Quintessential Whistler
FAVOURITE WHISTLERITE
Jeremy “Stinky” Peterson
What’s that smell?
That, friends, could only be the smell of success, as Jeremy “Stinky” Peterson—longtime local and owner of the popular Whistler Village pub Stinky’s on the Stroll—is your favourite Whistlerite for 2023.
It’s Peterson’s first time taking the honour, after finishing second in 2022.
“I’m blown away, to be quite honest,” he said, when reached by phone. “I don’t know what to say but wow. I feel pretty good.”
Feeling good is the name of the game at Stinky’s, where Peterson goes above and beyond to put a smile on the face of his patrons.
“I call it Whistler’s little hidden gem,” he says of the bar, which he figures is what put him over the top with Pique readers in this year’s Best of Whistler poll.
Originally from Ottawa, Peterson moved to the resort nearly 30 years ago, landing his first job as a bagel chef at the now defunct Bagel Street Café before moving into a bartending role at legendary village pub Citta’ (which itself closed in 2014, with the Beacon taking its place).
As explained by his pub’s website, Stinky isn’t actually, er, stinky. That is to say, the longstanding nickname comes from a character on classic Canadian TV comedy The Red Green Show, and not an aversion to showering, or a particularly untrustworthy fart.
Stinky’s on the Stroll is celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2024, so guests and locals alike will have extra reason to pop in and see the man himself in person.
“I want to do a big one for that … and just try to give back to the community,” he said.
“There’s a lot of fun things we’re going to be doing. I’m always doing something. I’m always trying to have fun.”
Legendary local freeskier/filmmaker and seven-time Favourite Whistlerite Mike Douglas returned to the top three this year after missing out in 2022, while last year’s winner, Mayor Jack Crompton, came third.
FAVOURITE VOLUNTEER
Denise Wood
For the third year in a row (and the fourth time overall), Denise Wood is Whistler’s favourite volunteer.
But even given her repeated recognition in the category, the news still came as a surprise.
“It can’t be. Get out. Really?” she said, when Pique shared the news.
“I’m kinda shocked. Oh my goodness. That is so kind of people.”
With 14 years under her belt, Wood is the longest-serving volunteer at Whistler Animals Galore (WAG)—Whistler’s perennial favourite non-profit.
The resort’s affinity for dogs might explain Wood’s recent dynasty in the category.
“One of the things that I do is, it’s silly, but I make bandanas—really fun dog bandanas, and all the money goes to WAG,” she said.
“Our friends at Happy Pets, who are incredible, sell them, and they don’t take a profit, and our friends at WOW Treats, who are often at the farmers’ market, they sell them as well … everybody comes together to sell them and no one takes a dime.
“So maybe people start to know me through that, because when I’m selling them I get really active on Instagram with them.”
Lately it’s been mostly business as usual at WAG, though adoptions have slowed somewhat, which is “not typically usual,” Wood said.
“We’re really trying hard to get some of our longer-term dogs adopted, like Lola,” Wood said, referring to the shelter’s five-year resident pitbull (and star of many a WAG Instagram post).
Other than that, the WAG team is dreaming up fun events for the future, hosting regular shelter days, and working to find homes for some of their more challenging cases, Wood said.
“The WAG team is an absolutely incredibly group of people—the staff and the volunteers—and I just feel really, really lucky to be a part of that,” she added.
“And just really happy to be a part of seeing these animals get a second chance at life.”
Andy Sward—famous for his Million Bottle Pledge, and a common sight picking litter on the side of the Sea to Sky Highway— came second, while Heather Hall came third.
FAVOURITE WHISTLER NON-PROFIT
Whistler Animals Galore
The dogs just won’t be denied in Whistler—for the 11th year running, Whistler Animals Galore (WAG) is the community’s favourite non-profit, as voted by Pique readers.
And there are plenty of ways you can support the WAG team in its efforts this Christmas and beyond.
