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Building trails now is a commitment to sustainability

Building trails now is a commitment to sustainability Re: Legacy Trails When I read the various letters to the editors and listen to the recent dialogue surrounding Olympic Legacies, I am concerned that the Nordic Legacy Trails may be at risk.

Building trails now is a commitment to sustainability

Re: Legacy Trails

When I read the various letters to the editors and listen to the recent dialogue surrounding Olympic Legacies, I am concerned that the Nordic Legacy Trails may be at risk. To my understanding, VANOC does not have to build these trails to host the Olympics, but they are prepared to do so and bear the cost in order to create the legacy. Currently, the design has not yet been finalized and construction is not proceeding pending the results of an environmental assessment pertaining to grizzly habitat.

I have had the privilege of a tour of the Nordic site. Its designers did a remarkable job of minimizing its footprint, and preserving many natural features of the area. I left feeling so proud that our community will be able to boast such a wonderful legacy for ourselves, our children and our future visitors. However, the trails that have been created are suited for Olympic competition, not novice and intermediate users. Hence, the reason for building a trail system which can be used by the general public and generate revenue.

The proposed trail system has already been substantially reduced in size and its location has been changed. Is it possible, now, that it all may be lost? This should not be happening after the venues have already been constructed. It would not seem so wasteful if the project was cancelled before construction started but, to do so now will leave us with a very costly facility that can only be used by a very small percentage of Nordic skiers. The criticisms levied at the Sliding Centre will be equally applicable to a denuded Nordic Centre. Some may say that this scenario could never happen but, I highlight that we are not getting a second ice sheet, and Burnaby did not get a speed skating oval.

There is a certain reality to living in a recreation resort and to a growing population: there will be some amount of development and some amount of human interference with the environment. Thus, how we manage both realities is the key issue and I am told that both environmental and Nordic goals can be met. In recent newspapers, Mr. Long described for us logging roads, clear cuts, and other legacies of human interference already existing in the Callaghan. Mr. Long also described how the area is currently being used by numerous snowmobilers. I am also told that, once the Legacy Trails are built, there will be a prohibition on motorized vehicles in that area. If all of this information is correct, which end product works best for the environment?

I read about the golf course and other developments that will occur in the Callaghan. Thus, we could end up with a Callaghan Valley developed at both ends but lacking the 26 kilometres of relatively narrow trails for non-motorized, winter activity. VANOC is prepared to build the trails now, at a time when their machines and workers are already there. To build in the future will surely be so expensive as to make the project “unsustainable”. Personally, I am not interested in assigning blame. We were given a commitment for a number of sustainable legacies: would those who are part of the Legacy Trails commitment, please do what is required to honour it.

Greg Diamond

Whistler

Accessibility plans need work

This letter was addressed to Whistler council. A copy was forwarded to Pique.

Being involved in organizations that work to reduce accessibility issues for people with disabilities, I was recently surprised to learn about a couple local upcoming infrastructure plan shortcomings.

Apparently the Peak to Peak gondola, as planned today, won't be fully accessible. There will be a step up to each gondola from the platform — it is clear that there is time to redesign this. And due to the location of the benches inside each gondola, a person in a wheelchair can't be loaded — this could be rectified by modifying only two or three of the gondolas, which would have little impact on design and operation. I believe that Intrawest is currently reviewing these design issues.

The other issue is related to the Nordic centre. If VANOC was to be convinced to eliminate the recreational legacy trails, there would be no legacy left for recreational cross country sit-skiers who will not be able to navigate the competition trails. I am all for environmental sustainability, but at the same time we must not lose sight of social sustainability issues.

Accepting to host much of the Olympic and Paralympic Games has put Whistler in a position to show leadership in many forms of sustainability. Please help to ensure that positive legacies are left by new facilities in the corridor, for people with and without disabilities.

Paul Shore

Board Member

The Neil Squire Society

A new board, a new hope

It was really a great moment to see a room full of excitement and enthusiasm in Tourism Whistler’s annual general meeting (May 17). I believe I got my message across to the newly elected board about responding to the changing nature of our industry and our market. The spirit to reach out beyond our traditional market is critical in sustaining our industry for years to come, even more critical beyond the Olympics.

We need to build our spring and fall businesses as much as we rely on our winter and summer businesses. We also need to offer cultural, wellness and relaxing experiences for our guests as much as we promote our self as a place for fun, adventure and discovery. We need to nurture our regional market as much as we need to strengthen our long-haul market. We should invite various ethnic communities in the Lower Mainland to bring their festivals here. We probably need to show that we are opening our doors to the Asians too, as much as we have welcomed our European and American visitors all these years.

All of our members need to become Whistler Tourism Ambassadors wherever we go and promote a renewed energy of Whistler to all the people we meet. Only through the participation of all businesses and individuals in our community can Whistler secure its position in the world marketplace. Therefore we also need to communicate this clearly to the members of Tourism Whistler. In the fast-paced business world of today there is no point in circling our bandwagon. The only way to survive is to reach out and to let the rest of the world know about our beautiful place.

Congratulations to our newly elected board, all of you have the opportunity to translate this new Whistler spirit into a prosperous and sustainable industry.

