I've received a few interesting phone calls this past month and they have prompted me to write this letter.
I moved to Revelstoke from my home town of Whistler for the new ski hill that opened here in December 2007. Having been born and raised in Whistler, I arrived in Revelstoke with some mighty high standards for what constitutes good skiing and an enjoyable town; nonetheless, I have been blown away by how much this town has to offer on both those fronts and by the amazing community which exists here.
The phone calls I received this past month concern me because it seems as though there are some bogus rumours floating around in Whistler about this place, and they need to be put to rest ASAP.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort is on solid footing, full-stop. It opens Dec. 5 for the 2009-2010 season - its third season ever - and has already achieved its season's pass sales goal.
Millions of dollars are currently being put into resort infrastructure and Revelstoke Mountain Resort has all intentions of the resort golf course being a Nick Faldo-designed course, with plans to commence construction in the spring of 2010.
When my sister Ashleigh and I were growing up in a Whistler that was still struggling to be regarded as a great resort-destination, we were constantly reminded by our mother and father that we needed to be "ambassadors" of Whistler at all times - taking care to be helpful, polite, and welcoming to all tourists so that they would want to return to a town full of interesting, athletic, nice people.
The citizens of Whistler are now, in a sense, ambassadors for the ski industry in British Columbia as a whole, due to the sheer volume of visitors who filter through Whistler before eventually venturing out to other B.C. resorts. From this, I feel like the citizens of Whistler need to be properly informed of what's up in Revy and respect that this place needs support, not negativity.
Lindsay McIvor
Revelstoke
Rainbow the place for security camp
This letter was addressed to mayor and council. A copy was forwarded to Pique for publication.
I would like to express my support in favour of the proposed Rainbow TCUP to locate in Whistler a temporary camp to house security workers for the upcoming Olympic games versus in any other community.
This will substantially reduce the carbon footprint of the security companies' (CSC) transportation plan and help deliver the greenest Games possible as promised by VANOC.
This location's green benefits are many.
By locating the camp on the Rainbow site there will be no further tree cutting or environmental encroachment on nature.
Substantial amounts of fuel would be saved by locating this camp in Whistler.
The services are all in place and ready to be hooked up. The site is already cleared.
In addition, the highway intersection is already in place and has been designed to handle substantially more traffic volume than the camp will generate.
The site is away from the current occupied homes in Rainbow and will not have a negative impact on the Rainbow homeowners. In fact CSC has volunteered access to their shuttle buses for the Rainbow residents to help them get around during the Olympics.
The possibility of the security staff being late because of road problems between Pemberton and Whistler is an unacceptable risk. The events will not open if the security people are not there.
Having the security people located in Whistler will bring some economic benefits to the community while making for a smoother delivery of the Games for the security people. CSC needs a quiet, accessible location for the staff accommodation in order to provide them with a good working experience for the Games and for them to be able to provide a good experience to our guests.
Tom Horler
Whistler
It's all part of the Games
It's amazing how quickly and powerfully territorial instincts take hold, especially for private homeowners. Throw in potential (terrorism?) threats to the "kids and family" and the issue becomes passionate. In this case NIMBYism can take root before one even moves in.
My response to Andrew Haig and those at Rainbow opposed to a temporary work camp is "Suck It Up."
Everyone is going to have to in more ways than one.
I'm not too excited about most of the disruptions myself, and admittedly have never been an Olympic supporter, but I'm not about to waste my breath trying to protest any of it. Not even our council, mayor or (in the case of women ski jumpers) the Supreme Court trump VANOC or the IOC. It's now obvious they're the most politically powerful force on the planet. They say "jump," we collectively say, "how high?"
While I'm on a rant, I can't believe the RCMP and the barrage of security, with their billion-dollar budget, can't find the funds and resources to keep the bars open an extra hour. They can turn our town into a military state to fend off the bad guys, and they can't handle a few drunks at 3 a.m.?
I hope the council has the willpower to see clearly on this one. If we're presenting ourselves as an international destination we should keep some clubs open all night, like Vegas, New Orleans and many European cities. That way it avoids all the last-call chaos in the village and bus loop.
If we're calling it a "big party" we should show them how it's done. I know quite a few professional partiers in this town that can lead the way. I'll volunteer for that position.
Mike Roger
Whistler
A photogenic Whistlerite
I would never be one to publicly criticize an organization that is responsible for something as serious as security during the Olympic Games, but here I go anyways.
It appears that Al-Qaeda has moved into the Sea to Sky and secretly joined forces with the Lil'wat Nation, except Bin Laden has been replaced as the head of the terrorist organization by the infamous Sara Jennings in a diabolical plot to put up protest signs during the Games. Or at least this is what the Integrated Security Unit (ISU) seems to think.
After all, they have been sending plain-clothed police officers to snoop around Mount Currie. Why else would the ISU do that except to look for terrorist cells manufacturing placards and sandwich boards covered in anti-Olympic propaganda? Do they honestly think they will stumble across such a covert operation?
