.

“We’re not immune to that, so we need to ensure that we’re always staying on top of what we feel is needed to be able to manage unplanned events such as that one.”

Whistler benefits in many ways by being a resort community, with assets for both residents and visitors, but “it also means there is a greater responsibility to care for infrastructure,” Cullen noted. “Our municipality supports a worldclass tourism destination, that in turn benefits the rest of the province of B.C., so a resort municipality essentially comes with a higher

At this early stage of the budgeting process, officials are considering a general property tax increase of between 9 and 10 per cent for 2025...

guided by some large (and growing) factors: helpfully explained by CAO Ginny Cullen by way of visual metaphor.

Imagine the RMOW’s budget is a big, empty jar, and its annual expenses consist of all the rocks you will use to fill it.

“In the budget there are three main ‘big rocks,’ and they’re called big rocks because you need to fit them in the jar first before anything else will fit in and around them,” Cullen told the committee of the whole.

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costs level with 2024, and that is despite inflation.”

Then there is the small matter of keeping up with infrastructure maintenance—an area Whistler is perhaps held to a higher standard than other communities.

“[O]ur community is maturing, and this means investment in existing infrastructure needs to match required maintenance schedules. We need to stay fit, so we don’t end up with unplanned maintenance that

workload if you compare us to another similar sized but not a resort community.”

So rather than let the dead-season doldrums drag you down, why not head on over to engage.whistler.ca/budget-2025 and have a read of all the great budget literature for yourself?

Then put all your best feedback into a nice email and send it along to the RMOW.

Our local decision-makers would love to hear from you. n

Smythe says thanks

I want to reiterate my sincere gratitude expressed on Tuesday night, Oct. 22 to our mayor and council for conferring on me the huge honour of Freedom of the Municipality, and for celebrating this honour for Nancy Wilhelm-Morden and myself with a remarkable presentation at council, created and delivered by Brad Nichols, followed by a splendid reception at the Audain Art Museum. I am deeply proud, and humbled, to have received this award from the Resort Municipality of Whistler.

And beyond that, this letter is to express my immense appreciation to the community of Whistler—friends, colleagues, associates, and our families—all of whom make up the vibrant fabric of Whistler, for the terrific turnout and the incredible warmth of sentiments shared on Tuesday night, along with the steadfast support and enthusiasm from the community throughout the years.

I feel incredibly blessed in so many respects.

Thank you again, each and every one of you.

Hugh Smythe // Whistler

Remembering Buzz

I attended the celebration of life last week at Dusty’s for Buzz Doyle, an employee of Whistler Mountain for more than 40 years. It was a nice gathering of people who have also been friends and employees of the mountains since the ’70s I would like to acknowledge the generosity

of Whistler Blackcomb to open Dusty’s for the event as well as hosting food for every table. It was nice to be reminded they do support our community in so many ways.

Rick

Clare // Whistler

Carbon-free future will take time

I am writing to congratulate Mr. Valeriote on his recent win in our provincial election. Ultimately, the battle of narratives likely secured his seat, and I would like to address some of these.

First, regarding the opposition to Woodfibre

LNG, it’s important to recognize the significant economic benefits LNG brings to British Columbia. It reduces carbon emissions and improves air quality, particularly in countries like China and developing nations where CO2 emissions are high. In China, for example, LNG-powered heavy-duty trucks and machinery are increasingly replacing diesel. LNG engines produce nearly zero particulate emissions, effectively addressing one of the major sources of air pollution in urban and industrial areas. This transition not only benefits the environment but also has significant economic

potential. According to the Conference Board of Canada, LNG could generate nearly $94 billion in revenue for B.C. between 2020 and 2064. If Mr. Valeriote has an alternative plan that matches these environmental and economic benefits without LNG, I am open to hearing it. Another narrative Mr. Valeriote put forward is that we are in the “sunset” of the fossilfuel industry. However, the industry will not disappear overnight. There is no peak oil, and the industry continues to find new sources and innovative extraction methods. It is also becoming evident that while solar and wind power have made significant advancements, they still rely on substantial government support and infrastructure development to address intermittency and reliability challenges. Eliminating fossil fuels overnight would be unrealistic and could risk significant economic disruption and social upheaval.

As we transition toward a future powered by clean and safe nuclear energy, LNG and other fossil fuels will be essential bridging fuels until sufficient nuclear infrastructure is in place. The rapid growth of AI and its rising energy demands make the need for a bridging fuel like LNG even more critical. Developing nuclear power grids takes time, and LNG will play a crucial role in providing reliable baseload power during this transition period.

If Mr. Valeriote and the residents of our region aim for a carbon-free future, we must acknowledge that it will take time. It is unrealistic to quickly dismiss the essential role

fossil fuels play in our society. Until nuclear energy can provide consistent baseload power and wind and solar can fill any remaining gaps, fossil fuels like LNG will be necessary to help us achieve that future.

Jason Drury // Whistler

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

slowing down, considering your mental state and working on your own goals. The Monday yoga class which focuses on Yin (a more meditative practice) and Yang (a practice that increases flexibility and energy) is an important component to overall health and well-being.

“Let’s keep a focus on overall health and well-being and keep classes accessible to all.”

- CHARMAINE

MIRANDA

Keep Meadow Park classes accessible to all

Thank you Karen Gardner for asking some good questions about Meadow Park’s classes (Pique, Oct.18). I too would like the community recreation centre to reconsider the change to the 9 a.m. Monday yoga class from an included class to a paid one.

As a psychologist, I know the importance of maintaining good mental health. Yoga is about

In a resort community where people are driven to push themselves physically, it can be difficult to let go and be in the moment and give one’s body kindness to heal. The change to increased payment has reduced enrolment. So I echo Ms. Gardner’s call for a review by Meadow Park Sports Centre.

Let’s keep a focus on overall health and well-being and keep classes accessible to all.

Dr. Charmaine Miranda // Whistler n

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

Resort MunicipalityofWhistler

WhistlerVillagepropertyowners,managers andmerchants

Asthewinter seasoniswithusagain, we’d like to take thisopportunity to remind owners,propertymanagersandmerchantsoftheimportance of keeping walkways, roofs,stairsandlandings adjacent to theirstoresandpropertiesfreeof iceandsnow.Itisessentialthat customersandguestsvisitingourVillage feel safe and comfortableinbeingable to travelfreelyaboutthearea.

Youare required to clearsnowandice from walkways, roofs,stairsandlandings adjacent to storesandproperties by10a.m.daily.

RMOWPropertyMaintenanceBylawNo.810

Get ready forwinter by:

1.Stockinguponice-meltingproducts(not road salt)andshovels

2. Checkingtheheat tracingonstairsand rampsaround yourproperty

Thanksinadvance for your cooperation.

DownloadthePropertyMaintenanceBylaw at www.whistle r.ca/bylaw inthe FrequentlyRequestedBylaws section.

Resort MunicipalityofWhistler whistler.ca/bylaw

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Nature is metal

HAVE YOU EVER seen an orca whale? How about a pod of them on the hunt?

I was blessed to witness such a thing on Sept. 8, when I spontaneously decided to fit a whale-watching excursion into my weekend Nanaimo trip. At first it felt like an inauspicious choice: I arrived at the dock just 10 minutes before the day’s last tour was scheduled to depart, and hesitation over

BY DAVID SONG

dsong@piquenewsmagazine.com

paying the $189 fee plus tax cost me a few

After some time in open water, our guide and captain threw the zodiac into high gear. They’d received reports of orcas in the vicinity and were determined not to let us—or themselves—down. We reached the designated area before long, spotting the tall, black dorsal fins of our intended subjects.

But then we saw something else: a much more diminutive grey creature. A harbour porpoise making a desperate bid for survival.

It would not be hyperbole to say a cinematic action scene unfolded before our eyes. The two largest orcas—a mom named “Volker” and a subadult male dubbed

“Inky”—hounded and encircled the porpoise. Their evident goal was to allow the smallest whale, a young female known as “Crinkle,” to make the kill. It was a family business.

Tails splashed as jet-black forms slashed through the ocean. Crinkle launched her quarry well clear of the water at one point, barely missing what could have been a fatal bite. Eventually the porpoise went under and didn’t rise again. The orcas began to feast.

Our guide, a woman named Aly Kohlman, remarked that the events we’d just witnessed

are considered gross by many. We’re tempted to take sides based on what feels right.

Look up a bunch of nature videos online, and you’ll inevitably read comments that express empathy towards prey animals (“why is no one helping the poor deer?”). Myself and some of my friends grew up watching the Disney flick Bambi, and we were vaguely traumatized when the titular character’s mom is shot offscreen by a hunter.

However, nature is no Disney movie. Instead, it’s chock-full of violence as predators

Exploring the outdoors is risky, and managing risk in tandem with other people is needed for success.

might seem cruel. However, she encouraged us to remember they were a normal part of nature. Predators need to eat too, and their hunts play a key role in regulating ecosystems.

It’s easy for us humans to anthropomorphize the beasts, environments and goings-on of the natural world. We deem some species, like dolphins and dogs, to be adorable, while others like spiders and snakes

at all levels of the food web try to kill their quarry for survival. If they don’t, ecosystems gradually degrade as those prey animals overpopulate.

Besides, isn’t the idea of a tiger starving to death alone because it botched one too many hunts rather depressing too? Prey aren’t the only animals worthy of our pathos.

You can’t judge the quality of a creature

based on appearance or feel. Spiders and centipedes could effectively play the role of pest control in your home, yet lots of people (including myself, admittedly) don’t want them around. Nonetheless, the skin-crawling feelings of disgust they might induce is not representative of what they contribute to their environment.

Consider also something more inanimate, like weather. The vast majority of Whistlerites eagerly await snowfall and the recreation it makes possible, but winter storms are also life-threatening for those they catch out in the open. Even ordinary commutes can become perilous endeavours when our roads become inundated with black ice.

The Sea to Sky is full of capable adventurers who understand this, of course. Exploring the outdoors is risky, and managing risk in tandem with other people is needed for success (in addition to being a valuable bonding experience for those open to it). Yet the call of adrenaline may tempt us closer to the razor’s edge, and strong feelings may obscure the big picture.

It’s normal for us to romanticize nature—after all, who doesn’t feel something when they gaze upon a majestic sunrise? Having said that, my recent whalewatching trip was a reminder the natural realm does not adhere to the boundaries of human comfort and moral value. In order to truly appreciate its beauty, we must also take its brutality in stride. n

Staring down ‘period of correction,’ RMOW floats 9.5% tax hike over next five years

AS MUNICIPALITY PREPARES

FOR

SEVERAL MAJOR COSTS,

FROM RCMP TO TRANSIT, IT WILL HAVE TO DO MORE WITH LESS

BY BRANDON BARRETT

MANY WHISTLERITES have had to tighten the purse strings as costs have risen on various fronts, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is no exception.

With a growing population, aging infrastructure, and several major upcoming costs in the pipeline, Whistler “may be facing a period of correction when it comes to taxes,” said Carlee Price, the RMOW’s chief financial officer, at the Oct. 22 committee of the whole meeting.

Presenting the 2025 draft budget to mayor and council, RMOW staff painted a picture of austerity, with department heads looking to do more with fewer resources and, aside from those significant anticipated costs, aiming for zero-growth budgets of their own.

That will likely mean hiked rates across the board for the average taxpayer. The RMOW floated a nine-to-10-per-cent property tax increase over the next five years, and a utilities parcel tax and user fee increase between four and eight per cent, depending on the fund. Staff broke that down into approximate dollar amounts, with the average Whistler Housing Authority unit, assessed at $500,000 in 2024, facing a potential $760 property tax bill in 2025, a $70 increase. The average condo, assessed at $1 million, would face a $1,510 tax bill, a $130 increase. A single-family home, assessed at $4 million, would face an estimated $6,040 tax bill, a $520 hike. And a commercial property, assessed at $500,000, would face a $3,590 tax bill, a $310 rise. Looking at utility taxes and fees, between

water, sewer and solid waste, the total charge for 2025 is anticipated to be $1,440, up $80 from last year.

Part of the current pressure on Whistler’s mill rate is the fact that, despite the community growing over the past decade at a steady clip— roughly four per cent annually in permanent residents, and between two and three per cent when factoring in tourists and temporary residents—the number of properties has remained stagnant, with an average growth rate of just 0.2 per cent over that period.

“What happens if the population grows and a much smaller number of new properties is added?” asked Price. “Each individual property is now responsible to fund services and amenities being delivered to a greater number of people than was once the case. This costs money, and specifically more money

tourism and engagement.”

Staff told elected officials about several “big rocks” RMOW budgeters will have to deal with—so-called because “you need to fit them in the jar before anything else will fit in and around them,” Cullen explained.

Chief among them is the higher proportion of policing costs the RMOW will have to absorb after Whistler’s population cracks 15,000, an inevitability in the next census, in 2026, given the resort’s population fell just shy of 14,000 in 2021.

“We need to start planning in our budget for that increase now, so that’s what this budget shows today,” Cullen said.

As it stands today, the RMOW pays 70 per cent of the local RCMP’s roughly $5.4-million annual policing costs, rising to approximately $5.9 million in 2025. In April 2027, after

“Key pressures ... are the result of rightsizing our public safety and transportation services...”

- GINNY CULLEN

from each individual property owner. This is where Whistler finds itself today.”

With Whistler’s rising population comes certain growing pains.

“Key pressures on our operations plan in 2025 are the result of rightsizing our public safety and transportation services to match the size of the community, while maintaining the services that benefit citizens,” said chief administrative officer Ginny Cullen. “This is accomplished through transit expansion, fire service expansion, and continuing to make progress on our key strategic priorities: housing, climate, smart

Whistler hits 15,000 residents, that proportion increases to 90 per cent.

“So, no [extra] service, just cost. Got it,” said Councillor Ralph Forsyth. In 2025, Whistler’s policing costs are forecast to rise by $834,300.

Another big rock in Whistler’s way is the anticipated cost of fighting fire in the resort. In February, council made the decision to staff the No. 3 Fire Hall in Spring Creek full-time. That’s a significant chunk of the $1,336,300 increase in predicted costs for fire in 2025. Staff explained expenditures will help fund increased fire risk mitigation and improving

Whistler’s wildfire defence posture. The RMOW also plans to begin the replacement of its fleet of 20- to 30-year-old fire trucks next year.

For the entire municipality, fleet and equipment costs are slated to rise by $386,100 in 2025.

The third major cost staff pointed to in its draft budget was for public transit. The entire cost of transit contract services for 2025 is a whopping $8,841,253, up more than $1.5 million from last year because of increased transit service. That sticker shock is lessened, however, by a jump in transit revenues. Offset by that rise, next year’s anticipated increase in transit costs is $286,200.

Although not lumped in with the other “big rocks,” the highest year-over-year increase in the 2025 budget, by far, is for the municipality’s payroll and benefits, up $2,701,200 from last year, more than triple the next largest increase, for policing costs. The RMOW explained approximately 45 per cent of this amount is for standard wage increases, determined through collective bargaining and benchmarked against six comparable municipalities.

“This is important as it ensures our municipal employees are being compensated fairly compared with other municipalities and ensures we retain and continue to recruit a skilled workforce,” a statement from the RMOW read.

Roughly a quarter of the payroll increase was adjusted for the decrease in the number and duration of vacant roles, while 15 per cent reflects an increase to Whistler Fire Rescue staffing, and 10 per cent for step increases as per the RMOW Staff Handbook. The remaining five per cent covers an increase in Building Department staffing.

