RMOW adopts guiding principles for Olympic bid

Whistler council has adopted a set of principles to guide the municipality through the 2010 Olympic bid process.

In July of 2000 council introduced a draft set of guiding principles for consideration by the community. The draft guiding principles were distributed through a council news brief and posted on the municipal Web site.

At a community forum on the Olympic bid last September public opinion was sought on several potential benefits from hosting the Games, to help council determine the lasting legacies from the bid.

The draft guiding principles were revised based on comments received at the community forum and a new document was posted on the municipal Web site in April. The municipality then contracted the polling firm of McIntyre and Mustel to conduct a survey of permanent residents, second homeowners and business owners/managers to determine support for the revised principles and legacies.

The survey, received by council at the June 18 meeting, showed 73 per cent of permanent residents, 70 per cent of second homeowners and 69 per cent of business owners surveyed were supportive of the revised guiding principles and lasting legacies. The polling firm found some concern about hosting the Olympics, but none of the 453 people surveyed provided negative comments about the guiding principles.

The guiding principles have now been forwarded to the Bid Corporation.

Guiding Principles for Whistler’s involvement in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, adopted by Whistler council July 3, 2001

• Be proactive in environmental stewardship throughout the planning and staging of the Olympic Games;

• Be ethical and transparent;

• Recognize the Resort Municipality of Whistler as a partner in the planning and staging of the Olympic Games;

• Conduct the bid process and operate the Olympic Games within a balanced budget, with sufficient provision for the development and maintenance of lasting legacies;

• Ensure that the financial exposure of the Resort Municipality of Whistler is limited by ensuring that Olympic revenues meet or exceed all financial requirements;

• Ensure that there is broad representation from across the Resort Municipality of Whistler on committees and work groups involved in the planning and staging of the Olympic Games;

• Respect the character of the resort community of Whistler;

• Be consistent with and guided by the Official Community Plan, the Comprehensive Development Plan, the Environment Strategy and the vision for the Resort Municipality of Whistler.

• Result in the creation of legacies which are of lasting value to the residents and businesses of the Resort Municipality of Whistler;

• Add lasting value to the Resort Municipality of Whistler.

• Engage in open and timely communication.