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Re: John Konig's letter of Jan. 16, Bitter and an embarrassment Two days after reading Mr. Konig's letter some of my friends and I were riding the Whistler gondola wondering exactly which part of the mountain Mr.

Re: John Konig's letter of Jan. 16, Bitter and an embarrassment

Two days after reading Mr. Konig's letter some of my friends and I were riding the Whistler gondola wondering exactly which part of the mountain Mr. Konig has been on, during the "long time" he has skied here, without having witnessed an on-slope collision. We acknowledged the excellent job that Whistler-Blackcomb does to minimize such occurrences, but agreed that, since Mountain Safety staff cannot possibly be everywhere at once, collisions, unfortunately, do occur frequently.

Not quite two hours later, while skiing, I was hit by a novice snowboarder with such great force that I was knocked out of both skis and was sent 25 feet down the hill. Fortunately I was not seriously injured.

Nor was my son seriously injured three years ago when, while skiing on Blackcomb Mountain, he was "taken out" by an off-duty ski patroller (no reflection, of course, on our usually diligent and cautious ski patrollers!).

The stories go on and on. I would like to inform Mr. Konig, since he apparently has no first-hand experience, that once you or someone close to you has had an on-slope collision, your fear of and anger toward irresponsible or inexperienced skiers/boarders (who have no business being on the run they have chosen) is not easily shaken.

I would also like to inform Mr. Konig that he cannot speak for all Whistlerites in his contempt for G.D. Maxwell, and that as Whistler's favourite writer (Pique's Best of Whistler poll for 2003) G.D. is just satirical and often a source of great pride to the community.

Heidi Rode

Whistler

"As we start the year 2003. we continue our work on Whistler. It's Our Future , our comprehensive sustainability plan with the assistance of the newly formed Citizens Advisory Committee. And we continue to work with the Provincial Government to resolve school taxes, to standardize the property tax classification of strata hotels, and to ensure financial sustainability for our community."

- from Tax Talk; A message from the mayor

.

Cher citizens,

As we start 2004, I thought I'd ask you, "Where are we going from here?" I am Roland Pfaff, chef/owner of Val d'Isere Restaurant. My wife and I came to Whistler during "construction" 14 years ago. Yes, things have changed for the better - from a little village to our beautiful four-season resort with world-class amenities and an unbelievable infrastructure for a community of 12,000 residents.

I am fortunate to know many local, small business entrepreneurs. All of them are exceptional professionals. Yet sadly, I see them drifting away, one after another. Obviously, the bottom line of operating a business in Whistler is not so good. One can easily find excuses why. yes, I can blame bad snow years, SARS, mad cow, floods, fire, Iraq, Afghanistan. but these calamities are beyond control. My concerns are closer to home.

Today, I received my 2004 Property Tax assessment, another increase - $900,000 +63 per cent. Unthinkable! I could wait for the municipal mill rate to see exactly how bad this will be, but we know it's not good news for those operating a hospitality-based business. There should be a tiered assessment rate system relative to the lease rate, not the other way around. If my landlord chose to charge the maximum (retail) rate according to the assessment, he would have to turn the space into retail. A variety of businesses make up our community, and we need a tiered system to maintain that variety.

Escalating increases of property and municipal taxes, licenses, insurance, unjustified strata fees, membership fees and constant upgrades in business operating infrastructure. the list goes on. I understand that beginnings are often difficult but one has to wonder if the pace of growth has far outstripped sustainability. The horse appears to be running wild. This constant demand for new amenities and state of the art up-grades - can we afford this gargantuan taste for luxury goods? What will the newest market research dictate that we acquire next?

"You can cash out any time," I was told by a municipal employee when I questioned the unreasonable increase in property taxes. One has to reach deep to find the will to be part of the community in the face of such attitude. Yet this is our home.

Most of us like to think we are here for the lifestyle. Is this the only option left? To "cash out" and quietly leave town?

