Pique Newsmagazine | Whistler, CANADA, Pique

First Nations taking Whistler to court over community plan

Alison Taylor — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:00:00 -0700

Case has the hallmark of long and complicated litigation says mayor by Alison Taylor Squamish and Lil'wat First Nations have filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court against the province and the Resort Municipality of Whistler over its newly adopted Official Community Plan. "Personally I am very disappointed," said Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden during her mayor's report at Tuesday's council meeting (May 21).…

Pemberton resident critically injured in crash

John French — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:00 -0700

Three people hurt after truck drops off logging road to Elaho River bank by John French One of the three people involved in a dramatic crash in the Upper Squamish valley last weekend was a Pemberton resident. According to the Squamish RCMP, a 23 year-old from Pemberton was critically injured when the 1995 Toyota pick up truck she was in plunged over a cliff to the Elaho River 46 metres (150 feet) below.…

Marketing Whistler through citizen photographers

Alison Taylor — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:30:00 -0700

WhistlerUnfiltered advertising campaign extends into summer by Alison Taylor Tourism Whistler's winter marketing campaign was such a hit it's gone from the ski slopes to the bike trails and lakes. WhistlerUnfiltered, which is the collection of images taken around Whistler and shared with the hashtag #WhistlerUnfiltered, will continue this summer as the main marketing campaign of the 2013 summer season.…

Broken windows, vandalism reported

Andrew Mitchell — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:30:00 -0700

Police investigating mischief calls over long weekend by Andrew Mitchell Whistler RCMP members and additional police resources called in to help keep the peace over the long weekend are investigating several reports of vandalism to buildings and vehicles over the weekend. Several windows were broken at local businesses, and several cars were also reported vandalized.…

Brackendale home gutted by fire

John French — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:15:00 -0700

Owners watch helplessly as flames and smoke pour out of their home by John French Thick grey smoke could be seen billowing into the air in Brackendale, signalling to residents of Squamish that someone’s house was on fire. Layton Pears, 11, was one of the first to notice the smoke coming from a home down the street on Bracken Park Way as he was about to bring his dog inside.…

Water study results positive for Garibaldi at Squamish

John French — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:00:00 -0700

Investigation into Paradise Valley water source for mountain resort continues by John French A study conducted by Piteau Associates has concluded a test well drilled in the Paradise Valley could potentially provide the water required for Garibaldi at Squamish (GAS). Preliminary findings from the ongoing study were presented at a public meeting hosted by GAS on Wednesday, May 15.…

RCMP to use helicopter, road blocks over May long weekend

Cathryn Atkinson — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:02:00 -0700

Sea to Sky Highway to be intensely monitored for high-risk driving by Cathryn Atkinson With the nasty statistic that there are an average of 1,700 vehicle crashes in British Columbia over the May long weekend resulting in 500 injuries and three deaths, the RCMP are setting up roadblocks and even enlisting a helicopter to keep drivers safe on the Sea to Sky Highway. “There will be a big roadblock in Whistler this weekend.…

Police release sketch of foiled liquor store robber

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:00:00 -0700

Store clerk put knife-wielding man into a headlock, chased him off by Andrew Mitchell Whistler RCMP have released a composite sketch of a suspect in an attempted robbery of a cold beer and wine store on April 29 at 10:35 p.m. According to the RCMP,a white male aged 20 to 25 with a brown buzz cut entered the store on Blackcomb Way with a green plaid scarf pulled over his face, and eye holes cut into the fabric.…

Learning the ropes top priority for new MLA Jordan Sturdy

Cathryn Atkinson — Thu, 16 May 2013 05:02:00 -0700

Sturdy wins West Vancouver-Sea to Sky as Liberals win stunning victory by Cathryn Atkinson and John French The first bottle of champagne popped at Jordan Sturdy's election headquarters just after 10 p.m. on Tuesday, once it became clear the Liberal candidate had defeated NDP candidate Ana Santos by 10,101 votes to 6,288. The relief was almost tangible.…

WinterPRIDE changes dates, spreads out winter business

Alison Taylor — Thu, 16 May 2013 05:01:00 -0700

2014 festival to be held in January to make room for Family Day by Alison Taylor Organizers of Whistler's gay ski week are changing the dates of the annual festival in an effort to grow the business. Traditionally held in the first week of February, WinterPRIDE 2014 will now be held from Jan. 26 to Feb. 2 so that it does not fall in the same time period as the new B.C. Family Day statutory holiday, as it did this year.…

Freestyle team confident heading into 2014 Games

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 May 2013 05:00:00 -0700

Young, talented Team looking to win at least five medals in Sochi by Andrew Mitchell Anybody with questions regarding how competitive our Olympic athletes are heading into the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi should have been at a meet and greet hosted by the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association at their headquarters on Friday. The Canadian Olympic Committee released a new app for athletes that day that included a social game that challenged athletes to get each other's secret words and build the biggest network of friends — and within moments of figuring it out the freestylers were aggressively competing with each other to see who could top the leader board.…

