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Disappointed and stunned

Disappointed and stunned Just after writing my letter to our elected officials, I was stunned to read about the price increase for employee housing units being unanimously approved up to $192.50 per square foot, at the last council meeting.

Disappointed and stunned

Just after writing my letter to our elected officials, I was stunned to read about the price increase for employee housing units being unanimously approved up to $192.50 per square foot, at the last council meeting. This isn’t for newly approved projects but is being applied retroactively for the 550-plus units that have been owed for years.

Please people, when is a deal a deal? These developers were given substantial benefits in exchange for providing the housing units. You have just handed them millions of dollars more on the backs of our under-housed employees!

Ken, what were you thinking; anything is better than being perceived as having delivered nothing? Is this the kind of logic we can now expect of you if you are elected mayor?

Mr. Davies, how callous of you to think that the employees will now be able to qualify for much bigger mortgages or will have to settle for smaller units. I sincerely doubt that many young workers’ wages have increased 24 per cent in the last few years to keep pace with this latest increase. How many will fall through the cracks and be forced to leave our town? Will the general population ever be able to trust that you are acting on our behalf and delivering what is owed?

Everyone, please express your concerns with your vote on Nov. 19 th .

RM. Koning

Whistler

No surprise

I was disappointed but not surprised to read the WHA has raised the benchmark price of affordable housing at the request of Nita Lake Developer John Haibeck (Pique Nov.10). This is yet another example of the RMOW playing into the hands of developers at the expense of the ordinary citizen. Even Ken Melamed's reservations about keeping the original deal succumbed to the pressure.

I have no sympathy for Haibeck’s complaint regarding demands the Muni places on developers with his comment that he's "never seen anything like it" in 14 cities he's built in. I'd be curious as to what the price of real estate and the cost of living were in comparison but I'm sure we'd be comparing apples and oranges. I don't know what he's complaining about, his legal team managed to convince the Muni to go ahead with a permit even after the courts shut it down. This new benchmark is another win-win for him and a lose-lose for Joe Homebuyer. Basically, by stalling, the developer gained $37,000 plus interest for every 1,000 sq. ft home while no new housing has been built. Adjusting this figure annually based on the increase in the consumer price index does not sit well with me either. It should be based on the average increase in wages, which for me is about 2 per cent/year.

I don't believe that $192 per sq. ft. is accurate or affordable, given the average wage-earners income and rising interest rates. For Haibeck to suggest it should be $300 per sq. ft. shows he's seeing through rose coloured glasses with dollar-signs engraved in them. Affordable housing by definition should not be high end.

I recognize that the cost of building is on the rise, but of course here in Whistler everything is over inflated. The gouging starts at the top and trickles down until almost every project experiences cost overruns. These inflated figures are one of the reasons Eva Lake strata chose to repair rather than rebuild the 15-year-old buildings, a risky decision that does little to improve the value of our complex.

I don't intend to belittle the many fine contractors who do quality work worth well over $200 per sq. ft. but that's not the standard we should be aiming for. If we weren't so preoccupied with status and keeping up with the Joneses we could solve the housing problem by taking the millions in WHA accounts and purchasing prefab homes to buy or rent. I assume this option has not been given much consideration because it could be viewed as trashy and doesn't line the pockets of developers.

I am not a homebuilder but I contracted my own home to be built in 2002 for $60 per sq. ft. I chose to hire a contractor from Vancouver Island who will build a simple stick frame home (reminiscent of ’70s era chalets being torn down) anywhere in B.C., right now for under $100 sq. ft. ( does not include land, site prep, or servicing). They give you a price and they stick to it. Why is everything always so costly in Whistler? Why can't simple modest homes be built? Why does the cost of living escalate higher here than most other places? Why are the developers, real estate agents and corporate businesses the few that capitalize at the expense of the residents?

I know these simple questions have complicated answers if any, but they all involve a certain amount of greed. I can only hope for a new Whistler council that recognizes that decisions should be based on the benefits of their working class citizens first.

Mike Roger

Birken/Whistler

Clean sweep

The current council ran on a platform of employee housing, yet not one new unit was occupied in their term. I would think that anyone who failed to accomplish their primary task in job would not last three years before their boss replaced them. On Nov. 19th let’s tell them what we thought about their lack of accomplishments by exercising our democratic rights and not returning one incumbent. Let’s clean our house.