Some of us have seen the writing on the wall and moved away, leaving it to the corporate giants. The majority of Whistler residents are involved in the hospitality business and I am puzzled that among these 100 restaurants, bars, and hotel businesses there is not more concern voiced. Of course, I cannot lump it all in one bag. Some businesses in Whistler are naturally much more successful than others as their demographics are more favorable in the "global market".

Am I the only one in Whistler who is wondering where this is all going? Are we to believe that sustainability is still possible or has Whistler squeezed the canary just a little too hard?

Game over? You tell me.

Roland Pfaff

Whistler

Backcountry etiquette

In the wake of Western Canada's most lethal avalanche season on record, it may be time to re-evaluate our approach to backcountry safety and etiquette. Although our provincial parks are public property, they are seldom policed to ensure certain safety standards are adhered to. By default, this responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of those who use the area for recreational purposes.

Among others, these thrill-seekers include backcountry skiers, snowboarders and sledders. For the most part, these people understand the dangers and unpredictable nature of their playground. They are equipped for self-rescue; possess a certain amount of experience and knowledge, and a greater amount of respect for the mountain.

There is, unfortunately, a growing number of winter backcountry users that lack some or all of these criteria. The ski and snowboard industry is partly to blame for this. A campaign marketing these sports as "extreme", cool and glamorous attracts more and more people to the slopes (and retail shops) every year. And, who can blame them. Floating through powder snow down the face of a mountain is something that many of us strive for. However, the bulk of the blame for irresponsible backcountry use must be accepted by those who are guilty of it.

Surfers the world over use "localism" to maintain orderly and respectful line-ups in every ocean. This system seems to work. If a surfer behaves like an idiot and jeopardizes the safety of others, that person is dealt with and the behaviour (hopefully) ceases. I propose a similar approach be adopted towards idiots that jeopardize the safety of others in the backcountry.

This doesn't mean defecating on cars in the parking lot, or starting fights in lift-lines, but means educating the uneducated. If your touring party encounters an under-equipped group in the backcountry, politely inform the group of the dangers associated with backcountry use, and the benefits of every member having a transceiver, probe and shovel in their packs, as well as the knowledge of their use. There is (or should be) solidarity among backcountry users, whereby everyone in the area can contribute to a search if necessary.

Guilt trips like "It sure would be a shame to not be able to help your friend if they get caught in an avalanche" may prove useful. Unfortunately, this approach will most likely be met with self-righteous indignation. The next step should be to politely insist that the unequipped group not enter the backcountry (or leave it immediately), lest its presence presents a risk to the safety of other touring parties. If they don't have a shovel, they probably won't know much about snow stability.

This will almost certainly be countered with various degrees of profanity. In this case, an impolite insistence would not be out of line. If an unequipped group is encountered at the entrance of the backcountry and diplomatic negotiations have deteriorated to this level, depending on the size of your group (in numbers and/or stature), the other group could be denied access to the skin-track, boot pack, etc. as an extreme tactic.

If people continue to ignore news reports about avalanche deaths, and take their (and others') chances, then measures like this are acceptable. Unfortunately, due to the litigious and liability-focussed (and generally individually unaccountable) nature of our society, ski lift companies are unable to discriminate among the many people who exit their backcountry gates. With public pressure mounting year after year for the regulation of backcountry tour operators, our governments may want to consider doing something similar to casual park users. Driver's licences are issued after successfully completing an examination. Perhaps backcountry licences could be issued to individuals who can provide proof of completing an avalanche awareness course.

Alex Nikolic

Whistler

Re: Bitter and an embarrassment, Pique letters Jan. 16

Visitors to Whistler, picking up an occasional copy of the Pique, can't be expected to fully understand the essence of G.D. Maxwell's writings. However, it is extraordinary to read the condemnation of a local, who would have to know that many of Mr. Maxwell's columns are expository and, as such, are greatly appreciated by many Whistler residents. These readers don't consider his work as "twisted rantings". If a reader does not abide his diction, the proper action to take would be to stop reading his columns. I know of one such local who has done so!

