While the bulk of Whistler's proposed 2020-2024 budget pertains to the "nuts and bolts" of the resort—unseen investments in things like water and sewer infrastructure—residents will see its impact firsthand in 2020 and beyond.
Improvements to the Valley Trail, Meadow Park Sports Centre, Alpine Trail Network, bus shelters and more are all on tap for 2020.
"A budget like this will touch residents throughout their daily lives," said Mayor Jack Crompton.
"That's part of why I am so interested in the work of local government—the decisions that we make as a part of this budget process make our community a better place to be."
Improvements to the Valley Trail in 2020 include extensions from Millar Creek to Function Junction ($1.5 million) and Rainbow to Scotia Creek ($1.025 million), as well as $685,000 for access and safety improvements and $412,000 for lighting from Alta Vista to Nita Lake—all proposed to come from the provincial Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) program.
"Valley Trail extensions are big moves for our climate and our community," Crompton said. "They drive modal shift away from the single-occupant vehicle and make Whistler a better place to live."
In a similar vein, there's $155,000 set aside in 2020 for bus shelter improvements, new bus stops on Highway 99 and upgrades to existing facilities.
"As the Whistler Transit System expands, BC Transit has identified that the transit facilities at either end of the Route 10 service limit the ability to efficiently and effectively schedule the Route 10, 20, and 30 buses," Crompton said.
"By building a bus layby in Emerald and expanding the bus layby area in Cheakamus Crossing, BC Transit will be able to support expansions to the transit system and schedule the Whistler Transit System more efficiently."
Also of note are 2020 investments into library infrastructure ($140,000 to upgrade the library's collection, and another $125,000 to implement changes from the library's recent space needs assessment, like adding more meeting spaces and comfortable seating, and relocating the teen area), 14 electric vehicle-charging stations ($123,000, supplemented by another $123,000 in grant money) and at Meadow Park ($1.5 million from RMI to replace the water park, add new playground equipment, enhance picnic areas and the recreational space along the river's edge, add an off-leash dog area and reconstruct irrigation and drainage systems)—an investment Crompton referred to as an "exciting first outcome of the Parks Master Plan process."
But they're not all big-ticket items.
"I'm personally excited about a new dishwasher for the Point Artist-Run Centre ($5,000 for an industrial dishwasher, plus $1,000 for installation)," Crompton said.
"It means we won't have people washing dishes at 2 a.m. while others are dancing."
The $80,000 budgeted for the Andree Vajda Janyk Sports Field is carried over from last year's budget of $630,000, according to the municipality, and includes "project close-out, record drawings and surveys and, if required, minor adjustments to the landscape surrounding the field based upon the results of spring melt out and surface drainage."
There's also $150,000 from RMI in 2020 for work on the Alpine Trail Network, including establishing a working ranger station in the alpine to aid in monitoring, research and education, adding an outhouse, improving signage for trail users, and purchasing more trail counters and wildlife cameras for data collection.
"Habitat mapping will be completed by an area biologist before any further trail development plans are made," Crompton noted.
These represent just a small portion of Whistler's $90.4-million budget—read the full list of proposed projects at www.whistler.ca/budget.
The budget guidelines are set to be presented to council on Dec. 3, with the five-year financial plan scheduled for first three readings at the next meeting on Dec. 17 (though both dates are subject to change).
Residents can email feedback to [email protected] until Dec. 3.
"It's taxpayer money, so we expect people to be interested in the process, and I personally welcome informed and opinionated feedback," Crompton said.
"It helps us make better decisions, [and] it helps us deliver better budgets."