And seriously, how many pictures of Sara Jennings does the ISU need? They take so many pictures of her that I am surprised she doesn't confuse them with the paparazzi. We live in the age of "copy and paste." Surely members of the ISU can learn this highly advanced technique so not every member has to take a picture of Sara to have one for their own reference.
Obviously the ISU is in the Sea to Sky corridor investigating the real threats to Olympic security. That is you, the residents.
Bjorn Gimse
Walking the line with Feet
First of all I believe that the road line changes in front of the Husky and Function Junction are a hazard waiting to happen. Isn't there a small portion of Olympic money that can fund a couple of pylons and/or signs to warn us we are about to get in a head on collision? I mean, I don't drive with my eyes closed and I've stopped texting while I drive (thanks to my mom) but darn, that is scary!
Secondly, I would like to address Colin Wyniarsky's letter about Feet Banks being a below average columnist. I personally believe Feet's column is a thick, charismatic, slightly cynical piece that speaks directly to my generation. In my opinion he fills a void for Pique . Among the youth here in Whistler he holds a special, respected place. His B-Grade Horrorfest/Showdown (Oct. 30th) is the hottest thing in town, and to be honest... he is our king.
Who the heck is Jesse?
Joanne Van Engelsdorp
Whistler
Most of the job well done
I admit that there were a few curse words spoken in the privacy of my vehicle in dealing with the closures and delays of the highway project.
I now have the utmost respect for Kiewit and the job they have done with the Sea to Sky highway project. In a relatively short period of time they removed mountains and filled valleys to create a great highway to travel on. Hats off to them!
The resurfacing of the Duffey Lake Road was also completed, looks great, is much safer, and is a treat to drive on.
On the other side of the scale, I am extremely disappointed with the "patchwork quilt" job that has been done to the portion of the highway between Function and the village. I do not understand why the same quality of work could not be emulated with the Whistler project.
Greg Knight
Whistler
Be reasonable on the road
In your article about highway speeds and accidents, Cpl. Scott Bowden is quoted as saying, "One of our mandates is to try to open up the highway as quickly as possible and to get traffic moving but we still have an investigation to do and we cannot jeopardize that investigation to get the highway open sooner."
I have never understood why the closing of the highway for an extra few hours is that much more important than the priorities of the few thousand people who are being seriously inconvenienced. I haven't seen any improvement in investigation times in more than 40 years of driving the highway.
Isn't it about time to take more pictures and make marks quickly, so that later, during a quieter time, the lanes may be periodically interrupted to do the rest? Other jurisdictions do it.
During a trip east from Hedley a few weeks ago, my attention was drawn to the state of the two-lane highway. The engineering looks 50 to 60 years old. The lanes and shoulders are narrow, the road is twisty and there are many intersections with a lot of cross traffic. The speed limit is 100 km/h! Our new highway, from BOB to Function, has none of those problems and yet the speed limit is 80 km/h.
Anyone who drives the highway knows that the limit is respected by no one. I suggest the reason for this disrespect is because it is artificially low. Does anyone know why it is so low?
Most people obey signs when they are reasonable, but slowing down the crazies will take more work.
Jamie Pike
Whistler
Danger looming
Alison Taylor lays out the story with information from the Sea to Sky RCMP staff, who are doing their best with inadequate staffing and budgets. Think of the last few years during the construction. Did you ever see the police ticketing speeders in the construction zones, including Kiewit's contract truckers who routinely were doing 90 km/h in the zones? I know because I was in a car that clocked them and Kiewit was not interested. The company never answered my calls, possibly because the minister said, "Let's highball this project and go easy on the drivers." Same reaction from Ms. McIntyre's office. I see virtually no effort to anticipate the danger looming from a faster highway.
Just wait for the first snowfalls and black ice, then watch the section from Lions Bay to West Vancouver with all the curves. There will be accidents and closures and the Olympics will be compromised. Why? Because the authorities are unprepared and don't seem to know what to do. And the drivers are unprepared themselves for what is coming.
What can be done? Tell the ministers for the RCMP and provincial highways to wake up and provide the staff and budget to guarantee a safe highway journey. And get the flashing notices up to alert the drivers that
there is zero tolerance to unsafe driving. And start now before it's too late.
For years I have simply flashed my headlights at some speeders on the highway, following a tip from a patrolman. And do you know something? It works about half the time. The snowmobilers from the south are the worst speeders and contractors are notorious. So let's take Corporal Bowden's tip and phone in the offender's licence plate number with related details. Use the Watch 99 system by calling *0099 and reporting speeders to a message recording, resulting in a warning letter detailing fines.
Don't be surprised if the driving on the Sea to Sky becomes a big bad news story this winter.
Patrick Duffy
Roadie Patroller
North Vancouver
Some highway questions
It is nice to read that our highway is mostly done but there is some work needed on pullouts. So far there are no pullouts from Squamish to Horseshoe Bay and it looks like there is not much room for any. This has been an ongoing feature of highways everywhere these days. No room to pull over and stop, let alone have a look at anything. If it is a park, of course, one has to pay to stop, like a sales tax.