Betty McWhinnie

Whistler

In response to Mr. Caro and Mr. Konig's letters, I'd like to offer a different point of view about G.D. Maxwell.

First off, if you don't like it, don't read it. (Sorta like Whistler Free Radio 105.5 - if you didn't like it, why did you listen to it?)

Second, you'd be better off if you read the article with a sense of humour. I'd like to point out that G.D. Maxwell was voted Best Writer by Whistler residents. I regularly send Max's articles home to my parents (far removed from Whistler) because they appreciate the humour.

Max also brings up some very valid points and serious issues, but again, he does this with a sense of humour (albeit a twisted one.)

So, to those who take offence, lighten up.

Kat Koric

Whistler

Marilyn Berthoud's "Wake up property owners" letter perpetuates the myth that taxes automatically go up in proportion to assessments. They do not.

Taxes are levied to meet the cost of providing the services. It is a fact of life that those costs normally go up each year, so taxes may go up in a year when assessments go down (as in 1999). Each year the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value changes, and the rate per $1,000 often goes down when the assessments are higher, resulting in the taxes increasing by a lesser percentage than the increase in the assessment.

It is extremely unlikely that an increase of 72 per cent in assessment will result in close to 100 per cent increase in property tax.

Sometimes the assessment is lower than the market value. There is always the possibility that a reassessment may bring the assessment up to a level closer to the market value.

Diking taxes are calculated in a similar manner. As the cost of diking goes up, so will the diking tax, irrespective of the assessment.

Bob Eldridge

Pemberton

It was wonderful to read about plans by the municipality to honour legends and events which make up the abbreviated but exciting history of Whistler.

Although the salute will be situated in the village, where the traffic is heaviest, most noteworthy pioneers had nothing to do with the present-day village.

Nevertheless it is the beginning of the next step beyond our museum and archives building, to provide an insight into some interesting and diversified individuals, an allegory of Whistler, if you will. We have taken the liberty of selecting some candidates who come to mind for present and future consideration. Let's call them Legends of Character.

We start, of course, with Myrtle Philip (nee Tapley) who pioneered the first settlement on the shores of Alta Lake in the 1920s. She and her husband came from the U.S. for fishing and hiking. The Whistler of today would be beyond their wildest imagination.

Next, we have Franz Wilhelmsen, the Scandinavian with a vision and 1965 founder of Whistler Mountain ski resort. Franz was a "pure" skier whose prime interest was with the sport and mountain grooming. He thought little of real estate riches. He had Olympic dreams for what was originally named London Mountain (by surveyors from England) later to be renamed Whistler for the whistling marmots that inhabited the slopes.

Another immigrant to play a pioneering role was Walter Zebrowski, a retired Polish army officer who came to Whistler in 1964 when there was no road, no electricity or sewers. He developed Nordic Estates and the first community TV relay station in Whistler. He created the role of Devil's Advocate at Whistler Council meetings.

In order to get the runs ready for the schuss-boomers of tomorrow, there were trails that had to be cleared. Here we think of Scandinavian Seppo Makinen. This logger of giant proportion and blonde buzz-cut, recalled using mules and horses to haul fallen trees down a "Pony Trail" which remains a prime ski run today. He operated a "log cabin" for hippie hostel seekers he treated as sons and daughters.

The first major ski school operation at Whistler was managed by Jim McConkey , one of the finest recreational skiers in Canada, and first to ski the treacherous path below the original gondola. I can still see the unreachable single set of tracks that would remain untouched and ungroomed for most of the season.

An oxymoron pioneer would be Helmut Banka, the first mason in Whistler who built virtually every stone fireplace in the early days, then introduced a controversial dog-team sledding operation on the outskirts of town with dogs who feasted on left-over fish parts from Nesters Market and responded only to German commands.

Whistler's first golf course and major new subdivision were the work of pioneer surveyor Bob Bishop and his partners who raced alongside another survey visionary, Alex Bunbury.