On Nov. 19, the RMOW will bring its draft projects budget to council, before it presents its 2025 budget guidelines in December. Council will consider the five-year financial plan bylaw in January. n

Whistler builders push back against RMOW’s claims of reduced permit wait times

FRUSTRATION PERSISTS FOR BUILDERS WHO SAY WAIT TIMES REMAIN LONG THANKS TO OPAQUE, INEFFICIENT PROCESS

BY BRANDON BARRETT

LOCAL BUILDERS are pushing back against the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) recent figures claiming wait times for residential permits have been significantly cut this year.

The RMOW said in a report last month that wait times for commercial and multi-family residential building permits dropped by 50 per cent or more in the first eight months of the year, and more than 40 per cent for single-family residential permit applications.

After Pique reported the figures in an Oct. 2 article, the Sea to Sky chapter of the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) sent a lengthy, 1,500-word letter in response, disputing the claims and laying out the persistent frustrations local builders have had with a permit application process it says is opaque and inefficient.

“We applaud the significant reduction in the time it takes to have permit applications reviewed, however this is not an indication of permit issuance times being reduced significantly,” the letter, sent by CHBA Sea to Sky president Tom McColm, read.

In its letter, the CHBA said as recently as this spring, members “experienced wait times of nine months for an initial review for a renovation.”

Axel Schreyer, president of Schreyer Construction, also told Pique he recently received a permit for a multi-family renovation that his company waited eightand-a-half months for.

In a statement, the RMOW explained estimated wait times are based on a complete building permit application being received and either an initial review or deficiency list being sent to the applicant.

“Once [applications] are being tracked, they may also be held back by changes/ amendments or slow response time from the applicant, all elements that are not in the control of the RMOW building department,” the statement said. “With these considerations, there will be applications that take longer than the average approval time.”

The problem, according to builders, is the lack of clarity from the outset of the process around what information is actually needed from builders.

“I’m pretty good with permit applications, so we try to have it complete, according to their checklist,” said Schreyer. “But it often happens that after six months of wait time, they have additional questions and nobody has any idea what they could possibly be.”

Both Schreyer and the local CHBA chapter said it’s not unusual for the RMOW to request additional documents or information not on the initial checklist, “seemingly at the whim of

whoever happens to be reviewing applications on a given day,” the CHBA letter read.

Compared to West Vancouver, the City’s estimated turnaround time for a multi-family renovation application, from initial review to issuance of a permit, is six to eight weeks, Schreyer said, adding the review takes place early on, so any issues with the application can be addressed at the beginning of the process.

In a recent Sea to Sky CHBA survey of primarily builders, 59 per cent of 29 respondents said they are “regularly” asked for additional, previously unrequired information and documentation in the permit application process. Four per cent said they “always” were. In the same poll, 53 per cent of 32 respondents polled said they “always” receive conflicting, inconsistent information from their local building and planning departments, with 19 per cent saying they “sometimes” did. (While the poll was corridor-wide, 94 per cent of respondents said they primarily deal with the RMOW, with the remainder primarily dealing with the Village of Pemberton.)

Compounding the problem, builders said, is the RMOW seems to frequently lose submitted documents, according to several complaints the CHBA has received. “This is, in the eyes of the industry (particularly structural engineers), evidence of poor management and organization,” read the minutes of a June Sea to Sky CHBA meeting attended by three RMOW department managers.

Unlike many other jurisdictions, the RMOW does not have an online portal for builders to submit permit applications, something the local CHBA chapter has been calling for since 2021.

“We’re told that simple, off-the-shelf, readily available online application systems (which most other jurisdictions have adopted) cannot work with the RMOW’s legacy systems,” the CHBA’s letter went on.

“As a result, a rather lengthy process is being followed in an effort to adopt online applications. We’re told a custom-made solution is in the works. We look forward to the day this solution is operational.”

Lengthy permit turnaround times can affect builders, as well as the wider economy, Schreyer posited.

“Last year, interest rates went up like crazy and people are potentially jumping off jobs after waiting so long,” he said. “It’s a long time to keep a client patient. You can lose staff when you don’t know when a project is going to start and having to potentially lay people off. It does potentially affect the economy.”

Wait times and higher permit fees are also “pushing more work into the underground economy,” the CHBA said. “The most recent bump in permit fees seemed unjustified and was still implemented in the face of negative feedback provided about the increases.” n

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Nancy Wilhelm-Morden: Barrier-breaker, problem-solver, and Whistler’s dedicated servant

FORMER LAWYER, COUNCILLOR, AND WHISTLER’S FIRST FEMALE MAYOR AWARDED FREEDOM OF THE MUNICIPALITY

BY BRANDON BARRETT

WHEN NANCY WILHELM -Morden sees a problem that needs fixing, you can bet she’s going to roll up her sleeves and get to work.

When she learned, in 1984, the town council of the day was planning to introduce fees for cross-country skiing, she ran for alderman—and won. Foreseeing the persistent challenge housing would become, she played a hand in the establishment of the Whistler Housing Authority (WHA). Not wanting her first daughter to have to bus to Pemberton for high school, she spearheaded the effort to establish Whistler Secondary School.

Where others see the impossible, WilhelmMorden saw the probable, and her illustrious legal career and 17 years as an elected official are proof of that.

The resort’s former mayor received Whistler’s highest honour, the Freedom of the Municipality, at an Oct. 22 ceremony alongside ski-industry visionary Hugh Smythe.

“Since their arrival in the valley over 50 years ago, Hugh Smythe and Nancy Wilhelm-Morden have seen Whistler transform from a small ski area into an internationally recognized resort,” said Whistler Museum executive director Brad

Nichols at the ceremony. “As Nancy described her earlier years in Whistler, ‘No one was really sure what the future was going to hold, but everyone was full of life and able to do whatever it took to stay. We knew something remarkable was going to happen.’”

A LIFE IN LAW

Wilhelm-Morden could have just as easily been describing her own remarkable life. While her Whistler origin story is familiar, the trajectory of her five decades in the resort is anything but.

Like many others her age at the time, Wilhelm-Morden ventured west from her native Kitchener, Ont., fresh out of high school, in August 1973. What was supposed to be a two-week stay to see her then-boyfriend and eventual husband, Ted, working in Whistler as a logger, turned into a lifetime.

Wilhelm-Morden’s early days in the resort typified the devil-may-care lifestyle of 1970s Whistler. She was a squatter. She bartended at the infamously raucous Boot Pub. She worked for the highways department, where she was tasked with handling and blasting dynamite.

Not exactly the picture you might have of a woman who would go on to such a distinguished legal and political career, but it was a prime example of the ways Wilhelm-

Morden defied expectations and was never afraid to step out of her comfort zone.

Through it all, she never lost sight of her dream of becoming a lawyer. At the University of British Columbia (UBC), she helped produce one of Canada’s leading legal journals, UBC Law Review, alongside fellow student and future prime minister Kim Campbell. Initially specializing in municipal law, it was a formative time for the future town councillor.

“I came out of law school with a very clear and lasting sense of the overriding importance of ethical conduct and reputation. It’s guided me ever since in my professional career,” she told UBC’s Peter A. Allard School of Law for a historical project.

In 1987, after her first term on council, Wilhelm-Morden set up her law practice in the heart of Whistler Village. With a basis in municipal law that served her throughout her career, she proved a skilled trial lawyer, and later moved into personal injury law. She was instrumental in a case in the early ’90s that fundamentally shifted how search-and-rescue operates in B.C. Involving a group of recreationalists that got lost in 100 Mile House, they couldn’t afford to cover the insurance costs of their rescue.

“One of the outcomes of that was to have the province agree to pay those insurance costs. That was a pretty important result,” she said.

A LIFE OF SERVICE

The motivation behind Wilhelm-Morden’s first term on council—when, in 1984, she ran to eliminate cross-country skiing fees at Lost Lake—is a microcosm of her entire time in office.

“I thought it was ridiculous, and I thought that the community’s needs, goals and aspirations were given short shrift by the council of the day,” she said.

Although she lost that battle—council kept the fees—it speaks to the big-picture thinking that defined Wilhelm-Morden’s municipal career.

Constituents, generally speaking, have a short memory, and the rhythms of government tend to emphasize the next thing: the next project, the next budget, the next election. Taking the long view, as it were, is not always politically advantageous.

And yet, Wilhelm-Morden never shied away from the long road if she felt it would ultimately lead to helping the community. After winning her second term on council in 1988 with the most votes of any candidate, she helped oversee the development of Village North, and began work on early housing policies, an issue that followed her (and virtually every other local official) throughout her career. After losing her first bid for mayor in 1990, she returned to council in 1996, a

group that oversaw the formation of WHA, a municipal subsidiary, the following year.

“I’m very proud of having been involved in the creation of WHA, all the affordable housing initiatives we pursued in those days,” she said. “We never let up. It remains a focus and to this day it is something we are very concerned about—and rightly so.”

THE MAYORAL YEARS

Wilhelm-Morden returned to office, this time as mayor, in 2011, at the height of Whistler’s postOlympic slump, when voters wiped the slate clean without a single returning incumbent.

It also meant the new mayor was working with all first-time councillors. Wherever you stand on the value of differing viewpoints in public office, it was clear Wilhelm-Morden took her leadership role seriously, and council went months without a single opposing vote.

“We had a team who worked extraordinarily well together. In the first three months, we didn’t have a dissenting vote on council,” she said. “We were really focused on getting things done, moving things along and doing so in a good way. It wasn’t slapdash, it was thoughtful. We got a lot done.”

Like she’s done throughout her life, through her two terms as mayor, WilhelmMorden certainly got things done. She helped secure Whistler as the site of the Audain Art Museum. She signed the first proclamation of Pride Week. She oversaw housing policy and the launch of the Mayor’s Task Force on Resident Housing. She supported the municipality’s purchase of the Parkhurst Lands, preserving waterfront and vital greenspace along Green Lake.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing, however. Even with her stellar track record, WilhelmMorden still had her miscues. The one that sticks out the most? The infamous “brownbagger” gaffe. In a 2017 CBC interview about overtourism, she made an offhand comment about day trippers from the Lower Mainland—“packing a bag with their lunch in it”—not being the market that fuels Whistler’s gargantuan tourism engine. Much outrage ensued.

“I was super disappointed with the reaction to that because I was actually on the right side of that issue, in my opinion, but my

comments were not made very gracefully. I think it made national news at one point. That was very hurtful, but I survived,” she said.

The backlash pointed to a rising tide of political reactionism that wasn’t as prevalent when Wilhelm-Morden first ran for office, or even when she first ran for mayor.

“It’s really tough to be an elected representative these days because of social media,” she said. “Everything happens so quickly and you have to have time to digest things as matters proceed. You have to be able to sit and think about things before moving forward, and with social media, that’s really tough to do.”

A SHINING EXAMPLE

That 2011 election made Wilhelm-Morden Whistler’s first and only female mayor. For a woman who consistently broke barriers throughout her career, who still remembers the Rotary Club of Whistler refusing her membership because of her gender in the ’80s, it was no small feat.

“I’m proud of it,” she said. “I’m not going to downplay it. It was very important and I’m very proud of having achieved that milestone.”

Wilhelm-Morden has spoken at various times about wanting to be an example to young leaders, particularly young women, an effort that came full circle in 2022 with the election of her daughter, Jessie Morden, 36, who achieved a milestone herself as Whistler’s first-ever born-and-raised councillor.

“It’s a thrill,” Wilhelm-Morden said. “I’m really, really proud of her and actually I thought it was going to be Sarah who would pursue the political life, so I was quite surprised that Jessie expressed interest. From what I can see, she’s doing a very good job. She very much enjoys the job, and she’s doing it for the right reasons.”

Asked what she wants her legacy to be, Wilhelm-Morden went back to the community she has loved and served since those early days as a budding lawyer and councillor.

“I hope that people realize I did the best I could, and I always had the best interest of the community at heart, and that I achieved some very good things as far as the community is concerned over time,” she said.

Read the full story at piquenewsmagazine. com. n

HIGHEST HONOUR Nancy Wilhelm-Morden accepts the Freedom of the Municipality from Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton at an Oct. 22 ceremony at the Maury Young Arts Centre.

PHOTO BY DAVID BUZZARD / DAVIDBUZZARD.COM

Roger Molinaro child sexual assault trial adjourned until December

CROWN AND DEFENCE WILL PRESENT CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN PEMBERTON FROM DEC. 11-13

BY BRANDON BARRETT

The second trial for Pemberton’s Roger Molinaro, related to child sexual assault charges, adjourned last Friday, Oct. 25.

It will resume Dec. 11, with closing arguments slated until Dec. 13 in Pemberton Provincial Court.

Molinaro was originally found guilty in November 2021 on several charges related to the abuse of minors and was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail in August 2022.

In December 2023, Molinaro successfully appealed the conviction and, earlier this year, was granted a new trial, which began Oct. 15. His legal team argued on appeal the trial judge’s approach to the evidence was irreparably flawed and enabled guilty verdicts that overlooked serious credibility and reliability concerns regarding the testimony of witnesses.

The defence argued at trial the complainants’ evidence lacked specificity, involved material inconsistencies and claims or descriptions of what occurred that were “implausible,” Justice Joyce DeWitt-Van Oosten said in the Dec. 11, 2023 decision.

The Court of Appeal ordered the convictions on all counts be set aside, with an acquittal entered on one of them, and a new trial ordered for the rest.

Over eight days this month, the Pemberton court heard at times difficult testimony from the alleged victims and their family members, frequently a retreading of the original 2022 trial.

The Crown’s case, led by lawyer Jason Krupa, who also served as Crown counsel two years ago, centred on establishing the main witnesses’ credibility as well as the

tightknit relationship they and their families had to the Molinaros for years before the allegations came to light, highlighting the potential risk of ruining their respective families’ close ties to the Molinaros by coming forward.

The defence’s case, led by Tony Paisana, questioned the main witnesses’ credibility, and specifically their ability to recall purported incidents of abuse, and their frequency, that took place years prior. The alleged victims were between the ages of nine and 12 or 13, and six

and 12, respectively, in the periods when the alleged conduct was said to have taken place. Paisana’s meticulous crossexamination relied on the main witnesses’ original statements to police, testimony from the first trial, and, in the case of one of the alleged victims, a civil suit initiated against Molinaro.

Molinaro did not take the witness stand.

The longtime Pembertonian and businessman was arrested in April 2020 after police launched an investigation into historical allegations of abuse. n

BC Coroners Service says remains found this month not missing Whistler senior

THE BC CORONERS Service (BCCS) confirmed on Monday, Oct. 28 it is investigating the discovery of human remains found in Whistler earlier this month.

While unable to offer many details with the investigation ongoing, a BCCS spokesperson said a wallet was found nearby and that the decedent was not missing Whistler senior Robert McKean, who was last seen the morning of Oct. 9, 2023 walking his dog.

That adds even more questions as to the whereabouts of the 80-year-old local, who has dementia, as well as to the identity of the deceased person found this month.

The search for McKean consisted of more than 300 search-and-rescue members (from 21 different teams around the province), with help from police, firefighters, and civilians. Although the investigation remains active, the mass search was called off after a week,

pending further investigation.

It’s unclear where exactly the remains were found this month.  Pique  first received an unconfirmed tip from the public Oct. 11 that remains were discovered, along with a wallet, in a wooded area off Mons Road, while the BCCS would only say the decedent was found within Whistler.

Tips from the public can be sent to bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com. n

Coroner’s inquest into Whistlerite’s police-involved death set for December

JASON KOEHLER DIED IN 2020 INCIDENT

BY BRANDON BARRETT

THE BC CORONERS Service will hold an inquest into the police-involved death of Whistlerite Jason Koehler, who died after being arrested at a village restaurant in early 2020.

