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"The results of this project confirmed that Whistler has a serious challenge ensuring adequate skilled workers in the future, a challenge that can not merely be overcome by stock options or targeting a different demographic group.

"The results of this project confirmed that Whistler has a serious challenge ensuring adequate skilled workers in the future, a challenge that can not merely be overcome by stock options or targeting a different demographic group." — Pique letters Sept. 10

Peter Lawrie's post-graduate research project aptly describes Whistler's future if it continues down the existing path. While he states the obvious – "The majority of the pool of available labour is from ‘elsewhere’, typically young people taking a break in schooling" – he fails to point out that their other (or primary) reason for being there – "...the recreational opportunities and the social aspects of Whistler" – is also a prime motivator for the professionals and skilled workers who would make Whistler their home.

Affordable access (and the time to pursue) the aforementioned recreational opportunities, coupled with adequate compensation, is essential to retaining quality people. As hospitality professionals, my wife and I relocated to Whistler in an effort to enjoy the outdoors and advance our developing careers. However, I quickly soured on Whistler life when I discovered that the work/life balance touted by my inital employer was in fact vastly skewed towards the work side! I attributed this primarily to my being "blessed" with an immediate manager from the East Coast who in his almost three years in Whistler accessed the mountain less times than I could count on one hand. The resulting wasted hours, and the neglect of an oft-touted company policy of "support and development" took much out of the initial thrill of Whistler life. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to deduce that this unrewarding "city-like" working environment, in conjunction with excessive housing and food costs, rendered Whistler uninhabitable for me.

My wife was more fortunate in that her employer (Whistler-Blackcomb) practices what they preach with their career-oriented people, and makes a sincere effort to improve the quality of life for their staff through a social, team-oriented atmosphere, incentives, and job flexibility.

Our experience mirrors that of many of the young professional couples we met in Whistler – we ultimately relocated to another place, with great jobs, better pay, improved work conditions, and great management. Yes, I miss the mountains, but I don't miss mortgaging our future to chase the myth of "personal sustainability" in Whistler.

Ian Ward

Victoria

Just wanted to tip my trucker hat to Ru Mehta and Tony Horn and all the volunteers and sponsors for putting on such a great Samurai Mountain Bike Race.

They came through once again with an exciting and extraordinary event while at the same time adding to community development by starting a tradition.

The punishing course selection and weather made the apres at Teppan Village and the honour of being a Samurai all the more rewarding. Once again, I marvel at the strength of Whistler's mountain bike community. Not only in the saddle, but in camaraderie.

Congratulations boys and thanks for bumps and bruises!

Greg McDonnell

Whistler

Like others, I feel that the gondola proposed for the Squamish Chief will change the nature of the park irreparably and will strip it of its capacity to inspire our ambitions. But the aspect of this issue that concerns me most regards the consultation process.

Experience tells us that a decision arrived at through good process results in stakeholders that propel decisions through to their full capacity. I applaud Minister Barisoff for his assurances, but given the track record of the province, I remain very concerned. Good process involves all parties that have a stake, provides a genuine and measurable influence, is accountable to the broader public, empowers all stakeholders, requires that a degree of consensus is achieved, and is conducted in an open and timely manner.

I think that if we have a sound decision-making process, we can develop a better alternative. In all likelihood, the alpine area above the western edge of Squamish holds remarkable hiking, sightseeing, climbing, and skiing opportunities. With access to this terrain, Squamish could very well become a real contender for the outdoor recreation capital of the world. More investigation of this alternative is of course necessary, but that’s what stakeholders are for.

Chris Joseph

Squamish

After reading comments in last week’s Pique, regarding building a gondola lift to the top of The Chief, I couldn’t help but reply.

If Peter Alder and Paul Mathews think that protesters might be the downfall of their project they are wrong. It will be public opinion regarding private enterprise intrusions into provincial parks that will be their downfall. Private enterprises have no place or right to be in our parks.

Secondly, I find it totally ridiculous for these businessmen to think that they should be compensated from the public purse if their venture fails.

Chris Harvey

Whistler

Thank you Don Currie, (Pique letters, Sept. 10).

As far as your facts about the median, well, we all know that where there is a median there are breaks every so often, to accommodate for that very reason, allowing safety vehicles by.

As for snow vehicles, last year one of my good friend’s girlfriend was hit by a snowplough crossing the median, she is still recovering.

I still say the only way to stop these accidents is to install a median.

I have written the premier and keep sending him our letters.

Please support the median, go to www.medianforlife@hotmail.com and put I support in the subject box, then some info and maybe a little statement.

P.S. Rumble strips don't stop vehicles from crossing the double line.

Arne Gutmann

Whistler

The largest group in our resort’s history has departed after eight amazing days of two back-to-back incentive programs by Automatic Data Processing (ADP): two waves of incentive winners (1,350 delegates the first wave and 1,694 delegates the second) that produced over 12,100 delegate days for the resort with an estimated economic impact of at a minimum $2.8 million! It was the largest revenue and room night producing event ever held in the resort. This was ADP’s 30th Annual President’s Club and it was a huge success.

