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Give me strength!

Here we go again, $150,000 to remove 100 metres of beautiful median on Blackcomb Way, and what, at least the same if not more to replace it after the Games (the equivalent to the 24 per cent tax raise for around 300 houses), just to insure that if an

Here we go again, $150,000 to remove 100 metres of beautiful median on Blackcomb Way, and what, at least the same if not more to replace it after the Games (the equivalent to the 24 per cent tax raise for around 300 houses), just to insure that if anyone is driving behind a moron who decides to suddenly stop in the middle of the road to unload or pick up passengers, there is an extra lane to pass them. (That's got to be one of the best excuses I've heard in a long time for pissing away municipal coffers).

The last time I took my driving test you were not allowed to stop in the middle of a road to drop off passengers. Has the Highway Code been changed lately to allow this manoeuvre or is this a new rule to be implemented by VANOC's transportation plan? Surely there will be a spare copper on hand during the Olympics to taser any idiot drivers who think they are a law unto themselves.

Have we totally lost the plot? Have the lunatics finally taken over the asylum? How does this fit in with our vision of sustainability? Please, somebody get a grip! I'm starting to lose the will to live, and definitely losing the will to pay my property tax increases.

Harvey Lim

Whistler

Subtraction means $150,000 addition

Re: "Blackcomb Way median to be removed this summer" ( Pique , July 9).

Let's see: Pay parking to encourage green practices by discouraging non-transit vehicles from driving to the village, and to raise money for the municipality. Removal of green space "to facilitate the flow of one-way traffic for the 2010 Games." Mr. Barnett says, "but imagine you are driving along behind a car and it stops to unload some people or stops to pick up some people, no cars can pass. So in order to pass that car the median has to be removed."

How about imagining, for two weeks, a no-stopping zone with those people parking in pay-parking lots or dropping off in the day lots, and walking to Celebration Plaza. Better yet, how about they take the bus. Makes money, and saves $150,000 plus the environment.

Greg Diamond

Whistler

We've had enough

Beware! Not only do we now have to contend with the addition of pay parking at the lower level of the conference centre and soon to be day lots, but the management of the last remaining “free” parking lot in the village has become voracious in its ticketing to take advantage of and profit from the additional patrons using its lot.

This morning I pulled into the Marketplace parking lot at 10 a.m. At 12:02 p.m I returned to my car to find it being ticketed. The unwavering and unreasonable man ticketing my car told me my watch was wrong and my FIVE-minute grace period was up. A $35 ticket! That’s the thanks I got for patronizing our local grocery store, bank, coffee shop and drug store!

Total money spent in the village before the ticket: $379. Total money spent on my next trip to Marketplace: $0! I won’t be going back anytime soon.

I will suck up the $35, but I wonder what a tourist must feel like if they have stopped to buy an extra souvenir or have gotten lost on the way back to marketplace? "Welcome to Whistler! Thanks for coming! Here’s your parking ticket! Come back soon now, ya hear!" Not likely!

As a citizen of this town, I have always tried to support our local businesses, as well as walk or bike when I can. But let’s get real shall we?

Unfortunately, running three businesses (which is necessary to survive in this town!) and being a full time mother does not always allow me to leave my car at home. I often simply do not have the luxury of time for a leisurely walk or ride into town.

I think it is incredibly naive of those who argue that pay parking will reduce the number of cars on the road. The reality is that for most people in this fast-paced, multi-tasking world, cars are a necessity — and they are not going away. The sad truth is that most people I speak to think that pay parking will absolutely increase car usage as more and more citizens — especially families — of this community will now make more trips to Squamish and Vancouver, where parking is free and prices are much cheaper.

It is getting harder and harder to swallow all of the additional fees, taxes, levies and costs associated with living “the dream” that is Whistler. I know I am not the only one who has asked myself of late, “Is it really worth it?”

Mayor Melamed and council members, you have mismanaged our budget and the good citizens of Whistler have had enough. Reduce the crazy spending and all those muni perks and operate this town like a proper business with strong consideration to what will benefit our small business owners and those that work their guts out to afford to live here... without both there is no Whistler.

Erin McCann

Whistler

Something for us?

So a couple of weeks ago we decide to take our daughter to an early movie then to dinner. A typical family night out.

"Where are we going to park?" my other half asks. Well, even if we paid for parking it's only two hours max and the day lots are still choc-full at 3 p.m.

We considered driving down to Squamish for our evening out, it would be a lot less headaches. A minimum of $100 was NOT spent in the village that night.

