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‘Conspiracy theory’ attempts to deflect culpability The “shock and awe” suggested by council to the “sudden” budget shortfall is a puzzler with plenty of finger pointing and indignation.

‘Conspiracy theory’ attempts to deflect culpability

The “shock and awe” suggested by council to the “sudden” budget shortfall is a puzzler with plenty of finger pointing and indignation. However, a surprising scarcity of mirrors to consult is also apparent.

The Class 1 / 6 ruling, “unforeseen” labour increases, utilities department restructures et al, somehow mystified council. “How could this have happened? We are the helpless victims of the perfect fiscal storm….” Bunk!

The obligatory request to the Finance Department to “check and recheck the balance sheets”…, “leave no stone unturned,” “we’re counting on you to turn this in the right direction” etc. etc. were all trundled out. The only plea missing was my mother’s favorite … “it’s all hands to the pumps!” I did not hear one word, or read one sentence of contrition or responsibility for the new reality by council for the new reality Version 2008.

In council chambers, one witnesses an orgy of questionable spending choices providing dubious protection for the ability to pay when “ Councilors Go Wild.” Of course demands and needs are immense and never ending.   Most are eminently worthy. But, just like every good parent has learned, council needs to learn to say “no” or “not at this time” with far greater alacrity.

One councilor offered an entreaty to staff to “do all they can to limit the impact… and lessen tax increases.” This behest made without nod to any level of council’s culpability for the 14.5 per cent tax increase on the books and on its way to a tax invoice near you!

High labour and material costs have been a Whistler reality for half a decade now. How can anyone still claim to be caught off guard? RMOW employee wages are going up, but in measured and easily calculated numbers. For example, one department’s employees are settled through 2010 — no surprises there.

That council didn’t anticipate or have a fall back plan for losing the Class 1/6 imbroglio is poor politics. “Don’t spend what you don’t have” is a very Canadian family budgeting maxim. Feel free to adopt this simple Accounting 101 lesson plan.

Good luck to staff, but councillors should look to their left and right (unless their sitting at the end of the table) for blame, answers and long term solution to this and future fiscal hiccups.

B.K. Buchholz

Whistler

The park gets a reprieve

We wanted to write this letter to let the community know what is going on with the Creekside Skatepark. As many know, the space has not necessarily been getting the respect it deserves and because of this, the future of the park is in jeopardy.

Whistler-Blackcomb has taken a very pro-active approach to this issue and have recognized the value of the park as well as all the hard work that goes into it, specifically: all the work done last week to clean and repaint the skatepark area. Moving forward, as long as we maintain a proper level of cleanliness and respect down in the underground, W-B is happy to let us continue to skate there.

On the flip side, if the vandalism and disrespect continues unabated, they will be forced, by our actions, to close the space down to skateboarding. So let's take this experience to heart and continue to spread the word that the Creekside Underground Skatepark is an amazing opportunity for all of us and we need to treat it with the respect it deserves. It's easy to say but actions will be the only thing that speak for us as a skateboard community.

Also, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all skaters that the "street course" area of the underground will be removed this week in preparation for winter parking. This is something that we have agreed to all along as a condition to the park’s existence and we expect everyone to respect that and not move obstacles outside "the room".

Thanks go out to all those involved, from the volunteers to the amazing people at Whistler-Blackcomb that have allowed this facility to exist.

Lenny Rubenovitch

Dave Murphy

Brian Hockenstein

Whistler Skateboard Association Executive Board.

Can anyone shed some light?

I am a new resident to the area, living in Pemberton and working in Whistler. After making the drive several times on what I've been told is the most dangerous stretch of highway in Canada, I have but one question to ask: Where are the lights?

Having recently moved from the GTA I am certainly less accustomed to the darkness than are long-term locals, but surely even seasoned drivers could benefit from a little extra illumination.

After hearing almost daily accounts of people dying on this road, I cannot imagine the cost or the aesthetic intrusion of installing a few lights would outweigh the value it could have in making such a deadly road safer. Surely this issue has been raised before, so I would simply like to know what has prevented the installation of lights in the past.

