Chapel society opens office Fund-raising effort ready to go The Whistler Skier Chapel Society will open its fund-raising office sometime next week on the spot where the new chapel will be located. The new chapel will sit on Blackcomb Way on the opposite side of the water park from the High Mountain Brewing Company (Whistler BrewHouse). At 10,000 square feet, on two levels, and costing about $3.1 million, it will provide religious space for several faiths, in addition to a mid-week day care upstairs and a teen centre and community group office services downstairs. The full fund-raising committee has been selected and volunteers have been rounded up, although the society says more volunteers are always welcome. One fund-raising effort will sell off prints of a water colour of the original Whistler Skiers Chapel by Richard Lindeman, an artist living in West Vancouver who's painted an extensive portfolio of Whistler scenics, including views of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. The water colour of the original A-frame chapel was done as a sentimental gift for a friend who got married in it, Lindeman says. The plan is to produce 200 limited edition prints, selling or auctioning them to raise money for the new building. The old Skiers Chapel must be moved from its Creekside location by June 30 to make way for Intrawest's Whistler Station development plans. The Chapel Society and Intrawest are working on plans to move the building, perhaps to an on-mountain site. Details of sales of the water colour prints are is still being worked out, but a copy of the painting will be displayed at the fund-raising office.