Koehler, 47, who owned smoking accessories shop 2 Guys with Pipes, died March 8, 2020 after police were called to respond to a disturbance at Stonesedge Kitchen on the Village Stroll. Officers reportedly struggled to control Koehler, who resisted arrest, and over the course of the incident, deployed a taser six times, used pepper spray, batons, and physical blows to subdue him, according to a 2021 independent investigation that cleared the RCMP of any wrongdoing.

Starting Dec. 2 at the Burnaby Coroner’s Court, presiding coroner Kimberly Isbister and a jury will hear evidence from witnesses to determine the facts surrounding the death. While the jury will have the opportunity to make recommendations aimed at preventing deaths under similar circumstances, it will not make any finding of legal responsibility or express any conclusion of law, according to a release from the BC Coroners Service.

A coroner’s inquest is mandatory for any death that occurs while a person is detained by or in the custody of a peace officer, and where the public has an interest in being informed. The public can virtually attend the inquest via livestream. The proceedings start at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 2.

The circumstances around Koehler’s death were laid out in an October 2021 decision by police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO), which ultimately ruled Whistler RCMP officers did not use excessive force in Koehler’s death.

“There is no suggestion that any of those uses of force caused or contributed to [Koehler’s] death—or indeed caused any significant injury,” IIO chief civilian director Ronald J. MacDonald wrote in his ruling.

An autopsy found Koehler’s heart was enlarged, while toxicology testing discovered cocaine, methamphetamine, THC metabolite and naloxone in his system. A pathologist named Koehler’s cause of death as the combined effect of drug toxicity, dilated cardiomyopathy, and struggle during physical restraint.

According to the IIO report, Stonesedge staff and patrons reportedly grew concerned by Koehler’s increasingly “abnormal and erratic” behaviour shortly after he sat down at the restaurant’s bar that morning. Three officers attended the call shortly after 11 a.m., and the encounter soon grew physical after Koehler reportedly “snatched” an ID from one officer’s hand.

CCTV footage captured a “violent struggle” that rendered all three officers unable to maintain control of Koehler, and in one instance, dislocated an officer’s shoulder. That officer deployed a taser, which appeared ineffective, the report said. Koehler refused officers’ orders to lay on the ground, and, according to cellphone footage, could be heard responding, “I can’t, it’ll kill me.”

The footage also showed Koehler at one

point holding his arms out and gesturing toward the exit, saying, “Hold me like this. I will walk.” The injured officer told the IIO he was unwilling to re-engage physically with Koehler, given his unpredictability.

A taser was deployed again, also to no noticeable effect, when Koehler walked toward two of the officers. The report said he “forcefully” overturned furniture in their direction before a fourth officer arrived on the scene.

One of the initial attending officers deployed pepper spray in Koehler’s direction, as he continued to resist orders, the report said. The fourth officer on scene deployed two more taser rounds on Koehler. The report said Koehler began “wriggling across the floor” toward officers, prompting police to taser him two more times, failing to result in a “noticeable change” in his behaviour.

The fourth officer decided to try and gain physical control of Koehler, grabbing one arm while a colleague grabbed the other. Though Koehler initially appeared passive, his attempts to start fighting again were met with several blows. As the struggle continued, officers and eyewitnesses said Koehler twice reached for and grabbed cutlery. Partially obstructed footage shows one officer punching Koehler’s torso, and another striking “repeatedly” with a baton in the direction of Koehler’s legs.

After wrestling a fork away from Koehler, officers managed to move his wrists behind his back and place them in handcuffs. Although initially responsive, Koehler soon “went limp,” according to the fourth officer. Concerned by his unresponsiveness, the officer rolled Koehler into the recovery position, checking his pulse and airway before calling paramedics.

The IIO said police performed CPR until first responders arrived. Koehler was transported to hospital, where he was declared dead.

Based on the available evidence, which included statements from 32 civilian witnesses, six first responders, the four attending officers, as well as CCTV and cellphone footage, MacDonald concluded police acted “lawfully, in execution of their duty.”

A June 2020 civil suit filed in B.C. Supreme Court by Koehler’s family took a much different position, alleging police used “extreme and excessive force while performing their unlawful arrest.”

The suit contended the initial attending officers resorted to physical force “with limited efforts to de-escalating the situation and no reason to believe bodily harm to anyone was imminent.”

The claim also alleged that Koehler, who had a history of mental-health issues, was not violent with the attending officers, was unarmed, and communicated “his willingness to peacefully leave the restaurant, while raising his hands above his head and placing them in front of his body” to be handcuffed.

Koehler was also involved in an April 2015 police incident that reportedly required seven officers to restrain him. He was sentenced the following month on charges of assault and resisting a peace officer.

-With files from Megan Lalonde n

Whistler Institute Speaker Series event highlights how wineries are making wine ‘from out of nothing’

DECOA AND JEFF HARDER HIT UP WHISTLER NOV. 8 TO TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE’S IMPACT ON WINEMAKING

BY LIZ MCDONALD

FOR DECOA and Jeff Harder, wine has weaved its way through their relationship and career for more than two decades.

The duo is coming to Whistler Nov. 8 to talk about the impact climate change has on Okanagan wineries, bringing decades of industry experience to the table. Held at the Whistler Conference Centre’s Rainbow Theatre with doors opening at 5:30 p.m., attendees will learn about local and global changes to the wine industry. The event is part of the Whistler Institute’s Global Perspectives Speaker Series and paired with Cornucopia. Attendees can purchase a ticket for the talk or add entrance to Cellar Door after to keep the conversation flowing.

The couple is as lively as you would expect from a pair who have made a career in the wine industry, and their passion for vino is rooted in love for each other and the industry.

A FULL-BODIED LOVE STORY

The Harders began their careers more than 20 years ago, with Decoa getting her start at Quails’ Gate Winery after college which

sparked her desire to one day own a winery herself. Jeff’s brother owns multiple wineries in the U.S., and he followed in his footsteps.

The inspiration for naming their former winery came from a trip early in their relationship.

“Being the romantic, Rico Suave guy that

which epitomized the process of winemaking to Decoa, while Jeff joked that it referred to his pocketbook at the time.

Flash forward to today, and they’ve sold the winery and work as consultants for the industry now trying to make something out of nothing with a changing climate.

“This last couple years of climate challenges are really making it difficult for a lot of wineries...”

- DECOA HARDER

I am, I took her into an art gallery in San Francisco, and we came across this beautiful sculpture. It was called ex nihilo,” Jeff said.

While Decoa wandered around and explored the exhibit, Jeff stood enthralled by the sculpture.

“I said to her as we walked away, ‘One day when we own a winery, we’re going to call it ex nihilo,’” he said. “It was pretty presumptuous of me because we were only starting to date.”

The name means “from out of nothing,”

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST VARIETALS

Some of their projects include winery receivership for bankrupt vineyards, but bankrupt wineries aren’t their focus. They’re trying to prevent that outcome as consultants with their company, Groupe One Consulting.

“This last couple years of climate challenges are really making it difficult for a lot of wineries to survive,” Decoa explained.

Last winter, temperatures dipped below -20 to -25 C and killed wine crops through the

Okanagan Valley, which holds 86 per cent of B.C.’s vineyards, according to the Wine Growers of British Columbia.

In response, growers have had to make hard decisions with the 2024 vintage, from purchasing grapes elsewhere, to replanting heartier stock.

Decoa estimates through dialogue with the industry that about 30 per cent of B.C. wineries in 2024 will buy fruit from outside the province because of last winter’s deep freeze. Others have enough inventory to carry them through to better years, and some won’t deviate from the B.C.-grown brand they’ve cultivated.

Buying out of province is a break from tradition and regulation. To have an estate winery license that can sell products privately to consumers outside of the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) system, estates need to produce wine made from 100-per-cent B.C. grapes, according to Decoa.

Producers in 2024 were given an exemption, allowing purchase of grapes from outside B.C. for this year, and wineries can sell the bottles for the next two years without incurring extra taxes.

The pause in regulation came during a

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When Sea to Sky children lose a parent, Amazing Kids steps in

FOUNDATION WAS INSPIRED BY 11-YEAR-OLD JACKSON JONES, WHO LOST HIS FATHER LAST YEAR

BY BRANDON BARRETT

WHEN KATE KOZAK lost her ex-husband, and father to her young son Jackson, last year to cancer, the community around her shone a light through a profoundly dark time.

“When Jackson’s father passed away, everyone was like, ‘How can I help?’ From businesses to friends and even people I didn’t know. Everything was up in the air,” recalled Kozak, the founder of the Amazing Kids Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting Sea to Sky families with children who’ve lost a parent.

“The biggest thing people should know is this was inspired not only by Jackson, but them in the community as well. People came from far and wide saying, ‘I’m going to do a fundraiser for you. I’m going to help Jackson with school. I’m going to give you money for activities, gift certificates for food.’ So many people came out and gave me things, which was so beautiful because at that point I had no idea what to do.”

It was that widespread support that ultimately helped lead to the establishment of Amazing Kids. But while family and friends were there to support Kozak and her then10-year-old son’s emotional needs, there were still financial and logistical hurdles the grieving single mom was not immediately equipped to handle.

They’re the kinds of things we don’t necessarily consider after losing a partner or co-parent: Pensions. Death certificates. Applying for Canada’s paradoxically named “death benefit.” Counselling. Getting kids to school and activities that provide a sense of normalcy.

In her case, Kozak could no longer rely on support payments from her late ex-husband, Colin Jones, so had to navigate striking the right balance between running her business and spending crucial time with her son.

“We had our finances separate, our living arrangements separate—separate everything,” she explained. “I found it extremely hard. I was like, ‘How do people do

this?’ Your heart’s broken, you’re dealing with your child, and navigating things like, ‘How many death certificates do I need? What are the next steps? Do I need counselling? Where should I go?’ I thought, ‘This has to be easier.’”

Thanks to Amazing Kids, things are easier. The foundation has two primary mandates. The first is to provide immediate financial assistance, and link families to community support, so kids can maintain their extracurricular activities, ensuring “a consistency in their day-to-day so not everything gets disrupted,” Kozak noted.

“Immediately we’ll be helping out with activities that the children are already doing, so if, say, they were going to snowboard lessons, we will either cover that expense or talk to Whistler Blackcomb. We’ll navigate that to get it discounted and top it up. We’ll do that within the community as well [with other organizations],” she added. The second is to help families navigate a host of resources and administrative tasks associated with losing a partner or co-parent. Kozak said the non-profit is working on an interactive form on its website that will allow families to input their specific circumstances and get back a list of applicable resources, from links to Canada Pension forms and local social service and counselling providers.

“It’s very niche, but it changes someone’s whole life,” Kozak said.

Amazing Kids is in the process of applying for charitable status, which will open it up to potential grant funding. Kozak said she’d like to see the organization eventually offer summer camps for kids in the corridor as well as a mentoring program similar to Big Brothers-Big Sisters.

The non-profit counts six board members, as well as its dedicated youth coordinator, 11-year-old Jackson.

“It makes me feel happy that I get to help other people who have lost one of their parents or both,” the Spring Creek student told Pique

To learn more, visit amazingkidsfoundation. org. To hear how you can donate, email give@ amazingkidsfoundation.org. n

WHISTLER INSTITUTE FROM PAGE 18

worldwide surplus, making the math work in favour of B.C. wineries. “Right now, there is a global wine glut, so it is getting cheaper to buy fruit outside of the province,” Decoa said. Some wineries will fill the gap of local grapes from places like Napa Valley, Washington and Oregon.

While the price may be right, it doesn’t mean a consumer will want to change their purchasing and savouring habits. Jeff said only time will tell if consumers support this shift, but likened it to companies purchasing textiles from outside of Canada and producing them locally.

Aside from purchasing outside the province, growers are looking to adopt crops

ROXANNE “ROXY” August14,2009– October27,2024 AGE15 as le s.

that suit changing climates, with heartier varietals like Frontenac and Marquette, which survive in -35 C, or Californian growers exploring drought-resistant grapes. Then, there’s grafting well-known grapes to coldresistant roots.

“Eventually we can have Cabernet Sauvignon that’s been grafted with a root stock that is cold-resistant enough, and there is a way to still get our favourite varietals grown locally,” Decoa said. “Or, we slowly switch the consumer over to some heartier varietals.”

For the full taste of growing wine in the face of climate change, you’ll have to get a ticket to the event. n

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Roxy’sinitialcareandpuppyraiserswereRebecca,Eric, andtheirfamilyinWashingtonStatewhereshehada thoroughupbringingandlovingcarebeforeattending formaltrainingatGuideDogsfortheBlindOregon Campus.ThelastchapterofhertrainingwaswithSteve inOregon.

SincegraduatinginMayof2011Roxycouldbeseen guidingaroundandaboutWhistleruntilsheretiredin2023 attheageof131/2.Anamazinglylongcareerasmost guidedogsretireat 9or10yearsold.

Beyondherworkingcareeras averyproficient,caring,and attentiveguideRoxyalsoenjoyedlifeswimminginthe locallakes,boatingandfishingespeciallyatPennaskand Bamfield.Probablytopofherlistwouldberippingup desertedWestCoastandBahamabeaches,slidinginthe snow,pullingkidsina sledonthefrozenlake,andhanging outwithhermanytwoleggedandfourleggedfriends. ThankyoutoallRoxy’strainers,vets,andmanyfriends.

Roxywillbesorelymissedandforeverlovedbyher family:Steve,Andrea,Matt,Nancy,Jeff,andnewguide Vahti.

Pemberton’s HWY Café says goodbye

AFTER FOUR YEARS IN OPERATION, THE VEGAN CAFÉ OWNERS WANT TO

BY LIZ MCDONALD

HWY CAFÉ STARTED as a dream to bring vegan comfort food to travellers, hungry workers and campers. Over four years in business, it became a community forum that bonded the owners, Laura and Leo Mooney, to the Sea to Sky.

The Mooneys announced they were closing HWY Café Sept. 30, and their last day of business was Oct. 13.

What started as a grab-and-go vegan joint evolved into a food trailer with a full menu of plant-based delights that tripled in size from inception to closure. Pemberton’s love for the spot shows, considering the café landed on the Best of Pemberton list in 2021, 2023 and 2024.

The growth of the business happened in lockstep with the growth of the Mooney family. In April of 2020, Laura found out she was pregnant. The couple worked hard to maintain the business and care for their child, but since the pair both come from Ontario, help from family was thousands of kilometres away.

That, combined with the lack of affordable or available childcare options in Pemberton, meant they made the difficult decision to move back to the Greater Toronto Area.

“It was hard, and it’s hard not having family,” Laura said. “And I know a lot of families go through it, and I’ve heard more times than I could have ever imagined,

THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR BEING ‘A GIANT FAMILY’

and community that we never could have envisioned,” she said.

Love for HWY Café extended down to Vancouver, with regulars driving up on the last weekend of operations to wish the Mooneys farewell.

“I think the support in the final weekend really showed that there has been this beautiful,

“[I]t’s become this giant family and community that we never could have envisioned.”

- LAURA MOONEY

people coming up to me saying they feel like they’re in the same boat, or they’ve thought about moving back home too, and it’s definitely something that’s going on. And I don’t know what the answer is, but it’s hard. It’s hard for young families out here for a lot of different reasons.”

But the hardest thing about the decision is leaving the community.

“We literally just wanted to open a little vegan restaurant and just serve vegan food, but it’s become this giant family

big community around us this entire time. I feel that’s what kept us going,” Laura said.

Meeting people’s needs fuelled the couple’s dreams, and in turn, they gave supporters inclusive options for families, including children with dairy allergies who could finally enjoy vegan soft-serve ice cream safely on a hot summer day.