Steve Fisher

Pemberton

Missing that disgusted feeling

RE: Lots 1/9

I am not writing this letter to  support or oppose the potential development of the large wooded area in the village known to some as Lots 1/9.

I am not writing to tell you how much the Olympic Medals Plaza will benefit the community.

I am not writing to say how ridiculous it is to cut down all these trees to build an "icon" or a "legacy" that may or may not give the impression of a West Coast forest.

I am not writing these words in any attempt to persuade the powers that be.

And I am not coming to you with any solutions that will help move us any closer towards sustainability.

I am writing this letter because last summer as I walked through this large wooded area in the village I was disgusted at what I saw.

I saw trees and logs spray painted with graffiti.

I saw pop and beer cans, McDonald's wrappers, cigarette butts....

I saw a "unique" little piece of our town being taken for granted and degraded.

But now I'm already missing that disgusted feeling.

And I am wondering how sustainable   it will look  — to other communities and individuals — to see Whistler remove these trees on the last 4.5 acres of forested land in the village.

Don't forget to buy the carbon credits.

Mike Carter

Whistler

Thieves took a bit of Canadiana

On the night before Remembrance Day my vehicle was violated and subsequently my hockey equipment was taken from my truck, thus robbing me of my most prized life activity: good, old Canadian ice hockey.

I am a mess at the thought of not being able to play and the reality is I don’t know how I am going to replace my equipment. I feel like a piece of me was taken, along with my gear.

I am writing this in an attempt to spread the word that all I want is my gear back, any way possible: random return, anonymous drop, or quiet ransom. I plead to anyone with any knowledge or information, please, please restore my faith in community goodness. All I want is my gear back. No questions asked.

I play drop-in at Meadow Park at least three times a week and with the fun and social Mongolian Grillers twice more every seven days. Now I can only watch from the stands.

I pray my belief in Whistler as an honest, trustful and supportive place to live is restored. The equipment can be dropped at Meadow Park Arena, the police station, or at the Brewhouse (underground parking or otherwise).

Daniel Smith

Whistler

Funds going to good causes

We’d like to send a huge thank you to everyone that took part in the community garage sale on Saturday — especially to the Pique for their advertising and Mountain FM for their help and support! Of course, none of this could have happened without you: the buyers and vendors! $225 will be split between the Stephen Lewis Foundation and Bear Aware. We look forward to doing it again next year!

Jen Ryan & Tory Kargl

Whistler

Sick of stereotyping

I'm writing to you as a concerned member of the Whistler public. I am a 20 something Aussie male living in Whistler. I recently found myself waiting for a cab at 2:30 a.m., along with at least another 40 patrons, in the village taxi loop. Nothing out of the ordinary.

While waiting, one of my fellow countrymen — though not a friend of mine — was being a jerk in line. He was very quickly shut down by a very local female who put it quite straight to him: "Stop being the loud Aussie guy. No one thinks your funny. Shut the **** up.” At the time I thought that was very fair and I totally agreed with her. This guy was being a jerk.

The thing that annoys me about this, is that this woman then verbally abused this guy for at least 12-15 minutes in front of everyone in the taxi loop, saying things like "F*%K you Aussie guys that come over here and think you're cool, think you own the place etc. etc." over and over, at a very generous volume — to the point where she was clearly being the most discontent individual in line, and making everyone around her very uncomfortable.

Surprisingly, this woman was not intoxicated. She totally believed everything she was saying!

I am getting very sick of the stereotypes that "some" of the Whistler public has of visiting people’s cultures.

I had a great night out with some new Kiwis and Koreans, until the taxi loop saga.

All I ask is please treat people as individuals. I am doing my best to fit into a new culture, and being polite and courteous to everyone. I understand that "us Aussies" don't have the best track record in Whistler, and that there might be some cultural differences and misunderstandings. But until you actually take the time and get to know someone on an individual basis, please don't put me in that "typical Aussie" category.

I understand that this particular woman was a “long-serving local,” and I hope she reads this. And I also hope that your readers understand that nearly everyone I have met in Whistler has not been a representation of this woman. Ninety per cent have been most accommodating, and I am extremely grateful for that.

Thank you Whistler! Just give us blokes a fair go!

Daniel Tudor

Whistler