There’s a holiday matching campaign, with Moguls Coffee House and Zog’s Whistler pledging to match every dollar donated up to $20,000 (for a total fundraising goal of $40,000), and some sweet merch for sale at whistlerwag.com.
You can also donate pet food and supplies, or even become a corporate donor if you’re a business owner.
And of course, you can always consider adopting, or apply to become a volunteer.
The Whistler Community Services Society—a veritable one-stop-shop of social support in the community—came second, followed by Zero Ceiling, the advocacy organization dedicated to ending youth homeless.
BEST COUNCIL DECISION
Housing Action Plan
Council’s continued focus on housing, including the unveiling of Whistler’s first Housing Action Plan in May, was its best contribution to the community in 2023, according to Pique readers.
The wide-ranging plan identifies completed and ongoing efforts around housing in the resort, as well as providing a framework to guide future initiatives.
It’s broken into six core efforts: monitor supply and identify needs; protect and optimize employee housing; leverage municipal lands; utilize and expand financing tools; encourage the private sector; and remove red-tape barriers.
Where the plan takes housing in Whistler in the long-term remains to be seen, but in the eyes of Pique readers, at least, it’s a good start.
The long-anticipated approval of cannabis retail in the resort—and the opening of A Little Bud in Function Junction, Whistler’s first brick-and-mortar weed shop—came second.
Though not a concrete decision (yet), council’s consideration of a permanent campfire ban in the resort during the summer months came third.
WORST COUNCIL DECISION
Year-round pay parking
Whistlerites’ biggest pet peeve reared its ugly head again in 2023.
Given the long and contentious history of pay parking in the resort, it’s no surprise council’s decision to implement year-round pay parking in Day Lots 4 and 5 is Pique readers’ least-favourite of 2023.
According to the municipality, the move aims to promote parking turnover, reduce automobile usage, and get non-residents to pay their share for the local transportation system.
“Paying for parking is one of the few ways non-residents participate in funding Whistler’s transition to other modes of transportation. Transit and other preferred modes of transportation are funded by parking fees, which ultimately reduces the costs for much-needed climate action infrastructure,” said Mayor Jack Crompton at the time.
Upgrading Rainbow Park—and the resulting months-long closure of the popular summer hangout spot—came in second.
The decision to not bring back the resort’s beloved Canada Day parade came third.
BIGGEST NEWS STORY
Village 8 closes for good
The biggest news story of the year occurred in the first week of 2023.
The closure of Whistler’s Village 8 Cinemas on Jan. 5 was the most significant thing to happen in the resort all year, according to Pique readers—even though the news itself came in late 2022.
Several people reached out to Pique in the intervening months, hoping beyond hope they might be able to revive the popular movie theatre, but as far as we can tell, none of those efforts got off the ground.
“We’ve been trying to manage this location for a long time. It’s been really, really super challenging,” said Gina Facca, chief operating officer of Imagine Cinemas, of the closure. “It was challenging before COVID, to be perfectly honest with you … Our home base is in Ontario, and it’s difficult to manage something that’s three [time zones] away and however many kilometres away.”
But operating the theatre only became more challenging with COVID, Facca added.
“It’s been really difficult to get labour,” she said. “A lot of the (seasonals) that would come in from Australia and New Zealand and England, they’re just not available anymore, so it’s just been super challenging.”
The resounding success of Whistler 360—the trailblazing, collaborative model of health-care that connected hundreds of Whistlerites with a new family doctor in 2023—is your second favourite news story of the year, followed by the opening of Whistler’s first cannabis retail store in October.
BIGGEST ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
Climate change
After the worst wildfire season on record in B.C., Whistlerites went with the one-two punch of climate change and wildfires as their biggest environmental concerns in 2023.
According to the B.C. government, this year, more than 2.84 million hectares of forest and land burned, while tens of thousands of people were forced to evacuate and hundreds lost homes and structures.
