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Whistler gets into the holiday spirit

Fourth annual Whistler Holiday Experience, Dec. 17 to Jan. 2, features free activities and entertainment for kids of all ages
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Whistler is a winter wonderland, the perfect place to spend the holiday season, really. But what happens if the weather doesn't co-operate and our snowy paradise is transformed into a slushy mess? That was the situation the community found itself in back in 2006.

"It was a super rainy Christmas and there had been quite a bit of negativity around weather and what do you do in Whistler. And it was something that we had talked about, saying that there was a piece missing in the holiday scheme for Whistler," recalled Sue Eckersley, president of Watermark Communications Inc., the company the produces popular annual events like the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival, Cornucopia and First Night.

The "we" Eckersley refers to is herself, Bob Andrea, manager of village animation and events at the Resort Municipality of Whistler, and Sandra Smith, RMOW bylaw supervisor. They wanted to acknowledge that this was a special time of year in the resort while ensuring that guests and residents have a special experience, regardless of the weather outside.

"So Bob took the initiative to make some inquiries and get a little bit of cash, and Watermark actually sponsored the event for the first two years," she explained. "We bought all the equipment and all that stuff."

They launched the Whistler Holiday Experience, an indoor, family-friendly activity centre, in 2007.

"The thing is, we haven't had - thank goodness - a terrible weather holiday since, but even still, we as Whistlerites forget that not everybody is used to living outdoors 24/7."

Holiday Experience activities include bouncy castles, mini golf, video games, foosball, ping-pong, air hockey, crafts and much more to keep kids of all ages (and maybe even a few adults) entertained.

"A big, main part of it is the bouncy land, which is the highlight for everyone. So we have five inflatables for the kids to play in, and that's where they really burn off their energy."

One-third of the conference centre's Sea to Sky ballroom is the mini-putt golf course, which is being expanded this year, while another section is set up as a gym and a crafting area. In the front lobby, there is a video game area and a cafeteria operated by Centreplate, the catering company in the conference centre, where people can purchase kid-friendly meals and snacks.

The big man himself - Santa Claus - will also be making an appearance again this year, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18 and Sunday, Dec. 19, with Coast Mountain Photography on-site to take photos with the children.

Parents of crafty kids should circle Monday, Dec. 20 on the calendar as the day to visit the Holiday Experience: that's the day that the Whistler Arts Council is hosting their lantern-making workshop. Between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., children and parents can pay $3 to create their own paper lantern to include in WAC's inaugural Festival of Lights art exhibit, which will be on display at Millennium Place for the remainder of the holiday season.

Now entering its fourth year, the Whistler Holiday Experience has evolved into a collaborative effort involving Watermark, which provides staff and event-planning expertise; Tourism Whistler, which provides promotion and the conference centre; and the RMOW, which funds the event. Of course, other resort partners like Whistler Blackcomb also step in to help out with things like donated putters for the mini golf zone.

The RMOW contributes $50,000 towards the 15-day Whistler Holiday Experience. That money comes directly from the hotel tax, which is in place to promote tourism and enhance resort experience. Christa Vandeberg of the RMOW's Village Animation program points out that the "experience is a great value-added opportunity for our resort guests and residents" as it is free and provides a warm, dry, safe and fun place for families to gather during the holiday season.

Eckersley is also confident that the community gets a good return on its investment, in terms of tourism satisfaction.

"Never was there a better spend when it comes to the hotel tax dollars, and that's the anecdotal response that I'm getting from the community.

"We have a comment book that we put out and it is just chock-full of people form all over the world that just say, 'Wow, this made a real difference!' And we have several people who say, 'This is why we come to Whistler now for our Christmas holiday, as opposed to somewhere else. We know that we can expect this!'"

Eckersley hopes that some day the event will be funded from other sources, as well.

"I think the other thing that's cool about this is that now that the Olympics are gone, I've had some discussions with some sponsors," she said. "It was difficult for the First Night and Whistler Holiday Experience over the last few years to have sponsorship because of the agreement the muni had with the Olympics. So now that those impediments are out of the way, my hope is to get this thing funded so that it's no cost to the taxpayer, or very little."

The Whistler Holiday Experience will run from Friday, Dec. 17 to Sunday, Jan. 2, though it is closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Admission is free, though donations to the food bank are welcome. The Whistler Childcare Centre and Whistler Dry Grad are also operating coat check, by donation.

 

Holiday happenings:

• Friday, Dec. 17 to Sunday, Jan. 2 - Whistler Holiday Experience (family fun zone) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Whistler Conference Centre (closed Christmas Day and New Year's Eve)

• Saturday, Dec. 19 - Whistler Blackcomb's Dress Like Santa day, meet at 8 a.m. at the GLC. Dress like Santa or Mrs. Claus and the first 50 people ski for free today.

• Monday, Dec. 20 - The Whistler Forum's "Festive Spirit of the Solstice and Total Eclipse of the Moon" celebration, featuring stories and songs from throughout the ages on the shortest day and darkest night, with John and Carol at the Fairmont's Mallard Lounge, 9 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 20 - Caroling with the Whistler Children's Chorus in the lobby of the Hilton Resort & Spa, 4:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, Dec. 21 - Santa Skate at Meadow Park Sports Centre, noon to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., ($7.75 adult, $4.75 youth, $4 child, $15.50 family + $4.50 skate rentals). There will also be crafts, cookies, and hot chocolate, and admission includes use of the pool.

• Wednesday, Dec. 22 - Caroling with the Whistler Children's Chorus in the lobby of the Hilton Resort & Spa, 4:30 p.m.

• Friday, Dec. 24 - 27th annual Christmas Eve service of lessons and carols with the Whistler Children's Chorus, community readers and the Whistler Community Band at the Westin Resort & Spa, 6:30 p.m.