When they make the move back to Ontario, they’ll bring their mobile food trailer and start recreating their offering at events and festivals to establish their presence. The

mobility allows flexibility for the family as they settle into their new home.

“It’s this really bittersweet feeling of leaving here, but also being very proud of what we’ve accomplished and done over the last four years. We’re closing here, but we are able to move it out there. I think that’s something to be pretty proud of,” Laura said.

As a veteran vegan, she’s involved through social media with community in the Big Smoke, which gives her insight and connection to the local market.

Some of her favourite memories include seeing families grow and watching the seasons of people’s lives.

“People would bring their family from out of town,” she said. “That meant so much to us, because it meant this is an important stop on their Pemberton tour.”

The decision to say goodbye, while emotional, ultimately showed her the care and connection of Pembertonians.

“I’m so emotional when I talk about it, because I literally can’t believe that this happened, I mean that in the best way possible. It’s this beautiful and heartbreaking thing that we’ve created,” she said.

“If it wasn’t this special, we would be able to leave no problem. But it’s been a really hard decision, and I think that just speaks to the community we’ve been involved in. I would just say a giant thank you, and I just wish I could hug everyone.”

ON THE ROAD AGAIN Laura and Leo Mooney served up vegan food at HWY Café, and in return, they found family.

PHOTO BY DAVID BUZZARD / DAVIDBUZZARD.COM

Enrolment up at Pemberton Secondary School

THE INCREASE IS ATTRIBUTED TO A LARGE COHORT OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS MOVING THROUGH THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

BY LIZ MCDONALD

ENROLMENT FOR Pemberton Secondary School is significantly higher than expected this year, according to enrolment data shared at School District 48’s (SD48) public board meeting Oct. 9.

While elementary enrolment fluctuated slightly in SD48, middle and secondary school enrolment went up “significantly” at Pemberton Secondary School.

Last year, there were 280 students enrolled, which increased to 334 this year. Considering how small Pemberton is, the increase was considered “huge” by board members.

Howe Sound Secondary in Squamish also saw a notable increase in students, jumping from 722 to 779.

Whistler Secondary School, on the other hand, dropped from 499 to 462 students.

Assistant superintendent Paul Lorette explained in an email the sizable increase in Pemberton came from an influx of elementary students.

“The ‘bubble’ that was referred to at the October Board of Education meeting refers to a situation where there is a large class of younger students moving up through the system. There was a large Grade 7 cohort of students that transitioned to Pemberton Secondary and there was a smaller Grade 12 group that left the school last year,” he said.

Because the Ministry of Education and Childcare funds schools on a per-student basis, PSS received increased funding to support staffing requirements, according to Lorette.

In total, the “headcount” of in-person students in the district amounts to 5,133 enrolled in kindergarten through to Grade 12, with an additional 188 international students.

The number of full-time enrolled students, which is the total number of courses students are signed up for, plus distance learners, is 5,337.

The number of students in the district increased by 33 from last year (5,100 to 5,133), which Lorette described as “stable” growth.

DISTRICT ENROLMENT TRENDS

Eight-year district enrolment trends in the largest communities, Pemberton, Squamish and Whistler, shows Squamish school enrolment consistently growing each year. In 2023, Squamish had 3,244 students, and this year it has 3,313.

Pemberton’s enrolment over eight years has stayed relatively flat, but between 2023 and 2024 enrolment went from 725 students to 769.

Whistler’s overall enrolment over the last eight years has decreased, with fewer students in 2024 (1,051) compared to 2023 (1,081). Enrolment this year is less than what it was eight years ago, too, with 1,084 students in 2017.

When asked by a fellow board member

ON A ROLL School District 48’s enrolment numbers show increasing numbers at Pemberton Secondary School.

FILE PHOTO

about the increases in Pemberton overall, Lorette said he wasn’t sure exactly what the reason was, though some board members speculated it had to do with new housing development in Pemberton.

He noted district-wide, there was a large cohort of kindergarten students about six or seven years ago and that cluster is moving through the education system, and at the same time, there were fewer kids in high school.

“So that big cluster of kids from five years ago are moving up and so our middle school and our high schools are growing quite a bit. And then kindergarten registration for the last couple of years has kind of levelled off and even gone down a little bit. So, kindergarten is kind of slowing, but our overall numbers continue to grow,” he said.

FRENCH IMMERSION

French immersion has “levelled off and declined” over the last few years, a trend happening provincially.

“We did do a French immersion review last year, and one of the things that we learned is that more families are realizing or finding earlier on that perhaps French immersion may, for whatever reason, not be a good fit for the family, for the child, and so we have students leaving the program in Grade 1 [or] 2,” Lorette said.

“That didn’t happen as much in the past, so the conclusion that we’re coming to is families are more likely to leave the program if it isn’t working, rather than sticking with it for a longer time.”

For a full breakdown of enrolment in SD48, watch the board meeting on Youtube. n

Pemberton council greenlights Parkside’s restrictive covenant

PEMBY BRIEFS: BC TRANSIT TRANSFERS BETWEEN PEMBERTON AND WHISTLER END DEC. 1

BY LIZ MCDONALD

THE VILLAGE of Pemberton (VOP) greenlit a covenant requiring mixed-use housing for the upcoming Parkside housing development at a council meeting on Oct. 22.

Under the covenant, the developer, Rivertown (Pemberton) Nominee Ltd., Inc, can only build 16 single-family houses out of 33 lots.

The municipality isn’t obligated to issue building permits for the project unless the developer complies with the terms and conditions of the development agreement, according to Appendix B of the zoning amendment bylaw.

The covenant was a point of disagreement amongst councillors throughout the summer, with some fearing requiring a developer to create mixed-use housing would impede development, and others saying the community needs a diversity of housing to meet its needs.

Staff was directed in early October to meet with Rivertown and determine whether a covenant would pose problems for the developer.

The VOP’s development services manager, Scott McRae, explained the developer wanted to get the ball rolling and would handle

potential issues if they come up.

“Staff met with the applicants, and they were prepared to accept the terms of the covenant to restrict single-family homes,” McRae said. Their position is that it’s better to move on and get moving on this—that’s more valuable than the potential risks of the covenant.”

The developer will hold on to the option to come back to the negotiation table later, should the covenant prove problematic.

Councillor Ted Craddock asked whether

there was a standard operating procedure should the covenant need to be reviewed.

“Either party has the opportunity to revisit the terms at any time,” McRae said. “Staff would prepare a report for council to consider, with factors like housing needs and markets potentially changing, or already having a broad mix of diverse housing which could influence a future decision to remove the covenant.”

The Parkside project would develop land near Den Duyf Park, and the proposal includes a 33-lot subdivision with housing spanning duplexes and triplexes, co-housing and singlefamily homes.

BC TRANSIT TRANSFERS BETWEEN PEMBERTON AND WHISTLER END DEC. 1

Starting Dec. 1, commuters going from Pemberton to Whistler on the 99 Pemberton Commuter won’t be able to use a transfer from the 100 Pemberton Local.

The move comes as BC Transit ends the sale of legacy fare options after the transition to Umo fares, according to a media release from BC Transit on Oct. 22.

“A transfer is granted for riders travelling on the 100 Pemberton Local but riders travelling on the 99 Pemberton Commuter to Whistler will need to pay a standalone fare,” the release stated.

BC Transit is directing Pemberton commuters to use a DayPASS instead, which provides unlimited travel for the day and works for the Pemberton Local and Commuter services and costs $9, according to BC Transit.

A single ride standard fare costs $2.50 for the Local, and a standard ride for the 99 Commuter costs $4.50.

The move will likely impact commuters travelling for work or health-care between Pemberton and Whistler and was a point of contention during Pemberton’s AllCandidates Meeting Oct. 9.

The change won’t affect travellers going from Whistler to Pemberton, as they have never been able to transfer and have always paid the full fare when boarding the Pemberton Commuter, according to a spokesperson for BC Transit.

Other changes as of Dec. 1 include the end of 10-ticket, one-, four- and six-month passes and the annual pass fare products for Pemberton Valley Transit System. They will be replaced with Umo card options.

A how-to guide for using Umo fare is available on BC Transit’s website, and a customer support line is available at 877-3808181 toll-free.

Cash is still accepted, and any remaining BC Transit legacy products are valid until used up. n

SIDE BY SIDE The future site of a proposed mixed-use housing development, Parkside, in Pemberton.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE OF PEMBERTON

BC NDP tossed a lifeline after glimpsing political demise

BY ROB SHAW

IMAGINE ATTENDING your own funeral when suddenly—miraculously and inexplicably—you jolt back upright amongst the living. That’s a bit like being a BC New Democrat these days. The party lost its majority government on election day, faced the prospect of either being out of office entirely or grovelling to the two BC Greens for votes, and then abruptly regained its lifeline in Monday’s final count process to emerge with its majority intact.

From political devastation to resurrection in nine long days, as the closest election in provincial history played right down to the wire.

In the end, it wasn’t the razor-thin margins of Juan de Fuca-Malahat or Surrey City Centre that tilted the race, but the 634 votes in SurreyGuildford. There, Conservative Honveer Singh Randhawa, who had been leading on election night by 103 votes, saw the results flip to NDP incumbent Garry Begg by 27 votes.

The final result falls within the 38-vote threshold for a judicial recount, which means we’ll have to wait several days more for the final, final count to give us the triple-final results of election 2024.

But there’s a very strong likelihood the BC NDP have scraped by with a 47-seat majority in the 93-seat legislature.

For Premier David Eby it represents a crucial second chance.

More than half the voters did not support Eby or the BC NDP in the election. He lost numerous ridings and cabinet ministers. The province is badly divided after a brutal election. Is he the premier to bridge the growing gap between rural and urban B.C.?

- DAVID EBY

“After a close and hard-fought campaign, it’s now time to come together to deliver for people,” Eby said in a statement after the final count.

The NDP can go one of two ways.

It can partner with the BC Greens and govern with the “progressive majority” Eby cited on election night, hoping to convince voters it is still on the right path with record spending and new programs.

Or, it can find areas of common ground with the BC Conservatives, who rode a wave of immense voter frustration to 44 seats in the legislature.

One path doubles down on the direction of the Eby administration from the last 22 months, in the hopes the big-swing initiatives that have defined his premiership in areas like housing will lead to tangible results before the next election and dissipate voter dissatisfaction.

“That is exactly what we intend to do. A majority of B.C. voters have elected a legislature that shares common values—like addressing affordability, tackling climate change, making sure health-care is there when you need it, and building an inclusive province with safe communities where everyone belongs.”

Either path he chooses, the legislature will function a bit differently for the returning premier.

There could very well be tie votes between the government and opposition parties, forcing the next speaker into the uncomfortable role of tie-breaker. It won’t be quite as easy to get things done for the NDP as it was before the election sapped away most of its electoral strength.

The other is a change of course and attitude, to chip away at the Conservative momentum and win back the hardhatwearing, working-class voters outside of Vancouver and Victoria who once backed John Horgan but don’t see much in common with the NDP of today.

“British Columbians have asked us to work together and make life better for them,” said Eby.

Still, the final count results get Eby and the NDP an unexpected reprieve. The party glimpsed the demise of its governing power. Now it has got a second lease on life. We’ll see how Eby uses it.

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

The Way of the Grizzly

AS I ENCOUNTERED the first grizzly poops of fall around the outskirts of town a few weeks back, I was naturally given to reminisce about the opportunity to see them hanging out on the Fairmont golf course, at Myrtle Philip fields last fall, and in Cheakamus last spring.

Beyond being wonderful windows into a little-appreciated part of local nature, these advents also provided insights both comical and sad into people’s reactions and malign

BY LESLIE ANTHONY

behaviour when it comes to nature: confusion with brown-coloured black bears, erroneous posts to this end, endless letters to the editor and people just generally getting bent out of shape because an animal endemic to this region was actually in their midst—but not bent out of shape enough to responsibly leash their dogs or leave it alone, as tourist drive-bys showed. So far, the increasing South Coast grizzly population represented by the odd Whistler visitor is generally skirting trouble—despite the pressing humanity they often have to contend with. But I wonder how soon until we tragically lose one of these majestic creatures.

Because it happens far too often.

South of the border last week, in the dark of night, only weeks from going into hibernation for her 28th time, Grizzly 399 was killed by a vehicle in Wyoming’s Snake River Canyon.

Known variously as the matriarch of the Northern Rockies and Queen of the Tetons, the impressively aged (for a grizzly) sow had mothered 18 cubs and was travelling with her latest yearling at the time (thankfully unharmed and likely to survive the winter). Her loss was devastating to those who had come to know her over the years: tourists, wildlife managers, park rangers, biologists, filmmakers and photographers—one of whom, after discovering Grizzly 399 and her three cubs 18 years ago, photographed and filmed her some 100 to 150 days each year since.

The hole in people’s hearts was as big as the hole in the ecological landscape of Grand Teton National Park, and it immediately

to get out of her way and to save her from just such a fate. In her lonely demise—wandering confused through an unknown environment some 500 kilometres northwest of her home— was also writ a final passing of the silly human hubris that imagined we could do so.

In the end, all of our efforts were moot: with a probability so high it wasn’t worth contemplating, the life of Bear 148 was prescribed to be cut prematurely short from the moment she was born.

Young bears don’t choose their home range, and when these are peopled areas with high anthropogenic impact like Banff, the writing is on the wall. Bear 148 learned well from her mother, the equally iconic Bear

The hole in people’s hearts was as big as the hole in the ecological landscape of Grand Teton National Park...

reminded me of an even more wrenching scenario that unfolded in our own country, when another iconic grizzly, one I’d actually researched and written about, was likewise lost to the carelessness of humanity.

When Banff National Park’s iconic Bear 148 was shot and killed by a trophy hunter near McBride, B.C., on Sept. 24, 2017, it wasn’t only the death of the beloved six-year-old female—or even the symbol of human-bear conflict she had become—that was grieved. Similarly, it wasn’t the fact the then-newly minted NDP government’s ban on trophy hunting didn’t come into effect until the following month that provided the most irony. Instead, a greater tragedy lay in the final blow to our many attempts to understand Bear 148,

64, how to navigate this world. Surrounded by thousands of humans annually, Bear 148 did a good job of avoiding them—and letting them know how much space she needed. Many hundreds had positive encounters with her, embracing her importance to the park and its landscape. But the nature of that relationship kept changing, the goalposts of our expectations moved by development and ever-increasing numbers of people.

For a bear known through satellite tracking data to almost always move within 100 metres of public areas, unencumbered use of the so-called wildlife corridors available to her became almost impossible. Add in a shift in behaviour probably linked to pregnancy and the dominoes began to

fall. In early summer of 2017, after several unusually close encounters with people, Bear 148 left Banff’s protective borders for another part of her range in nearby Canmore. Here, unfortunately, encounters ramped up, culminating in an incident involving the bane of wildlife managers—unleashed dogs. Relocated by Alberta Fish and Wildlife officials to adjacent Kootenay National Park, Bear 148 naturally beelined back to Canmore in under 10 days, where problems continued and government agencies considered more drastic measures.

By July, some 27,300 people had signed a Change.org petition demanding Bear 148 not be killed and allowed to stay. Though the petition proved integral to keeping her alive, she was nevertheless translocated to Kakwa Wildland Provincial Park in northern Alberta where, wandering over the border into B.C., she became a poster child for what many still see as a desperate need to change local wildlife policies.

In a feature I wrote in  Canadian Geographic’s April 2015 issue, “The Way of Bear 148,” I ended the introduction with the following: “With bears as adept as humans at identifying and exploiting opportunities and benefits in our shared environment, where is the line between codependence and conservation?”

