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Letters to the editor

Nita Lake project worked with community Probably more than anyone, I am disappointed that our Nita Lake project has encountered further delay. We have worked very hard to design a project that contributes to the overall benefit of Whistler.

Nita Lake project worked with community

Probably more than anyone, I am disappointed that our Nita Lake project has encountered further delay. We have worked very hard to design a project that contributes to the overall benefit of Whistler.

The baseline premise of our project application is conformity with the planning guidelines for the Whistler Creek neighbourhood. Three community studies were used to help create a very appropriate land use for the property.

  1. Whistler 2002 – Charting a Course for the Future (1999). This study envisions a renewed and revitalized Whistler Creek to enhance the overall Whistler experience.
  2. Offical Community Plan (1994). The OCP designates Whistler Creek as a focus for commercial development and calls for a strong anchor at each end of Lake Placid Road. The development guidelines for Whistler Creek call for larger building forms at the designated anchor points.
  3. Whistler Creek Study – A Growth Strategy – 1991. This study recognizes Whistler Creek as a the original ski base and notes that it remains the entranceway to the resort. The study advocates commercial activity on Lake Placid Road and a new passenger rail station. A lodge at the end of the road is suggested as an anchor development to draw locals and visitors through Whistler Creek.

The Advisory Planning Commission (APC) gave the project a thorough review and unanimously recommended that it go forward. The Nita Lake project will be the catalyst jthat brings about the long awaited development changes in the Whistler Creek neighbourhood.

Another very important component of the planning process is the Whistler Sustainability Initiative. The Nita Lake project contributes to all three tenants of the plan:

Economic sustainability – The Nita Lake project, combined with new rail tour business will bring $500 million new dollars to Whistler between 2005 and 2010.

Environmental sustainability – The transfer of the Alpha Creek wetlands to a nature’s trust will preserve this environmentally sensitive land in perpetuity.

Social sustainability – The provision of 250 new employee bed units will keep Whistler residents living in Whistler at a time when housing prices are higher than most workers can afford.

We are honest people who operate in an open, transparent manner.. We care about the long-term impact our project has on Whistler. The community benefits evolved from an extensive public consultation process. This constructive input has increased the overall quality of our project. It involved a lot of hard work for everyone, but it was very necessary. To suggest, as some people have done, that working closely with the community to design a development which also benefits the community as a whole constitutes bribery, is offensive to the entire public process.

More than anything else, we have proven that we are sincere listeners. As we hear public concerns, we challenge our consultants to accommodate them. .For example, following the last public hearing we addressed a number of concerns that were raised by Mr. Lambert and a few others. Among other things, we reduced the allowable buildable height of the building by seven feet; we removed the interpretive wharf and the hot tub area, and we covenanted that we would not install outdoor speakers.

We are committed to advancing through fairness and due process. We recognize that rezoning is a privilege, not a right. We believe that we have earned your respect and support, not purchased it. We ask the residents of Whistler to continue supporting us as we proceed once again with rezoning.

Thank you, Whistler.

John T. Haibeck

President

Nita Lake Lodge

This is a letter to our community to please remember that little ears are always listening! This is written in the children’s own words, facilitated by their teacher.

Dear lady with the dog named "Shnappes."

We are the kindergarten kids from the Whistler Children’s Centre ("Marmots"). We were walking back to the children’s centre after school on Monday, and we saw you yell to your dog. We were really sad because you were being very mean to your dog. Your dog wouldn’t come to you because you were yelling so loud and calling him names like "stupid" and "dumb" and the "F-word." If you would be nice to your dog, (like not yell or stomp your feet or call him bad names or don’t hold that stick in your hand – he doesn’t want to get hit), then he would come to you. Dogs learn tricks when the person is being nice, and they do what you want when they are being loved. They like hugs and cuddles, not screaming and being yelled at. He’s only a cute dog. We wish you would be nicer to your dog and we don’t want to hear those bad words again.

Michaela, Sydney, Isabella, Ben, Tina and Kirsi

Re: Letter of T. Williams "Karma happens"

You are absolutely right in your explanation of "Karma", but you failed to realize a few small facts, not about karma but about people’s emotions. You are probably pointing no fingers but I feel somewhat singled out and take a small offence to what you said.

Feeling violated and distraught over the loss of "my" possesions I hastily sent off a letter to the editor for the first time ever. Realizing later that week that Karma is not an emotion that someone can feel, control, or use against another soul, I felt rather embarrassed and hypocritical and tried to have my letter retracted but was to late.

I was hoping to say more about and appeal to people’s conscience rather than abuse something that I have no say over, ie: karma. Had I any idea that my letter would cause someone who knows absolutely nothing about me to write in insinuating that I am or have done something bad and deserve to have my "stuff" as you so eloquently put it stolen from me, I would have never tried to appeal to someone’s good consience. Even though I can not afford to lose close to $3,000 worth of "stuff" I have been repeatedly telling my friends to not worry about it, something good will come of this loss.

So to sum up, yes I do realize fully what karma is about and entails, and feel rather frustrated, and embarrassed that my emotional side got the better of my spiritual side when writing the first letter. I am also more than a touch sad that someone would rather point out my errors in Karmic protocol than realize my loss and commiserate. You have obviously had something of yours taken and for that I am truly sorry, but correcting me will not balance your karma any better than my attack on the thieves who stole my bicycles.

