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Letters to the editor

Many tears have fallen in the past two weeks. Maybe enough to fill a small reservoir, but certainly not enough to fill the void left behind by the friends and loved ones we’ve lost. Although life continues in Whistler, it has changed for many.

Many tears have fallen in the past two weeks. Maybe enough to fill a small reservoir, but certainly not enough to fill the void left behind by the friends and loved ones we’ve lost. Although life continues in Whistler, it has changed for many. It will continue without a father, a husband, a boyfriend, a son, a brother, a co-worker and a friend. That’s a lot to lose in such a small community.

At the same time however, a lot has been gained. Friendships have been made, bonds have been made stronger and the community has grown resilient. Standing in the wake of the fires, the floods and the ensuing losses, we have witnessed community after community come together and rise above. We are larger than life.

It is saddening when something so tragic has to happen in order to remind us of how precious our lives are, and how easy we can forget that. We are reminded how easy it is to take for granted the lives of our friends and families and the time that we spend together. When will we learn that each time we say goodbye may be the last? How many times will we endure the loss of someone close before we realize how much we actually mean to each other? What will it take before we recognize the importance of expressing ourselves fully and making peace with those we care about but are too stubborn to admit it to. If you haven’t done so, do it now. There is a very heavy weight to carry when you know there will never be a chance for reconciliation. We should be so lucky to have been blessed with a second chance with our fantastic miracle that Mother Nature so graciously gave back to us.

As many of us now know losing a friend means losing a part of our souls. But we will survive, and we will grow stronger knowing that these amazing people, and their passion and excitement for life will carry us on our journey as they wait patiently for us to return to them. You really didn’t have to know these boys to feel their impact on the people in this community. Their characters reached so many and their spirits will continue to. That is what I value most about living here. Someone new to our community told me last week that it cost him $5 for a beer; about $200 for a hotel, and almost $2,000 for a round trip ticket, but the spirit of this place is priceless. He couldn’t have said it better.

My message to you is don’t forget to tell your friends how much they mean to you… even if it is only once in a while. There is no stronger gift you can give than that of love and acceptance. The sense of self worth we will reap from these actions will fuel our happiness… even in the darkest days.

To all the good friends I have known and just met, thank you for the good times so far and I love you all.

Julie T.

Whistler

 

Tenants at risk

If you rent a ground floor suite within a Pemberton home you could be at risk! Due to being situated in a flood plane many (not all) Pemberton houses have ground floors that are not supposed to be inhabited. To check if your suite is legal and safe from the threat of rising water visit the village office and ask.

Authorities should be encouraged to crack down on these illegal suites to safeguard the tenants of Pemberton. Buyers should beware of properties that do not qualify for flood insurance.

I support the spending of public money to help legitimate flood victims. I do not support public money given to landlords so they can re-establish their dangerous little mortgage helpers.

Julie Wilson

Pemberton

 

Having read the Oct 31 issue of the Pique Newsmagazine (Letters: Kids need a proper seat), I feel it is necessary to write to advise you that Whistler's taxi companies are not required by Motor Carrier Commission regulation to provide infant car seats for local transfers. We do provide a small selection of infant carriers for our customers travelling to Vancouver. Local transit does not even provide a seat-belt for their customers.

It is neither reasonable nor practical for us to offer this service for local transfer, given the amount of luggage, skis and groceries we commonly carry. We do have one winter-season vehicle that has a built-in child seat, and we do make every attempt to accommodate our local customers, if the car is available at the time of the call. This winter car was not in service at the time Ms. Lee called for the taxi, and she was told at the time of the call that we do not provide car seats for local transfers. We suggested that she bring her own car seat.

Eric Larsen

General Manager

Whistler Taxi Ltd.

 

On Oct. 6th Lillooet District Council passed a motion put forward by Councillor John Courchesne under ‘Any Other Business’ "to forward a letter to the Honourable Stan Hagen, Minister of Sustainable Resource Management and MLA Ralph Sultan expressing the District of Lillooet’s support for mining exploration in the Lillooet TSA and more specifically, the South Chilcotin Park". The motion was seconded and passed by the four councillors present.

The citizens of Lillooet elected their council to represent their interests. In Whistler however we also have an interest in both the natural values and the sustainable economic opportunities which the park offers to a growing tourism sector in our region, and to our visitors who wish to experience the untouched splendour of Super Natural B.C. South Chilcotin Mountain Park was created in 2001 after first being proposed in 1937 and it was created for good reason as anyone who has ever visited the area can attest to. Eldorado Basin, Windy Pass, Spruce Lake: all treasures for mountain bikers, horse riders and hikers alike. Government needs the input of Whistler residents and business. If we are silent then the government can proceed with dismantling the park and filling it with exploration roads and clearcuts because no-one really seemed to have any concerns, save the mining industry and Lillooet District Council.