And we live on Alta Lake Road so the evening bus schedule is 6 p.m. (no use) or 10 p.m. (too late for a three year old).

Then two days ago it occurs to me that as I have booked my daughter's ski school at Blackcomb this winter (Creekside Kids is closed the whole season due to the few days of downhill racing), I may not be able to drive/park/access the ski school for pick up or drop off in February 2010. WB had no definitive answer. How could they since we have no idea what getting around will be like in February either? One option mentioned was a shuttle bus.

So here's a great scenario... I get the bus from Alta Lake Road, if there is one at the right time, with a three year old, a newborn (due in October) plus ski gear to wherever the shuttle bus is. And then I do the reverse, twice a week, for a month. Lucky I'll be on maternity leave. Imagine if I had to factor in a daycare drop for child #2 and get to work by 8 or 9 a.m., which is realistic for many local families.

I understand some concessions have to be made for the Games. But why do I feel like I get the royal shaft at every turn?

It's called "making a concession." It seems like VANOC doesn't care that there are nearly 10,000 ordinary working people in this town. Will the RMOW please step in and secure something concrete for the working people of this town. Can we have a parking lot reserved for employee parking during the Olympics? Can we have the Olympic bus schedules now? Will we all get a reduced February 2010 bus pass rate? Can we have reduced (by that I mean cheap or free) annual resident's parking permits going into the future? If you want us to take the bus more, will you improve transit to the WHA areas that are being built on the periphery of town, away from decent transit links?

In the words of the great Dr. Evil, "throw me a frickin' bone here."

Alex Wilde

Whistler

Thank you to B.C transit

Recently, the Squamish to Whistler and back to Squamish late night commuter run, was threatened due to road closures. We are happy to say with much appealing to elected and appointed individuals, the commuter service NEVER did stop.

A sincere thank you to many people that made this happen. This includes Whistler transit representative, Emma Del Santo, MP John Weston, our MLA Joan McIntyre, both mayors of Whistler and Squamish and many more individuals involved in our plight.

The commuter works, as does the Whistler transit service. All individuals should make an effort to use these services and lessen their ecological imprint.

Again, thank you all for your efforts.

Andy Wills

Representing the Squamish Night Riders

Listen to the twinkies

I laughed out loud when reading the headline and first paragraph of the story in Pique on comments made at the conference of the National SkiAreas Association: "Beginner skiers key to future of ski resorts... resorts must get better at luring new people to the sport and keeping them there - their futures depend upon it."

I laughed because as an instructor at Whistler Blackcomb for 20 years, my colleagues and I have been repeating this refrain with exhausting regularity for years, but largely to no avail.

Why not simply ask the frontline troops who have first hand experience of what it's like in the world of beginner skiers, namely the instructors themselves? Why not actually listen to what we keep saying and act upon it?

Experienced skiers, unless they are themselves instructors or unless (like me) they learned to ski as adults and remember what it's like, have no concept of how terrifying it can be to learn to ski. For the vast majority of adult beginners, the sensation of something sliding under their feet is a totally alien and alarming sensation. Teaching them the first and most essential skill of balancing on these things, takes immense patience and skill and the terrain has to be exactly right - not too steep, not too flat, and with plenty of room to turn with no fear of running into others.

Many people do not live in a winter climate and being surrounded by a snowy environment is a novel and strange experience in itself. Some beginners have never even seen snow before. Add to this mix the fact that they are wearing strange and usually uncomfortable footwear and layers of clothing which sometimes is ill-fitting or inadequate for the elements, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you we have a challenge on our hands... so you'd think it's obvious to make things as easy as possible, right?

Wrong. The beginner and novice terrain at Blackcomb is practically non-existent, and what there is, is a joke. Olympic Station on Whistler is better, but the absolute "never ever" beginner area is about the size of a handkerchief and is a scary place to be on busy days, with both skiers and boarders squashed into such a confined area. The "magic carpet" there also breaks down or malfunctions with irritating regularity, forcing beginners to sidestep up the slope for much longer than necessary. Female learners especially, have often no other sports experience and their strength and stamina are rapidly exhausted by this.

Once a beginner can turn and stop in control, they are ready to move on... to an antique fixed-grip triple chair that moves at the speed of molasses (it has to, so beginners can get off it in one piece) and then onto Upper Olympic, which many refuse to believe is a green run. Some money was spent a few years ago in flattening out the gradient somewhat, but it is still much too great of a jump.

