Thank you Whistler, we did it together
Last month, our foundations, The Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation and the Szocs Foundation, donated $50,000 to Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) to support mental-health initiatives, challenging the community of Whistler to match that amount by June 3.
Board member Anne Townley just reported that you, the community, responded with an overmatch of $94,000.
We are so delighted with your response that we have decided to proudly donate an additional $50,000 toward this program—the total now is $194,000!
We are in discussions with WCSS for it to become the lead for mental-health resources in Whistler, the goal being a simple, uncomplicated one-stop shop.
Whistler is an amazing place where giving back is in our culture and this is just a glowing example of your generosity in making a difference.
Ginny and Kerry Dennehy, and Andy Szocs // The Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation and the Szocs Foundation
We are all just people
I was one of the four students who organized the Black Lives Matter (BLM) awareness march in Whistler last week. After reading comments posted on social media in response to this event, I was disappointed by some of the cynical and inaccurate viewpoints and I wanted to address them.
First off, organizing this awareness march was not simply a "feel good moment" for me, and I never had the intention of gaining recognition or praise, to pat myself on the back or feel as though I'm "changing the world."
I simply felt that it was the right thing to do in order to raise awareness about BLM, police brutality, and the unjust murder of George Floyd, as well as all the other lives lost through decades of police corruption and racism.
The hope was that this gathering would also bring our community together because as much as this is a time to remain apart and safe with caution and regard for COVID-19, I felt as though it was important to take appropriate precautions and come together at a time that matters most and acknowledge our understanding of such a horrific and prominent issue in today's society.
Secondly, despite what some people might think, racism and police brutality is a problem and does exist in Canada. Many in our community believe problems don't exist here in our "bubble." Perhaps it's because they have never witnessed it, or because they simply choose not to believe it.
Charlize Littlelight organized this march with us. She is 15 years old and First Nations, and she bravely spoke up about racism and the struggles her people are faced with daily.
According to Pivot Legal (www.pivotlegal.org/17_years_of_police_violence_in_canada), Indigenous people make up 4.8 per cent of Canada's population, yet represent 15 per cent of total fatalities caused by police brutality, and Black people make up only 3.4 per cent of Canada's population, yet represent 15 per cent of the total fatalities. It is clear that both groups are disproportionately affected by police violence in comparison to other races.
Pivot Legal also reported that between 2000 and 2017, Canadian police were involved in at least 460 fatal conflicts with civilians and out of those incidents, only three second-degree murder charges were given out. So yes, this protest was incredibly relevant to Canada.
Racism exists in our community and we can all do better to recognize this and we need to speak up. We marched through a "resort" protesting racism, as one person mocked. Well, this resort is our home and we helped to raise awareness and promote discussion because we are not immune.
I agree that I'm incredibly privileged; however, calling us "entitled" is just ignorant and accusatory. I think it would be entitled to be aware of what is currently happening—both in the U.S. and Canada—and ignore it because it isn't "my problem."
At first, I was worried to organize this march, seeing as I am white and could never begin to imagine what it must feel like to be Black and to face such horrific discrimination, abuse, and fear for simply having a different colour skin. Then I realized that it should be the opposite, that it is my responsibility to take a stand and to use my voice and privilege for good because I can—and you can, too.
Lastly, I'll share a personal anecdote. I used to live in Morocco and travelled in Africa often. I always wondered why it felt so "homey" and comforting to be in Africa. My mom told me that maybe it's because all life started there; we all come from the same place.
This made so much sense to me and I couldn't possibly fathom how people are treated so horribly because of their skin colour. Why is skin colour an invitation to treat others as less than human? I wish we could all feel that warm, familiar feeling of being in the heart of Africa. I think if everyone could, we'd all have more understanding and compassion for each other because regardless of our skin colour, our salaries, our accomplishments—we are all just people. It's so important that we remember that.
Danika Boucher, 16 // Whistler
Change comes from within first
Amidst the recent social-media storm this week [around protests about discrimination] I've been thinking ... what's the big picture here? What can be done to help the cause? What is right and what is wrong and who are we to decide? Does anyone really know what it's like to spend a lifetime in another skin?
Unless you can live that life for real, it's impossible to truly know how hard it is.
From a screen with a few clicks, we can only have a rough guess.
When that guess turns into a publicly shouted voice expressing an opinion, does that now make it fact? Does that now define you as who you are as a person? Are you now that voice truly and forever? Are you helping a cause or just fuelling a fire you wish to extinguish?
There will always be many sides to many stories. Racism, poverty, corruption and all the other worldly problems will be an issue until we run our beautiful Earth into non-existence.