I see reference to passing lanes, none of which exist between Squamish and Horseshoe Bay. All two lanes on the same side have equal rights. For the most part the new road is okay and seems to have tempted a lot of people into believing the speed ought to be 100 km/h or more, even on that strangely signed section of 60 km/h over a long distance of four lanes switching to 80 on a heavy curve and only two lanes.
On many curves the road is wrongly sloped down to the outside of the arc. One wonders if this is not an error but just to prompt us not to speed, especially on the inside lane. Finally, for now, although it is not new, why does the government continue to expensively give away the store in the maintenance of our highway?
Terry Smith
Garibaldi Highlands
Community stocking shelves
Two weeks ago Pique ran a story about the food bank that demonstrated our need for donations. Again, the community of Whistler has come together to support those in need. The impact from the story has been very positive as donations at Nesters, IGA, and Creekside Market have increased and many individuals and businesses have stepped up to hold events or donate larger amounts of food in support of the Whistler Community Services Society's Food Bank.
Whistler Community Services Society would like to thank those who stepped up to help. Peak Performance Physio held a food drive. Local Automotive and Vision Pacific teamed up to host a wood chop where funds from the sale of the firewood went to the food bank. Christine Suter, Whistler Triathalon Club and a plethora of her vollys got together to organize an end of season run with entry by donation to the food bank. Meanwhile the Royal Bank branch in Whistler is planning a food drive that will run the last week of October and November. Jack and Dorothy Mann also donated a large amount of food after purchasing bulk items at Costco. Whistler Bylaw Services has also put together a very creative fundraising opportunity; standby for details.
Thanks to the many individuals and businesses above and those who have been filling the donation bins at the grocery stores, shelves at the food bank are slowly filling. However, as we get closer to the beginning of the ski season, usage at the food bank is expected to increase. Most users of the food bank are not new people coming to town, but we do get some who expect to find work quickly and find the task much harder than expected. There are also many locals who often find a bit of lag time between their regular summer and winter jobs and if that down time is longer than expected they may need a bit of assistance to get through until their next cheque comes in.
You too can help out by organizing a food drive, visit www.mywcss.org/food-bank to learn how. Or you can call the food bank coordinator directly at 604-935-7717.
Sara Jennings
Whistler Community Services Society
Food Bank Coordinator
Soup was definitely on
The 8th annual Harvest Soup Contest was enjoyed by over 650 people on the Thanksgiving Weekend. And because this was without a doubt a wonderful Harvest Soup Contest, we at the Whistler Waldorf School truly have much to be thankful for.
We are thankful for the amazing efforts that The Mix by Ric's & Ric's Grill, Gone Bakery, The Dubh Linn Gate Old Irish Pub, Fifty Two 80 Bistro & Bar and the Fairmont Chateau Whistler put into presenting their mouth-watering harvest creations.
Congratulations to The Mix by Ric's for defending their 2008 title with their 2009 top vote getter: West Coast Salmon Chowder with a salmon cakelette and fresh chervil... yum!
Again this year we received a gracious welcome from the Whistler Farmers' Market. Josh, the market manager, gets our special thanks.
We are thankful for the tremendous donations from Marketplace IGA and Slope Side Supply Ltd. Special thanks go to IGA's Tim, Aaron & the Bakery Staff and Slope Side Supply's Jamie. Year after year these folks provide our necessary extras.
We also wish to acknowledge Sabre Rentals Ltd. and Whistler Blackcomb because their pieces of the puzzle help us offer a comfortable and clean area for savouring the lovely soups.
Six-hundred-and-fifty smiling faces, six creative chefs, numerous donors and supporters, 13 volunteers and one glorious fall day. These were the key ingredients to a wonderful event!
Peggy Vogler & Diane Riley
On behalf of the Parent Group
Whistler Waldorf School
Coexistence is the goal
As biologists, we would like clarify some of the comments by some landscapers and consultants regarding the "potential threat to biodiversity" from removing bear-attracting species from developments.
The authors of an Oct. 7 letter state that "altering the plant composition of an area, especially fruiting plants, may reduce or eliminate significant sources of feeding and shelter for a range of animal species that rely on these plants for key parts of their life cycle." However, we are not proposing to alter an intact ecosystem. The Bear Working Group is proposing that in urban developments, landscapers use native plants that don't attract bears. These areas are relatively small and already highly modified. No one is suggesting that fruit-producing plants be removed or discouraged from the many natural areas and green spaces in and around Whistler.
Additionally, we'd like to point out that scientific studies continually state that roads, traffic and roaming house cats have large negative impacts on small mammals and songbirds. We suggest that these impacts are likely more significant than the absence of non-fruiting plant species in human developments.
We fully support efforts to keep Whistler's biodiversity intact for all the animals with which we share this valley. We believe we can accomplish this without compromising human safety and coexistence with local black bears.
Lori Homstol
Nicola Brabyn
Claire Edwards
Bear Aversion Research Team
