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Letters to the editor

Who’s leading this team?

I have been a great fan of Whistler for 40 years, first as a student at UBC and now as retired resident, and during that time I have seen several reincarnations of this great town. However, today I feel the present council's attempt (excepting two of its members) to not suffer the indignity of losing the top ranked ski resort billing through piling on expensive projects to enhance the "visitors experience" is fraught with risk and certainly the wrong way  for us to be headed. We all know if the local flavour of long term residents vacates this town it will never be the same. We should be more aware that we are competing with other B.C. resorts — their costs for B.C. vacationers and their tax levels for locals — international travelers will continue to favour us because of our terrain, not ultra expensive civic projects. We are told we compete with destination resorts such as Las Vegas. However Vegas is incredibly successful for its gambling and entertainment experience, undeterred by an airport that feels like it's from Eastern Europe a decade ago. Vancouver is not held back by the lack of freeways and an inadequate transit system. My thoughts are that the resort operator Intrawest provides the goods for the tourists and the community provides services that its residents can afford — nothing more.

Stephen Jarilowsky, the premier investment manager in Canada, speaking at his recent induction to The Canadian Business Hall of Fame, referred to Hedge Funds as the SCUM of our financial markets — our council's pandering up to Fortress with an unnecessary tax break over the next four years while laying on what will be at best a 40 per cent tax increase over the same time period for locals can only set the stage for a tax revolt. In 2006 the top 20 American hedge fund managers earned $825 million each, or as much in 16 minutes as the average Whistler family makes in a year. Hedge fund partners have also been favoured by a 15 per cent tax on income by G.W. Bush — an inequity currently under fire from Congress. A resident of B.C. will hit twice that tax rate at an income level of $37,884 in 2008. A number of Fortress partners made the latest Forbes list of 400 richest Americans this year. Is Fortress the only business in the valley to receive a tax break from our council in the last year?

Did I really hear our mayor quoted that we should be harnessing the Olympics to get funding for various capital projects and not be worried about the costs? In the case of Lot 1/9, it seems that if we can get others to put up $30 million then it's okay for us to throw in $5 million. On a per capita basis a $5 million expenditure for Whistler is the same as Greater Vancouver spending $700 million on a project. Our library cost us $11.2 million, the City of Vancouver's  cost $165 million and even adjusting for inflation since its completion our library cost us three times as much per resident as theirs.

Is our answer to the "Green Olympics" to knock down the only treed lot in the village? Why not celebrate the trees we have by lighting them up with those big lights such as we see on the construction project on Highway 99 — no other winter Olympics has been endowed with our evergreens. Why not give amnesty to the valley grow ops to light up trees along the highway with their bulbs?

For myself, the Nesters compact site is more than sufficient for medal presentations — the stage is there, made from the best B.C. wood money can buy. And WAG, with a bit of scrubbing and a red carpet, could easily be converted into a nice warming hut for politicians and IOC officials.

Let's get back to our roots, which has seen us utilize our garbage sites for the Olympic athlete's village and the Whistler village itself.

Let's get off this treadmill of ignoring the limit of bed counts and allowing new hotels to be built and then having to flog new activities, largely endangering the environment, in order to prop up the occupancy of these same hotels. In this regard, someone please explain to me how this Peak to Peak clothesline will enhance the skier's experience. An extra 2,000 to 4,000 visitors per hour will do wonders for our overloaded facilities up top. And since the only safe way down for underdressed sightseers is to use the fully taxed Gondola, how will this work on days we cannot ski to mid-station and the weather turns nasty with attendant lineups of properly dressed skiers vying for space with improperly dressed "been there done that" tourists?

Did I miss something in the campaigns for the council — did any of its members run on the platform they are now shoving down our throats? Well as one friend of mine with a better sense of humour than myself said recently, "Hey, how come this one horse town is being lead by a bunch of donkeys?"

Lennox McNeely

Whistler

‘Killer highway’ is Olympic legacy

Re: "Environmental stewardship is Olympics' modern legacy", Pique, Feb. 28, 2008

One of the legacies left behind will be a four-lane wildlife killer.

In December I got an invitation to attend a panel discussion on the Eagleridge battle. Betty Krawczyk (Jail house Betty) was part of this panel. The talk was held at SFU Vancouver. Despite the heavy rain warning (and wife warning) in effect, I decided to head down for the discussion anyway.

