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Fitzsimmon’s Walk could be on market within 18 months

The Fitzsimmon’s Walk units may be occupied as soon as the summer of 2009, according to architect Doug Nelson from Cressey Development.

The Fitzsimmon’s Walk units may be occupied as soon as the summer of 2009, according to architect Doug Nelson from Cressey Development.

That would make the 36 resident and price-restricted townhouse units on the property the only new employee housing to come through before the Winter Games in 2010.

Jessica Averiss, housing administrator with the Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) confirmed that the Fitzsimmon’s Walk is the only new resident housing that has a definite timeline at this point to be completed before the Olympics.

She added that the Whistler Housing Authority has not created a waitlist for the property yet, but does not anticipate any trouble selling the units.

Nelson announced the potential 18-month completion date during Monday’s council meeting, following a presentation on the form and character of the development.

“This council takes a lot of pride in finally delivering and finally providing that increased inventory for resident housing,” said Mayor Ken Melamed during the meeting.

Fitzsimmon’s Walk is the first multifamily development to be built within the Whistler Green guidelines.

Bill Brown, manager of community planning for the municipality, said the development is going a long way in moving Whistler towards green buildings and a better environment.

Brown added that the applicant strives to reach a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) rating of at least Silver standards, if not better.  

The Fitzsimmon’s Walk development also includes 41 market duplex and townhouse units, which start at $1.9 million. More than half of these units have already sold.

 

Canada’s Olympic television network moves into Whistler Village

CTV News will be occupying a space in the Blackcomb Lodge from now until after the Olympic Games, following approval from Council on Monday night.

The privately owned television network will turn the rental accommodation unit into an office space while covering Whistler and the 2010 Games. The ‘Whistler News Bureau’ will house a reporter and a cameraperson who will create and edit their news stories digitally with a lap top computer. CTV staff will also use this unit for accommodation.

CTV’s request may be the first of many applications to secure accommodation for the Games.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) does not currently have policy in place that gives Council guidance on making decisions on these type of applications.

One concern raised at Council was that providing CTV with the unit would take away from the municipality’s “warm bed policy”.  

“CTV is the main VANOC sponsor. We may not do this for every request that comes in,” said Mayor Ken Melamed.

“We do want to protect all of the accommodation that is within the village,” he added.

Municipal staff have said that providing CTV News with a central location in the village will enhance media coverage and exposure of Whistler leading up to and during the Games.

CTV owns the Canadian broadcasting rights to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, along with Quebec-based television network TQS.