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Parking lot politics rebuked With only a few days left of summer vacation, and with Back to School displays all over the place, I wanted to say that while I am sad that my kids are heading off back to school (I love the summers with my children!) I c

Parking lot politics rebuked

With only a few days left of summer vacation, and with Back to School displays all over the place, I wanted to say that while I am sad that my kids are heading off back to school (I love the summers with my children!) I can at least rest assured that they are heading back to great schools. We are so lucky in Whistler, to have three fine public schools in a very small community, and I think this is something that needs to be said more often. My family have experience of Myrtle Philip, Spring Creek and Whistler Secondary, and we have loved them all.

While the Whistler community (especially the business community) is generally incredibly generous in supporting the schools, I am irritated when I hear negative and offensive comments directed at any of our schools by people who usually are poorly informed or who have a clear bias against our public school system generally.

Why do people not realize that when they feel free to insult our schools, they also by association insult our decision to send our children to the local schools, and they especially insult all the great kids who attend the schools and the many fine young people who have graduated with flying colours and continued into very successful lives?

Whistler Secondary seems to be the most frequent victim of this type of negative “parking-lot politics”. Just yesterday I was treated to a long and uninvited harangue on the subject of our high school by a gentleman who has no children at the school and has, to my knowledge, never stepped through the front door or met any of the staff, students or graduates. His opinion was based, as it usually is in these cases, on second or third hand information from equally ignorant or biased sources, mixed in with some old accounts of incidents that were a good decade old and certainly pre-dated our current excellent school administration.

I became so offended by this “conversation” that I made it my business to do some investigative snooping around, and in doing so I unearthed some interesting facts that I did not know previously.

If you look at the Fraser Institute school rankings, and use their new graphing system to actually compare “apples with apples”, Whistler Secondary comes out consistently in the top 1 per cent academically of all small high schools in B.C. The Fraser Institute designates “small” to be schools with 500 students or less; the fact that our little high school has only 350 students makes this achievement even more noteworthy.

At the end of every school year, the Ministry of Education gives out 1,000 scholarships to all Grade 12 students with a mark of 86 per cent or better on three or more Provincial exams. I discovered that an impressive average of 20 per cent to 25 per cent of our high school students receive one of these scholarships.

An average of 35 per cent of each year's graduating class go on to universities and colleges in Canada and the U.S., compared to 12 per cent average in B.C. If you include all post-secondary institutions this goes up to 70 per cent — not bad for a school which accepts and welcomes all children regardless of socio-economic standing or academic abilities.

Our local and business community clearly have confidence in our high school, or they would not be willing to contribute an average of $50,000 of scholarships to the school that help put post-secondary education within the reach of all graduates regardless of income level.

The Ministry of Education also, displayed interest in and support of our school when they cited our high school's FlexEd program as one of several “promising practices” in the Province of B.C. in last year's District Review.

No school is totally perfect (as witness the sexual abuse allegations at one of Canada's most exclusive private schools just a couple of years ago) and it is also true that no single school can work for every child. Some parents will feel the need to send their children elsewhere to be raised and educated, which is fine if that choice works best for their family. I would just ask that, having made that choice, can they please not justify it by offering negative and unwanted comment against our local schools?

Finally, all facts aside and on a more personal note, I want to say that I love that Whistler Secondary is a small, rural school with a family atmosphere. I love that I have known almost all of my son's grade since kindergarten and that when I am in the school they greet me politely and cheerfully by name. I love that there are volunteer moms, most of whom know my son well, cooking nutritious lunches in the kitchen every day. I love that several of the staff have known my son since he was a baby and that I can pick up the phone and speak to them whenever I want. I love that when I have had any concerns or questions, the principal and vice-principal have responded instantly and personally, with clear concern and willingness to help.

And to all parents whose kids are students at our local schools I have these three small words: join the PAC!

Linda McGaw

Whistler

The icing on the cake

I am writing to both extend my congratulations to the Whistler Arts Council and the Resort Municipality of Whistler for the thoroughly enjoyable art workshops that were hosted once again this summer at the Alta Lake Station House, and to convey my sincere hope that this unique summer program will continue for years to come as a cornerstone of creative expression for the community and visitors alike.

This being my second summer as a participant in the summer art workshops, Alan Wylie’s course in July and Grant Fuller’s course in August allowed me to immerse myself in a part of Whistler that, though not the most well-known aspect of the town, supplies a beauty all its own. The Alta Train Station House is a gem of Whistler history that boasts an amazing lake and mountain vista suited perfectly to painting and drawing. Moreover, the Tuesday morning drawing/painting group acted as the ultimate opportunity to bring together many artists and creative individuals. It was a delight to have access to a central locale where we can explore our passion for art in its many forms.

