Pique Newsmagazine | Whistler, CANADA, Pique

Highway 99 crash claims life Wednesday

John French — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:20:00 -0800

Single vehicle accident closes highway by John French The Sea to Sky highway was closed for several hours Wednesday as emergency crews dealt with a fatal accident eight kilometres north of Lions Bay. It's the second accident to cause a highway closure in less than a week, and the highway's second fatality this year.…

Whistler homebuilders, sellers welcome HST transition

Andrew Mitchell — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:20:00 -0800

New rules expected to boost housing industry by Andrew Mitchell Of all the issues that galvanized the public against the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) that was implemented in July 2010 - and scrapped last summer after a province-wide referendum - the addition of HST to new home sales was one of the most contentious, adding five per cent tax to every purchase. With the average home price in Vancouver hovering around $800,000 it was a sizable hit.…

Whistler Sabbatical Project won by UK resident Luke Dillon

Andrew Mitchell — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:30:00 -0800

Fan Choice Award announced by Andrew Mitchell The U.K.'s Luke Dillon has won the first Whistler Sabbatical Project . He was chosen from 10 randomly selected finalists by Tourism Whistler judges after submitting a 250-word essay on why he should be considered for the prize.…

Better protection for sled dogs under newly released provincial guidelines

John French — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:00:00 -0800

Euthanasia, health and welfare of dogs outlined in report by John French The first set of sled dog standards of care in Canada have been released 22 months after the infamous Whistler sled dog cull of April 2010. The set of standards created by the B.C. government are the first of their kind in the country.…

BC Assessment changes its mind on values in Whistler's Cheakamus neighbouthood

Alison Taylor — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800

Email to resident explains it will not recommend lowering home assessments by Alison Taylor BC Assessment is doing an about-face on its earlier position to lower assessed values of some homes at Cheakamus Crossing due to a tax glitch. Three days after staff at BC Assessment sent an email to homeowner Tim Koshul saying it was recommending his home value be lowered by seven per cent, along with all the units in his complex, it sent a follow up email reversing that decision.…

Quest students abandon classroom for tents in Hawaii

John French — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:33:00 -0800

Volcano course requires research beside active crater by John French There are school field trips, and then there are Quest University field trips. A group of five students in a volcanology class took their studies to Hawaii for 11 days between Jan. 19 and 30.…

Translink exploring Squamish service

John French — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:00:00 -0800

Transit provider looking for feedback on potential future North Shore projects by John French Translink is taking a close look at its North Shore service as part of its long-term planning work and Squamish is on the map. One idea being looked at is the possible creation of a new route servicing Furry Creek, Britannia and Squamish.…

Squamish Nation and BC Parks sign land management deal

John French — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:30:00 -0800

Deal protects more land in traditional territories by John French The Squamish Nation and BC Parks signed a landmark agreement this week. The agreement covers lands in and around the EstŽ-tiwilh/Sigurd Creek Conservancy area, Brackendale Eagles Park and Tantalus Park.…

Name that Whistler history book!

Cathryn Atkinson — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800

Whistler Museum searches for a title for new tome on ‘life before skiing’ by Cathryn Atkinson The Whistler Museum launched a competition Saturday (Feb. 18) to find a name for a book about the time before skis hit Whistler's slopes. The unnamed book about the pioneer era is a 100-page updated version of Whistler Reflections, written by Florence Petersen, Sally Mitchell and Janet Love Morrison, and first published in the 1990s.…

Whistler's Mayor surprised at large legal bill for asphalt case

Alison Taylor — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800

BC Assessment recommending reduction in values at some homes in Cheakamus by Alison Taylor Whistler Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden said she was surprised to learn that it cost the municipality almost $600,000 to date in the legal challenge to move the asphalt plant at the Cheakamus Crossing neighbourhood. She was pleased, however, to have the number made public this week so taxpayers understand the costs associated with the challenge.…

Whistler RCMP arrest man wanted in attempted Canmore child abduction

Andrew Mitchell — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:30:00 -0800

Suspect to be returned to Alberta by Andrew Mitchell The Whistler RCMP apprehended a suspect wanted by Alberta police after the attempted abduction of an 8-year-old girl in Canmore. The RCMP received word he was in Whistler and conducted a search on Thursday, Feb. 16, showing the suspect's photo around town.…

Campaign donors just part of the WCCC's financial story

Alison Taylor — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0800

Influential organization reports on money donated only after it becomes "campaign organizer" by Alison Taylor The $3,750 reported by the Association of Whistler's Concerned Citizens to help sway votes in the 2011 municipal election is not the complete financial picture of the influential organization. Rather, it is the money raised only after the group, known as the Whistler Coalition of Concerned Citizens (WCCC), began actively campaigning for specific candidates in the election — a time period of just over a month.…

