Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Letters to the Editor for the week of January 29th

No place for recklessness Please help us send this not-remorseful, not-so-brilliant young lady, Julie Abrahamsen, back to Norway where she can experiment with the local search and rescue teams ( Pique , Jan.29, page 16).
opinion_letters1-1

No place for recklessness

Please help us send this not-remorseful, not-so-brilliant young lady, Julie Abrahamsen, back to Norway where she can experiment with the local search and rescue teams (Pique, Jan.29, page 16).

Not only is she incredibly lucky to have survived this (nonsensical), selfish exercise, she showed no remorse and would do it again.

Please go home Julie (Abrahamsen). Whistler has no need of more examples of complete recklessness.

Please ask your father to pay for your stupidity and the costs of the search-and-rescue effort. Hopefully, we don't hear about you again.

I have always been very supportive of the thousands of young people that come to Whistler every year. They are a functional part of how Whistler operates.

I think our conversation would be different if loss of life had happened here. The family would be grieving and we would put Julie's name in the same fashion as previous deaths related to activities on the mountain, or out of bounds.

But I disagree with stupidity.

I am totally against the recklessness shown by Miss Abrahamsen by going public on CBC and telling the world that she will be doing it again. "Why" is my question to her? A little special moment of fame? No remorse, just a selfish individual that put at risk a large number of SAR personnel, volunteers and friends looking for her.

Somehow, I look at it as abrasive behaviour.  

Pierre j. Gagnon

Whistler/Surrey

Helipad pedestrian plan not working

Is it me, or has no one else noticed the number of people walking on the road by the heliport now that there is no Valley Trail?

I almost hit one the other day hanging a right off Lorimer Rd. onto Blackcomb Way.

You might be able to train a majority of the locals, but tourists?

They are on holiday and want to get from fun-point A to fun-point B in the least amount of time.

Read a sign?

Well, I don't even think locals do that.

I understand and empathize with what is trying to be done.

However, it seems people's lives on the mountain, people who are purposely putting themselves in harm's way, are more important than people that are just trying to go about their everyday business.

Since this has been a bit whacky from the start, here are some whacky fixes.

• Why couldn't the heliport be raised by six to nine metres? If it is the wind caused from the propeller down wash that is the only problem, wouldn't this solve it? Then we could get back to how it used to be and forget (the pedestrian changes) ever happened. The professional pilots that pluck people off the mountain from the craziest places would easily land on something like this. Win/Win.

• If we are to continue with the way it is, I propose wrapping barbed wire around the fencing, and placing military personnel at various checkpoints with AK-47's and shoot to kill orders. I really think it will be the only way to get people's attention. Even then, we are back to more people dying than being saved.

So, raise the landing pad!

Think of all the sponsorship banners you could hang from it!

Excellent placement, great revenue stream for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, eh?

Doug Fenwick

Whistler

Christmas Hamper thanks

A note of thanks to all those involved with the Pemberton Christmas Hamper program.

In 2014 Sea to Sky Community Services Foodbank Coordinator, Lynne Armstrong, headed a team of staff, Loralee Seitz and Jan Oberson and many volunteers to another successful packing and delivery of food supplies and generous gifts.

Lynne's parents from Scotland, Don and Sandra Aitchison, spent most of their vacation assisting with the program or babysitting.

We couldn't have done it without them!

It is with sincere thanks to our local food suppliers — potatoes, Shaw Creek Farms; carrots, Snowbound Ranch; pumpkins, Camel's Back Harvest and Pemberton Valley Supermarket, which donated healthy food for Christmas dinner and beyond.

Many thanks to Laura Burt, Whistler Real Estate Co., who coordinates the generous collection of funds from the realtors, and shops till she drops to ensure many hampers are adopted and filled to capacity with gifts.

Delivery is gratefully coordinated by our volunteer fire department. Chief Robert Grossman and his team once again committed their time to this amazing program.

It is the dedication of these folks, families who adopt a family, and the many volunteers that make this program a success bringing much joy to those who just need that extra help during the holidays. 

Arlene McClean

Christmas Hamper Volunteer

Thanks to bus drivers

I would just like to give a shout out to all of the friendly and helpful bus drivers in Whistler.

Yesterday on my drive to work in Function I witnessed two different buses waiting for riders who were running to catch a ride. I know this seems so simple, but it really is such a wonderful act of kindness.

So many people rely on public transit as their only form of transportation and unlike drivers, they don't usually get the opportunity to be "running a few minutes behind" in the morning, or on their way to work.

It just made me smile to think how much this simple gesture could have really helped a person out, or made their day even.

So as a former public transit-reliant commuter I would like to say thank you to those drivers out there who are looking out for their riders. You are good people.

Vanessa Michelle

Whistler

Feasting for change

The Stewardship Pemberton Society would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to everyone who made the trek to Creekbread last Tuesday to support our Feasting for Change fundraising dinner.

This Pemberton program sees school-aged kids growing a large organic vegetable plot at the community garden with the harvest going to the food bank.

This project embodies the spirit of community. It teaches our young children and youth about plant-life cycles, seed saving, organic-gardening techniques, permaculture, healthy-food choices, nutrition and food preparation while demonstrating perseverance and dedication.

Most importantly it teaches them to give back — especially to those most in need.

A big shout out to Creekbread for having us and the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation for covering capital costs for this new program for 2015! Stay tuned to the Stewardship Pemberton website for details.

Dawn Johnson

Stewardship Pemberton Society

Smoking is a filthy, disgusting habit!

There, I've said it.

The other day I was waiting at the bus spot and a woman came by, wondering whether she had time for a cigarette before the bus arrived.

I told her that you can't smoke in Whistler. I know. I lied and she knew it too... but I couldn't resist.

I told her that it's not too late for her to quit, but she replied about how much she enjoyed it and commented, "Oh well, I've lived this long and many don't." I bet she won't be thinking like that when she's dying.

Yes, smokers have rights but why is it that their smoke often ends up in my space?

I'm convinced that the best place for smokers to smoke is in their cars with the windows rolled up. That way, they reap all of the benefits and it's not wasted on those of us who don't appreciate it.

Judi Spence

Whistler