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Pemberton Meadows International? I read with interest how excited everyone is about an airport in Pemberton.

Pemberton Meadows International?

I read with interest how excited everyone is about an airport in Pemberton. Has anyone asked the locals? Do they know that the flight path does not come up the Squamish-Whistler Valley? It comes from the northwest and the final approach route for these 737s comes right down the valley through the Pemberton Meadows, low and loud. Is this good for us?

At a recent Whistler Council meeting about the Brandywine alternative, one of the councillors asked why would anyone want to live under the approach to an airport? Good question. I suggest our leaders in Pemberton or the SLRD make an effort to solicit an opinion from the folks in the Meadows before this thing goes too far. My suggestion: take a bus!

Mike Graham

Pemberton

 

Airport questions abound

Re: Commercial airport in Pemberton

Well I'm all for progress as long as it benefits all and not just the select few, so my questions are these:

1. What level of pollution, noise and fuel emissions will be released into our beautiful valley here?

2. Because we are in a valley, how will these emissions disperse naturally without causing harm to our valley vegetation and how long will it take before these fuel emissions show themselves to us in the quality of our air intake?

3. What kind of flight patterns will they be taking? Will they be travelling over reserve areas that are restricted areas?

4. As they come in to land, where will they be dumping their excess fuel to make the landing easier as bigger planes have been know to do?

We all talk about, dare I say it, sustainability (I'm actually getting tired of that phrase as its seems to be losing its meaning and becoming a catch word). Anyway, we picked up the gauntlet of the one tonne challenge but as private citizens we can only do so much; the biggest culprits are the big commercial businesses. Are we helping or hindering by painting over the issue with a green brush of the almighty dollar? If we're going to take a stand at least let it be one that will make a difference in the long run.

The best quote I have seen was on a bumper sticker of an old van that said "We did not inherit the earth we are simply borrowing it from our children."

How we value our children’s future will show in what kind of condition we return it in.

Heidi Goldie

Mount Currie

 

Chemistry 101

First of all, thanks very much for helping us draw attention to some of the harsh and toxic materials in use within the snow-sports community; your story (HillBilly raising environmental concerns, April 3rd) will undoubtedly have local skiers and riders thinking more about the ecological footprint they leave on the mountain... and, consequently, in the water and our blood.

One item that requires some clarification, though, is that ski wax does not in fact contain CFCs. Rather, the chemicals used in ski wax that pose such a risk to biological and ecological health are PFCs (perfluorochemicals); it is this family of chemicals whose degradation products (PFOA) persist for thousands of years, and whose inherently toxic characteristics the PFC manufacturers have sought to keep secret.

No doubt you have already been corrected by innumerable shop-techies that caught the CFC misnomer. Not CFCs, but PFCs.

To learn more about this class of chemicals (PFCs and the companies that make them), my recommendation would be for readers to visit Environmental Working Group's website (www.ewg.org) and to search DuPont/Teflon for the latest developments in an ongoing EPA sponsored inquest. Also, for those less inclined to read volumes of bad news, the CBC ran a story relating to PFOA on their program Marketplace (March 20th) wherein the news agency actually managed to encapsulate the issues and convey them in a readily digestible manner.

Anyhow, thanks again, and good luck in learning more; these chemicals truly are the twenty-first century's DDT and PCBs... but to the tenth power.

Good luck getting to sleep after that.

Tyler Bradley

New Westminster

 

Qualified Knuckleheads

In response to D. Poisson’s letter (Pique, March 17) where he refers to Knuckleheads.

I am glad to see that you are worried about the environment. It is too bad you show such little respect for the people who live here, work here or visit here.

It may help you to know that water and sewer systems in all B.C. communities are regulated by the government and have to be maintained by qualified and certified people. This is done to protect the environment and ensure the safety of the people using these services in the community. I am sure you would be the first to complain if you got sick from drinking the water supplied to you by the municipality.

If we are unable to get or keep qualified people in this community to run these systems the consequences are not very pleasant. It is becoming very hard to find people who will come here or will stay here because of the high cost of living. Why else would the municipality think of contracting out the wastewater treatment plant? Let the new owner worry about finding qualified people to run it – even though this seems to go against their sustainability 2020 plan. Is it better that someone like EPCOR (Edmonton Power Corp), owned by the city of Edmonton, run the Wastewater treatment plant in Whistler?

Many reputable Whistler companies pay living allowances to their employees that work in Whistler and Pemberton and in some instances now even Squamish to offset the high cost of living here. This is done in order to keep qualified and experienced people on staff. Heaven forbid we give it to the people who look after the water and wastewater systems and enforce the bylaws! Anybody can do that, you say. Unfortunately, the government says that is not acceptable – you have to be a qualified Knucklehead.

Doug Brereton

VP CUPE 2010

 

Yes: disc golf; no: living allowance

Thumbs up to the local disc golfers who got together to dicuss the future of the disc golf course in Whistler.