Please write an e-mail, a postcard, a letter in bottle – anything to let our politicians know that our sustainable future looks er... a little different than the view put forward by Lillooet District Council. You CAN change the world just by writing a letter – your world.

Please visit the AWARE Web site at www.awarewhistler.org/chilcotins for background information, e-mail links to politicians and some suggested letters.

Eckhard Zeidler

AWARE Wilderness Backyard Committee

 

Re: Possible relocation of museum

Having read in the paper regarding the consideration of the museum moving to the conference centre, I feel I must point out that this was proposed before and soundly rejected by the Museum Board at that time. The many reasons included:

1. Its underground location – a dungeon-like situation.

2. No windows to view the "outside world" – a miserable working condition for staff and an unpleasant viewing situation for displays and visitors.

3. Ceiling is riddled with pipes – any seepage or breakage would seriously damage archival records and museum artifacts.

4. Once located there, it was felt unlikely that any other move would ever be considered.

5. It was strongly felt that a building that was visible to the public was a prime consideration in order to:

• Attract visitors/customers

• Make a gift shop worthwhile

• To emphasize that there is history here (visible)

This fifth point, regarding visibility, was definitely an issue when the municipality entered the Communities in Bloom contest. The strongest criticism to our committee was that little trace of history was visible in Whistler.

With the coming of the Olympic Winter Games in 2010, I feel that this issue of visibility is very important. It would be a poor show to be located in a "hole" no matter how much money was spent to try to make it a presentable Category A facility; it would still be a hole – underground. In the past, businesses in that location (e.g. indoor mini golf, Mountain World climbing wall and arcade) and elsewhere in the village (e.g. Alpen Rock House) tried to make a go of it underground and failed.

Therefore, I do not believe this proposed location is a suitable one for our Museum and Archives.

Florence Petersen,

Founder and Past President, WMAS

Whistler

 

Whistler Secondary, with the support of the Whistler Youth Soccer club, has just successfully hosted the Provincial Senior Boys "A" Soccer Tournament on Oct. 30, 31st and Nov. 1st. This was a major undertaking for the Whistler Youth soccer club and Whistler Secondary – hosting 12 teams from around the province. The tournament is a major highlight for high school soccer in the province and features many top provincial players.

Teams raved about the quality of our fields, the accommodation, the accessibility of the village to the fields and the opportunity to experience other recreation activities easily after games.

These comments are the result of a community that continually gets behind new events, such as this tournament, and provides that little extra that will bring people back. Many of the teams already want to return to play and visit.

Many thanks go to Resort Quest, Nesters, Rogers Chocolates, Markwest, E Sound, Penalty Box, Sportstop, Boston Pizza, Subway, Tex Corleone's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Quiznos, Spagetti Factory, Dominos Pizza, McDonald’s, Pita Pit, and Busterinos. A special thank you to Whistler-Blackcomb for supporting us with food and prizes. The departments of note are the Food & Beverage Dept. and especially Ken, James and Craig, the Corporate Partner and Sponshship Dept – thank you Susanna Wilson, the Sales Office, the Ski School, the Events Dept. and the Employee Services Dept.

The most important part of the tournament is the quality of the fields and many thanks to Paul and Derek for working so hard to ensure the fields were in the very best shape I have ever seen. Everyone raved about them. The organizers are extremely grateful.

No thank you would be complete without mentioning the parents of the Whistler soccer team and the teachers of Whistler Secondary. A special thank you to Mary Romanin, Pauline Wiebe, Mary Caverly, Daphne Widdess, Georgina Titus and Anne Poole for the very important extra effort you gave that made our tournament a success.

Finally a very warm hearted thank you has to go to one of the backbones to this tournament, Bob Calladine. His tireless commitment to the team, club and school has provided us with this opportunity to shine. Bob we are grateful.

Thank you everyone for your support,

Andrée Vajda Janyk

Tournament Chair

 

As a new resident, I am troubled by the abundance of so called certified and relaxation massage therapists in Whistler. Such practitioners are neither governed nor endorsed by the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia, a body that exists to licence massage therapists and to protect the public.

B.C. has the highest standards for massage therapy of anywhere in North America. Massage therapists registered here have completed a 3,000-hour program that includes detailed study of anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology on top of practical classes to ensure that they are providing appropriate and safe treatments. They are further required to successfully complete certification exams, meet continuing education criteria, and carry malpractice insurance. All of this is to ensure public safety, as even the lightest massage can have profound effects on the body and may not be indicated in all circumstances.

It is disappointing to see so many businesses capitalizing on the good reputation that registered massage therapists in this province have worked hard to establish. When booking a massage, relaxation or therapeutic, ask if your therapist is registered in B.C. It’s your body and you have a right to know.

Kylie Taylor

Registered Massage Therapist

Whistler