Tourism Whistler wishes to thank Pacific Destination Services, the hotels, the activity suppliers, the golf courses, the restaurants and bars, and the retail outlets for the way this group was received. The feedback from the client was that Whistler was an amazing resort, not only because of its beauty, but because of the service and welcome the group received.

The group has done programs in Vail, Hawaii, Europe, and the Caribbean and yet the organizers say this was one of the best President’s Clubs ever. The Telus Whistler Conference Centre was the showcase venue for the gala dinners and the "Club ADP" parties, and without the new expansion this group would not have been able to meet in the resort due to its size. With a production team from New York and the assistance of the TWCC staff, the venue was transformed each day into magical gala or a west coast themed nightclub.

The Director of Special Events at ADP, Gretchen Doner, had this to say: "I have received many comments from attendees that it was one of the best President's Clubs ever. Whistler offers beautiful scenery, great hotels, a diverse array of fun activities and warm, accommodating people. ADP will certainly return."

Tourism Whistler thanks each member in the resort that made this event a success. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Lynda Gilroy,

General Manager,

Telus Whistler Conference Centre

The Whistler Museum and Archives would like to send out a huge thank you to all those who attended our locals exhibit launch party for Picturing Whistler: Local Faces, Local Spaces. Approximately 100 people came out to enjoy locally brewed beer, locally baked pizza, and locally crafted tunes.

Special thanks go out to The Brew House and Avalanche Pizza for providing eats and drinks, Kostas Lymbertos and Jana Dupuis for their far out music, and to all the volunteers who helped out with serving, greeting, and cleaning.

The evening was a success and we invite everyone to check out Picturing Whistler and share with us any thoughts, experiences, and opinions on being local. For more information call 604-932-2019.

Jimi Galvao for

The board and staff of the Whistler Museum and Archives

When you go to an art gallery, you go to see the art. Apparently, though I don't really go to art galleries, but this is what I hear. For your viewing pleasure, the art is usually hung on the walls. If they put it on the floor, you wouldn't see it as well, and for those of us with big flippers, it'd be mainly shoes.

So if you think about it, The Chief is pretty much the big draw in Squamish, right after Loggers Days and the bulk food section at Overwaitea. Wouldn't it be better to look at it, rather than standing on it looking at the sorting yard, the highway and fine selection of convenience based feedlots? What if the proposed gondola did something for everyone, and went up the other side of the valley? It would open up access to the other side of the river, which has been proposed but never pursued. Tourists/wallets would drive through town, and spread the chaos/dollars to a greater segment of the burghers of Squamalia. There would likely be huge support from the climbing community, which has been casting lustfilled glances across the water for years. There would be far better views of The Chief, Atwell, Mamquam... wilderness. Instead of dropping garbage and rocks on the climbers, their progress could be viewed with high powered scopes a la Alpiglen. All around benefits versus Fred Beckey strapping himself to a gondola and having an apoplexy.

Or you could just go with the ferris wheel.

Charles Evans

Whistler

The municipal council was right when it put an application to subdivide the property of one of its own members onto the back burner. That’s where it should stay.

This is a 100 per cent conflict of interest, and a council member should not be 1) making the application when still on council and 2) embarrassing other council members by asking to be excused from discussion.

Further, the member in question stated: "If we restrict the resale price of the restricted lot, we will lose a significant amount of money."

Give me a break.

Anyone can do a Land Titles search to determine that the price paid for the property seven years ago was $535,000. The resale value today is $1.3 million, according to your story last week. I do not begrudge anyone in Whistler their "appreciation."

But to want approval of a "free market" lot, which would fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars, is a bit much – especially when you are the spokesman for affordable housing.

True, creation of another lot would result in more housing in the valley but it would certainly not be "affordable". And do we really want to be able to reach out the window and shake hands with our neighbours?

Everyone will gain, nobody will lose, if the status quo is retained and protected.

Al Eaton

Whistler

To: Those who obviously don't live on, but decide what to do with London Lane.

I know, I know, calm down hippie, they are just trees. The raping and pillaging of Creekside has been going on for a couple of years now. I should have seen it coming. And I guess I did. Last week there was a note on the door: "Dear tenants of London Lane don't park here for six weeks while we make you a new parking lot. Sorry for the inconvenience." Then yesterday fluorescent pink spray paint on trees that have been here longer than you or I. And today I listen to the sound of them being sent through the wood chipper. Yeah, yeah I'm sure the chips will be put to good use and caged hamsters and rats around B.C. will be oh so grateful.

Yes, I did think about taking action, pulling a "virgin suicide" and chaining myself to one of the trees, but I was very busy saving the earth from evil doers elsewhere.

