The municipality’s efforts to install a traffic light at the Highway 99-Blueberry Drive intersection have hit a snag: the Ministry of Transportation and Highways is holding back the computer box that operates the lights. Residents of Alta Vista and Blueberry Hill who attended a public forum last month unanimously agreed that a light was needed at the intersection. The municipality vowed to work toward installing a light, noting that the light standards were already in their possession and the electrical conduits had been installed several months ago. The ministry is opposed to any further traffic lights on Highway 99 between the village and Whistler Creek. However, Mayor Ted Nebbeling vowed Tuesday to continue to fight for a light. "We’re going to sleep on the steps until the minister sees us," he said. An open house will be held at the new public safety building Saturday and a bronze sculptured osprey, the first piece in Whistler’s Art in Public Places program, will be unveiled. The osprey, by Vancouver sculptor George Schmerholz, was purchased by the municipality for the re-designed entrance of municipal hall and the public safety building. Schmerholz, a former resident of Whistler, is originally from Transylvania, Romania. He studied at the University of Clug prior to defecting to Italy to pursue his career in art. He has also lived in Sweden and Toronto. His work can be found in Bangkok, Japan, Toronto and UBC. Members of the public are invited to attend the unveiling Saturday, Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. Municipal council, municipal staff and the Whistler Valley Housing Society will be holding an in camera meeting to discuss a number of affordable housing issues on Monday, Jan. 8. A public workshop on transportation issues will be held Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. in council chambers. Municipal administrator Peter Kent was back at the first council meeting of the new year. Kent had been on stress-induced medical leave for a number of weeks.