That’s to say nothing of the impacts to cultural and ecological values, infrastructure, and local economies, or the indirect impacts to agriculture and tourism—or the unquantifiable impacts to people’s health and well-being.
Old-growth logging came third.
- Braden Dupuis
Restaurants & Cafes
Best Coffee
1) Mount Currie Coffee Co.
2) Forecast
3) Blenz
Best Breakfast
1) Wild Wood Café
2) The Southside Diner
3) Elements
Best Lunch
1) Samurai Sushi
2) Forecast
3) La Cantina
Best Casual Dining
1) Samurai Sushi
2) 21 Steps
3) Earls
Best Fine Dining
1) Rimrock Café
2) Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar
3) Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar
Best Dessert
1) Purebread
2) Rimrock Café
3) Cows
Best Wine List
1) Rimrock Café
2) Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar
3) Bearfoot Bistro
Best Burger
1) Splitz Grill
2) Caramba Restaurant
3) Roland’s Creekside Pub
Best Pizza
1) Functional Pie Pizzeria
2) Creekbread
3) Pizzeria Antico
Best Steak
1) Hy’s Steakhouse
2) Rimrock Café
3) The Keg Steakhouse
Best Sushi
1) Sushi Village
2) Nagomi Sushi
3) Samurai Sushi
Best Healthy Meal
1) The Green Moustache Café
2) Naked Sprout Café and Eatery
3) Main Street Poke
Favourite Food Pop-Up
1) Lucia Gelato
2) Whistler Wood Fired Pizza Company
3) Spcy Grls
Best Off-Season Deal
1) Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar
2) Rimrock Café
3) Sushi Village
Favourite Takeout
1) Samurai Sushi
2) Barn Nork
3) Functional Pie Pizzeria
Samurai Sushi for the people
Since taking over Samurai Sushi here in Whistler in 2018, co-owners Takuya Ota and Evan Choi have spent a lot of time and effort leaning into being a staple for the community through consistency and loyalty to their customers.
“We didn’t close the restaurant during the pandemic, not for a single day,” said Ota.
“We kept our restaurant open so we could serve the community.”
“Part of it was because we needed to support our staff, but at the same time a big part of it was keeping the community running. Based on the day-to-day customer communication and who is loyal to our restaurant, we have so many locals that use our restaurant, and we knew that it would be difficult for them not having us opening our restaurant. That was part of the reason why we kept our restaurant open.”
That loyalty comes back to Samurai Sushi, as seen by this year’s 2023 Best of Whistler results: Samurai Sushi was voted the top local establishment in three different categories: Best Lunch, Best Casual Dining, and Favourite Takeout.
“We are happy to be acknowledged, and we are honoured that people voted for us,” said Ota.
“We strive to manage our business and run our restaurant specifically for the locals—that’s what our market and focus is: How we can grow together with the locals.”
Ota explained that, while tourists are part of the equation, for himself and Choi, it is important to keep prices affordable for locals, doors open, staff supported, and everyone happy.
“We keep our price as reasonable as possible, even with inflation and the cost of food and payroll … We are trying to be reasonable, and the best for everybody in Whistler.”
Ota and Choi own and operate two locations: Samurai Sushi in Nesters, and Samurai Bowl in Whistler Creekside.
- Scott Tibballs
Bars, Pubs & Clubs
Best Après
1) Dusty’s Bar & BBQ
2) Dubh Linn Gate
3) Garibaldi Lift Co.