The article didn’t seek to answer, but to put the question on the table for public consideration, much as it has been for professional wildlife managers. In the passing of both Bear 148 and Grizzly 399, however, lies a partial, telling answer: when no human approach or effort can prevent us from ultimately killing an animal with which we supposedly coexist, perhaps there is no line at all.

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

BEAR AWARE A grizzly bear spotted south of Whistler in the spring of 2022.

PHOTO BY TAYLOR GREEN / @TA_GREEN

THE EVOLVING

FROM FISHING LODGE TO ARTS VENUE, TRACKING

EVOLVING POINT

THE EVOLUTION OF WHISTLER’S ‘HIDDEN GEM’

BY ALAN FORSYTHE

The Point Artist-Run Centre is a Whistler institution in a town that doesn’t really embrace rustic anymore—and it’s still going strong. But where did it come from, and how did this beautiful old lodge on Alta Lake become what it is today?

Being one of the original lodges, mainly catering to anglers, that drew visitors to the Whistler area before it was Whistler, The Point Artist-Run Centre already had a rich history before it became The Point.

It was originally known as Cypress Lodge, opened by Dick Fairhurst with his wife Eunice (who went by her nickname Kelly), who built it on Cypress Point on the west side of Alta Lake in 1954.

A former trapper and miner, Fairhurst came to Alta Lake in 1943, and bought four lots on Alta Lake (the Cypress Point lands). Originally Cypress Lodge was just a collection of small cabins and Dick’s own home. The main lodge, now The Point’s main venue, was built in 1965, along with a collection of more “modern” cabins featuring indoor plumbing.

The site was a gathering place for locals and visitors through the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, when most of the population of the then town of Alta Lake was on the west side of the lake.

It was actually the site of the first ski lift in Whistler, an 800-foot rope tow behind the lodge, rising up above Alta Lake.

Fairhurst’s mother Elizabeth ran the tiny tearoom near the main lodge, and also did laundry and cooked.

The lodge and land was sold to Canadian Youth Hostels in 1972, which ran it as a youth hostel until the moving to Cheakamus Crossing in 2010. Prior to that, for many new arrivals, The Point was their first home in Whistler.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler purchased the property, and now rents it out to the non-profit Point.

“Cypress Lodge was sort of the more working-class option to Rainbow Lodge, which was seen as the more upscale place in Whistler [then still Alta Lake]. Although they were both pretty rustic,” says Stephen Vogler, who can be credited as the brainchild behind The Point evolving to the arts venue and resource it is today.

“I’ve lived on the property for 30 years, originally in one of the smaller cabins. They used to rent those out to locals, and I was lucky enough to get one,” says Vogler of the 500-square-foot cabin he has called home for three decades. “Living there I had the idea the lodge would make a great arts centre—I was floating the idea back in the ’90s before the municipality bought the property.”

It was almost exactly 15 years ago, the fall of 2009, when he invited more than a dozen friends to his current cabin on The Point property to discuss an artist-run centre.

“To my cabin I had local artists [including]: Charlie Doyle, Andrea Mueller, Dave Petko, Vincent and Cheryl Massey, Christina Nick and Randy ‘Randoid’ Smith—thirteen people in all,” he recalls. “It was like the first supper (as opposed to The Last Supper). We were boisterous, there

was enthusiasm and some skepticism, but that’s where it all started.”

Vogler was driven by the idea for an artist-led space. His friends and other artists in Whistler, and throughout the corridor, saw the appeal of having additional infrastructure and resources for creatives.

“At the time I felt the need for something with a ‘do-it-yourself’ approach,” Vogler says. He admits he was somewhat influenced by the late Thor Froslev, who built the Brackendale Art Gallery and Tearoom (the BAG) in the early 1970s.

“We used to stop in there on our way to Whistler as a kid, and I always thought it was a really cool place.” says Vogler.

There are similarities. Although the BAG was purpose-built as a gallery and performance art space, it certainly has the same rustic appeal as The Point—but mostly their similarity lies in the maverick creation of a space for, and run by, artists of disparate disciplines: painters, sculptors, musicians, playwrights, actors and everything in between.

“There’s this misnomer that artists are harebrained, but that’s not usually the case,” says Vogler. “Most of the artists I know are quite adept at organizing things. It’s like running your own business.”

Vogler notes arts administration tends not to work that well when it’s top-down.

“I find it works best when it’s grassroots,” he says. “If you look at other artist-run centres across Canada, they all emerged like that.”

A MODEST PROPOSAL

After consulting with fellow artists and gaining their support, the next step was to approach the municipality.

“I drew up a five-page proposal and brought it to Jan Jansen, [former] general manager of resort experience for Whistler,” Vogler recalls. “He was skeptical, but listened, and Dave Patterson, manager of parks, was open to the idea.”

Vogler says some in the community wondered why there was a need for another arts group,

when there was already the Whistler Arts Council (now Arts Whistler).

“Something must have worked—it must have been our no-budget approach,” Vogler says. “They let us do events on an event-by-event basis. That first year we had to rely almost entirely on ticket sales—our budget was $2,600.”

The Point’s annual budget is now closer to $200,000, so clearly something is working. That budget is subsidized by grants from all three levels of government. However, as Vogler notes, the centre still depends largely on ticket sales, registrations and other revenue.

“Many of our events sell out, but it’s not easy,” he says. “We’re not a Village location, we really have to sell it.”

Vogler adds when people do come to The Point, they love it.

“We get a mix of locals, people coming up from Vancouver and Squamish, and tourists,” he says. “We’ve had guests from Spain, Argentina, Israel. The international travellers like to walk around more and explore.”

Does he wish the municipality made it easier for locals and tourists to get out to The Point? Certainly.

“There was a bus to the youth hostel, up until 2011,” he says. “In fact, during the Olympics it ran every hour, but I think they blew the budget on that. Hopefully [the bus] will come back.”

The Point has leaned towards the performing arts in its 15-year history, but is increasingly doing more art shows and creating more programming for visual artists.

“We have studios upstairs, with four rented by the month, and we have really branched out, with the biggest change coming a year and a half ago,” Vogler says. “We have a long-term operating agreement with the municipality to run the whole place now. So we’re bringing in more artists-in-residence, connecting with artists coming through town, which helps us get outside the local bubble. It raises the bar.”

WHISTLER’S HIDDEN GEM

Visual artist (painter/muralist) Lacey Jane Wilburn is one of those artists. She came to live full-time in Whistler two years ago, with her partner and two small children. Although she still commutes to the city one day a week to work as a part-time instructor at Emily Carr University, she has contributed to the evolution of The Point on the visual-arts front.

“I’ve had a studio at The Point since March 2023. The studio program upstairs had opened just a month before,” Wilburn says. She had been a regular visitor to Whistler before moving here full-time. Part of that decision to move up from the city involved the expansion of facilities for visual artists at The Point.

“They put on their website that their studios were for rent. When I saw that, it made my move to Whistler permanent,” she says.

Artists have almost always had to find a way to supplement their income. For Wilburn, that means teaching at Emily Carr and offering paint nights at La Brasserie, but she says she would like to keep her teaching grounded in the resort.

“I would love to just be teaching here in Whistler, to stay completely local. I’d love for us to have more educational programs going constantly,” she says, citing the need to keep arts programming in front of locals to grow awareness and interest.

Brett Florio, who sits on The Point’s board with Wilburn, agrees. One of his first experiences with Whistler was at The Point, and the now-local musician became captivated by what he describes as the venue’s hyper-local events.

He discovered Whistler almost by accident, when on an extended RV trip up the West Coast, he and his wife came to Whistler when there were no RV spots available in the Lower Mainland.

“We came to Riverside [Campground] and found Whistler to be wonderful, so like a lot of people, we decided to stay,” he says.

For him, the theatre-kid camps at The Point run by Ira Pettle (also a board member) were part of the equation, along with the sense of community he discovered there.

“There’s a mix of people there, in different groups, who interact in a very cool way,” Florio says. “There are theatre folk, musicians, [visual] artists who don’t normally mix, so it’s different from a venue like Dusty’s, it’s about community.”

Florio, whose band The New Mountain Rangers is a Point regular, appreciates that people who come to The Point come to listen purposefully. He frequently hosts bluegrass or jazz jam sessions at the venue.

“I love playing at Alpine Café, and at Beer Farmers, where I might play for three hours, or at the Farmers’ Market, but at The Point the audience is very engaged,” he says.

In his few years here Florio has seen The Point expand, both in membership and in the breadth of events and programming offered—although he is surprised more locals don’t take advantage of what The Point has to offer.

“There are people in town who have never been to The Point, or came once 10 years ago,” he says. “I’m not surprised it’s as popular as it is, but it is a hidden gem. Though it’s not for everyone; it’s not hugely accessible.”

‘ART STIMULATES THE MIND’

The aforementioned Pettle, whose company Laugh Out LIVE! does events throughout the valley, including The Point, suggests a boat, or a barge to ferry people from the dock at Lakeside Park across the lake to the dock at The Point or the adjacent sailing school. He says a water taxi-like service taking people to The Point would in itself be a tourist attraction. Generally, he would like The Point to build on its success.

“We have a great venue, indoors and outdoors, artist studios, a snack bar, full commercial kitchen—it just has so much potential,” says Pettle.

The Point can be rented out for weddings, rehearsal space or other private events, but at its heart it’s an artist resource and venue.

“Arts in the community are vital. Whistler is already a magical place for so many reasons, but there is more to it than outdoor adventures,” says Wilburn. “Art stimulates the mind and the senses. Take murals, for example, which I also create—when they are painted, they can create a sense of belonging in the community.”

And to that end, Wilburn does see the need for more programming.

“We need more institutional programs, to have something going constantly,” she says.

Pettle echoes that sentiment, saying he would like to see educational and entertainment programming throughout the year. Of course that takes funding, which can be a challenge.

“Funding has been an issue for the arts since time immemorial. In the past, artists had to rely on wealthy patrons—today we rely heavily on government grants,” says Wilburn. “It is a challenge to fund the arts, but who wants to live in a world that’s without beauty, without aesthetic?”

Additional funding will likely have to come from the federal and provincial governments, says Wilburn, adding that unfortunately grants from all levels of government can be a boom/ bust depending on the needs or the politics of the day.

“The federal government boosted grants during COVID, but since then they have pulled a lot of the funding,” she says.

For Wilburn it can be especially difficult, since, as she says, “the visual arts are almost always the first to get [funding] cuts when times are tough.” That, says Wilburn, is a big mistake, not just for visual arts but for arts in general.

“When times are tough are when you need the arts the most. It’s well known the arts are beneficial to mental health,” she says. “Whistler is a beautiful place, and it can be a tough place, financially. But the arts should not be on the back burner.”

Wilburn notes all of Whistler’s arts groups are self-funded to varying degrees.

“It’s not just us—Arts Whistler [and] the Audain [Art Museum] are incredible institutions that rely on local support,” she says.

Still, Wilburn feels there should be more support from higher levels of government.

“We shouldn’t have to be reaching out to the town so much,” she says. “We have so many creatives in the Sea to Sky [corridor] we need to allow places like The Point to grow.”

ROOM TO GROW

And there is room to grow, as like Florio, Wilburn finds there is a portion of the local community that is not yet aware of The Point.

“I’ve only been living here for two years, so I am always a bit surprised more people don’t know about The Point,” she says.

Vogler agrees, saying despite the success of The Point, a lot of locals have still not been there.

However, Wilburn says she is encouraged the community does seem to be getting more involved in the local arts. And with the new studio space at The Point, she recently offered a four-week course on the fundamentals of painting, and plans to offer more programs in the future.

The Point has several ongoing event series. The Flag Stop Theatre & Arts Festival, launched in 2012 and held every summer, is, according to Vogler, the centre’s biggest annual event. Then there are many other events and programs throughout the year, including dinner shows with theatre, music or comedy, the annual Winter Carnival and an annual fundraiser event.

“I don’t see [The Point] being comparable to Arts Whistler. It’s a small and remote venue,” Florio says. “The focus will always be more community-driven, a more intimate, unique approach.”

Find out more about The Point Artist-Run Centre and its upcoming programming at thepointartists.com. Discover more about Lacey Jane Wilburn and her art at her website, laceyjane.art, or on instagram @laceyjaneart. You can find out more about Ira Pettle and his upcoming shows or events at laughoutlive.com or at irapettle.com. n

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE POINT ARTIST-RUN CENTRE

Pemberton Valley Horse Association brings local equestrians together

THE FLEDGLING ORGANIZATION INCORPORATES COWBOYS, SHOW JUMPERS AND EVERYDAY RIDERS

BY DAVID SONG

RIDERS REJOICE: there’s a new organization up in Pemberton that wants to help you connect with like-minded individuals.

We’re not talking about mountain bikers or freeride skiers here. Instead, we’re talking about equestrians—the target demographic of the Pemberton Valley Horse Association (PVHA).

Formed earlier this spring via the joint efforts of multiple Sea to Sky barns, the PVHA intends to consolidate the corridor’s equine community beneath a single umbrella. Horse folks of all skill levels and varieties are welcome, including ranchers, rodeo cowboys, show jumpers and everyday trail riders.

According to PVHA president Caleb Smith, demand for such an undertaking has existed for some time.

“I’ve been thinking that there was a need for it in the community,” said Smith, who owns the C.S. Western Stables. “A lot of the new people who have moved to Pemberton in the last four or five years are into horses, either beforehand or after they moved. I’ve got a lot of new clients that are really new to Pemberton—or from Whistler.”

Pemberton’s expansive trail network has historically served equine traffic before gradually being modified to accommodate mountain bikes and hikers depending on the area. Sizable local barns like Dreamcatcher Meadows and Riverlands Equestrian are wellknown, but others like Mount Currie’s Borsos Torzs Horse Archery Club fly under the radar.

“There are a lot of little mom-and-pop

people together “for the practical purposes of maintaining Pemberton as a place where horses flourish.” They also want riders to flourish, which is why they’ve begun to host social events like their first Poker Ride.

Having occurred back on Sept. 14, the event was the brainchild of PVHA board members Jacqueline Chapman, Joanna Snyder and Charlotte Jacklein. It took people

“I’ve got a lot of new clients that are really new to Pemberton—or from Whistler.”

- CALEB SMITH

places where people have two or three horses,” Smith explained. “Many of these were horse properties traditionally, and then horses fell out of favour for whatever reason. Post-COVID, those properties were resold and folks are putting horses back in. There are a lot more horses in the valley now than there were in 2019 when I moved here.”

‘THERE’S MORE ACCESSIBLE TO US THAN THERE’S EVER BEEN’

The PVHA website declares it gathers

on a leisurely jaunt to five specific locations where they could network with professional equestrians. By obtaining cards at each stop, registrants finished the day with a full poker hand to commemorate their time.

The itinerary covered a range of disciplines.

C.S. Western offered a showcase in traditional cowboy skills like roping and cattle-working, while the Giddy Up Equine Experience focuses on youth and familyfriendly riding. Participants were next introduced to show jumping at Squamish Valley Equestrian before wrapping up at two

private locations: Thorley Meadows owned by Chapman and Snyder’s Thorley Farms.

“It was a really good turnout,” Smith said. “We had new riders and new horses come to my barn and do something that they hadn’t done before. I think they enjoyed themselves. It’s a pretty tight community, so a lot of people already knew each other.”

The PVHA intends to offer more public awareness programs in the near future, like a feed and pasture-related event discussing the traits of nutritious hay and the conditions required for pastures to thrive. Another hot topic is emergency preparedness: educating local horse owners on how to prepare for natural disasters and bring their animals to safety despite the valley’s limited avenues of egress.

