This letter was sent to Whistler’s mayor and council and shared with Pique.
First, I want to thank you for listening to Whistler residents who are concerned about the construction involved with the Rainbow Park project, planned for either this summer into fall 2023, or this fall into spring 2024.
My main concern is the choice of seasons to start the work of redevelopment versus the attendance in other parks, and mainly Lost Lake Park.
For a few years, I have lived just at the entrance of Lost Lake Park, and I frequent it every day because I love swimming and biking.
Since COVID, I have noticed a very large increase [in visitation to Lost Lake], last summer being the worst year. I saw people invading places on the edge of the lake that were never frequented before. I also discovered a place where people lit fires, and I had to inform the bylaw department. Moreover, the dog beach has been adopted by several young people to party, not to mention the nudie dock and the warming hut.
There is hardly any surveillance around the lake, apart from a very few bylaw officers who ride their bikes on the Valley Trail.
If you close Rainbow Park this summer, imagine the crowds that will head to Lost Lake… Did you think about something to control this huge amount of visitors who will invade Lost Lake, which is a very small lake already suffering from overcrowding and pollution?
If you close Rainbow Park this summer, it will cause a lot of damage to all the other parks and lakes.
Thank you for considering my request to postpone the date for the Rainbow Park project to the fall.