Best Nachos
1) Dubh Linn Gate
2) Dusty’s Bar & BBQ
3) Stinky’s on the Stroll
Best Wings
1) Roland’s Creekside Pub
2) Dusty’s Bar & BBQ
3) Crystal Lounge
Best Bar/Pub
1) Dubh Linn Gate
2) Stinky’s on the Stroll
3) Beacon Pub & Eatery
Best Patio
1) Table Nineteen
2) Dusty’s Bar & BBQ
3) Beacon Pub & Eatery
Best Cocktail
1) The Raven Room
2) Bar Oso
3) 21 Steps
Best Beer Selection
1) Coast Mountain Brewing
2) Dubh Linn Gate
3) Beacon Pub & Eatery
Favourite Locals’ Hangout
1) Stinky’s on the Stroll
2) Roland’s Creekside Pub
3) Tapley’s Pub
Roland’s rakes in another year of recognition
Roland’s Creekside Pub is a regular in Pique’s Best of Whistler readers’ poll, and plenty of Whistlerites are regulars at Roland’s—2023 is no exception.
Getting top accolades for best wings in town, and appearing yet again as one of the locals’ favourite hangout spots, the popular Creekside establishment has built a following that sees it through thick and thin.
“Because we focus on the locals, that’s one of the reasons that we are a locals’ favourite,” said owner Karen Roland.
“We cater to them; We want them here because they live here 365 days a year and support us year-round. The tourists are a bonus, but at the end of the day, the locals are the ones that come and support us, and they are the majority of our business. So that’s who we focus on, who we love the most.”
Roland herself has been recognized for her place in the hospitality industry, being inducted into the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame earlier in 2023, along with chef RD Stewart, of the acclaimed Red Door Bistro.
Roland’s has been getting into the swing of things through 2023, and is now open for lunch on Wednesdays and Thursdays thanks to success on the staffing front.
Roland’s joy at being able to open during the week helps explain why the popular establishment is so well-frequented by locals.
“We have a lot of lunch regulars that come here loyally, and when we had to close down during the week and only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, that put a monkey wrench into a lot of peoples lunch plans,” she said.
To the locals, Roland sends a lot of thanks.
“Thank you for your continued support,” she said. “You are what kept us in business during COVID, and we couldn’t have survived without you.”
- Scott Tibballs
Arts, Media & Culture
Favourite Artist/Artisan
1) Andrea Mueller
2) Kris Kupskay
3) Dave Petko
Favourite Major Art Show
1) Dirt Diaries
2) Art on the Lake
3) Manabu Ikeda: Flowers from the Wreckage
Favourite Arts & Culture Event, Festival or Series
1) Crankworx
2) Art on the Lake
3) Whistler Summer Concert Series
Favourite Photographer
1) Blake Jorgenson, Rob Perry
2) Joern Rohde
3) Logan Swayze
Favourite Local Filmmaker
1) Kris Dontas
2) Jeff Thomas
3) John Burke
Favourite Music Artist/Band
1) The Hairfarmers
2) Red Chair
3) Brother Twang
‘A Whistler Image’
Blake Jorgenson has lived in Whistler for three decades, and he has plenty to show for his career—including, most recently, recognition as Pique’s favourite photographer. It’s an achievement he certainly doesn’t take for granted.
“I guess [I feel] a lot of gratitude,” he said. “It’s just a big thank you and appreciation for liking my work and liking how I’ve represented the community. You know, I think that’s the main thing that every artist needs: the encouragement to keep going both from yourself and from other people.”
Jorgenson and the man he shares top spot with—Rob Perry—have something in common. Both moved to Whistler from out east (though Perry went further, coming from the U.K.) and launched into a brand-new Sea to Sky adventure. Jorgenson was only 18 when he showed up, and he soon developed an urge to document everything he saw.
Social media wasn’t a thing back then, so the Ontario native picked up a camera. Nowadays, he can’t do so without asking himself: what makes a true Whistler-worthy picture?
“Even when I travel, I still shoot as if I’m in Whistler,” Jorgenson said. “I still shoot what I’ve always considered a Whistler image, and so that’s the influence of this area, this people and this environment. Whistler has a lot of drama and mood because of the weather, and I think I’ve been learning to embrace that. If you fight it and wait for sunny days all the time, you’ll miss out.”