Robin Brown

Whistler

Time to vote

It is a very important time in Whistler right now, it is time to vote. I would like to appeal to residents young and old to vote for someone for mayor who has the courage to stand up for what he believes in and someone who will listen to the whole community about what they feel would be best for the future of Whistler. Ken Melamed has always shown the courage to stand up and protect Whistler from those who would rather exploit the town’s current success than protect it for the future enjoyment of others. Melamed has both the experience and the guts to be a strong leader for the community of Whistler and take us towards 2010.

For the councillor positions I encourage people to vote with the environment in mind. With climate change, depleting fossil fuels, shrinking forests, and increasing pollution of all kinds we need to ensure that Whistler is not only protected, but that we continue to work towards becoming more environmentally sustainable as a community. Other towns across Canada, as I saw on my bike trip across the country this summer, are far ahead of us in leading the way environmentally and I feel it is important for us to improve our efforts in order to show the world a better way of doing things.

Whistler has been my home from birth, and I regret that I will not be in town to vote on the 19th as I am on the other side of the continent in Washington, D.C., hitting the streets to get rid of Bush... if more people voted, he never would have been re-elected in the first place. So since I can't be there, please get out there and vote for me!

Sara Jennings

Whistler

What would you do?

Before I get started I would like to clarify that I am currently an undecided voter for the position of mayor in the upcoming municipal election.

Topic: The Hounds of Bankaville.

For years on the Green Lake ride we would hear howls coming from the woods at the end of rough double-track just seemingly hacked through the bush. Often we had thought of checking it out but hadn't ventured in for a peek at the source of these tortured sounds.

One day a friend and I did venture in and came upon the alpha male of the pack which had been chained up and was so f----- up that his chain had gone close to two-fingers into his flesh and had scabbed over. Each time he moved he howled because of the injury, which hadn't been treated in months.

Behind this large husky/malamute/wolf/hyena X were a malnourished, caged and rabid motley crew of mangy dogs with no water and seemingly feeding upon the sick and the weak to sustain themselves. Nice!

Upon seeing this we calmed down the big male and gave him some water, as did we with the rest of the dogs.

My dog, Bo, had a look of disgust and sadness as we rode with haste to the nearest phone at Sabre. I called the RMOW and lodged one of many complaints.

What would you do?

Grant Lamont

Whistler

West side still waiting for sewer

Alta Lake Road, on the west side of Alta Lake is currently the only residential sector of Whistler lacking a public sewer system. Whistler's roots were founded on the Rainbow Park site. Alta Lake Road houses Whistler's only Youth Hostel, one of Whistler’s most popular parks, and is home to approximately 100 residents. Several lakeside homes built in the ’70s have antiquated and ineffective septic beds, leaking raw sewage directly into Alta Lake. Each summer the Alta Lake Beaches have warnings of high e-coli counts, and bathers suffer "swimmer's itch". Numerous costly studies have centred around the "sustainability" of the River of Golden Dreams – fed from Alta Lake.

Alta Lake Road residents were promised sewers would soon be forthcoming,15 years ago. The municipality is spending millions on bike trails, a library, village enhancement, a second ice arena, and yet no mention has been made to provide the basic essentials of sanitary living.

Council has been asked to allow one of the controversial residential/commercial development sites north of Alpine to connect to the municipal sewer, as there is an employee housing residential component. Many of the residents on Alta Lake Road have been employees and builders of this town for 10, 15 and some 20 years! But more importantly, one of Whistler's best and most popular swimming, fishing and boating bodies of water, a sensitive ecosystem, is in grave danger of permanent demise.

Perhaps attention should be paid to the provision of a sanitary sewer system for all Whistler residents, to ensure the environmentally sound "sustainability" of our natural waters. In a community prestigious enough to hold a world class Olympics, it seems reasonable to expect this basic level of infrastructure.

Jill Jacques

Whistler

Fumbling for answers

Thank you to Clare Ogilvie for presenting our situation regarding a very temporary access over West Park to Lagoons for public review. Interestingly the RMOW spokesperson appears to further dig a deeper hole than one initiated by ourselves. She openly admits to the details of the request, none of which had anything to do with our use of the park. Next she states that this is a type of fee for park use and in particular "exclusive use of the park." Further on in the article she states they have never had such a request and again in the same breath "it is standard practice to draw up a licence agreement." I believe the RMOW is fumbling for answers.

The truth is that we were asked to make a substantial donation to Parks if we wanted to take a rubber-tired machine over a sidewalk regularly used by Parks maintenance vehicles; to temporarily remove two dormant bushes and a clump of Black Eyed Susans, dig a trench on our own property, hook up a new connection to the main, replace the plants and leave having repaired the minimal damage. The time frame involved was four-five days.

