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"Our community. Our plan" - Forging a 'new' path for Whistler

"So when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not part of it." - Indian Philosopher J. Krishsnamurti.

"So when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not part of it."

- Indian Philosopher J. Krishsnamurti.

A funny thing happened to me on the way to writing this column...

It all started with a midnight e-mail from Kevin Damaskie. Do you know Kevin? The man orchestrating the OCP update process at muni hall this fall (I think his actual RMOW job title is Sustainability Coordinator ), the soft-spoken Damaskie is a well-recognized voice in Sea to Sky Country. Has been, in fact, since he moved here in 1992 as a keen, young Whistler Question reporter.

He's a totally solid guy. Team player. Passionate snoweater. Involved parent. Deeply, profoundly in love with Whistler. You know the type...

Anyway - something I'd written in this space the week before about my concern for the "uncivil" state of Whistler's community conversation had obviously struck a chord with him. Or maybe just a jangled note. This is how his late-night e-mail began:

"I just had a surreal day of work, life and a BIG bottle of Maudite [beer], ending at the bottom of page 35 of Pique . Now I am here."

Loved the intro. Couldn't resist the banter. I wondered idly where this was leading. Abuse? Humour? Sarcasm? Didn't matter. It was late. I was relaxed. Might as well read it through.

And I was surprised all over again. For Kevin's message was far from negative. He shared my concern, he wrote. Preliminary feedback from current OCP research further underscored just how much discord existed in the community right now. "I recommend we work together to expand and positively effect this 'civil discourse in dire straits,'" the e-mail concluded. "We cannot be afraid of fixing this perceived or real effect. We must act quick and sure, as tardiness and sloth bring creeping consequences."

So there I sat, an intriguing e-mail on my screen and not quite sure what to do next. So I gave the man a call.

Kevin had a plan of course. And he wanted me to help him with it. It was all about getting more public engagement in the OCP process, he said. Using it, in fact, to exorcise some of the bitter feelings that festered in the dark folds of the community's fabric.

"I'll be totally frank with you," he confided. "Our ultimate goal here is to make the Official Community Plan Update reflect the thoughts and dreams of as many Whistlerites as possible. We want to go beyond the usual suspects and reach out to those who've never participated in this kind of process before." And that was a good thing, right? It's what I'd been writing about for months, no? Surely I would want to get involved with such an honourable task.

Yeah okay, I thought grudgingly. But I wasn't ready to drink the kool-aid quite yet. So just what kind of help did he really want from me?

Now anyone who knows Kevin knows how artfully his mind works. I mean, this guy is so smooth - thoughtful, respectful, a good listener - that he makes it virtually impossible to turn down a request (when he finally gets around to asking). Maybe it's his calm tone. Maybe it's just the powerful sense of mission he exudes. Whatever. It worked on me.

Before I knew it, I was nodding my head in agreement. By the time the conversation was over I had capitulated totally. I was a slave to his plan.

Opening Day is just around the corner. And for those of us who still care about such things, it's the biggest day on the calendar. Snoweaters up and down the corridor are excitedly pulling their winter toys out of their closets. Skis, boards, boots, skates, sleds, sails, wings, you name it - new, old, fat, skinny, archaic, futuristic - it doesn't matter. The winter season is upon us. An-ti-ci-pa-tion rules every waking moment...

And isn't that what drew most of us to Whistler in the first place? Snow. Sliding. Having fun. Going fast. Being free. It's the crooked gene, as my friend Tamara McKinney calls it. The crazy, offbeat, illogical, counter-intuitive addiction to being wet and cold and uncomfortable all day long in exchange for that sublime rush of gravity-fed speed. Yahoo. Bring it on. Let's get vertical.

Meanwhile, there's this very important conversation going on in Whistler right now that will, IN LARGE MEASURE, determine how the future unfolds for this community.

And Damaskie is the appointed standard bearer for that process. "But I'm just one member in a really tight team," he demurs. "And we all share the same agenda: that Whistler's manifold voices and perspectives are all incorporated in the process."

That's why, he explained, he needed my help. "We want the denizens of Alta States to get involved." He stopped for a breath. A long breath. Then he continued.

"I'm really going out on a limb here," he admitted. "But I've gotta tell you - we're seeing the same issues being raised by residents as the ones you've raised in your column over the last few months. People are concerned. They're afraid that Whistler is losing its way. Losing sight of its core story." He sighed. Let out a faux-sad chuckle. "Amidst this concern, of course, is just as much positive vibe about what a great place this still is." Another moment of silence. "That's why it's so important that we get to hear from everybody. We want to make sure we get it right."

So what the heck is an OCP, you might ask. Good question According to the RMOW's official Handbook, it's "a provincially-mandated regulatory document... that guides land use planning, social, economic, and environmental policies, civic infrastructure investments and the provision of services in the community. As required by (BC's) Local Government Act, this plan addresses residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, recreational, and utility uses and includes a Regional Context Statement. It also addresses social and environmental issues."

In other words, the OCP is the community's regulatory bible. It tells you what you can do and what you can't do in the community, how big you can grow and what kind of businesses you can entertain. It's your blueprint to the future. Your communal road map to sustained prosperity. And once it's done, it's done. At its best, a properly construed OCP can make the difference between a community's success and failure. At its worst...

Good timing too. Given the titanic changes we've lived over the last 17 years (when the previous OCP was born), Whistler desperately needs a new set of directions. Don't you think?

The town is slowly reaching maturity. Heck, Whistler Mountain will be turning 50 in five years. Are we big enough now? Are we diversified enough? And what about the dramatic paradigm shift happening in the world around us? Are we doing our part? What new economic tools do we need for the future? Are we protecting our environment enough - both natural and social? And what kind of a community do we want to leave to our children and their children? These are the kinds of questions that the OCP team need answered if they're to fashion a new plan for us that is both relevant and progressive.

Besides, there's this whole Whistler2020 sustainability document that has to be integrated. Say what? Of course. Didn't you know? Given that the old OCP was instituted back in 1993, many of the principles enshrined in the five-year-old 2020 vision have yet to be addressed "officially."

This is how the RMOW puts it: "Whistler2020 is the community's highest level policy and therefore will guide the development of the (new) OCP by enshrining (in it) its sustainability vision and principles. While Whistler2020 is a vision and policy, the OCP is a regulatory document; together they will articulate and enshrine our resort community's vision and values."

But enough words. This is where the skis hit the snow. On Wednesday, Nov. 24 - on the very eve of Opening Day - Kevin and his colleagues are hosting a community workshop in the conference centre. I know. I know. Sounds as dull as watching paint dry. Far better to howl the night away sacrificing brain cells to Ullr and his Nordic pals.

But hang on. As boring as it may sound - as eye-rolling as some of the stuff will surely be - you simply can't afford to ignore it. Why? Because this workshop's sole raison d'etre is to allow you and your friends the opportunity to comment on the proposed OCP's directions and issues. It's all about reviewing the information that Kevin and his team have meticulously collated over the last six months. They've talked to kids and old folk, rich and poor, newcomer and veteran. Over 500 people in total. And what they've discovered - if not earth-shattering - is definitely worth an evening's reflection.

My recommendation? You need to attend this workshop. And you need to have your spouse attend too. And your friends and acquaintances and lovers and colleagues.

Why? As a longtime friend told me recently: "It's easy to stand on the sidelines and bitch. But there's never much satisfaction there. Much more fulfilling to pick up a shovel and move that sh**t yourself..."