By Andrew Mitchell
The Turkey Sale is always a brisk shopping weekend for Whistler
businesses, as visitors and residents flock to the village in search of deals
on gear for the upcoming winter.
This year, to help businesses draw attention to their wares,
the municipality and Whistler Chamber of Commerce are giving village stores the
green light to hold a village-wide sidewalk sale Oct. 6-9. Usually bylaws
prevent shops from displaying items and bylaws outside of their stores.
As well as helping local businesses, the sidewalk sale is a
test event to look for problems and issues. If the sale is a success, then
future sidewalk sales, and possibly bylaw changes, will be considered.
The RMOW has outlined guidelines for the sidewalk sales, and
Whistler Fire Services and Whistler Bylaw Services will be on hand to ensure
that sales conform to those guidelines and that public safety is not
compromised.
• Tents have to be made from fire-rated materials, the maximum
size is 10 feet by 10 feet, weights are required to secure the tent to the
ground. As well, no heaters are allowed in tents if the public has access to
the tent, tents cannot block fire lanes or strolls to a minimum six metre
clearance, and cannot block fire hydrants by one metre, or pedestrian access
stairs or ramps.
• Clothing racks are not allowed on pedestrian walkways, and
three-foot aisles are the minimum acceptable width. Racks cannot block stairs,
doors, access ramps, or fire department Siamese connections, and are not
allowed under overhangs that don’t have sprinklers.
• Signs are not allowed to impede movement in public
walking areas, or block stairs, doors, access ramps or Siamese connections.
The chamber will be discussing other opportunities for sidewalk sales with vendors in the near future.