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Letters to the editor for the week of August 15th

Books For Bella Bella On behalf of the residents of Bella Bella and the staff of their Thistalalh Memorial Library, I would like to thank the people in our Sea to Sky area who graciously donated their books and time following the fire which destroyed
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Books For Bella Bella

On behalf of the residents of Bella Bella and the staff of their Thistalalh Memorial Library, I would like to thank the people in our Sea to Sky area who graciously donated their books and time following the fire which destroyed their library and grocery store.

I particularly want to thank Elizabeth Tracy and her staff at the library, Jane Reid, a passionate book donator, and Anna Gates from Lions Bay, who donated eight cartons from her personal collection.

This successful drive could not have been achieved without the help of Buy-Low Foods, Nesters in Whistler and Squamish, Upper Village Market, Pemberton Valley Supermarket, Armchair Books and The Grocery Store.

We have collected hundreds of books, which will be shipped to Bella Bella with their grocery supplies.

The book drive ends on Sunday, August 18.

Bob Adams

Whistler

Thank you Whistler!

We live in an incredible community and since tendering my resignation in late May, I've been reminded of it every day.

Thank you to my chamber team, our board of directors and to everyone who has taken the time to send emails and cards, to call, to pay tribute or to stop by the chamber office to deliver best wishes along with some great hugs!

Everyone has a guardian angel, maybe two... I have many! To that end, I want to thank Frank and Judy Fletcher — my Whistler family — for their endless love, guidance and support. Thank you to David Demers and Dave Davenport for their vision, for encouraging me to interview for the CEO position back in 2008 and for supporting me in it. Thank you to Peter Alder, a wise friend, who reminds me often to stop and smell the roses! And to Sue Adams, a very dear friend, generous mentor and outstanding role model with whom I share a passion for business and the arts in all its various forms, including good food and wine!

Whistler has been very kind to me. When I arrived in December 2000, it wasn't my plan to stay. However, it scooped me up in its arms and has supported me since in whatever I've chosen to do. For that I'm very grateful.

We live in a unique community that's on the brink of its next big thing. I said only a couple of weeks ago... the energy that is beginning to form around the EPI plan, the Community Cultural Plan and the Cultural Tourism Development Strategy, the Audain Museum, the Education and Learning Task Force recommendations, the work conducted by the Festivals, Events and Animation Working Group and Steering Committee, the work on recreation and leisure and the potential for Function Junction to become a very cool destination in the overall Whistler experience, is palpable. I feel we're approaching a special point in Whistler's history where a number of the jigsaw pieces are beginning to fall into place. 

We all have a role to play in Whistler's success. I'm honoured to have called Whistler home for almost 13 years, to have served our Chamber members and our community, and to have been part of its journey. Thank you Whistler!

Fiona Famulak  

Whistler

Revenge served best on cold ice

Hey, who took my Calgary Flames sticker off my vehicle? Just because we are gonna kick some Canuck "ass" this year doesn't give you the right to vandalize my car.

Go, "baby" Flames, Go

Andy Wills

Whistler

SVMF traffic plans a failure

Needless to say that tone of my email is going to be based on utter frustration, anger and embarrassment after my commute home last Thursday (during the Squamish Valley Music Festival).

Initially, I thought that I would be alone in my loss for words in trying to express how helpless the debacle on Thursday made me feel, however I am not.

How did this happen?

This event has been planned for at least the last 12 months, and in the words of the only RCMP officer in sight (and I quote), "Sir, I know you are frustrated, indeed everyone is. All I can suggest to you is that you contact Squamish Council, as they, or the event organizers, did not do a single thing about preparation for traffic. In fact, I have been here alone for the past four hours trying to organize a traffic system so that those going to the event stay in the right hand lane and Squamish residents and thru traffic stay left. However, the problem I'm having is that the vehicle laying the cones can't even get through."

I told the officer that it was only sheer luck that our son was not home alone from school and what would have happened if there was an emergency and we had to get home, how would that be possible? "Sorry, I have no further advice for you other than to direct your questions to the District of Squamish, who did nothing to prevent this," (said the officer).

I have been told to suck it up and that this is good for Squamish and its economy. Really, having the residents this upset over incompetence, is that good for Squamish? I, like many, many others, work in Metro Vancouver, because we have to, we bring in our salaries from the city to spend and pay taxes in Squamish 365 days, this event is three days. 

I would really like to know exactly how much money the municipality actually gets from this "festival." I mean someone is making a lot of money from this event, so exactly how much do the municipal coffers swell after this? Or is this just a stunt to make Squamish a cool place and only the event organizer's pockets getting swollen?

Who is responsible for this chaos?

Why, oh why, was 12 months not enough time to plan for this?

Eventually when we did get past the Loggers Lane and were able to finally make our way to eat at Sushi Sen — we met a large group of locals just as upset and some even more upset than I was. It was also noted by a few of us that they, like myself, had encountered "out of town" licence plates that were driving dangerously.

I left my job in Vancouver at 16:00 and we arrived at Sushi Sen at 20:24. I'd like to know how on earth this is anyway shape or form fair to residents of Squamish?

I could continue this letter, but I think that my feelings are quite clear on this issue, I would appreciate a response from someone.

Jason Medcraft

Squamish

No easy answer

Louise Taylor should pay close attention to the words of Johnny Mikes in last week's Pique ("Need for IPP planning long overdue," Pique, Aug.8)). I'm not sure if the editorial staff intended it or not, but it was refreshing — bordering on comical — to see his rational, focused and well-balanced criticism juxtaposed beside her own weekly repetition of wildly divergent, speculative and often irrelevant assertions.

As one can imagine, I largely prefer his assessment to hers. No one can honestly engage in this discussion without recognizing the global threat of climate change and the obvious clean energy potential that these hydropower generators provide. I suspect there is a reason that she seldom mentions it — to do so completely undermines her position!

The technology is not the problem and to keep insinuating that it is, is disingenuous bordering on intellectual dishonesty.

If Louise Taylor ever wishes to avoid the appearance of rank NIMBYism, she should strive to acknowledge the existence of value where it exists while focusing criticism where it is justified.

For guidance she could consider the largely benign outcome of the Ashlu River IPP compared to the bulk of the opposing criticisms. After nearly a decade of construction and operation ecological damage has been limited to one event of water-flow management error.

The outrages of the 2006 Utilities Commission Act aside, criticism here should be focused on lack of government enforcement via effective punitive financial penalty. This is a flaw in regulatory management, not the technology.

The Ashlu and a number of other projects also provide ample case study for criticism of the "grassroots" opponents, with a focus on their often narrowly parochial self-interests and largely unsubstantiated assertions.

We can all learn from our mistakes — or if we chose, not. Much of these criticisms could (and should) be laid to rest with a government regulatory regime worthy of our trust.  

Like Louise Taylor, I advocate for this to happen and I am still waiting for our new MLA, Jordan Sturdy, to at least try to justify the current policy, which considering the location of his riding he has every responsibility to do.

Until that happens, one simple guiding factor no one should ignore is if we don't get a handle on global carbon emissions, then our salmon and grizzlies do not have a rosy future, which may well be the least of our problems regardless of whatever happens in the Upper Lillooet.

Bruce Kay

Squamish