So how can we really make a difference that counts? It's not by harassing people we've never met. It's not by spreading propaganda. It's not even as simple as saying sorry. Time cannot be rewound. Deep down, we all wish to make it a better place for the short time we, and our future generations, have left.
The one true action we can all take that will make a real difference in this world is to think rationally. To separate fact from fiction by educating ourselves on the matters we really care about and make a change within ourselves first.
Only then can the world eventually be a better place.
Tyler B. // Whistler
Take time to enjoy the Valley Trail
It is good to see everyone out using the Valley Trail.
Some people use it for pleasure; some use it to commute to work—everyone uses the trail for different purposes and at different speeds. There is a set of rules at the access points to the Valley Trail reminding people to respect the different users on the trail.
Bikes are the fastest things on the trails. It would be nice if when a biker is approaching walkers from behind, they ring their bell, or call out with "on your left" so the pedestrian has time to move to the side of the trail and rein in children and [leashed] dogs.
Bikes, do not pass on the right—that is not expected and can be scary if the walker is not expecting it. Please slow down when passing or going through the parks. Take your time passing and wait until it is clear to do so; this keeps you safe from any random events that may happen.
At intersections with real roads, where the trail has a stop sign, you should actually pay attention. I have seen bikers almost hit by vehicles because they have not stopped.
Walkers, please be cognizant of other trail users. If in a large group do not range across the whole trail, and move to the right side if bikes are trying to pass.
Dogs should be on a leash, and the leash shortened when people are trying to pass. Please pick up dog poo from the side of the trail, so if people want or have to step off the trail, they do not step in it.
Finally, whether you are commuting or out for pleasure, take a few extra minutes to enjoy the trail, acknowledge your fellow trail users and if you take out your ear buds, you will not only be able to [hear] the nature that surrounds you, but [appreciate] it. There is nothing better for your health.
Francesca Cole // Whistler
Dr. Bonnie Henry kept B.C. safe from COVID-19
Mr. [Rowndell] Tate's ill-informed and uneducated opinion in regards to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the decisions made by our government can be best disputed with one question (Pique, Letter to the Editor, June 3).
Does he honestly believe that he knows better on how to respond to a global crisis than [B.C. Provincial Health Officer] Dr. Bonnie Henry? To quote from the New York Times article recently detailing her world-renowned handling of COVID-19 in our province, [she has had] "a 30-year medical career as a female fleet medical officer tending to 1,000 men at sea, a family doctor at an urban California clinic, an epidemiologist setting up quarantines for families exposed to Ebola in Uganda and the operational leader of Toronto's response to the lethal SARS outbreak."
Quite an impressive resume and one I'm certain Mr. Tate does not possess.
His comments regarding his belief that COVID-19 swept through Whistler back in December are laughable to anyone who has actually experienced this illness.
My Italian family are from the Lombardy region and endured gross mismanagement of this pandemic, resulting in almost 1,000 deaths daily in their country at its peak. How dare Mr. Tate compare the financial cost of our government keeping us safe against what he calls "a few deaths."
We were incredibly lucky to have strong leadership and decisive action from our province, and to Mr. Tate and his assertion that we could have done it differently, I have one thing to say: You are wrong.
Tania Chiasson // Pemberton
Booze and quiet residences—how to co-exist
As owners at Elements, we strongly hope that the adjacent restaurant will not be able to expand its exterior liquor licence seating limit of 40.
If they do seat up to 50 outside, the extra 10 seats closest to Elements (sidewalk and/or their driveway) should be dry, liquor free. Also no amplified music outside the existing enclosed patio.
I think it's great if the Village of Pemberton allows sidewalk seating. It creates a great lively life "in" the street in European parlance, as opposed to being "on" the street in North American parlance.
I was a strong advocate for sidewalk seating when I was on Vancouver's Downtown Development Impacts Committee and on Theatre Row's Board. I make the same recommendation [that] I did then, that's in Vancouver's current guidelines, that on narrower sidewalks, small Parisian tables are used with tall stools, not chairs, so patrons can't stick their legs out into such a way as to block pedestrian traffic, but can only rest their feet on the rails below their torso.
Since Pemberton has so many dogs, restaurant staff will need to request dinners not to tie their dogs to adjacent trees, or the dogs that want to sit by their owners will end up totally blocking the sidewalk.
Myson Effa // Pemberton
(Editor's Note: Village of Pemberton manager of development services Lisa Pedrini confirmed during council's special meeting on June 9 that establishments can only increase the patio footprint, not its capacity, while existing noise bylaws remain in effect.)