Disc golf is one of (if not the only) sport in Whistler that doesn't cost a small fortune to enjoy. For the price of a disc you are able to have a fun and exhilarating experience.

The unfortunate problem with the current course is even experienced disc golfers found it very easy to lose discs because of the length and difficulty of the course. The decision to shorten holes, and thus make more holes in the process, would be a major improvement. Once the word spreads of these improvements I'm sure the growing province-wide disc golf community would flock to Whistler, helping boost tourist numbers in the spring, summer and fall.

A few strategically placed tournaments and possibly a PDGA event would be a great fit for Whistler. I hope the municipality will get behind this project and I encourage all our resident disc golfers to get involved in forming a local association.

Thumbs down to the CUPE workers whose limited job action and their threat of escalating this job action is insane and ill timed. Why should you get a $4,000 cost of living allowance? When you made your decision to work in Whistler you must have known it was an expensive place to live. Why don’t you concentrate your efforts on attaining affordable housing or backing the RMOW affordability plans?

In a year when the greed of the NHL players has deprived us of our national sport I think you will be hard pressed to find anyone sympathetic to your cause.

Tim Gorgichuk

Whistler

 

Cut the crap

Re: Brian Finestone's letter on the amount of dog crap left behind by poor poop and scoop skills.

I agree with Brian that there is a lack of respect by some dog owners in regards to picking up their dog's poop, although Brian went too far with some of his examples. The "nice" ladies at the vet are a professional group of dedicated employees and they should not have been singled out in his letter. My experience with the vet clinic has been very positive and they do their best to keep the trails clear of crap.

Brian, I think your letter would have been better stated if you attacked the useless dog owners in this town, the people who are in love with the idea of owning a dog but are not willing to put the time into dog ownership. For example: The people who think that opening the front door and letting their dog or dogs wander the neighbourhood un-supervised is appropriate dog care.

The issue here is not that people are not picking up the crap while the dog is being walked, it's the people that let their dogs run wild in this town.

K. Nickel

CARDA member

Whistler

 

More fees to review

Re: Float plane dock operations (RMOW to look into float plane dock operations, Pique March 31)

Aw gee... Dale Douglas of Tyax Air is outraged that he now has to pay the current municipally-approved dock fee at Whistler Air's floatplane base. So he wants the muni to, let me get it straight, "take over Whistler Air's floatplane base" so he can go back to getting free docking fees, like it was before he soured his relationship with them. Is this for real or what?

Hey on second thought, if Mr. Douglas wields this much clout with the muni, maybe he can also get them to look into green fees, lift tickets, and the price of beer in town.

Donald Coleman

Whistler

 

Odd strategy for votes

I recently heard Jeff Fox, president of the B.C. NDP Party, speak in Squamish. A number of things about Mr. Fox’s talk struck me as odd, considering the NDP are seeking to win this next election.

If the NDP want to win – in a situation where British Columbians are tired of the pendulum swing, the Greens could "tie up" votes, and the citizenry appears almost evenly split – then it seems to me that there are three ways that they can increase their chances.

First, the NDP can adopt more centralist policies. This would demonstrate a commitment to end pendulum-swing elections, blur the distinction between the parties, and make the NDP more appealing to those that want a "more fiscally-responsible" government.

Second, the NDP can support electoral reform. We are told that the NDP is not taking sides, but is in principle supportive of some type of reform. If British Columbians have "had enough," then let’s see a party push for what is likely our best opportunity to achieve good governance.

Third, the NDP can secure the Green vote by putting resource issues at the forefront of their platform. Doing so will bring on side Greens faced with the dilemma of whether to vote party or to protest vote against the Liberals.

I have a hard time accepting the idea of another term of this brand of Liberals, yet I worry that the NDP’s new "I’ve Had Enough" campaign will bite them from behind.

Chris Joseph

Squamish

 

What do we do next?

Congratulations to the 800 to 1,000 citizens of Pemberton and area for standing up and voicing their opinions through the counter-petition vote regarding the $3.6 million community centre plan put forth by the Joint Operations of the SLRD and the Village of Pemberton.

The hottest question in Pemberton now is, What do we do next?

First, our elected leaders should be applauded for listening to those votes and deciding to expedite the process of updating the Recreational Master Plan at once. The most important thing is for all of us to work together to get it right this time. My hope – and the hope of many people to whom I spoke with during the counter-petition process – is that those with the responsibility for completing these tasks will ask for and utilize the help of the community. Dozens of local citizens, many of whom also are successful business-people, have indicated clearly that they will be willing to contribute to the vital steps of completing the development plan, the business plan and the financing plan of the much-needed community and sport recreation centre that has been advertised for the last 10 months. The names and contacts of the aforementioned are easily gathered; our elected officials and their paid staffers simply need to ask for and accept this help.

Second, regarding the issue of the pending grant monies: I would like to respectfully suggest that a letter to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs asking for a reasonable extension of, say, three to six months to allow us to complete this next important step would go a long way to save the grant monies, particularly if it is accompanied by a strong endorsement from our many influential constituents. I am sure that some of our more successful neighbours could help with this process.