It was after we refused to pay the RMOW's $10,000 fee for this non-exclusive use of a sidewalk that we were presented with a punitive, 10-page license agreement which contained a clause which held the RMOW harmless on "related matters".

It should also be noted that other strata corporations facing a similar situation and going through property also managed by Parks were not asked to pay any fees. We also doubt that on this particular piece of land the RMOW has the authority to charge a fee as the ownership is not clearly theirs.

Mr. Patterson did not of his own account withdraw the request of the funds. We gave him the opportunity to do so in order to save him embarrassment.

My compliments to the Plumbing and Building departments for their speedy response and assistance in all matters related to this situation.

Christina Halldorson

President- LMS 2597-Lagoons

Whistler

2010 is coming, so is pine beetle

As a long time supporter of Whistler, skiing (or tumbling) down my first runs in the early ’70s, I write this letter to you out of concern for the future and the Olympics.

Over the past year I have become friends with a couple of people who are very knowledgeable when it comes to the plight of forests in B.C. Specifically, the growing problem of pine beetle infestation, mutating fungi (one if which could be potentially more devastating than the pine beetle) and of course the apparent increase in the number and size of forest fires. All symptoms of global warming.

The pine beetle is currently taking out significantly more pine trees than the logging industry. It has marched eastward and is now in the Rockies and West and South passing through the Pemberton Valley, Blackcomb and Whistler on its way to Squamish and beyond. In some circles it is being referred to as Canada's silent Katrina because it will have effect on forestry, wildlife, fish habitat and our economy in a big way.

To assist with an illustration of the devastation, a 100 km by 100 km sector of dead forest is a very small percentage of the pine beetle devastation. The wood from one of these dead forests can fuel a 350 Megawatt biomass burning hydro generating plant for 20 years. Again, 100 km x 100 km is just the tip of iceberg when speaking of pine beetle damage.

As it is only in its early stages in Whistler, it is not visually obvious, like it is around Prince George for example. However as we march closer to 2010 these scientists are predicting its visibility in the Whistler region will be significant. Since the whole world will be watching I thought those who have a significant interest in the long-term survival of Whistler may want to take a deeper look into the problem and explore solutions immediately. With only four-plus years of growing time left before 2010, the time to implement a plan is now... right now, while there is still a chance to turn this around.

Warren Carr

Vancouver

How much do we care?

I am writing this letter because I am very upset about how uncaring and selfish people are not only in the big cities but here in our own little community.

On Monday Nov. 7 around 5 a.m. while driving between Pemberton and Whistler I was horrified to come across a doe in the middle of the road protecting her injured fawn. I understand that the driving conditions weren’t the best, but if you hit something you should stop, assess the situation and deal with it as best you can. It was obvious that the callous person who hit the poor little guy did not stop, as they would have seen that he was not dead. I moved him to the side of the road as I could not live with myself if I had just kept driving knowing that he would have been hit again and again and his mother would also have been hit and probably killed.

While waiting on the side of the road for the police for 20-30 minutes (it was dark and snowing) I was once again disappointed in the human race as not one person stopped to see if everything was OK.

Long story short, when it was obvious nobody was coming to help I called the police back and they gave me the conservation office’s number as they should have done in the first place. I proceeded to load the little guy into my car and arranged to meet the officer in town so he could take him and put him out of his misery. Luckily my 14-month-old German shepherd seemed to understand the fawn was not a threat and by the time I arrived in Whistler she was licking his face as if to reassure him, it was so sweet and so sad knowing the fate of this beautiful innocent little animal.

Ellen Ramsay

Pemberton

Bearfoot Circus a success

On behalf of the Whistler Gymnastics Club, we would like to thank Andre of the Bearfoot Bistro for his brilliant family circus idea and for his generosity in sponsoring the incredible family show last Saturday. Over 350 curious circus goers enjoyed the performance and over $3,000 was raised for the Whistler Gymnastics Club. With the support and vision of local businesses like the Bearfoot Bistro, our dream of having a permanent training centre is getting that much closer.

Thank you from all 200+ members of the Whistler Gymnastics Club.

Jan Budge for

Whistler Gymanstics Club

No IPPs mentioned

RE: Pemberton candidates meeting draws crowd (Pique Newsmagazine Nov. 10, 2005)

I was disturbed to read your reporter's account of the Pemberton all candidates meeting, as it does not fairly or accurately represent what was actually said. As I made no reference to independent power projects the entire evening, I find it necessary to provide clarification.