I guess I just need an explanation. A reason for this particular destructive madness. Those trees not only acted as air purifiers for everyone, but as a sound barrier and view other than the sights and sounds of the 99 and Petro Can. You see I have never had a problem finding a place to park here. In fact it is one of the only places I've lived in Whistler where parking has been a non issue.

Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions here. This project just started yesterday, who knows what it will look like in six weeks. Maybe the trees will be replaced by something really cool. Like break-dancing midgets or a home for our garbage bear; where we can separate and direct deposit some of our garbage into a new "bear food" category, so he doesn't have to break into cars or tip over the blue bin and sort through our plastic bags of waste.

Maybe it's the constant sound of banging and sawing that is construction (destruction) that's affecting my pea-brain from understanding the logic. My general idea here is "Don't fix it if it ain't broke" and please don't make it worse.

Abby Clinton

Whistler

Glenda Bartosh’s article on bistros etc., while very interesting for the history buff, unfortunately doesn't help tourists to France who may think waiters are rude when actually they only follow the law.

Cafes and bars (same thing; the owner alone chooses to call his place either bar de... or cafe de...) are not allowed to serve hot food (cooked in a kitchen), only sandwiches. Most bars/cafes do not serve cooked food. Those that want to must have a restaurant licence, must have "restaurant" in their name (cafe-restaurant de…) must serve the cooked food in a room or area clearly distinct from the bar/cafe section etc. One cannot eat sandwiches in the restaurant or hot food in the bar.

In cafes and bars the price of the drinks may be different depending on where one is seated. Cheapest is standing at the counter, for clients who have a quick drink and go (regulars can stay longer). Sitting at a table inside you will be charged more. The highest prices are charged on the outside tables where one can stay the longest with the same drink. It is against the law to buy a drink at the bar and carry it to a table.

Restaurants serve cooked food, obviously, and are open only a few hours a day, for lunch and dinner; most of them don't have a bar.

Brasseries are usually big places, often with two or more floors. They usually stay open 20 hours a day, some 24 hours, and serve cooked food any time of the day. The term bistro is typically Parisian and originally meant a place for a very quick drink. Mind you I saw a place called "cafe, bar, brasserie, restaurant."

Other places, common in big French towns:

"Self service" and "cafeterias", big places with buffet type food, favoured by tourists and office workers short of time.

"Salons de the" are quiet, refined places, serving a variety of teas and cafes, small fancy hot food, salads, pastries. Favourite places of nice old ladies, young mothers with kids, rich middle age women and men both showing off their latest young male "secretary".

J-L Brussac

Coquitlam

Re: Hotter and Drier: how long will the trend continue, Pique, Sept. 3.

I certainly appreciated Adam Daff’s story on how the warming global climate is affecting our alpine environment. The changes that many of us are observing in our mountains are serious and appear to only be the sign of things to come. In a few decades, for example, scientists predict snowlines to rise beyond the tops of many of the world’s ski resorts. Clearly this is a topic that resonates with mountain enthusiasts.

However, I’d like to address and hopefully clarify an important aspect of this topic. While the global climate has been warmer and colder at times in our geological history, it’s critical to understand that countless scientific studies have shown that most of the warming (globally) observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities and not natural processes. For example, carbon dioxide, one of the major culprits of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, has risen 32 per cent since the start of the industrial era and has now reached the highest levels in at least 420,000 years.

While scientists still debate some of the details of climate change (like where droughts will occur), the largest group of scientists examining any issue on the planet agree most of this warming is caused by humans, it is a serious problem, and it should be addressed. Seventeen national academies of science, a special report commissioned by U.S. President Bush, and the heads of two of the largest international oil companies, BP and Shell, all agree.

We in mountain communities have much to lose from climate change. Dialogue about this issue is a vitally important step and I applaud the Pique for choosing to investigate this topic.

Ian Bruce

Melting Mountains Awareness Program

Alpine Club of Canada

Vancouver

Re: The Pemberton Airport and Intrawest

We clearly understand that the airport is a Village of Pemberton asset and it is up to the community of Pemberton and its council to determine how this asset is developed and best used.

Intrawest’s intent is to support the Village of Pemberton in developing this asset and to improve access to the region for the betterment of the region’s tourism economy. Tourism is our number one asset and can contribute to both the economic and, ultimately, the environmental sustainability of the entire region.

Our proposal to the Village of Pemberton recommends an airport authority model that has worked extremely well for many communities across Canada. In an airport authority model, the Village of Pemberton retains 100 per cent ownership of the airport, but allows for third party and higher levels of government investment. An airport authority also isolates the community from financial risk. Our proposal does not specify runway length or any particular type of aircraft at this time. Our vision for Pemberton’s airport is to deliver safe, reliable, regularly scheduled air service using highly recognized air carriers, connecting the region to worldwide tourism markets.

We believe in a vision where a successful Pemberton airport will create incremental economic activity to benefit the entire region, while respecting the Pemberton Valley, its environment and its residents.

Dave Brownlie

Chief Operating Officer

Intrawest Corporation at Whistler Blackcomb