What happens if my beginner gets cold or weary, or needs to take off their terrible rental boots for a while? There's somewhere warm and comfortable for me to take them, right? Wrong again. We have a poorly maintained, dirty outside concession with unhealthy food and terrible coffee. If my client has booked a whole day, we must take a sizeable chunk of time from their expensive private lesson to go either up, or down, the gondola for lunch.

We have begged for years for a cafe/restaurant at Olympic Station, but we beg in vain. Nothing luxurious required, just somewhere warm and cozy with good food... I'd bet it could cost a fraction of the $50 million it cost for the Peak to Peak gondola, for example.

What's next? Assuming I've managed to coax my beginner through all these hazards and they're ready to move on, it's time to negotiate the death trap otherwise known as Upper Whisky Jack. There is nowhere else, because much of our novice terrain was sacrificed to the terrain park years ago. The wise instructor doesn't even think of heading up the gondola and going straight to Whiski Jack... we put off the evil moment as long as possible by riding up Garbanzo and coaxing our clients through Pig Alley to Ego Bowl.

On those rare and happy days when Franz's Chair is running, we have the luxury of Papoose, which is perfect novice terrain. Those days, alas, are all too rare.

Finally, Whiski Jack, where many a promising novice has decided there and then that skiing is not for them. Who can blame them when they must first negotiate a narrow road - not as narrow as it was, but still terrifying when everyone else is faster than you and many couldn't stop if you paid them to - followed by a gradient that to a novice skier might as well be the North face of Everest. I wish I had a buck for every time I've skied backwards down that damn upper slope, coaxing and cajoling and comforting as I go while having eyes in the back of my head and trying to avoid the snowboarders straightlining it to get to Orange Peel.

Aaah, we survived and thank God for the Chick Pea, where we can finally sit down in comfort for a short break.

Blackcomb has an even greater share of terrors in store for the beginner/novice. Catch me another time and I'll enlighten you on those too.

I could go on.... don't even get me started on harrassed, bored, poorly trained rental shop staff who send beginners out in boots too big or too small (it's not unusual to see beginners with different size boots on each foot) and skis of the wrong length with no wax on the bases so they can't slide... until I apply some wax from the supply that every smart instructor has on hand at all times.

So are instructors surprised that beginners do not stick with it? Frankly, if it wasn't for us, the numbers would be much, much worse. But hey, nobody listens to us, we're just a bunch of twinkies, right?

Linda McGaw

Whistler

Poor service is the killer

I would like to write about service for a moment. We all know someone in town who gives great service, but is it the norm or the exception?

On a recent trip away from Whistler I learned what true service is. I was out for dinner in a Nanaimo pub. I sat down at a table and was waited on by a true professional. She combined the art of being close at hand without being overbearing. She was charming and engaged with all her customers. I wanted for nothing and she transmitted an air of willingness, like her fondest wish was to bring me a fork.

As I left the pub in the warm glow of beer and great service, I wondered about the last time I received that level of service in Whistler. I realized that it had been quite a while. I began to think about what the difference was.

One of the most striking things I noticed was she had no name tag, no uniform, she did not have on a single label of her employer. I found that by not knowing her name, I could not assume a position of power over her by calling her by her first name before I introduced myself. I think that when we make all our servers dress the same, and put labels on them, we lose some of the "Whistler Character" that the village was built on.

Jesslyn, as I found out, works two service jobs. It struck me that her story of working two jobs in order to save money for school is like many Whistlerites, working two jobs to save money for travel, skiing, or to pay the bar bill.

So how could Jesslyn be so friendly and engaged with her customers, while in Whistler we are served by an Aussie, Brit, Canadian, or any other nationality you care to name, that have already moved on to their next destination in all but body. How does someone keep staff engaged and on board in such a transient place?

I have no answer to this complex question. I do know that employers would be better off if they put their time, money, and resources into bonuses for their staff instead of fighting over pay parking. How much for a full page ad in Pique Newsmagazine ? How much to build and maintain a website? This money would be better spent on your staff. Well-paid staff stay longer and perform better.

It is not pay parking that will kill the village, but poor service.

D.W. Buchanan

Whistler

Tapley's Fund for Excellence

Looking back on it now, with the blood curdling screams of children still echoing in my ears, I sit here shaking my head. If only I had known where to hide, everything might have been different. But as it was, when the residents of Tapley's Farm challenged the Whistler Fire department to a giant water fight last Saturday, I should have known then that we would go down in defeat. Heck, simple defeat would have been fine. Nope, we got slaughtered.