Jay Wahono

Whistler

Give me a candidate like Larsen

Re: Pot activist wins NDP nomination (Pique May 17)

Although I have never met Dana Larsen in person I do know about his work on social issues over the years.

If Dana was running in my riding in Calgary, Alberta I would vote for him. That would be the first time I would have voted for a NDP candidate in my 48 years of life and almost 30 years of my being an active voter.

Why? Let me tell you why.

I have seen the harms caused by prohibition of cannabis. I have read the government commissioned credible scientific drug study data calling for legalization of cannabis that still continues to be ignored by our governments to this very day, sadly. I know why too. Votes! Fear mongering will get more votes. Lying will get more votes. Sadly many people seem to believe if they see it in the media it must be true.

Additionally, with Mr. Larsen’s other priorities I would vote for him without concern he would walk away from his commitments.

"His priorities will be fighting for tough action on climate change, fairness for families struggling with the high cost of long-term care and tuition fees and implementation of the civil rights policies, which parliamentary committees have advocated."

In my mind Mr. Larsen is not the typical politician we Canadians seem to be stuck with for all these decades. He is up front and truthful, even with issues that are not the most popular vote getting issues.

Give my riding a candidate like Mr. Larsen; not afraid to step up and tell the real truths about Canada's (not so popular for vote getting) social ills and publicly say they will actually do something to improve our society and remove the harms caused by prohibition and implement the policies set forth by parliamentary committees. I will do my part and vote for said candidate in the next election.

Keith Fagin

Calgary

In poor taste

As a woman and a mother of a daughter, I am writing in shock that you would allow the Moe Joe's ad to run. Golf pro's and tennis "hoe's"? In the aftermath of Imus and his disgusting comments, I really find it in poor taste to run this ad without some regards to women and a sense of responsibility to edit this.

Shame on you.

Beverly Lucas

Whistler

Break a leg Johny

Congratulations to Johny Utah for winning the B.C. Air Guitar Competition, which took place last weekend in Vancouver.  This achievement is just another example of the winning talent of the local Whistler arts scene, and the community support that lifts us to such levels.

I know it sounds silly — an air guitar competition — but this is not your collection of gesticulating rhythms and mimes hidden in the blare of AC/DC's Back in Black and found in the privacy of an adolescent bedroom. What Johny Utah accomplished, and what is sending him to the national competition in Toronto later this year, took practice, creativity, and the belief that anything worth doing is worth doing well.

Since the first time I snuggled into a director's chair I have been accosted with this simple truth: that our passionate community knows no boundaries in courage, dedication, inspiration and talent. Like the sport that built this village, our artists are fuelled with the drive to embrace life, accept fear, then push past every limit suggested. It is in this collective esteem that we find our own unbounded potential.

Cole Manson/Johny Utah, like so many artists in this corridor, you are a rock star. Good Luck in Toronto (Break a leg!).

Heather Paul

Short Skirt Theatre Company

Warming thoughts

Max's column on global warming got me thinking. Most people talk the good talk about global warming and sustainability, but usually live completely hypocritical lifestyles.

I always scratched my head when VP Al Gore made televised speeches about the environment and right after, in full view of the cameras, took off in his oversized SUV, followed by his entourage of secret servicemen in equally oversized SUVs.

I highly doubt the people running two stroke sleds put much thought into anything more than how much fun it’s going to be that day, which is OK because snowmobile enthusiasts typically don’t think beyond the next powder day.

The real target of Max's column should've been the good people running Whistler-Blackcomb. I similarly scratched my head when Whistler Blackcomb proudly presented the new mid-mountain to mid-mountain zip trek gondola as a solution to global warming. Someone needs to let these guys know that the future of Whistler-Blackcomb profits rely heavily on less carbon being spewed into the atmosphere and not figuring out how to build out the resort higher into the alpine.

It’s then quite laughable to drive by the Whistler-Blackcomb administration building and see a rather large fleet of oversized SUVs parked out front. I do believe GMC makes plenty of environmentally friendlier hybrid vehicles.

While I’m on a rant, the other question I have for Whistler-Blackcomb is about the washrooms on the mountain. Many smaller ski resorts with less cash and daily flushes than Whistler-Blackcomb have gone to waterless systems. The waterless system saves water and reduces the amount of waste flowing downhill. Waterless toilet facilities seem like a no brainer considering the pristine alpine environment they operate in.

Call me the bad guy for pointing the finger, but the people who stand to lose the most should get real about what it is they're actually doing and not just spout off feel good rhetoric to sell a better tourist trap.

Toby Salin

Whistler

Planting seeds for the future

Last weekend, the Pemberton Women’s Institute hosted the annual Plant Sale. The WI would like to thank the many gardeners who came out to support the WI and load up on plants and seeds. Particular thanks to the Seed Potato growers who, as they do each year, donated many sacks of their renowned seed potatoes. Thanks to the entire community for supporting the WI in this fundraising effort.

Funds raised go towards bursaries for students, women's shelters in the area, and other community teams and organizations.

A new addition to the event this year was the Pemberton Farmers Institute Seed Swap. Many people expressed great interest in seed saving and swapping.

See you next year on the first Saturday in May at the Pemberton Legion.

Jeanette Helmer

Pemberton