Betty is 80 years old and has spent 2 1/2 years in jail. She believes in peaceful civil disobedience, and does not take the decision to go to jail lightly. It is a deep resolve of wanting to do what is right, despite what the rule book of society says is right, that drives her.

For the panel, the Eagleridge battle was more about the thoughtless highway expansion process than of the bluffs themselves. This message never got through to the media though. Their group was shown as a bunch of rich, self-serving West Van Waa Waa babies.

After the panel discussion was over I had a chance to meet with Betty. Quite an amazing person.

The next morning I received a phone call from a couple of friends of mine on their way to Vancouver to do some shopping. They informed me that as they neared Furry Creek they came upon the scene of a deer that had been hit. The time was 9:10; the deer was still alive at this point. A group of highway workers stood and watched while the deer was trying to support itself on its knees.

At 9:52 I arrived on the scene. The deer was now dead and a highways truck was showing up to remove the carcass. This deer suffered. This was not an easy death.

I am at a loss to understand how this highway expansion can be allowed to proceed without any regard for the wildlife surrounding it. I wonder what Betty would do?

John Buchanan

Squamish B.C.

Do we know what we’re in for?

Once again, Whistler Weasel Workers put together two fantastic pistes on Whistler Mountain and the weather was perfect for a World Cup men's and women's extavaganza in alpine ski racing! Thanks guys.

Too bad there was no provision for fans to watch the races from beside the courses. Seems like there is no interest in having people see first hand what ski racing is all about at this level.

I talked to some of the people in charge and the consensus is that there are many challenges to having the courses secure and getting equipment on the hill. That means that the area is so confined that there is not enough room for aficionados to watch the racers, except for at the finish and a couple of brief glimpses as they pass Highway 86 or below the Weasel. Some of the "security staff" were downright surly in dealing with the public at high traffic areas near the courses. It will only get worse in 2010 unless "security" people take "chill pills" or a course in social deportment.

There will be a bleacher section for 7,600 fans constructed in the finish area for 2010 and a lift from Dusty's to bring ticket-holding fans to the finish. Perhaps more viewing areas will be created along sides of the courses, but don't count on it. Better to stay home and watch on TV, or better yet, rent the house out and make a few bucks and watch on TV someplace else!

Creekside will be inaccessible to unaccredited citizens who live here and will resemble an armed camp in 2010. The fact that all alpine events will be held on two runs on Whistler makes it a good location for security and economically efficient, but not great for spectators.

How many people can we expect anyways? Parking will be another huge challenge, so don't think that 50,000 fans are going to make it here. As one guy who should know put it, "People from Whistler do not know what they are in for when 2010 rolls around."

Terry Spence

Whistler

CALOC congratulated

Last Saturday, March 1, 2008, we went to watch the FIS Continental Cup Ski Jumping at the Whistler Olympic Park venue in the Callaghan Valley. We were greeted by a friendly green garbed parking attendant — wherever we went some green-attired CALOC volunteer was helpful, giving us information. It is nice to see, that a group of Squamish volunteers have taken hold to help organize the Olympic Venue Services. From the event program to the food catering, the prize presentation, everything was done in style. My hat is off to the Squamish group, and in particular Denise Imbeau, for the excellent organization.

I just hope that the Olympic volunteer organizers appreciate the efforts of this group.

Peter and Trudy Alder

Whistler

Nice race, poor event

As a ski race, the recent Telus World Cup was probably a success, but as an event, I was sorely disappointed.

Spectator access was abysmal, my wife and I were two of the few who hiked to the finish of the Super G on Thursday; slog is much too tame a word for that forced march.

On-the-hill access on subsequent days was no better. The best "racing" was watching training on Upper Dave Murray on Saturday or seeing the 'Cuppers free-ski on Garbanzo.

As for organizers lauding interaction with athletes, what a crock. A friend and Weasel talked to Bode Miller at an after-party, but that's about it.

We stayed at Legends (Creekside) and the desk girl had zero info about the races. How is that possible?

Also, I have a T-shirt from the previous (and cancelled) World Cup at Whistler, but where was the memorabilia for this one? Over-priced fleeces? Manufacturer support? Nothing. Two non-skiing booths at Creekside. I mean, other than my Telus cowbell (cute, I used it and it's on my shelf, but I can't really use it again until 2010), nothing for the masses.

And speaking of 2010, with access like that, I'll buy a ticket to Maui and watch it on TV. It'll be a better view.

Jim Hills

Edmonds, Washington