Expect more Poker Rides too, alongside discipline-specific activities like barrel racing and show jumping as well as new trail openings done in conjunction with the Pemberton Valley Trails Association (PVTA).

“There’s more accessible to us than there’s ever been locally from an equine service perspective,” said Smith. “I would anticipate that there’s going to be some new big events in the next year or more. We traditionally had a really large equine community … and the PVHA is a rebirth of that. People are excited and there’s a really encouraging dynamic with horses, mountain bikers and hikers interacting on the trails.”

Learn more about the PVHA at pembertonvalleyhorses.com.  n

SADDLE UP The Pemberton Valley Horse Association held its first Poker Ride on Sept. 14. PHOTO BY ANI DIME

Whistler Nordics to offer new and returning programs in 2024-25

THE ANNUAL SKI SWAP TAKES PLACE NOV. 3, WHILE NEW ADULT SESSIONS KICK OFF IN JANUARY

BY DAVID SONG

ALTHOUGH THE HEART of cross-country ski season is still a ways off, it’s never too early to start gearing up.

The Whistler Nordics is bringing back its popular Ski Swap on Nov. 3 from 9:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Whistler Secondary School (WSS). Club president Dan Wilson explained the event’s goal is to put good equipment into the hands of athletes and families at “the best possible price.”

High-quality used gear is frequently found at this gathering, as are sale products from a number of retailers.

“It is the Turkey Sale for cross-country skiers in the corridor,” Wilson elaborated. “There aren’t that many retail stores in the Sea to Sky carrying cross-country equipment, so our [Ski Swap] is really this smorgasbord across all ages, all sizes and all types. We have people on hand to help others fit boots, poles and skis as well, to make sure they leave with stuff that works.”

Once you’re outfitted with the right kit, look forward to the opening round of action at Whistler Olympic Park (WOP) in early December. Adults of intermediate to advanced skill levels can choose to work on their racing or technique on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights.

Youth sessions begin around the same time of year, from the fundamental “Bunny Rabbits” curriculum for kids aged four and five to the Coast Corridor United (CCU) program blending racers aged 10 to 16 from Whistler Nordics, Sea to Sky Nordics and Spud Valley Nordics.

“We’ve maintained our coaching roster for this year, which is fantastic, and we hosted a summer dry-land program for the first time as well,” remarked Wilson about CCU. “We’ve got about 12 kids training right now, three days a week between Whistler and Pemberton, and then we’ll have a full roster of about 16 kids through the winter.”

There are also a few novel offerings to take note of.

LESSONS AND CONNECTIONS

New in 2025 will be Tuesday evening adult sessions at Lost Lake.

Two blocks of four weekly meetings are scheduled for January and February. Each is intended primarily to help novice and experienced skiers fine-tune their abilities. While skate-skiing is emphasized in most of these lessons, there will be some work done using the classic technique as well.

“Classic is a fantastic activity, especially when there’s softer snow or or powder snow throughout the day. It is just far more enjoyable than trying to skate-ski through powder,” Wilson said. “These sessions are pretty casual. If folks don’t know each other [at first], they know each other pretty well by the end of the last meeting. Our experience is that people who take lessons together often hang out afterwards to grab some food or a drink.”

Whistler Nordics is also doing its part to safeguard the environment by working with the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation (WB) to remove polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) from all of its gear. PFAS have been widely used in ski wax for its top-notch dirt and water-repelling properties, but are non-biodegradable and have been linked to various negative health effects such as increased cholesterol, liver damage and (albeit inconclusively) cancer.

Some cross-country races in British Columbia test athletes for PFAS, making it necessary to remove that family of chemicals from all club equipment and apparel.

Moreover, the Invictus Games Foundation has partnered with Whistler Nordics in a key gear-sharing endeavour.

“The Invictus Games needs a lot of equipment to host its events, so what we’ve done is partner with them,” explained Wilson. “That funding will help purchase equipment for the Invictus Games, which goes over to us after the Games as a bit of a legacy. I know there’ve been some members and coaches who have offered up their time to volunteer with those events as well.”

Learn more at whistlernordics.com. n

SNOW PATROL A group of Whistler Nordics skiers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN WILSON / WHISTLER NORDICS

The poetry of Neil Henderson’s Hall-of-Fame restaurant career

PARTNER AND RESTAURANT DIRECTOR OF WHISTLER’S WILD BLUE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE BC RESTAURANT HALL OF FAME THIS MONTH

BY BRANDON BARRETT

IT’S SURPRISING, and altogether endearing, that Neil Henderson still experiences bouts of imposter syndrome after the long and fruitful career he’s had in the restaurant industry.

The director and partner at Whistler’s Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar was one of this year’s inductees to the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame, and despite a long list of accomplishments gathered over a more than 30-year career, Henderson seems constitutionally incapable of accepting his flowers.

“It’s probably a combination of a Scottish upbringing and conservative parents who taught you to never blow your own horn,” he said, tucked into a teal velvet booth in Wild Blue’s dining room.

Despite his aversion to accolades, you can’t say Henderson isn’t deserving of them. From humble beginnings as a busser to opening what has become one of Whistler’s top fine dining destinations in two short years, his career has a certain poetic symmetry to it. In 1992, he landed a job at the casual family restaurant Jimmy D’s, funnily enough, located where Wild Blue is today.

Some of the relationships Henderson formed during that time have stayed with

him until this day and cemented his love for a community that never wavered. In fact, it was best friend Kevin Wood, now co-owner of Alpine Café, who scored him a second job that first summer as a busser at Araxi, the start of a decades-long relationship with the restaurant, as well as founding owner and fellow BC Restaurant Hall-of-Famer Jack Evrensel.

After spending the fall back in Scotland, Henderson returned to Whistler with his sights set on a server position at Araxi. Although the famously demanding Evrensel had his doubts, he took a chance on the 21-year-old, a decision

position at Araxi in ’96, his first foray into leadership. By ’98, he was promoted to GM.

“I had no idea what I was doing. I was totally out of my depth, but Jack seemed to trust me,” Henderson said.

Araxi continued to push the envelope, raising its standards, and capturing the attention of the Vancouver market. By 2003, however, Henderson was looking for a chance to progress, and took an offer to head to the city to become projects director for Evrensel’s Toptable Group. That afforded him the opportunity to not only work in and run all

“[O]ne of my true passions is looking after people, and I get to do that on an almost daily basis.”

- NEIL HENDERSON

that would pay dividends over the years.

“Jack taught me to have high expectations of those around you, with a firm belief it would be insulting to them if you didn’t. He taught me to walk the talk. Lead by example, try to work harder than anybody else and maintain that mindset of being fair, consistent, and humble,” Henderson said. “If there was ever any point I thought I was working hard, Jack was working harder. There was never any occasion that I outworked or outpaced him.”

Henderson continued as a full-time server until he was offered the daytime manager

four of Toptable’s restaurants (they now count 12), but amass an array of varied experience.

“It was a very diverse role, everything from researching real estate for future sites to implementing best practices to IT to reservation systems,” he said.

It also meant Henderson was well armed with the knowledge and ability to open new restaurants. After a stint managing the 2010 Olympics contracting for all of Toptable’s restaurants, he returned to Whistler full-time as Araxi’s restaurant director.

“I definitely felt revitalized and entered

into Araxi with a new energy,” he said.

That new energy channelled into new openings when, following Evrensel’s 2015 sale of Toptable to the Aquilini Investment Group, Henderson was instrumental, alongside Hall-of-Fame Executive Chef James Walt, in developing and implementing the design and concept at Bar Oso and The Cellar, both next door to Araxi, as well as the 2017 renovation of Il Caminetto, where he also hired and trained the management.

What eventually took Henderson away from Toptable was a chance to reunite with his mentor, Evrensel, to open Wild Blue, and join partners, Vancouver Chef of the Year Alex Chen (who was also inducted into the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame this year), and investor and Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi.

“I realized, with the support of my wife Lynn, that this was my passion and my career and it was what I seemed to be best at. But I was also very engaged with the opportunity of sitting on the coattails of Jack and Alex and Tom and going along for the ride,” Henderson said. “There’s always risks with a restaurant and always something that could go wrong … but I felt the bases were loaded with this team.”

Looking back, it’s hard for Henderson to wrap his head around the trajectory his career and life in Whistler have taken.

“I look back at ’92, I was a 20-year-old ski bum. Did I ever see myself owning and operating the same place where I had my very first job in Whistler? No. To have that full circle, it’s interesting, to say the least,” he said.

“What I truly realized with the opening of the restaurant is that one of my true passions is looking after people, and I get to do that on an almost daily basis.” n

A POETIC SYMMETRY Neil Henderson, left, is pictured at the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame induction ceremony alongside Wild Blue’s chefpartner Alex Chen.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILD BLUE

MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM •

SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH

‘Everybody deserves to feel their best’

LOCAL SEAMSTRESS DANIELA SAULUS HOSTS SEWING WORKSHOPS

NOV. 17 AND DEC. 8 AT THE POINT ARTIST-RUN CENTRE

BY DAVID SONG

SEWING HAS BEEN a ubiquitous task for thousands of years. Many do it primarily for utilitarian reasons (“look, there’s a hole in my pants, let’s fix that”). For others, it’s a source of livelihood and commercial profit—especially after the invention of the sewing machine in the 19th century.

But what of those who sew to express themselves creatively? Daniela Saulus wants to make a space for these people, which is why she’s hosting a pair of sewing workshops on Nov. 17 and Dec. 8 at the Point Artist-Run Centre (PARC).

“It’s supposed to be a social gathering with some friends and a nice drink, and we can be creative together,” elaborates Saulus. “People can come and learn some stitches, or maybe they want to do a project and don’t quite know how. Every month I’m actually offering a theme. In November, everybody can bring a sweater that they don’t want to wear anymore, and we’ll make a hat and mitten set

out of it—maybe even a scarf.”

The German expatriate offers a variety of services like garment re-design, alterations and general fixes by way of her business, Whistler Sewing Creations. Her focus is in the realm of formal, wedding and evening attire, but she is willing and able to deal with all

formerly known as Whistler Alterations.

“I didn’t know that it was going to be my jam, but it really was my jam,” Saulus says. “I love to help people feel great in their clothes, and some clothes are really not made well. Everybody deserves to feel their best, and there’s a certain look to the people in the

“I love to help people feel great in their clothes, and some clothes are really not made well.”

- DANIELA SAULUS

kinds of clothing.

Many women who sew learn it from an older family member, and Saulus is no exception. She observed her grandmother alter clothes when she was young, but initially had no plans of becoming a seamstress and instead pursued graphic design. Then she moved to Whistler in 2012 and had her first of two children.

She couldn’t work nights anymore as a young mom, and a proliferation of graphic designers at the time further limited her options. Then a friend asked her to take over the business

mirror when they’re [comfortable] in their outfit. It’s really rewarding for me to help them find that.”

After a decade at the helm of Whistler Alterations, some life changes forced Saulus to seek employment elsewhere. She spent time working for Lululemon before kicking off her own business.

THE FUN PART

Saulus dabbles in art on the side and enjoys making things with her hands, be it a painting

or a well-tailored dress. In her view, it’s practical and fun in equal measure.

“There’s so many things you can do yourself, if you just know a couple stitches,” she says. “Like binding a book: if you have to put some pages together, you can quickly sew it and then you have a book. There’s so many little things that you can hack, and it makes your life a lot easier.

“The fun part is you can make projects with kids and you can craft, or [modify something] from the Re-Use It Centre. Some people would ask: ‘why don’t you have more customers?’ but with these little things it’s more fun to work with people and teach them how to do it.”

Going forward, Saulus hopes to see more traffic at the PARC, and not just for the activities she leads. The Whistlerite loves what director Stephen Vogler and his team have done for artists of all inclinations.

“They’re working so hard and they care so much. They make the place [feel] alive,” she remarks. “In my opinion, [the PARC] is the ultimate local space. We would just love it if there could be a bus or something every day … because I think what we are all offering is really fun.”

Learn more about Saulus’ workshops, which run from 1 to 4 p.m., at thepointartists. com/events/sewing-workshops-with-danifrom-whistler-sewing-creations-2ccfh. n

SEW IT GOES Whistler-based seamstress Daniela Saulus hard at work.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANI SAULUS

Community Jazz and Blues Jam on tap at the Point Artist-Run Centre

THE FREE MUSICAL EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR NOV. 10

BY DAVID SONG

CALLING ALL jazz and blues musicians: the Point Artist-Run Centre (PARC) is inviting you on Nov. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. to a Community Jazz and Blues Jam. All ages and experience levels are welcome to participate, or simply to watch and listen.

“We’ve done some other genres of music more frequently, like bluegrass and old-time where it’s more acoustic, but with this one we have a host band,” elaborates PARC artistic director Stephen Vogler. “The guys playing are all skilled musicians. They know their jazz and blues, so it’s a great opportunity for musicians who might be interested in that style of music but don’t have the opportunity to play it with other people.”

Brett Florio, whom you might know from his gigs with The New Mountain Rangers and various other outfits, will help lead the Jam. The full lineup is still to be determined as of this writing, but expect house drummer Jim Brown and Florio’s Rangers running mate Rajan Das to be in attendance.

If you’ve done jazz or blues jams in other parts of the world, you’ll know they can be intimidating. Florio once attended a blues night in Los Angeles that demanded exacting precision and adherence to tradition. “Don’t colour outside the lines or the owner would be on the side of the stage telling you to get the f— off,” he recalls.

However, Florio emphasizes that “we don’t have that scene [at the PARC]. Our jams are much more for folks who have been trying to learn jazz by themselves. While you have to know how to play your instrument, folks who can do that and want to experience some different stuff, meet some other musicians and expand their repertoire [are welcome].”

Somewhat idiosyncratically, Florio doesn’t like blues—at least not for listening. Yet time spent around Brown has shown him the genre can be a lot more fun to play than he once believed.

‘RELAXED AND CASUAL’

Expect the upcoming Jazz and Blues night to feel and sound very disparate from the other PARC jam sessions.

“Bluegrass or old-time jams are just culturally and functionally very different,” Florio explains. “In bluegrass, everybody takes a break on a song—a break meaning a solo—whereas in a jazz jam, that can get pretty difficult. We might curate songs a little bit more and ask who wants to play [a given] tune.

“In contrast, in an old-time jam the fiddles do everything all the time. There’s not a lot of improvisation. It’s almost trance-like [in the sense of] we’re doing this song and we’re going to do it 14 times.”

No matter what the genre, Florio is interested in supporting local music. He and his family drove into Whistler in 2013 largely by accident, but were quickly charmed and ended up moving to the Sea to Sky from the U.S. Florio learned about a PARC annual general meeting roughly six years ago, showed up and was asked to join the board.

He’s served in that capacity ever since.

“What I like most about the Point is the breadth and depth of the relationships that exist,” says Florio. “You might meet folks there who have been in town for a few weeks or a few decades. So many people come for the sports, the mountains and all that stuff, but there’s also a lot of art in the community. The Point mixes folks from all sorts of different hobbies into one place that they really do have a relationship with.

“There are a ton of musicians and I’ve jammed with a ton of folks spontaneously, but it’s usually in the context of a live performance. A jam is a nice change of pace because it’s really relaxed and casual. If anyone is on the fence about coming, just show up with an open mind—no one’s going to get better by not showing up. Worst-case scenario: you might hit some wrong notes and everyone’s going to say, ‘good try.’”