Myrtle Philip principal moves to Signal Hill

Thu, 16 May 2013 05:00:00 -0700

After 21 years at Myrtle Philip School, seven of those as principal, Sharon Broatch is leaving to take over the reins at Pemberton's Signal Hill Elementary School. "The staff, parents and children of Myrtle Philip are my family and I am very sad to be leaving them," said Broatch, who has lived in Whistler since 1986.…

First Nations to sign agreement to protect the vulnerable in their communities

Cathryn Atkinson — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

Commitment is a first-of-its-kind arrangement by Cathryn Atkinson Six First Nations communities in the Sea to Sky region have been invited to sign a commitment agreement to ensure the safety of elders, women and children. The "Building Bridges: Safety and Security Agreement" has been development by the Howe Sound Women's Centre (HSWC) at the end of a four-year study into violence and healthy relationships funded by Vancouver Coastal Health and administrated by the Southern Stl'Atl'imx Health Society.…

Whistler high school riders close to sweeping gold medals at home

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

by Andrew Mitchell The Whistler Storm high school mountain bike team hosted the fourth event in the North Shore Mountain Bike League series on May 9, staking out a course in Lost Lake Park that included a mix of doubletrack climbs, pea gravel and singletrack. Unlike last year when riders and volunteer parents actually had to chip a course through the snowpack to open up trails, Whistler riders have had a lot of time to prepare for this event — and it showed.…

It's an app world

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

by Andrew Mitchell If Apple deserves credit for one aspect of the tablet/smartphone boom it's the appification of software (that's a word, right?). The concept of small, purpose-built pieces of software programs that are easy on the processor and memory is not new, but Apple's approach to encouraging app development and selling apps through its store — and the quality of their hardware experience as a whole — have unleashed something amazing.…

Innergex tests Callaghan Creek for power potential

Cathryn Atkinson — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

Fish populations tested to see if run-of-river power project is viable by Cathryn Atkinson Lovers of Callaghan Creek watched nervously as Innergex, the company that owns the run-of-river rights to the creek, tested the waters over two days in early May. "We've owned the water license for Callaghan Creek for several years now; it is a license to investigate and potentially develop a hydro project," said Bas Brusche, Innergex's director of public affairs.…

Space Oddity

Feet Banks — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

by Feet Banks Space might be the final frontier but there is some pretty awesome stuff on the Internet these days. Over at Esquire magazine Stephen Marche recently penned a nice piece on how big summer blockbusters are purposefully made to appeal to as many people as possible, and are therefore, "incredibly useful as guides to the psychology of the American public."…

Whistler Blackcomb unveils summer offerings

John French — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

New trails, a running club and more WiFi on the way for alpine visitors by John French Alpine hiking, biking and sightseeing will return this summer with some new twists. Whistler and Blackcomb mountains now have more than 50 kilometres of alpine trails above 1,800 metres (6,000 feet).…

Clear majority for Liberals, confusion about what it means

Bob Barnett — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

by Bob Barnett "It's a miracle." – Sam Sullivan…

Food suppliers keeping it close to home

John French — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

Farmer and marketer provide food for thought by John French A carrot grown in Pemberton then eaten in Whistler is a carrot that has impacted the world less significantly than a carrot grown in Mexico and eaten in Whistler. This is the belief of food advocates like Lana Martin of Sea to Sky Organics and Sarah McMillan of Rootdown Farm.…

SUP paddler rescued from Howe Sound

John French — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

Conservation Officer on patrol happened to be in the area with a boat by John French A standup paddleboarder is thankful to be alive and a Conservation Officer (CO) has turned that thankfulness into a teachable moment. CO Simon Gravel was out patrolling Howe Sound just after 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, when he and a work experience student with him noticed someone in struggling in the water.…

Bear Update: Breeding season pits need to protect young against need to secure mates

Michael Allen — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

As a new black bear mother and cub sit in a tree, a young male stalks by Michael Allen Finally it rains... the sweet smell of lush grass and clover fill the air. As the 20-kilogram mass of a light brown, 17-month old cub "nests" in a large hemlock the thick branch sways the dog-size body with each wave of warm rain.…

Doctor JP McConkey — in the fight of his life

Michel Beaudry — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

by Michel Beaudry "It's that wonderful old-fashioned idea that others come first and you come second. This was the whole ethic by which I was brought up.…

Parking lot opponents petitioning province

Andrew Mitchell — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

Claim: Whistler Blackcomb is not delivering on promise to restore downhill run by Andrew Mitchell Pique readers may have noticed a flurry of ads in recent weeks, urging people to: "Stop the Paving of the Dave Murray Downhill." Philip Langridge of the Churchill Property Corporation, who funded the ads along with The Ridge at Taluswood Condo Association, said the decision to go the public and start a petition was necessary to prevent an area at the top of Nordic Drive known as the Timing Flats from becoming a parking lot.…

Choosing Hope: A Mother's Story Of Love, Loss and Survival

Alyssa Noel — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700

Book by Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation's Ginny Dennehy (with Shelley Fralic) available now by Alyssa Noel It's not an easy book to read. Grief, sadness, frustration, anger, guilt, despair, misery — and deep, deep anguish — they're all contained in this unforgettable story of loss and renewal.…