Not every pioneer was an immigrant. We can't overlook Jack Bright, the first manager on the mountain. An accomplished skier and administrator, he later built the first hotel at Creekside, where he learned a great deal about construction financing which led to a position as Chairman, North Shore Credit Union.

Hugh Smythe was a young patroller-instructor and energetic lift company employee during the early days. His acumen led to higher peaks, one of them being President of Resort Operations for Intrawest, the corporate owner of Whistler-Blackcomb, and the second largest ski corporation in the world.

Oldtimers will recall a stocky little fellow, who could be identified by his goatee and sailor-like cap, scurrying throughout the village and scribbling notes for Whistler's first newspaper - The Question - which started as a single-page folded sheet printed on a mimeograph press. Paul Burrows operated or wrote for the weekly for almost three decades before retirement.

When the centre of Whistler moved from Creekside to the garbage dump in 1980, the main village as we know it today was planned by resort consultant Eldon Beck. Locals thought he had been smoking something unusual when his grandiose dreams were unveiled in the so-called Master Plan. Little did they know.

However, if it had not been for three men from the British Columbia Department of Municipal Affairs who preceded him, there would not have been a village. The key man in the triumvirate was Scottish engineer and planner W.J. Blakely, who had earlier planned the towns of Revelstoke, Port Alberni and Merritt.

If the village is the heart of Whistler, her strongest body parts are the valley trails. These were planned, laid out and fought for by Trevor Roote. They offer tourists and locals alike one of the finest community pathways in North America and earned Roote the honour of Citizen of the Year in 1981.

Another pioneer family of the Myrtle Philip ilk were the Valleaus of Valleau Logging, a company whose operations were at Mons, the precursor name for Whistler as we know it today. Someone from the family has spearheaded the Canada Post operations here since the beginning of time.

A more controversial family name synonymous with Whistler was Taylor. John Taylor, lawyer, Member of Parliament and entrepreneur. He purchased the entire base of Whistler Mountain, 240 acres, and created the original subdivisions and the Whistler Valley Tennis Club. He owned the waterworks and operated as a one-man band, virtually forcing the government to commence construction of a new townsite at the garbage dump . John fought with governments and sued the mayor while his brother Edward quietly operated the heavy equipment - cleared the land, built water and sewer lines.

Not to be overlooked were the pioneer realtors, such as Gary Van Norman of Garibaldi Highlands Realty, who sold lots for $500 in Alpine Meadows, White Gold, Emerald Estates and West Side Road. long before there were sewers and paved roads.

These are what you might call a few "characters" one remembers from a front row seat on the growth of Whistler for 35 years. People like Bavarian-style builder Stephan Pless, skier/tennis club founder Tony Kingsmill. There was Marion Sutherland, founder of the Whistler Skiers Chapel A-frame, and Molly Boyd, mother of (Rob) first world ski champion from Whistler. Molly also founded the Whistler Singers and made hand-sewn racing suits for junior skiers.

It is rewarding for one to have met and known most of these individuals. How wonderful a family reunion it would make.

We have not deferred to former mayors and councillors, such as Pat Carleton, Drew Meredith, Ted Nebbeling, Garry Watson and Al Raine, or other politicians despite their major contributions.

Nor have we touched on the athletes such as Dave Murray, Rob Boyd, Ross Rebagliati and Steve Podborski.

Al Eaton

Whistler

The other day I couldn't help but notice a large ad upon the bus shelter on Village Gate Boulevard. It was an advertisement for the McDonald's drive thru. Facing oncoming traffic, it is there to let everyone know exactly where they can get their next Big Mac without even having to shut off their car.

Whistler Transit is supposed to be an environmentally friendly form of alternative transportation. Is it not totally ironic that they are receiving money from McDonald's to advertise a drive thru that strictly serves automobiles?

Imagine if it was not there and no one knew that there was a drive thru in town. That would mean less Mcjobs, less Mcgarbage, less Mcprofit and most importantly, this community would be one step farther from becoming a Mctown. I'm lovin it!

Bjorn Gimse

Whistler