Details for the PARC’s Community Jazz and Blues Jam can be found at thepointartists. com. Donations are encouraged. n

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JAM PACKED A jam session at the Point Artist-Run Centre in Whistler.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRETT FLORIO

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ARTS SCENE

PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE

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

MONTHLY BIRD WALK

IGNITE: WELLNESS RETREAT

Kindle your inner spark at Ignite, Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s invigorating wellness retreat weekend.

Join for yoga, meditation, nourishing cuisine and rejuvenating experiences guided by wellness experts.

Nov. 1 to 3

Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Registration required

A/NEW GALLERY EXHIBIT

a/New is a creative collaboration between artists Bronwyn Preece and Rosemary Candelario. They explore themes of female representation, identity, and the relation to landscape, culminating in a refined multimedia installation blending photography, poetry, and performance into a contemplative exploration of self and place.

Nov. 1 to Dec. 21

Maury Young Arts Centre Free

FAIRMONT FRIDAYS

Kick off your weekend right by celebrating slopeside at the Mallard Lounge’s famous Fairmont Fridays. Featuring boot-stomping live music, refreshing cocktails and delectable bites. Hop on the Fairmont guest shuttle from the Village for a complimentary lift to the Upper Village, or enjoy a leisurely stroll there.

Nov. 1, 5 to 7 p.m.

Mallard Lounge

$6 Beer, $7 Wine, $9 Featured Cocktail and $10 Appetizers

MONTHLY BIRD WALK

Join the Whistler Naturalists for a bird walk on the first Saturday of each month. The walks are at Alta Lake, open to anyone interested in birds and covering many types of habitat. You’ll be joined by birding experts who compile a detailed inventory list on year-round bird activity.

Nov. 2, 9 a.m.

Bottom of Lorimer Road Free

BY

WHISTLER NORDICS SKI SWAP

The Whistler Nordics are pleased to present their annual Ski Swap. Purchase used XC ski gear including classic and skate skis, boots, poles, or sell your used equipment. Local retailers also attend with great deals. Nov. 3, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Whistler Secondary School Prices vary

A/NEW WRITING WORKSHOP

In this creative and cosy setting, explore a variety of writing exercises designed to spark your imagination and help you find your unique voice. Bronwyn Preece, a celebrated facilitator with a PhD in Performance, brings her extensive experience in arts-based workshops to guide participants through engaging, thought-provoking writing practices.

Nov. 3, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Maury Young Arts Centre

$26.90

CORNUCOPIA’S WEST COAST HOUSE PARTY

Get ready for this kick-off event, an evening blending live music, tantalizing local cuisine and delicious drinks. This year, there is a new twist: the West Coast House Party showcases a wide selection of wines, spirits and beer from across the entire West Coast. Indulge in a dinner buffet by Executive Chef Neal Harkins as you savour, sip and mingle. This perennial sellout event is the perfect way to start your weekend early—don’t miss out!

Nov. 7, 6 p.m.

Whistler Conference Centre Packages start at $95

PHOTO

VICTOR ALFONSO

We’rebringingtogetherchange-makers, policymakers,influencers,andon-the-groundexperts todiscusstheissuesshapingourresorttoday.

Nancy Greene’s OIympic Lodge

BY ALLYN PRINGLE

THE EARLY YEARS of the 1980s saw Whistler Village begin to come together, with the first buildings completed and businesses starting to open. This growth, however, soon slowed dramatically as a major recession hit North America and Whistler’s future became very uncertain.

In 1982, Al Raine stepped down as the executive director of the Whistler Resort Association (WRA; today known as Tourism Whistler) after working pretty much nonstop on the “Whistler project” since 1975. He and Nancy decided to move to Switzerland with their sons and, according to Nancy, the headlines described their move as “Rats deserting the sinking ship.” By the time they returned in 1984, the economy was beginning to turn around, though Whistler was still struggling. Whistler Village was a mix of completed buildings next to sites of concrete and rebar, one of which the Raines decided to buy and build a hotel on.

Whistler’s prospects were looking up by the end of 1985 when Nancy Greene’s Olympic Lodge was completed, with the WRA reporting in November hotel bookings for the winter were already up 57 per cent over 1984-85. This boded well for the many businesses getting ready to open in the Village.

As well as being a 90-room hotel, Nancy Greene’s Olympic Lodge also contained retail locations, and the opening of the hotel also saw the opening of new businesses. The only restaurant, Isabelle’s, was named after the daughter of proprietors Curt and Monica Czerveniak and served breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Bullwinkle’s featured stained glass, Tiffany lamps and pottery while The Country Store (which also had a location in Squamish) offered various souvenirs including hand-made candles and soaps. Whistler Gifts II was also a second location, as owners Toshi and Setsuko Hamazaki also owned Whistler Gifts in the Crystal Lodge.

Can-Ski’s first Whistler location offered ski equipment and gear and the Kettle Creek Canvas Company, Sports Style (a third store for the owners of Village Sportstop and Whistler

Village Sports), and More Tops (a companion to Jan Holmberg and Ted Nebbeling’s Whistler Tops) all sold various types of clothing, with More Tops even offering on-site embroidery and monogramming. Nancy T, another clothing store that catered specifically to children, was opened by Nancy Treiber.

The final business to open in Nancy Greene’s OIympic Lodge was One-Hour Photo, owned by Rick Clare and Terry Heenan. The store offered camera rentals, equipment sales, and film processing, with a special 24-hour rate for locals. For the first two full months of operations, One-Hour Photo also contributed 50 cents from every roll of film processed to the Dandelion Daycare Society, which briefly had to delay opening its first daycare facility in November as they did not have enough money to finish the interior of the new building.

Further along the Village Stroll, another building of businesses opened the same month: the Brandywine building. Though the Brandywine offered fewer retail spaces, the building did fit in Whistler’s first 24-hour convenience store, run by Mark and June Bombay, another location of Jim McConkey’s Sports Store, and Susie Holland’s Blackcomb Therapy Centre, which sold “just about everything to soothe and rejuvenate weary skiers,” as well as a few new eatery options. At Lu Gardens, Shirley Jang and her staff offered eat-in and takeout Chinese cuisine. Next door, the Original Ristorante was spread over two floors, while on Lu Garden’s other side Mikito “Miki” Homma and two friends opened up Sushi Village, Whistler’s first Japanese restaurant. Many of these businesses that opened at the end of 1985 have gone and the buildings that house them have changed over the past 39 years (the Brandywine is now the Sundial Hotel and Nancy Greene’s Olympic Lodge first lost the word Olympic and then became part of the Crystal Lodge). A few, however, continue on in different locations while a couple are still operating out of the same locations. Near the base of Whistler Mountain, the Original Ristorante changed its name in 1995, taking after its owner Lawrence Black and rebranding as Black’s Pub, while Sushi Village continues to operate just two doors down. n

WINE AND DINE The Brandywine building and business signs.

BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN COLLECTION, DAVID STOECKLEIN, 1989-90

HOOKED ON CLICKBAIT?

ASTROLOGY

Free Will Astrology

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1 BY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Many people believe in the existence of ghosts. If you’re not yet one of them, you may be soon. The spirit world is more open than usual to your curiosity and explorations. Keep in mind, though, that the contacts you make might not be with ghosts in the usual sense of that term. They might be deceased ancestors coming to deliver clues and blessings. They could be angels, guardian spirits, or shapeshifting messengers. Don’t be afraid. Some may be weird, but they’re not dangerous. Learn what you can from them, but don’t assume they’re omniscient and infallible. Halloween costume suggestion: one of your ancestors.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When you attended kindergarten, did you ever share your delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich with friends who didn’t like the broccoli and carrots in their lunch boxes? If so, you may be well-primed to capitalize on the opportunities now in your vicinity. Your generous actions will be potent catalysts for good luck. Your eagerness to bestow blessings and share your resources will bring you rewards. Your skill at enhancing other people’s fortunes may attract unexpected favours. Halloween costume suggestion: philanthropist, charity worker, or an angel who gives away peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): For you, dear Gemini, the coming weeks could be the least superstitious time ever. There will be no such thing as bad luck, good luck, or weird luck. Fears rooted in old misunderstandings will be irrelevant. Irrational worries about unlikely outcomes will be disproven. You will discover reasons to shed paranoid thoughts and nervous fantasies. Speaking on behalf of your higher self, I authorize you to put your supple trust in logical thinking, objective research, and rational analysis. Halloween costume suggestion: a famous scientist you respect.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Which sign of the zodiac is sexiest? Smouldering Scorpios, who are so inherently seductive they don’t even have to try to be? Radiant Leos, whose charisma and commanding presence may feel irresistible? Electrifying Aries, who grab our attention with their power to excite and inspire us? In accordance with current astrological omens, I name you Cancerians as the sexiest sign for the next three weeks. Your emotional potency and nurturing intelligence will tempt us to dive into the depths with you and explore the lyrical mysteries of intimate linkage. Halloween costume suggestion: sex god, sex goddess, or the nonbinary Hindu deity Ardhanarishvara.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In ancient Egypt, onions were precious because they symbolized the many-layered nature of life. Just as some modern people swear oaths while placing a hand on a Bible, an Egyptian might have pledged a crucial vow while holding an onion. Would you consider adopting your own personal version of their practice in the coming weeks, Leo? It is the oath-taking season for you—a time when you will be wise to consider deep commitments and sacred resolutions. Halloween costume suggestion: a spiritual initiate or devotee.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Two of the world’s most famous paintings are the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Both were made by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), one of the world’s most famous painters. Yet the brilliant artist left us with only 24 paintings in total, many of which were unfinished. Why? Here are two of several reasons: He worked slowly and procrastinated constantly. In the coming months, Virgo, I feel you will have resemblances to the version of da Vinci who created The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. Some of your best, most enduring work will bloom. You will be at the peak of your unique powers. Halloween costume suggestion: Leonardo da Vinci or some great maestro.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “When you are faced with a choice between two paths, it’s always better to take the most difficult one.” What!? No! That’s not true! A

ROB BREZSNY

shamanic psychotherapist gave me that bad advice when I was young, and I am glad I did not heed it. My life has been so much better because I learn from joy and pleasure as much as from hardship. Yes, sometimes it’s right to choose the most challenging option, but on many occasions, we are wise to opt for what brings fun adventures and freeflowing opportunities for creative expression. That’s what I wish for you right now. Halloween costume suggestion: a hedonist, a liberator, a bliss specialist.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio painter Pablo Picasso has been described as a “masterfully erratic pioneer.” He influenced every art movement of the 20th century. His painting Guernica is a renowned anti-war statement. Though he was a Communist, he amassed great wealth and owned five homes. Today, his collected work is valued at more than $800 million. By the way, he was the most prolific artist who ever lived, producing almost 150,000 pieces. I nominate him to be your role model in the coming weeks. You are due for a Season of Successful Excess. Halloween costume suggestion: an eccentric, charismatic genius.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian Keith Richards, guitar player for The Rolling Stones since 1962, is a gritty, rugged man notorious for his rowdy carousing. Lots of observers predicted he would die at a young age because of his boisterous lifestyle, yet today he is 81 years old and still partying. But here’s his confession: “I never sleep alone. If there is no one to sleep next to, I’ll sleep next to a stuffed animal. It makes me feel secure and safe. It’s a little embarrassing to admit it. It’s important to me, though.” I bring this up, Sagittarius, because I feel that no matter how wild and free you are, you will be wise to ensure that you feel extra secure and supported for a while. Halloween costume suggestion: a stuffed animal or a lover of stuffed animals.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Halloween offers us a valuable psychological opportunity. We can pretend to perform our shadowy, wounded, and unripe qualities without suffering the consequences of literally acting them out. We can acknowledge them as part of our makeup, helping to ensure they won’t develop the explosive, unpredictable power that repressed qualities can acquire. We may even gently mock our immature qualities with sly humour, diminishing the possibility they will sabotage us. All that’s a preamble for my Halloween costume suggestion for you: a dictator or tyrant. If you have fun playing with your control-freak fantasies, you will be less likely to overexpress them in real life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Paganism and astrology have key affinities. For instance, they both understand that our personal rhythms are connected with the Earth’s cycles. I bring this to your attention because we are in the season that pagans call Samhain, halfway between the equinox and solstice. For Aquarians, this festival marks a time when you are wise to honour and nurture your highest ambitions. You can generate fun and good fortune by focusing on lofty goals that express your finest talents and offer your most unique gifts. How might you boost your passion and capacity to make your mark on the world? Halloween costume suggestion: your dream career.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I like how you are opening, widening, and heightening! Keep up the good work, Pisces! I am cheering you on as you amplify, stretch, augment, and burgeon. Here’s a small alert, though: You may be expanding so fast and so far that it’s a challenge for less expansive people to keep up—even your allies. To allay their worries, be generous in sharing the fruits of your thriving spaciousness. Let them know you don’t require them to match your rate of growth. You could also show them this horoscope. Halloween costume suggestion: a broader, brighter, bolder version of yourself.

Homework: To read my thoughts on the U.S. presidential election, go here: https://tinyurl.com/ElectionExtra

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Our ideal candidate:

• 3+ years practical general accounting

• Accounts receivable invoicing and collections

• Month end reconciliations including all bank and balance sheet accounts

Financial analysis and POS system reporting

What we offer: • Brand

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!

ANNOUNCEMENTS OBITUARIES

BAKER,BRANDONJOHN. Dec08,1981-Sep27,2024

Itiswithheavyheartsthatwesadly announcethepassingofourbeloved son,BrandonJohnBaker,whopassed awayonSeptember27,2024aftera courageousbattlewithcancer.

Brandon’szestforlifewasevidentin hisadventurousspiritandloveforthe outdoors.Anexpertdownhill mountainbikerandskier,hethrivedon thethrillandchallengeofthe mountains.Beyondthemountains, Brandonalsoenjoyedgolf,ocean kayakingandagreatgameofchess.

Brandonwillbedeeplymissedand foreverlovedbyhisfamily,friends,his dogandbestfriendHobbes,andallof thosewhohadtheprivilegeofsharing hismanyadventures.

AcelebrationofBrandonwillbeheld intheSpringof2025athismountain biketrail(DieselWolf)inPemberton, BC.

Restinpeaceoursweetboy.May yourjourneybesmooth,yourtrailsbe endlessandyourspiritforeverfree.

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

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)

• Community - Based Support Workers X2 (Part-time)

• Men’s Health Lead

($53,000 - $60,000)

• Jordan’s Principle Admin Assistant

($52,000 - $55,000)

• Aboriginal Supported Child Development Worker

(48,000 - $52,000)

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.

Send your application to Julia.schneider@sshs.ca Learn

– Strong Core & Glutes 7:30-8:30 am w Jess Mondays – Pilates 10:30-1:30 am w Josie

Tuesdays – SPIN 6:00-7:00 pm w Courtney Wednesdays – Strength & Mobility

7:30- 8:30 am w Anna Thursdays – Swim: Speed & Efficiency 12-1 pm w Hector

JOB POSTING: MEN’S HEALTH LEAD

Position Title: Men’s Health Lead

Location: Mount Currie, BC

Type: Full-time, Contract

Salary: $53,000 to $60,000, plus benefits (Based on experience)

Benefits: SSHS offers a competitive benefits and employment package for full-time staff

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 motivated Men’s Health Lead to promote health and healing amongst Stl’atl’imx community members through: providing a safe and supportive environment for men to gather and share stories; supporting, mentoring, and bringing together Stl’atl’imx men to develop leadership skills and peer support networks that empower and encourage culturally safe healing and wellness; promoting Stl’atl’imx traditional and cultural ways; leading, organizing, and facilitating participation in traditional activities (including but not limited to gatherings, hunting, fishing, harvesting, building, etc.) that incorporate land-based healing and therapy, and harm reduction strategies; providing information about and facilitating access to mental wellness and substance use support services; and culturally aware training around mental wellness, suicide prevention, addiction, harm reduction, etc.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Management:

• Support and facilitate the delivery of the Men’s Health programming, including managing (with support from Finance/Accounting) program budgets

• Support and prepare required program quantitative and qualitative reporting

Program Delivery:

• Support Men’s Health activities as defined by the men. Examples may include: travelling the land, traditional harvesting, building projects, hunting/fishing, wilderness survival activities (e.g. training), etc.