Whistler is undoubtedly recognized around the world as an outdoor and extreme sports mecca and there is no shortage of opportunity for mountain bikers, skiers, and the like to explore their passions and delve into various sports and hobbies at all learning levels. However, there exist few opportunities such as the Alta Lake summer art workshops where those who include painting or drawing as a pastime can enjoy the natural surroundings of our town while engaging in a creative outlet and learning from some of Canada’s best artists.

Fourteen years ago, my family and I arrived in Whistler for a skiing vacation; since then, we have returned several times every year to enjoy the endless outdoor activities that the resort has to offer. We loved Whistler so much that we recently constructed a new home and are planning to become permanent residents next summer. The town has given my children the ability to take advantage of the wonderful outdoor activities available, and I, too, count skiing, hiking, and running among my favourite Whistler pastimes. However, being able to paint and draw while enjoying the beauty of Whistler’s landscapes would be the “icing on the cake”.

It is my sincere hope that the Alta Lake Station house will continue to serve as an art venue that attracts artists from Whistler and elsewhere. Not only will Whistler be seen as a world-class resort destination, but with these continued art programs, it will also provide a haven for those interested in learning about and growing in the art world.

Congratulations on another successful summer.

Wanda Goldstein

Whistler

Common sense loses out

The Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) brought out their big guns this week and showed us rubes in this backwater town how to run roughshod over common sense in trail building. In a slickly orchestrated meeting, run by a far from impartial chairman working from a script, it was ordained that the publicly-owned dykes would be given to the two farmers who have been unlawfully occupying and putting fences and gates over them.

The most obvious way to get decent trails around the area is to be scrapped.

The alternative proposed, if it can be funded, is a $50 per metre trail outside the dykes. Six kilometres is $300,000, plus a lot of fencing. And what of repairs after the inevitable flooding? Not the ALC's problem.

You have to give the ALC credit though for getting a lot of provincial bureaucrats together and agreeing on something for once. Trails advocates have been trying for years with less success.

No credit is due to the mumblers of the SLRD who did nothing to back their Official Community Plan.

If this foolishness is allowed to go through, the McLeods and the Kyms will no doubt be happy, but the animosity level in the community will certainly rise.

George Brooks

Mount Currie

A word of caution

I have read with interest the various articles and letters to the editor in the recent local papers regarding the bear problem.

I am a non-Canadian owner of a house on Horstman Lane. Sunday, Aug. 26 I had two separate incidents with bears at my house.

The first occurred about 10 a.m. I noticed a bear walking past my front door. I went upstairs to get my camera. While I was upstairs I heard the bear bumping loudly against the door. To be honest I feared that the bear had gotten into the house.

Fortunately it did not. I called animal control and they asked if the bear was still around the house. My reply was: “If I had a gun I would be happy to go out and investigate; I think that is your job to do.”

They sent a bear response officer; we discussed the bear problems in Whistler. I told him that the bear I saw definitely had a collar, which indicated that he has already had a run-in with animal control.

At about 2 p.m. I looked up and saw another bear walking past my house. This one had two yellow tags in his right ear. I again called animal control to report this incident.

I read the letters to the editor from the director of the Get Bear Smart Society, along with other letters regarding this subject. My first observation is that I have never seen garbage outside homes on Horstman Lane so garbage could not have been the reason that two bears visited my home. The second is that this problem cannot be solved by “feel good” attitudes. This is a real problem that requires positive actions.

It is appropriate to point out that Whistler is a one-industry town. No mining, no lumber, no agriculture, no industry — just tourism. Your tourist visitors are spending their discretionary disposable income to come and have fun in Whistler. They have their choice of thousands of venues around the world which offer similar activities to Whistler.

All it will take is one incident of a human being mauled or killed by a bear in Whistler to ruin Whistler’s image as a summer vacation venue. Isn’t the life of one individual worth the effort to relocate a bear that has gotten a bad reputation? I believe so. I cannot believe that British Columbia is not so large that an area far enough from a population area cannot be found for problem bears. A protocol must be established by animal control for properly identifying problem bears and after a defined number of incidents by that bear it must be captured and removed from this area. And if a problem bear returns the only solution is euthanasia; no bear is worth the risk of a mauled or killed human.