Third, I think that we need one experienced individual who has many years of administration experience who is not backlogged with every-day duties to act as our guide and liaison through the steps that will allow us to expedite this next process. By my observation that person was just with us as the interim administrator for the village of Pemberton. Can we get Mr. Wilson back for perhaps a six-month contract? That would be money well spent. If not him then someone with his experience.

Finally, let us not forget where we are. There is a reason the Prime Minister announced last week that the Canadian Tourism Commission is being relocated from Ottawa to British Columbia. We are in one of the hottest seats when it comes to Canadian communities. We are at the top of the Sea to Sky corridor. We are part of the 2010 Olympic legacy. When the world comes to Vancouver and Whistler they also will be coming to Pemberton. With the right approach we will get whatever we require to be a successful partner in this fantastic time in front of us all – and in the process our community and its citizens will gain community and recreational facilities that are functional, affordable and rewarding, and leave a true legacy in this community for a long, long time to come.

So come on Pemberton and area residents: Let's all work together and show the leaders that we will support a comprehensive plan that serves our needs.

Sandy Ryan

Pemberton

 

Bylaw 931 soundly defeated

There was at least double the required votes of 429 to defeat Bylaw 931 and put aside the $3.6 million community center as proposed by the SLRD and Village of Pemberton. Many people took time from their busy schedules to inform the public about this "no" vote. With such an overwhelming "no" it now has to be asked how could our elected officials at the SLRD and Village of Pemberton be so out of touch with the community?

Personally talking to dozens and dozens of citizens, few would not sign "no" vote.

Those that were willing to see this go through, none were thrilled with the plan. From first time voters, who recently turned 18, to senior citizens; from newcomers to fifth generation Pembertonians, every sector of the population was resoundingly opposed to the SLRD proposal. This is no time to celebrate; both time and money have been squandered.

People indicated that they want a recreational facility. Where do we go from here to be able to start construction this summer of a recreational facility that can be supported by the community? Pemberton has many diverse and talented people that could contribute tremendously with moving a sensible proposal forward and I encourage them to get involved. A proper process with proper input and community involvement should only take two or three months. We need to come up with a project that a majority of voters could support in a real vote. If you would like to get involved or would like to be informed what will begin to take place in the very near future please e-mail pembertonrecreation@hotmail.com

Ray Mason

Pemberton

What big eyes who has?

I wish to correct a statement made by Dennis Pasenow in his letter to the editor, published March 10, 2005, just so you are aware.

Mr. Pasenow states that Uli's has come and gone twice now in part due to "landlords with big eyes and dreams of bigger wallets."

If the landlord has big eyes and dreams of a bigger wallet, because the landlord would like rent, etc. paid – monies that haven't been paid in many, many months, then the landlord is guilty.

Bill Patrick

Via e-mail

 

Ride on, mamas

On behalf of the fabulous Whistler Mothers that attended the annual Mom's Mountain Classic Race on Monday, April 4, we would like to thank Whistler-Blackcomb for putting on this great event. Big, big thank-yous to Cate Webster and her staff from the Race Department and all of the businesses that contributed draw prizes: High Country Landscaping, Durlacher Hoff Pension, Ingrid's Village Cafe, Vincent Massey Pottery, Whistler-Blackcomb, Leanne Niewerth, Barb Hirano, The Parlour Hair Saloon and Carmen Laslet Hair Styling. We greatly appreciate you all contributing to the celebration of being skiing and snowboarding Mamas!

Cheryl Massey

Whistler

Great save by Milner

On Feb. 27, we held the second annual RE/MAX Sea to Sky Hockey Challenge, presented by TELUS & HSBC Bank Canada, at the Meadow Park Sports Centre in Whistler. As organizers of this year’s event, we wanted to sincerely thank the community of Whistler, the fans, sponsors and volunteers who came out to watch the game and participate in the weekend’s sold out event.

In particular, we would like to extend a special thank you to the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Tourism Whistler, Mountain FM, Whistler Brewhouse, Pemberton Therapeutic Massage, Whistler Exhibits, Lodging Ovations, Meadow Park Sports Centre and the local media

  for their support and invaluable contributions to the event. The funds raised from this celebrity hockey game go to the PacificSport PodiumFund, supporting Canadian athletes on the road to gold. Proceeds from the 50/50 draws in Vancouver and Whistler went to the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program and the Whistler Minor Hockey Association.

In an unusual turn of events, a back up goalie was needed in Whistler at the last minute. A call went out to the Whistler Hockey League to help and Brett Milner came in to complete the roster on very short notice. We wanted to extend a very special thanks to Brett – who helped keep his team in the game for the exciting overtime shootout!

Thanks to all of you, we doubled last year’s fundraising totals and we look forward to seeing you again next year!

Heather Wallace & Will Davis

Producers, Destination Funny Entertainment

RE/MAX Sea to Sky Hockey Challenge