Peace.

Erin Keam

Whistler

June 12, 2003

Dear Dr. Rossler:

I live permanently in Spruce Grove. My granddaughters Rebecca (6) and Madeline (3) Blaser live in Spruce Grove, too.

I want to protest the board’s decision to send children from Spruce Grove to Spring Creek instead of continuing to send them to Myrtle Philip. I also want to protest the manner in which this decision was made.

Last March, a number of parents in various areas of Whistler attended a Board meeting. There was a discussion about who would attend the new school with four possible options under consideration. Option 1 was chosen and this did not include students from Spruce Grove.

It was also decided that, if necessary, the decision might be revisited AFTER January 2003. Then, just before the election, with no notification, the Board rushed the boundary decision through. I’m outraged by the manner in which the decision was reached.

Why was this topic re-opened before the time previously agreed upon? Why was there no notification to parents who had been involved at the previous meeting that this topic was going to be on the board meeting agenda? Why was it re-opened at that time? I am very offended by the attitude being adopted by some officials that a decision has been made and we should just accept it.

I think that this decision needs to be reviewed publicly, giving all of the involved people the chance to give input. It is illogical that you are forcing the children of Spruce Grove to go as far as Spring Creek in the south end of Whistler. It is entirely possible in nice weather for an older child living Spruce Grove to walk or ride to Myrtle Philips. Have you considered sending the children from Blueberry or Whistler Cay? They live further south than those in Spruce Grove. What about the children from Alpine who are already on a bus?

Please respond to my letter. Please respond to the issues in it and don’t just tell me how lucky we are to have a new school. We know how lucky we are. Now, let’s have the proper public discussion and reach an agreement as to which children should be attending this wonderful new facility.

Yours truly,

Beth Harlow

That was then, this is NOW

As a long-term resident of Whistler, I was quite surprised to learn that Suzanne Denbak had resigned from her post as top dog at Tourism Whistler at one of the most crucial times in Whistler’s history, and I think GD Maxwell brought forth a valid point to question Tourism Whistler’s future role in our community.

I agree that Tourism Whistler, or the Whistler Resort Association, was a much valid and useful entity when it was first conceived and started , and a lot of what the WRA accomplished is the proof in the pudding in what Whistler has become – one of the top, if not the number one all-season resort community of its kind in the world.

But now, in our speed-of-light information age, hasn’t Tourism Whistler become redundant and couldn’t that money be better spent elsewhere?

Tourism Whistler is a tax on our community. Businesses pay Tourism Whistler member fees and booking fees, depending on their location. Isn’t it part of Tourism B.C.’s job to promote Whistler to the world? Isn’t it up to every single hotel and business in whistler to market their product effectively and increase sales?

I think that one suggestion would be for the local businesses in Whistler to form a Board of Directors and create their own "Tourism Whistler" to work together, and separately, to drive business to the resort and work on a global marketing campaign together.

Times have changed an I think it is time to fully examine Tourism Whistler’s role in our community. Should we get the Olympics in 2010 do we really need Tourism Whistler anymore?

Ryan Davenport

Whistler

Corporate Efficiency?

Occasionally I contemplate whether the McDonald’s Corp. could substantially reduce its North American advertising budget.

I am reasonably sure it could rely on far more cost effective forms of advertising, such as the continuous efforts of idiotic customers to strew golden-arched garbage about the land.

I am willing to wager sales would not decline.

Beau Jarvis

Whistler B.C.

Ball goes to bat

On behalf of all the people involved in the sixth annual Other Firemans Ball, I would like to offer thanks to all the folks who made this event a success. On behalf of the Dave Sheets Memorial Fund for Critical Care Equipment, I would particularly like to thank the merchants who stepped up to the plate once again and supported the event by donating the goods for the silent auction.

As a small business owner, I realize that there is not a day that goes by without someone calling to ask for you to support a cause or charity. I also know that you cannot dance every dance. Walking from door to door myself and asking for these donations, I could see that the grassroots nature of this event and the beneficiaries of the proceeds were honestly appreciated by both those who were able to help and those who could not.

Between all of us we were able to raise some $5,500 through the silent auction. The cause of health care funding in this community is truly a benefit to us all. We play hard and we seem to crash just a little harder than normal folks.

Thank you for going beyond the norm.

Chris Quinlan

Dave Sheets Memorial Fund for Critical Care Equipment

Well, talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Couldn't resist this opportunity after seeing your article last week. ("Size of Nita Lake Lodge is the issue: Lambert")

Maybe Mr. Lambert should turn his attention to fixing that ugly scar on the landscape the construction of his house created. Go to the site of the proposed Nita Lake Lodge and look back at Chateau du Lac and then at the sight below. A few well placed trees might help.

Quoting from his letter to the editor, "How many times have you in another situation sighted an out of context building somewhere and asked yourself how could that ever been allowed to go through or been approved?" Glad to see I am not the only one asking this question. I guess the planning department overlooked the landscaping plan.

R. Cook

Whistler