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Name dropping between peaks

Whistlerites weigh in on appropriate names for Peak to Peak gondola

By Claire Piech

With the naming rights for Whistler-Blackcomb’s anticipated Peak to Peak gondola up for grabs to a company sponsor, the gondola will be sporting a different name sometime soon.

Whistler-Blackcomb announced last week that IMG Canada will be the exclusive sales agent for the naming rights to the gondola, which will set records for length and height above ground. What it will cost for a company to have its name associated with the $51-million-project is unknown.

“The Peak to Peak gondola will be a key to Whistler-Blackcomb’s future, and the corporate naming rights will be an important part of the project’s success,” said Dave Brownlie, Whistler-Blackcomb’s chief operating officer.

IMG Canada is hoping that a company concerned with the environment, engineering, or leading edge technology will buy the Peak to Peak’s naming rights, but what sort of companies do people in Whistler think would be appropriate?

James Collin from Whistler thought that a good corporate sponsor would be 7-Eleven, “That way the gondola could be called 7-Eleven’s 7th Heaven.”

David Lall of England also liked the 7 th Heaven theme and suggested the gondola be named “Stairway to Heaven”.

“Village Cross” was another suggestion by Amy Lobb from Whistler, adding that any company would be an appropriate sponsor.

Not everyone is happy about the plans for the new gondola, however. Jay Cates, a resident of Whistler, suggested the name “Cash Cow”, saying that he is totally against the project.

And James Diekman from Australia thought the gondola should be called “Too Much Trouble Gondola” for the interference its construction will have with skiing and snowboarding.

One man, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Just call it whatever, it’ll be fantastic.”

Construction of the gondola began this month and should be completed by December 2008.