• Organize, coordinate, and attend weekly dinners in the community

• Create a culturally safe space for men to gather and spend time with one another

• Create an environment of equality amongst the participants

• Create safe spaces where all participants can share their perspectives on activities that the Men’s Group could host

• Building group consensus regarding Men’s Group activities

• Mentor Men’s Group participants who express interest in taking a volunteer leadership role.

• Arrange for nutritious meals to be provided during events

• Support an environment of mentorship (walking together and learning from one another)

• Drive Men’s Group participants to planned events using SSHS owned vehicles.

• Maintain a log of number of attendees at events and gatherings

• Actively seeks out and supports activities that promote client, staff, visitor, and contractor safety Qualifications and Skills:

• Excellent verbal communication skills

• Understands and respects Stl’atl’imx cultural practices and protocols

• Knowledgeable about Stl’atl’imx territory and Stl’atl’imx cultural and traditional practices

• An ability to speak Ucwalmicwts is considered an asset

• Experience working with Stl’atl’imx people and communities

• Construction/building experience is considered an asset

• Ability to create a safe group environment

• Demonstrated ability to build consensus in a group setting

• Ability to work independently and in teams.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality, privacy and security of information.

• Demonstrated ability to manage conflict in group settings

• First Aid Certificate – Level C

• Food Safe Certification

• Must provide a satisfactory Criminal Records with Vulnerable Sector check

• Valid B.C. Driver’s License Special Requirements:

• This position will require 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.

• Hours of work will vary depending on the activities. Work in the evening and/or on weekends may be required.

For a list of all position responsibilities, qualifications and any other special requirements, please refer to www.sshs.ca for an exhaustive job description.

Please submit resume and cover letter by email to Julia Schneider, Executive Assistant to the Interim Health Director, 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!

Dont forget to scoop the poop!

It’s not fun to step in, or to see around town. Help keep Whistler clean and pick up after your dog.

www.whistlerwag.com

BUILDING AND RENOVATIONS

Pre Xmas jobs, all Trades, and complexities and sizes.

Please contact us at Call 604-906-4404 email: biowolf@shaw.ca or Our website at www.summerhillconstruction.ca

Serving Whistler for over 25 years Wiebe

• Kitchen and Bath

• Renovations & Repairs

• Drywall • Painting

• Finishing

• Minor Electrical & Plumbing

Ray Wiebe

604.935.2432 Pat Wiebe

604.902.9300

raymondo99.69@gmail.com

BLAC K COMB

C O P TERS

BLACKCOMB HELICOPTERS GROUND CREW

TITLE: Ground Crew

TITLE Ground Crew

LOCATION: Whistler, B.C.

STATUS Permanent, full-time

STATUS: Full-time, Temporary

ABOUT US

ABOUT US

Blackcomb Helicopters is a well-established full service, multi-fleet helicopter company with rotary flight and maintenance services. We have bases in Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Sechelt, Terrace, Calgary, Lillooet and Vancouver.

Blackcomb Helicopters is a well-established full-service, multi-fleet helicopter company with flight and maintenance services. We have bases in Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Calgary, and Lillooet.

ABOUT THE JOB

ABOUT THE JOB:

Reporting to the Ground Crew Supervisor and Director of Tourism, this position will require you to:

• Support facility equipment repairs and upkeep;

Reporting to the Ground Crew Supervisor and Base Manager, this position will include:  facilities and ground crew support, equipment repair and upkeep, aircraft grooming, fueling and refueling of aircraft, and assisting with passengers. It is worth noting that this position will not lead to flying or engineering opportunities.

• Groom and prepare aircraft;

YOU WILL

• Pickup and deliver parts, equipment and vehicles;

• Facilities and ground support equipment repairs and upkeep;

• Clean and maintain hangar and hangar equipment;

• Aircraft grooming, preparation and clean-up;

• Re-fuel aircraft and maintain fuel quality standards;

• Pickup and delivery of parts and equipment;

• Assist on remote jobs with pilot requests and longline operations;

• Hangar and hangar equipment cleaning and maintenance;

• General assistance with wildfire operations;

• Re-fueling of aircraft;

• Assisting with passengers and passenger equipment or luggage;

• Assisting with passengers and passenger equipment or luggage; And other duties as needed from time to time.

• Tourism shuttle driving (Class 4 driver’s license preferred, or can be obtained upon hire)

YOU HAVE

• And other duties as needed.

• Excellent communication skills and ability to work within a team framework;

• Basic computer skills (email, word processing);

• A driver’s license (ideally class 4);

It is worth noting that this position will not lead to flying or engineering opportunities. This position is primarily based from the Whistler heliport but may require you to work from different bases occasionally.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Good rapport with customers and excellent customer service skills, as well as a good attitude and superior work ethic.

• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills;

THE FINE PRINT

• The ability to work within a team framework;

• Flexibility and adaptability;

• The ability to work within a high-pressure environment;

• A driver’s license (ideally class 4);

• Good rapport with customers and excellent customer service skills, as well as a good attitude and superior work ethic.

THE FINE PRINT

Blackcomb Helicopters is an equal opportunity employer and to that end, we want all barriers removed to ensure a fair screening process for all candidates. All resumes will be reviewed with an eye to skill set and experience only, and are considered without attention to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. To this end, we ask all applicants to ensure you do not include any personal information on your application and remove pictures from your resume if you have them.

INTERESTED?

If you or someone you know would be a good fit for this role, please send a resume to: Fiona Cochrane, HR Manager fcochrane@mcleangroup.com

Blackcomb Helicopters is an equal opportunity employer and to that end, we want all barriers removed to ensure a fair screening process for all candidates. All resumes will be reviewed with an eye to skill set and experience only, and are considered without attention to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. To this end, we ask all applicants to ensure you do not include any personal information on your application and remove pictures from your resume if you have them.

Resumes can be sent directly to amcdowell@blackcombhelicopters.com and kbate@blackcombhelicopters.com

Xet’òlacw Community School

•

• Language Resource Worker or Language Teacher ($46,683 to $109,520 per year)

• Education Assistant ($38,038 - $53,599 per year)

• Food Program Assistant ($17.40 to $20.90 per hour)

Lil’wat Health & Healing + Pqusnalhcw Health Centre

• Early Childhood Educator ($20.90 to $29.45 per hour)

• Nurse ($41.42 to $52.81 per hour + $2.15 hourly premium)

• Family Mentor ($38,038 to $53,599 per year)

• Program Manager ($57,330 to $64,610.00 per year)

Child & Family Services

• Transition House Outreach Worker ($20.90 to $29.45 per hour)

• Transition House Support Worker ($20.90 to $29.45 per hour)

Full

*LIMITED HOUSING AVAILABLE*

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

The Maintenance Technician/Cleaner, along with the other Building Operations team members, is responsible for the general cleaning, beautification, and minor repairs of the Whistler Conference Centre, Tourism Whistler administration offices, and the Whistler Golf Club. This role requires a positive team player with cleaning/ maintenance experience.

What we offer: limited housing available, a flexible schedule offering work-life balance, a commitment to health and wellness, competitive compensation and benefits package, and a great team environment.

The wage for this role is $25 per hour.

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

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Front Office Manager

Do not move the position or change the typesetting of the headline. The bottom angled keyline should always align with the angled gradient jolt.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

COORDINATOR, CONFERENCE SALES

FACILITIES ENGINEER

Full Time, Year Round

Full Time, Year Round

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

The Facilities Engineer is responsible for the oversight, maintenance, repairs and efficient operations of all main mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and the overall common areas at the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Course and Driving Range.

The Coordinator, Conference Sales assists the Sales Manager(s) in developing and maintaining a strong client base. Using outstanding communication, interpersonal skills, and a high level of enthusiasm and initiative, the Coordinator builds relationships and delivers superior service to our clients.

Sales related duties will be the primary focus for this role, noting that operational aspects of the business and supporting Conference Services during peak periods will be a requirement as needed.

What we offer: nine-day fortnight schedule, an excellent benefits package, a commitment to health and wellness, and a fun and supportive team environment.

The starting salary range for this role is $50,000 - $54,000 annually.

This position requires an individual who possesses a 4th Class Power Engineering Certificate (or is currently enrolled), complimented with five years of related experience gained in a commercial building or hotel. Experience and knowledge of direct digital controls, energy management systems and green initiatives is also important. Previous leadership experience, with knowledge of applicable buildings codes and health and safety practices is an asset.

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

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

Employee Health & Wellness Plan available

HYDROVAC OPERATOR – Valid Class 1 or Class 3 with air brakes required. Manual transmission. Ground Disturbance II. 2 years operating hydro excavation equipment preferred. $35-$40.45 per hour.

HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, Squamish – Minimum 5 years or 5,000 hours operating experience on excavator. Full-time, Monday – Friday. $33-$42 per hour.

HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC - Red Seal, Commercial Truck & Transport, Transport Trailer, Class 1 or 3 air brakes preferred. 4x10 or 5x8 schedule. Red Seal certified receive $200/month tool allowance. $39.70- $47.90 per hour. 5% premium on hourly wage for Lead Hand position.

CONSTRUCTION LABOURER – Great opportunity to learn on-the-job. Stamina for physically demanding work and perseverance to brave inclement weather required. Previous experience preferred but not required. Training provided. $25-$32 per hour.

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.

coastalmountain.ca/careers instagram.com/coastalmountainexcavations

Cardinal Concrete, A Division of Lafarge Canada Inc is the leading supplier of

in the Sea to Sky Corridor. We are currently seeking a career oriented individual to fill the role of Commercial Transport/Heavy Duty Mechanic at our Head Office Location in Squamish, BC. This is a skilled position which primarily involves preventative maintenance and repair of a large fleet of commercial transport vehicles including concrete mixer trucks, dump trucks, trailers, forklifts and light-duty trucks.

Minimum Qualifications:

• B.C. Certificate of Qualification, and/or Interprovincial Ticket as a Commercial Transport Mechanic, and/or Heavy Duty Mechanic Ticket

• 3-5 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience

Compensation $45.57 to $49.07

To view a full copy of this Job Description visit: www.cardinalconcrete.ca/about/careers

Apply to: info@cardinalconcrete.ca

BLACKCOMB CHIMNEY

LTD.

What have you done for me lately?

NINE DAYS after voting was over, so is the B.C. election... kind of. There are still two ridings subject to judicial recount but if history is any indication—not sure it is—no election has been overturned by a judicial recount. Happy Halloween. Your kid’s candy will be gone before we know for certain.

BY G.D. MAXWELL

But as things stand, B.C. will plod towards the future with another NDP majority government, slim though it may be. This will be seen as an unfavourable, possibly revolting outcome to just over 43 per cent of the people who bothered to cast ballots. Bothered because once again, B.C. voters proved they’re the pathetic in apathetic with just 58.3 per cent of eligible voters exercising their right to vote for the people leading them. Oh, it’s raining out, let’s not vote.

There were three, four if you count the majority of people who simply didn’t vote, really unsavoury aspects to this election.

The first was the number of voters who mimicked the more vile mindset we witness with disdain south of the border. They voted to elect racists and misogynists to sit in government. In the not-too-distant past, party leaders would have sent those candidates packing for their comments. Conservative Party leader John Rustad’s response was to “let the voters decide.”

Sadly, the voters decided to elect some and narrowly defeat others. While the decision of Mr. Rustad to let them stand for election is unfortunate, the decision made by people voting for them is reprehensible. They either support that kind of hatred or they hate their opponents enough to ignore it. Either way, it’s a sad commentary on what we used to believe was a kinder, gentler, more tolerant and inclusive Canada.

The second was the inept, misguided and nearly fatal campaign run by the NDP. I supported that party for the first time... ever. Two reasons. I found the Conservatives’ platform scary. Trump-lite. More importantly, this riding’s candidate had a long and broad track record of service and accomplishment in local, regional and provincial government.

But the party ran on a strategy of vilifying its opponent. Granted there was a lot to vilify about Mr. Rustad, but you don’t win voters’ support by telling them it’s a choice between you or the boogeyman. The NDP had accomplished much during a difficult period but you wouldn’t have known it looking at their campaign. They let themselves be an easy target for a disaffected electorate reeling from “crisis” to “crisis”—inflation, housing, deficit spending, health-care.

There was little talk of the hospitals built, expanded or started, the increases in doctors and nurses, the schools, the lower child care costs, the programs to increase housing that garnered praise from other parts of the country. It came down to an attitude of, “What have you done for me lately?” And the answer from a beaten-down public was, “Not much.”

The final unsavoury aspect of this election is the pall it casts over the future. The lessons unlearned.

If you looked at the map of the province, you saw a clear urban-rural divide. You had to look closely to see a colour other than blue. Of course, if you knew anything at all about demographics, you understood those orange and green specks on the map were where people outnumber livestock. Much like the rest of Canada, people in B.C. are snuggled up against the southern border.

Looking at the result, people may be justified to think the province is highly polarized. Look again. Yes, the NDP garnered

winning party topped half the vote.

The fact the Conservatives came so close to wresting government lies squarely with the lunacy of the two “progressive”—ugly and inappropriate word—parties’ inability to work together and stop splitting the vote.

Cue the portion of Green voters crying for proportional representation. Grow up. It ain’t going to happen. We will be enjoying roundabouts instead of traffic lights before we ever see a system of proportional representation adopted.

The reason is simple. Whether a majority or a minority, the governing party will do everything in its power to make sure it doesn’t

The two Green MLAs will have about as much power as the legislature’s cafeteria staff.

just shy of 44 per cent of the vote while the Conservatives were less than two points behind with more than 43 per cent.

But the Green Party pulled down a bit more than eight per cent. That meant the leftof-centre vote tally was slightly more than 53 per cent of the vote. While that may seem like a slim majority, there have been few races in recent history, provincial or federal, where the

happen. Unfair, unkind, but that’s just the way this world works.

Our Green MLA earlier referred to himself as the “only adult in the room.” While I don’t believe that, clearly it’s going to take some adults in a room to get the NDP and Green parties together. The failure to do so is inexorably going to lead to a Conservative government.

There were 11 ridings in the province that elected Conservative candidates where the difference between the second-place NDP candidate was fewer votes than were cast for the Green candidate. There were 23 ridings with no Green candidate running at all.

The party made much of wanting to be the “kingmaker” in a minority government. If things hold as they are, that won’t happen. The two Green MLAs will have about as much power as the legislature’s cafeteria staff. And even in 2017 when the three Green MLAs were needed to prop up the NDP minority government, little was accomplished for the weight they swung.

Ironically, conservatives eventually realized the futility of splitting the vote in this election thanks to Kevin Falcon’s mismanagement, and federally, when the Progressive Conservatives amalgamated themselves in the Alliance/Reform party in 2003. The result was the Harper years.

So I continue to have hope, however faint, there may be enough adults in the room who can cobble together a NDP/Green Party with sufficient give and take for both sides to move forward and reflect the preferences of the majority of voters in actual government. Failing that, both parties will eventually lose.

Adults understand getting most of what you want instead of none of what you want is a far superior outcome. Ideologues lack that understanding.

Those are my final words before I segue into the U.S. election and then seasonal cute dog and cat stories. n

BC GOV FLICKR