Though he lacks formal post-secondary training in the arts, Jorgenson thinks he essentially graduated from university in the Sea to Sky when it comes to perfecting his craft and learning life lessons along the way. He’s watched the local photography scene grow by leaps and bounds during his time, and admires the young shooters out there who are finding success at an earlier age than he did.
“I think it’s been a wonderful experience, being able to spend a lot of time documenting those outdoor experiences with your friends,” said Jorgenson. “That’s the main thing that everybody’s striving for, and it’s not easy to make a living out of doing that, but it is possible and I like to think that I’m one of those people that has inspired a lot of people.”
The Dark Knight of the Camera
Kris Dontas likens himself to Batman.
By day, he’s Bruce Wayne—though instead of being a billionaire playboy, he teaches at Myrtle Philip Community School alongside his brother Kevin. By night they trade their syllabuses for cameras and become local heroes on the arts scene, with Ryan Proctor as the third member of their Bat-family: Two Dontas One Proctor Productions.
They’ve no doubt left a mark, for Kris was voted Whistler’s favourite filmmaker this year by Pique readers.
“This year, especially, we put a lot of effort into the 72-Hour Filmmaker Showdown, and especially into Dirt Diaries, and to be recognized with this acknowledgement and award is just amazing,” he said.
Born and raised in a small town called Corunna, Ont., the Dontas brothers moved to Whistler about 11 years ago. Their love of shooting video goes back well beyond that: Kris remembers asking for a video camera for Christmas when he was in Grade 8. He got one, and the rest is history.
A versatile filmmaker, Kris’ range runs the gauntlet from real estate videography to comedic storytelling based on sarcasm, wit and creativity. He and his crew’s submission for the 72-Hour Showdown this April, Would You Rather, netted them a $5,000 grand prize from the World Ski and Snowboard Festival (WSSF). Even in light of such success, Kris isn’t sure if he’ll ever focus on shooting year-round.
“I get that asked every single day: are you going to leave teaching?” he said. “I can’t honestly answer that right now. I like the balance of both. I am curious to see what full-time filmmaking could look like, but I do love stepping into a classroom and changing the lives of 20 small people.
“I think teaching comes naturally to my brother and I. We grew up coaching sailing, swimming, that kind of thing, so educating is very natural to us. And then the schedule of teaching lends itself … to quite a lovely bit of time off to do these other side jobs.”
- David Song
Sports & Recreation
Favourite Summer Athlete
1) Finn Iles
2) Jesse Melamed
3) Jackson Goldstone
Favourite Winter Athlete
1) Stan Rey
2) Marcus Goguen
3) Marielle Thompson
Favourite Junior Athlete
1) Anthony Shelly
2) Juliette Pelchat, Mhairi Smart
3) Floyd Guy
Favourite Park
1) Rainbow Park
2) Lost Lake Park
3) Alpha Park
Favourite Whistler Blackcomb Ski Run
1) Peak to Creek
2) Dave Murray Downhill
3) Ridge Runner
Favourite Slackcountry Run/Area
1) Million Dollar Ridge
2) Khyber Pass
3) Flute Backside
Favourite Bike Trail
1) Crank It Up
2) A-line
3) Flashback
Favourite Golf Course
1) Nicklaus North
2) Fairmont Chateau Whistler
3) Whistler Golf Club
Favourite Adventure Tour Company
1) Canadian Wilderness Adventures
2) TAG: The Adventure Group
3) Blackcomb Helicopters
Nicklaus: The Standard
If you’re a golfer, the name Nicklaus means something.
Jack Nicklaus won 73 PGA Tour events in his unparalleled career, and designing dozens of world-class golf courses is equally a part of his legacy. Perhaps that’s why Nicklaus North has been voted Whistler’s favourite course once again, and by a considerable margin—garnering more than 45 per cent of total votes.
Five sets of tee decks allow Nicklaus North guests to choose their own adventure: from a long and demanding 18 holes to a more leisurely and forgiving outing with friends. The venue’s trees and waterways are always well-groomed in the summer to complement Whistler’s natural beauty, and golfers can unwind on one of the Sea to Sky’s more popular patios whenever they’re not hitting the ball.