It was reported that I took potshots at opponent Alan LeBlanc. The comment which audience member Rick May (parent of VVLA slate member Shane May) chastised me on, was not in respect to his work for IPPs, as your reporter alleged. It was in reference to LeBlanc's recently won contract from the SLRD, along with Carney's, to construct, maintain and operate a waste and recycling plant at the industrial park.

I raised a valid issue that Area C residents should be aware of.

Any questions arising at the SLRD table about the management, operation or invoicing of the waste centre, would place Mr. LeBlanc (if elected) in a conflict of interest. Thereby, removing his ability to represent the interests of Area C at the table.

Over the years, I have been misquoted and my comments misrepresented and I’ve never responded with a letter to the editor, but I have never had a reporter replace the context of my comments with a topic I never discussed.

Who’s throwing the shots?

Susie Gimse

Pemberton

Editor’s note: It was incorrectly reported that Gimse commented on LeBlanc’s association with independent power projects. In fact, her comments were in regard to LeBlanc’s association with the waste and recycling plant. Pique regrets the error.

Information is out there

After reading the Nov. 10, 2005 edition of Pique, quoting Valley Vision Leadership in Action candidate Brian Young’s comments as to the contents of my binder, I felt it a great opportunity to inform the community of the areas you can obtain the information I have been researching.

• Minutes from recent council meetings ( www.pemberton.ca )

• Minutes from prior council meetings regarding boundary expansion, Whistler Housing Authority ( www.whistlerhousing.ca ), etc.

PPP: The dimensions of public private partnership. (http:// www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca /lgd/pol_research/MAR/PPP/ppp2a.html)

• Winds Of Change: A Healing Vision ( www.pemberton.ca )

• Perc Report ( www.pemberton.ca )

• Village Of Pemberton Financial Information (www.pemberton.ca)

• Zoning By-Law ( www.pemberton.ca )

• Official Community Plan ( www.pemberton.ca )

• Smart Growth BC ( www.smartgrowth.bc.ca )

• BC Agritourism ( www.agritourismbc.org )

As to the airport report in my bag at the time (along with a copy of the Community Charter (http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/37th4th/3rd_read/gov14-3-toc.htm), and the "VOP "Village Vision" Revitalization Study" ( www.pemberton.ca) it is a report that is available to the public and is not the information from the current airport committee. The name of the report I have is the "Pemberton Airport 10 Year Business Plan 2004 — 2014" completed by William R. Neale & Associates Ltd. on June 15, 2004.

One of the first things I did after filing my nomination papers was to go straight to the source; scheduling a meeting with the mayor. I obtained this public information from either requesting it from the mayor and current councillors or retrieving it off the internet. After doing so I organized this information into a binder.

I encourage Mr. Young or anyone else who has any questions or concerns to call me on my cell at (604) 905-8820. I would also like to thank all the community members who have answered my questions or voiced their concerns over the last few weeks which has assisted me in educating myself on the various topics of concern, I appreciate your support!

Kirsten McLeod

Pemberton

Listen, then be our voice

With Pemberton’s election right around the corner I find I'm even more undecided about who to vote for. I have to admit I've been very disappointed with some of the decisions made by our elected officials of the past. These big ugly power poles down the meadows for one.

I've sat back these past few months and tried to hear everyone’s point of view on how they think Pemberton should move forward. Some have made comment on our would-be elected officials having their own personal agendas. I feel there is no room for personal agendas in an elected official’s job. Those of us who voted for you have chosen you to be our voice not our brains. I feel not many important decisions are put before the community for their approval. This is something I'd like to see change. I think important decisions concerning our community should be put before the people so we can choose what we feel is best suited to our homeland. Important decisions like the airport expansion. Before anyone says "Yeah, let's do it." I'd like a chance to say "No thanks! If I wanted big planes flying over my home I would have moved to Richmond." Decisions of such magnitude should not be left up to just a few when they affect so many.

Only after the last proposal for the community centre got shot down at the last minute, did this new community center proposal get put up for the people to vote on. This should have happened the first time.

The people of Pemberton all want what's best for this community. I feel our time and money would be better spent improving the lives of those who live here and those of us who want to be here forever. A new community centre is great but again this one I find is over the top expensive. This one comes in at about $350 per sq.ft. Why so much? True we need a youth centre and we need to improve our health care centre to meet the need of our fast growing community. There are no playgrounds, no parks, in truth nothing for our kids to do.

