Sprucing up the overall image of an aging village is key in the face of mounting rivalry from other resorts ranging from Vail to Fernie, and everyone will need to work together if Whistler is to sustain its world class appeal.
That is the message that will come from two experts at a workshop to be held by the municipality on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
The workshop will be a chance for the village retail community, property owners and anyone else interested, to have their say on the municipality’s proposed village enhancement guidelines.
These guidelines will likely be finalized and presented to council for adoption by March. They will also result in some bylaw changes, said RMOW senior planer Mike Kirkegaard.
The guidelines will cover a range of often controversial issues including signage; storefront design; outdoor clothing racks; patios and awnings; noise from outdoor speakers; washrooms: neon or televisions in store windows; landscaping and property maintenance; and props or beacons – like a plastic cow or river raft – designed to attract customers.
"We want to address those issues so that we can have equitable and consistent enforcement of our bylaws," said Kirkegaard.
The RMOW has retained Bob Inwood of Mainstreet Consultants in Nelson and Chris LeTourner of Thomas Consultants of Vancouver to help with the project. They will both be making presentations at the workshop.
Inwood, an urban designer, has been involved in main street programs for several communities throughout B.C. including Revelstoke. He has an interest in fine arts and public art and works in conjunction with crafts people, noted Kirkegaard.
Inwood is developing the specific guidelines for Whistler Village and he will illustrate examples of what is trying to be achieved at the workshop.
LeTourner is a retail expert who does work for property owners, developers and communities. He has done work in Park City, Salt Lake City and other American resorts.
Kirkegaard said LeTourner recently made an inspiring presentation for the Urban Development Institute in Vancouver on hot retail concepts and retail trends. "I sat in on that workshop and thought, oh boy, here is the perfect guy to bring to Whistler to help address these issues we are dealing with, like the props and displays and why a cow and not something else. He refers to these things as beacons for drawing customers and he will talk about what is successful in other communities and the success criteria for other retailers," noted Kirkegaard. "He will help communicate the overall importance of how everyone is in this together."
The Jan. 31 workshop follows one held in June last year where Kirkegaard told stakeholders that Whistler village was looking a little tired. "We are facing competition… we can’t afford to walk around with blinkers on," he told the group of around 60 people.
He noted that the RMOW was in the process of reviewing plans for a number of renovations, upgrades and expansions proposed by village properties, including the Whistler Conference Centre, the bottom two floors of the Carleton Lodge and an expansion to Blackcomb Lodge.
There are also building maintenance issues to be addressed related to the aging village core, a lack of sense of arrival at key gateway locations and other concerns about signage, displays, public safety and the economic health and viability of village businesses and properties.
The municipality first embarked on the plan to spruce up the old portion of village in 1997 after renowned resort planner Eldon Beck noted the village was beginning to look tired and dreary.
The RMOW started to develop concept plans and design standards but the whole process was put on hold after "the infamous kiosk initiative" that saw retailers balking at the concept of allowing vendors in the village to add a little life and diversity.
Kirkegaard said the project was also hobbled at the time by a depletion of planning staff and by other projects demanding priority.
"Now this is a commitment of council," he said at last summer’s workshop.
In the months leading up to last year’s workshop, a village enhancement steering committee was struck including municipal, retail, bar and restaurant, property management, public art committee, advisory design panel, chamber of commerce and Tourism Whistler representation.
Municipal staff also conducted 45 hour-long confidential interviews with a broad cross section of stakeholders.
The committee then developed a draft vision statement that was presented at the June, 2000 workshop.
The results of the June workshop and the confidential interviews are now available to the public, said Kirkegaard. The input has since been incorporated into the draft guidelines.
After the Jan. 31 workshop, the guidelines will be finalized in preparation for the spring presentation to council.
Kirkegaard said council has indicated it doesn't want to start enforcing the guidelines immediately so at the same time the guidelines are presented to council, staff will also bring forward timelines that may include some grandfathering clauses or a phasing out process that will give businesses and property owners plenty of time to come into compliance with the new rules.
The workshop will be at the Whistler Conference Centre between 7 and 9 p.m.