Gavin Eckford, who just wrapped up his second year as general manager, knows the place all too well.
“Coming back as GM felt pretty familiar [after working there for 10 years in the 2000s],” he said. “Some of the people on the management team I’ve known for decades, so we’ve had good relationships already.”
Nicklaus North’s team is well-versed in readying their venue each spring to take advantage of Whistler’s relatively short golf season. Eckford believes that his employees help make a lasting impression on visitors year-in, year-out: whether they’re raking bunkers, serving in the Table Nineteen restaurant or fielding questions in the golf shop.
The staff is also capable of fostering high-end talent, of which Stewart Walker is an ideal example. The Whistler Secondary School grad is officially a part of Long Island University’s golf team after sharpening his skills under Nicklaus North’s director of golf Andrew Smart and director of instruction Graham Kehoe.
“Stewart is a phenomenal player,” Eckford said. “He’s definitely the best to have come out of Nicklaus North. You get a little bit of recognition out of it, a little bit of satisfaction knowing that the club played a small part in developing such a skilled athlete.”
- David Song
Business Services
Best New Business
1) Rockit Coffee
2) A Little Bud
3) Mekong
Best Ski Shop
1) Coastal Culture Sports
2) Fanatyk Co.
3) Comor
Best Snowboard Shop
1) Showcase Snowboard Surf & Skate Shop
2) Evolution
3) The Circle
Best Bike Shop
1) Coastal Culture Sports
2) Evolution
3) Fanatyk Co.
Best Clothing Store
1) Re-Use-It Centre
2) Aritzia
3) The Beach
Best jewelry Store
1) Keir Fine Jewellery
2) Ruby Tuesday Accessories
3) 3 singing birds
Best Hair Salon/Barbershop
1) Elevation Hair Studio
2) Farfalla Hair & Esthetics
3) Mountain Chic Hair Lounge
Best Grocery Store
1) Creekside Market
2) Fresh St. Market
3) Your Independent Grocer
Best Customer Service
1) Creekside Market
2) A Little Bud
3) Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Favourite Whistler Realtor
1) Carmyn Marcano
2) Katelyn Spink
3) Maggi Thornhill
Favourite Builder or Construction Company
1) TM Builders
2) RDC Fine Homes
3) CVC Custom Builders
Favourite Electrician or Electrician Company
1) Noble Electric, Rainbow Electric Ltd., and Spark Electrical
2) Switched On Electrical
3) Peak Electric
Favourite Plumber or Plumbing Company
1) Lee Carter Plumbing
2) Spearhead Plumbing & Heating
3) Whistler Mechanical
Best Store for Gifts
1) 3 singing birds
2) Whistler Kitchen Works
3) Get the Goods
Favourite Hotel
1) Fairmont Chateau Whistler
2) Nita Lake Lodge
3) The Westin Resort & Spa
Coastal Culture greets customers like ‘old friends’
Coastal Culture’s winning duo Ryan Brown and Thomas Stacker put their success down to their store’s friendly and welcoming atmosphere. It is this friendly nature that led to their store being named the best spot to scoop bikes and skis in this year’s Best of Whistler poll.
Brown explained popping into a sports store should never be an intimidating experience, regardless of your skill level.
“We are friendly,” he said. “I think we are a little down-to-Earth as well. Sometimes, people can be overwhelmed walking into sports stores. I think we are just able to greet them like an old friend. Just being simple and friendly would be the secret sauce.”
It hasn’t been an easy run for bike shops around B.C., after COVID-19 led to a major stock shortage, followed by a glut of bikes clogging up shops.
“Inventory has been our No. 1 challenge the last two years,” said Brown. “We couldn’t get inventory, and then we got too much of it. The price increases are not fair to anybody, either. Just trying to control inventory levels has been challenging, for most shops.”