We do not need to be the pick up guys for everything Whistler does not want. The decisions made should reflect the people of Pemberton and our beautiful valley. Most of us who bought land here in the last 10 years or so, left Whistler because Whistler does not care about its people. Please don't make Pemberton another unaffordable, unfriendly place to live.

And to those of you who get elected to be our voices, give us a chance to be heard, before you speak for us.

Nadine Morton

Pemberton

Feeling manipulated?

I would like to add some comments to Cindy Filipenko’s article in the Nov. 10 Pique Newsmagazine regarding the upcoming community centre referendum for Pemberton residents.

A brief history: in 1999 a survey was done to find out what the community wanted in the way of recreation. A weighted facility priority came back with a community centre at 186, an arena 143, pool 118, community centre/arena 97, library 90, fitness centre 50. Those numbers came from adults surveyed. High school students surveyed came back at arena 143, pool 74, community centre 21, library 18, fitness centre 12.

The latest survey done June 25, using percentages, came back with pool 70.5 per cent, rink 66.4 per cent and in third place community centre 58.7 per cent. High school students weren’t surveyed this time.

There was one public meeting, yes only one, early this year before the VOP and SLRD put forward Bylaw 931-400, Community Recreation Building loan, which didn’t have any recreation in it and was defeated by over 800 votes using the Alternate Approval Process, also known as the "No Vote" or counter petition.

The VOP and SLRD then updated their survey, had a whole two public meetings before coming out with the current referendum question. Getting back to the survey results if one was skeptical, which unfortunately I have become, it would be easy to draw the conclusion that by not surveying the high school kids it would give the results that the VOP and SLRD were looking for; which is a standalone community centre. Since it is the kids that will be using this facility the most why are their views not being considered? The second survey had community centre in third spot but that is what we are voting on? In the second survey, only at later building phases was a library even mentioned and yet we are now going to be voting on a library as part of the community centre as well. At the second meeting the VOP and SLRD consultant recommended a library as part of the referendum for the only reason that history shows referendums are more likely to pass if a library is included. Are you starting to feel manipulated?

The same consultant said an arena would be $8-10 million yet when I contacted Can Lan, Canada’s largest ice rink management company, they told me $3-4 million and only if government was involved would it double in price. Hence the need for a design-build process to be put in place.

During the "No Vote" VOP and SLRD also stated that the grant money wouldn’t be extended if the vote was "No" and yet there it is again in the referendum. Now they are stating that if the money is approved it can only be used for a library/community centre. Can you trust these guys?

Unfortunately I wasn’t at the All Candidates meeting reported by Cindy Filipenko but her report that Suzie Gimse and Mark Blundell discredited the counter petition is not surprising. These two do not care what the public thinks. They have not only dismissed the counter petition but also the latest survey that they conducted.

Suzie Gimse and Mark Blundell are the only two running for re-election and it’s time to send them a strong message. It’s time for politicians to start listening to the public instead of telling the public what’s good for them.

As for Mark Blundell’s rant over the VVLA slate, does he not have his own slate with ads for Bruce van Mook, Suzie Gimse, Kirsten McLeod and himself running constantly on his store cashier terminals? I am not affiliated in any way with the VVLA and only know Alan Leblanc personally but from what I see it's time to vote in some new blood even if they would all be rookies.

I am going to be voting Yes for the referendum and let the new council deal with the money in a way that the public wants.

Ray Mason

Pemberton

It’s our future

Re: A slate is a slate, in Pemberton (Pemberton candidates meeting draws crowd, Pique Nov. 10)

I have had the pleasure of working with the Pemberton Valley Vision group for the past two months. These dedicated locals have been co-operatively debating positive solutions for the forward movement of our town. In 2005, Pemberton has seen only four building permits following a lengthy ban on development due to inadequate services, a botched counter petition for a much needed recreational facility, several businesses have closed due to lack of traffic in the midst of commercial real estate expansion, and there has been a lack of residential home sales due to the inability to attract new families. This group dynamic has worked for Squamish – why not in Pemberton?

Enough of the past, let’s work for the future. This group is ready to work. Status quo is no longer an option. Please get out and vote this Saturday for VVLA – it’s our future.

Drew Meredith

Pemberton

Keep it going

This letter was addressed to Andre St. Jacques of the Bearfoot Bistro. A copy was forwarded to Pique.

I would not feel that I had done all that I could if I did not write to plead with you to continue the MasqueRave, or something like it. I am turning 50 and have just attended the best party in my life.

Thank you for providing this awesome pleasure to the world.

James Taylor

Tacoma, WA