If you feel that a bear/tourist incident could not harm Whistler I suggest you Google “Fountain Valley St. Croix” and read how in 1972 St. Croix was changed from a tourist paradise to an island where no tourist wanted to visit nor any travel agent recommended. And learn how many years it took for St. Croix to lose the reputation of the massacre at Fountain Valley Golf Course. The world is a lot flatter today than it was in 1972; every news network in the world would carry a story about a bear/tourist incident in Whistler.

Bears are not pets; when they are given a nickname (Komor) the danger they pose to the population is not in proper perspective. The only bear I want to give a name to is my grandson’s teddy bear.

Joseph Masters

joseph.masters@knifemaker.com

The plot thins

I am writing on behalf of all the people who have a garden plot at the community garden in Pemberton.

Most of us have put quite a lot of time and money into having fruitful veggie gardens. We have had to battle monster mosquitoes and hot sun while we took care of our gardens, only to have some selfish moron/s come and help themselves to our produce.

It would not be such a big deal if they just took one item but to take them all and to damage the plants in the process is just not fair. They didn’t just steal zucchini’s and cabbages from one garden, but several. Is there some kind of pickles we don’t know about? Out of four cabbages, I got one,   they took the few hot peppers that have grown as well as cucumbers and who knows what else. While stealing the ripe produce, they knock flowers off the plants that have still to fruit, meaning even less for us, if we get to it first.

I thought in sleepy little Pemberton we would not have to worry about veggie theft, but I guess in this day and age nothing is safe wherever you live.

If the thief happens to read this, please show some conscience and let us enjoy some of the veggies we have worked so hard to produce.

Submitted on behalf of all the gardeners who are being denied their long awaited fresh veggies

Fixing Anderson Lake Road

A solution to the Anderson Lade Road Issue is long overdue. The Anderson Lake Road existed long before there was a road from Squamish to Whistler. Highway department officials deny any responsibility for maintenance, claiming that it is a B.C. Hydro tote road, and that no public money has been spent. B.C. Hydro claims that road maintenance is not their responsibility. The general public is left in limbo. This synopsis of recorded facts about this highway tells a different story.

The overriding fact is that a public highway, as defined in the Highways Act, has existed since 1874 along the west and north side of Anderson Lake. The route was designed, constructed maintained and improved with payments from public expenditure budgets. The route had been maintained by public expenditures for more than nine decades. Route location changes occurred over the years when footpaths, pack train trails and wagon roads were converted to accommodate modern day cars and trucks.

This highway construction occurred many years before the existing power transmission lines were constructed. The current set of four power transmission lines were constructed about 1947-48, about 1953, about 1958 and in or about 1970, respectively. It may be true that B.C. Hydro or B.C. Electric used the highway to access construction sites, and that they may have improved the existing highway. They may have even created other side roads in order to gain the benefits from the rights to build the power transmission lines over Crown lands. However, the same type of “gifting exchange for benefits obtained” was encouraged on road improvements upon Crown lands elsewhere within B.C. As a result, the government saved public dollars for other purposes while the public received the benefits of a highway on Crown-owned land.

The first highway route constructed with public funds to the Interior of B.C. was the Douglas Lillooet Trail. The Howe-Sound Lillooet Trail was constructed between 1874 and 1878 — also using public funds. The first public expenditures for the Anderson Lake Road/Trail highway were paid during 1895. Highway and bridge repairs along Anderson Lake Road are recorded over a long period of time thereafter. The Anderson Lake Road/Trail appears to have been deemed a highway by virtue of Section 2 of An Act to Establish and Protect Highways. 8 th April 1905, as well as subsequent Highway Acts. What may have been missed by the 1905 Act, appears to have been caught by section 6, An Act respecting Highways and the Traffic Thereon, 1936 .

During the 1960s the then premier recognized the need for upgrading the highway around Anderson Lake. He recognized the tremendous tourism potential for the area. The sum of $250,000 was budgeted for the Anderson Lake Project (Project 1988 - Seton Portage - Darcy - District File 28-20-23). Unfortunately, most of the money was spent elsewhere. The Minister of Highways in 1975 mistakenly declared the Anderson Lake Road as a B.C. Hydro Tote Road. It appears that he was misinformed by highway department staff. To be fair, the staff may not have been aware of the highway’s history.

Since then, the Department of Highways has continued a penny wise/pound foolish “no maintenance” policy. The multi-million dollar public investment has deteriorated. The interests of those affected have been ignored. A practical improvement solution, adequate for the low volume needs, is required. The costs are not expected to be excessive. “Gold plated” road construction standards are not necessary.

Every person in the entire Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Bridge River and Lillooet areas, as well as many others living or visiting in B.C. can benefit from the repair of Anderson Lake Road.

Bill Pekonen

Richmond, B.C.