What may shock even the most hardened parent was that it was us poor adults, and Al MacConnachie from the Whistler Fire Department with the big red truck, and his wife Nancy, against 50 local squirt-gun toting, hose-carrying kids out for revenge from a whole winter of "early-to-bed," and "get your homework done," and "eat your vegetables" angst. Sadly, we were out-numbered, out-gunned, out-sprayed, and out-screamed, by all 50 of them combined, we didn't stand a chance.

Al bravely drove the big red truck through the onslaught, but he and all the rest of the parent volunteers got the soaking of a lifetime. All I can say is "Thanks" to you Al, and the Whistler fire department for offering yourselves and your equipment in a singularly brave act all for the good of your community, and the cleanliness of our children.

You guys are awesome, and we hope to see you one year from now, same time, to exact your revenge if you dare...

Oh and in part, thanks to you guys we raised $1,360.35 towards the Tapleys Fund For Excellence.

Pat Johnston

Another Grateful Survivor

Ride on

A big thank you to the 17 women from Whistler who rode their bicycles from Lillooet to Merritt to support our local chapter of Bicycles for Humanity. Despite the challenges of the ride all arrived in with smiles on their faces and a sense of accomplishment having raised $2,000 of the $10,000 it costs to send a container of 400 bikes to Africa.

Also, a big thanks to Jane Millen and Shelly Ledingham for running the Wheeling Wednesdays project at Myrtle Philip School. As well as encouraging environmentally sensitive transportation practices to the students the project raised $400 for B4H.

With such community help, our goals are closer to being realized. We will be doing a collection of used fat tire, adult bikes in September so if you have a decent old bike sitting around please don't throw it out. There is a huge need for them in Africa. Health care workers and individual families are enormously impacted by one bike.

Each one of us can make a difference. See www.bicycles-for-humanity.org.

Brenda Montani

Whistler

Stamping out Polio

Rotary International has been successfully eradicating Polio from our planet for the last 20 years. With 2 billion children immunized through Rotary's Polio Plus program, we are getting very close to completing the task - wiping Polio off the face of the Earth.

Recently, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed itself to the cause as well, pledging $355 million if Rotary can raise a further $200 million over the next three years. Thus, the Rotary Club of Whistler organized the Elixirs of Life fundraising event to do our share.

It never ceases to amaze me how generous the community of Whistler is, even in difficult financial times. Thanks to our ever so gracious sponsors, donors, volunteers, and guests, we raised $25,000 at our first, and now annual, event.

With Whistler's contributions to Polio Plus, Rotary International has already raised $90 million. There are far too many people to thank by way of this letter but we did want to recognize, here, some key individuals.

Accordingly, a huge thank you to our sponsors: Chateau de Beaucastel, The Perrin family; Gwen Baudisch and the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre; Mark Herron, Louise Caparella, and Mark Hanno and the Four Seasons Resort Whistler; New World Wines, Elizabeth and Peter Crews; The United States Consulate, Consul General, Phillip Chicola; Daniel Liddy, International Sommeliers Guild; Ambiance Vins, Igal Amsallem; The Blackcomb Liquor Store, Michael Kompass; Mountain Blooms, Linda Marshall; AVW Telav Audio Visual Services, Harry Smith; Layer Cake Wines, Chris Radomski; Barnett Vineyards; De Lille Cellars; Kistler Vineyards; Darioush Khaledi Winery; Kestrel Vintners; Zefina Winery; and, of course, Mad Housewife Wines.

We would also like to recognize the incredible generosity of the donors who provided the enviable live auction items: the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort; Chateau de Beaucastel, The Perrin family; Wendy Whaco, Mountain Galleries; Bearfoot Bistro; and Araxi, Top Table Group.

Finally, we thank all of the volunteers without whom this event would not have succeeded. In particular we would like to recognize the efforts of Tracy Bruns, who co-ordinated the entire evening; our compelling speaker, Joan Toone, who gave us a first-hand account of living with polio; Dianne Diamond and her team - Sandy Epplett, Jackie Tyler, Bronwen Thorburn, Kimiko Taguchi, and Kimberley Gannon - who ensured a smooth auction and check-in and check-out; Jeff Maskell for his wizardry on the piano; and Judy Soferman and Marc Rosenshein for taking care of shipping and receiving.

Greg Diamond

President, The Rotary Club of Whistler