Whistler proud of WinterPride

Alison Taylor — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0800

Proclamation, Ski Out and March define 20 year celebrations of gay ski week by Alison Taylor As gay ski week evolves with the changing times, organizers are looking for ways to entice gay men and women to Whistler. And they may need help.…

Squamish population growth largest in B.C. by percentage

John French — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0800

Policing costs set to leap in 2012 by John French In a nation of 33.5 million people and a province of 4.4 million with a national population growth average of 5.9 per cent, Squamish is turning heads. The community's population grew by 14.6 per cent between 2006 and 2011, making it the town in B.C. with the largest growth percentage between census periods.…

GranFondo pumps $650,000 into Squamish

John French — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

Planning underway for 2012 ride by John French Squamish has been known for some time as the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada and now the organizers of the GranFondo Whistler have given the town an additional new title. According to GranFondo co-founder Kevin Thomson, Squamish is the GranFondo Training Capital of North America.…

K2 skiers top provincials

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

Next up is the Teck Parsons speed series by Andrew Mitchell The K2 provincials took place at Apex Mountain over four days last week, with some 154 skiers from clubs across B.C. taking part. The Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) did well in both giant slalom and slalom races and came away with 14 out of 24 podiums — and as a result should be well-represented on Team Canada at the annual Whistler Cup international ski races in April.…

Chali 2na swims Against the Current

Stephen Smysnuik — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

Former Jurassic 5 member will preview his new album at the GLC on Monday by Stephen Smysnuik By Internet standards, Chali 2na's an old man. He's not really an old man, but the deep-voiced, highly quotable co-founder of hip hop preservationists Jurassic 5 has been thrown for a loop the last few years. Blame that blasted Internet.…

Civilian RCMP worker accused of theft

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

A long-term civilian member of the Squamish RCMP charged with theft will appear in court in North Vancouver, Feb.29. Shelley Gatzke, 53, is accused of theft under $5,000.…

Recco search for missing DJ produces nothing

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

RCMP still hoping for lead on disappearance by Andrew Mitchell This past week Whistler Blackcomb Ski Patrol members joined the search for missing Whistler DJ Mike Grefner, using their avalanche skills to help search the snowbanks along the highway near the Rainbow subdivision. The previous week's search turned up a pair of shoes, roughly 60 metres apart, that could have fit Grefner — although the RCMP has not been able to determine whether the shoes resemble any owned by the 34-year-old.…

Whistler Museum celebrates 25 years

Stephen Smysnuik — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

The Whistler Museum and Archives Society looks to the future by Stephen Smysnuik Most museums have a mere five per cent of their collection on display. Sarah Drewery, collections manager for the Whistler Museum, can't say if that's true for her place of work, but it's safe to say the archives are flooding several storage rooms in locations all around Whistler.…

Owed to a duplex

Cathryn Atkinson — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

by Cathryn Atkinson After 25 years of working to daily deadlines for newspapers, magazines and anyone else who'd pay me to tell stories, I knew that writer's block was simply something that never happened to me. Never. Well, I got it and I didn't like it.…

Sports Briefs: BC Parks seek feedback on biking in Garibaldi

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

by Andrew Mitchell This week BC Parks has started to collect feedback on proposed amendments to the Garibaldi Park Management Plan, including a plan that would allow mountain biking back on certain trails within the park boundaries. The decision to ban bikes from the Singing Pass Trail led to the creation of the Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association back in 1989, as mountain bikers lobbied to overturn the decision.…

Jibbers grind it out

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

Another good turnout for King of the Rail jam by Andrew Mitchell Some skiers and snowboarders prefer powder, others like hard, fast snow. But for the park riders who love to jump and jib, the best snow is spring quality "corn snow" that doesn't hamper your speed all that much and makes for soft, forgiving landings.…

The View from the Top

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

Penthouse rooms and luxury still have a place in Whistler by Andrew Mitchell Disclaimer: If you've never looked up on a stroll through the village and wondered what it's like in those top floor rooms with those big two-storey windows, then stop reading. But if you've watched Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, flipped through an issue of The Robb Report, or gazed longingly at a massive yacht anchored off an exotic beach, read on.…

Superhero season starts now

Feet Banks — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0800

by Feet Banks Hollywood loves comic book movies because they come with their own rabid fan base to resell crappy sequels and spin-offs that much easier. Superman and Batman pretty much held it down cinematically until the 1990s when un-super heroes like The Punisher, The Mask, The Rocketeer or Darkman all hit the silver screens (not to mention the rubber-suited awesomeness that was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).…