What's your favourite place in Whistler? Want to write a haiku about it? Meet me in Function Junction tomorrow and be prepared to haiku.
Artwalk block party
OCP update haiku
Making future now
The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has teamed up with the Whistler Arts Council at the 2010 ArtWalk Function Junction Block pARTy tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 6 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The RMOW wants you to get arty, party and write 17 syllables about your favourite place in Whistler.
This is the second step in an inter-generational community engagement program to get community input into the OCP update that started at the Whistler Children's Art Festival last month. There, we set up our tent, spread art materials all over the ground and a table and kids from 1.5 to 13 created beautiful art that answered the question: "What's your favourite place in Whistler?"
Over the course of two days, 107 pieces were created. Some amazing, others puzzling, all with a story to tell. Interestingly, 95 per cent of kids indicated a natural area or park as their favourite place. From sailing on Alta Lake, the Peak to Peak Gondola, to skiing on the mountains and Lost Lake Park, Whistler kids are in love with the nature of this place.
All 107 pieces will be on display at an art show entitled "My Favourite Place in Whistler" by the kids who showed up and made art. If you are a kid who made art at the Whistler Children's Art Festival, drop by our tent and take it home if you want.
Function Artwalkers, inspired by the Children's art, will be given pen and paper and asked to write a haiku about their favourite piece of art or their favourite place in Whistler. Haiku submissions will be posted on the Official Community Plan (OCP) update website at www.whistler2010.com beside photos of the kids' art.
According to Wikipedia, A haiku is a non-rhymed verse genre. There are five syllables in the first sentence, seven in the second and five again in the last sentence. The word Haiku comes from the Japanese word meaning "Light Verse."
These light verses are to capture the passion people have for this place. Try my first Haiku attempt on for size and see if you can do it:
Singletrack flowing
Wheels spin, heart pumps gravity
Flying freedom life
Over the next 12 months, the Whistler community will be working together to update our Official Community Plan, targeted for completion in May 2011. Led by the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the OCP update will be a collaborative process, with the community involved every step of the way.
Although the last "official" OCP update occurred in 1993, the OCP is an organic document, constantly updated through the ongoing operations of our local government and managed development of our resort community. This update will enable Whistler to support, through the development of a comprehensive regulatory document, an updated implementation tool in support of our Whistler2020 vision: "To be the premier mountain resort community - as we move toward sustainability"
Mountaintop shining
Light surrounds you my lover
Whistler mountains glow
For more information about how to get involved in the OCP update go to www.whistler2010.com or email ocp@whistler2010.com.
What is an OCP?
• A regulatory document required by British Columbia's Local Government Act
• A set of high-level plans and policies, such as land use designations, that guide land use planning, social, economic and environmental policies, and civic infrastructure investments
• Contains a Regional Context Statement, which is a description of how local planning and land use policy will work towards the goals and objectives established in the Regional Growth Strategy.