Like most Whistler residents, the team at Coastal Culture is ready for the snow to start falling and the tourists to start rolling in.
“We are lucky that Whistler has a lot of in and out traffic,” said Brown. “Most businesses in Whistler have felt the in and out being a little slower than usual during the last six weeks!”
Brown thanked the store’s loyal customer base for another great year.
“We literally have people come in saying that they could have bought online but they prefer to have that person-to-person feel,” he said.
Staff at Whistler’s best snowboard shop are dreaming of a white Christmas
Staff at Showcase Snowboard Surf & Skate Shop—Whistler’s favourite snowboard shop for 2023, according to Pique readers—are just waiting for the snow to start falling, so they can show off all their cool stock.
The store has called its current Whistler Village location home for more than two decades, and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Manager John Frye said customers are always the No. 1 priority.
“We have a great selection of products, a great team, and a goal for our customer service to be No. 1,” he said, adding that, like all ski and snowboard shops in town, Showcase’s crew is hoping for more snow to arrive soon.
“Once that comes, people will follow,” Frye said.
“Hopefully then things will be back to normal. We are just hoping for that snow to fly. We just want snow like everyone else.”
Frye loves chatting about his snowboarding passion with everyone who comes through the shop’s doors. Their staff all share a similar infectious enthusiasm for the sport.
“We try to hire people that are passionate about snowboarding and passionate about Whistler,” he said. “That conveys over to our customers. That’s our winning formula.”
- Roisin Cullen
Health & Fitness
Favourite Spa
1) Scandinave Spa Whistler
2) The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge
3) The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Whistler
Favourite Chiropractor or Chiropractor Practice
1) Whistler Chiropractic Clinic
2) Andrea Bologna (Village Centre Chiropractic)
3) Adam Underhill
Favourite Physiotherapy Provider
1) Back in Action
2) Peak Performance Physiotherapy and Massage
3) The Movement Lab
Favourite Massage Provider
1) Nita Lake Lodge
2) Back in Action
3) Scandinave Spa Whistler
Favourite Dental Practice
1) Creekside Dental
2) Whistler Dental
3) Whistler Smiles Dental Clinic
Favourite Doctor or Nurse
1) Dr. Karin Kausky
2) Dr. Tom DeMarco
3) Dr. Brennan McKnight
Favourite Fitness Activity Provider
1) Meadow Park Sports Centre
2) Altitude Fitness
3) Whistler Core Climbing & Fitness Gym
Favourite Beauty and Aesthetics Provider
1) The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge
2) Farfalla Hair & Esthetics
3) Be Beauty Laser & Esthetics
Back in Action helps people achieve the impossible
Back in Action’s 10 elite physiotherapists are always ready to get people back on their bikes, their skis or just into their work boots. Co-owner Bianca Matheson believes the business has always stood out amongst the crowd.
“Our athletic background and our involvement with the elite national sports organizations makes a difference. We love this community,” she said. “We are passionate about getting people active and back to do whatever they love as quickly as possible.”
The team at Back in Action is always looking at what they can do better to make life easier for loyal customers and tourists alike.
“We have been innovative,” said Matheson. “We developed an app that helped Whistler Blackcomb employees strengthen up for the ski season and detect their own ski injuries.”
And Whistler’s favourite physiotherapy provider has big goals for 2024.
New addition and three-time Olympian Kelsey Serwa will run its gym base program for work safe rehab.
“We have a really good concussion program going,” said Matheson. “We are expanding this year down to the Cheakamus’ Athlete’s Centre. We will be able to have a base to see some of the people that live there. We are also about to start an active rehab gym program.”
Customers are often surprised they don’t have to suffer through pain.
“It’s great to get people back to enjoying themselves,” Matheson said.
“Sometimes, people think they have to live with something especially people with chronic things. They are amazed by the results they can get.”
- Roisin Cullen
