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Thankful grads, London Drugs ruminations, new radio speak, more thanks, and one more stuck-on-the-highway story.

Super generous supermarket The Pemberton Secondary Grad 2007 Class would sincerely like to thank Mark and Carolyn Blundell and the Pemberton Valley Supermarket for so generously donating all of the fixings for our Breakfast with Santa.

Super generous supermarket

The Pemberton Secondary Grad 2007 Class would sincerely like to thank Mark and Carolyn Blundell and the Pemberton Valley Supermarket for so generously donating all of the fixings for our Breakfast with Santa. It was a huge success! We really appreciate all that the PV Supermarket does for our school and community, you are truly great corporate citizens, Pemberton is lucky to have you.

We would also like to thank Santa for spending his Saturday morning with us and for making the children of Pemberton so happy. We wish you a wonderful Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

Grad 2007 Class

Pemberton Secondary School

 

Inside the fun zone

Ya know, no disrespecting London Drugs, I bought a birthday card at their store on Robson Street last month, felt totally grateful for them being open late. But would I feel grateful when they put all our local photo shops, existing drug stores, village hardware store and Home Hardware out of business? No. And forever lose our opportunity to provide a service to our locals and destination traveller, in the form of say, an indoor family entertainment facility. And, create a new live music venue and dinner lounge. All things we need as a resort town with an Olympics to host.

Squamish has a new Wal-Mart and Home Depot, and last year the debate was on how to vitalize Function Junction. Let the folks of London Drugs know there is tons of empty space in our industrial park. Because most folks don’t go on vacation to buy toasters, and once we (the locals) fill our boots with consumer products and cheap toilet paper, we can walk (more foot traffic) around the village we were drawn back to, to look at “For Lease” signs at our friends’ empty stores. And of course that will add to our diverse shops laid out in the original plan for the village, and requested by the Olympic folks.

Price point, price point. People asked why I was moving back here (home). “Isn’t it expensive there?”

Well, yeah. Choosing to live in a place many times rated the Number 1 Ski Resort in North America is going to be expensive. Right…

That’s why it’s a choice to live here.

Wynne Powell’s “obviously I’m biased” opinion and London Drugs’ survey stating 70 per cent community support, doesn’t sell me that we would be more happy with a 17,000 sq. ft. retail outlet than with the intended 11,000 sq. ft. family entertainment facility.

Given the Whistler Sustainable Retail Strategy calls for the underground space to remain restaurant and entertainment, and “that large format value discount stores are one of the least preferred formats for the village”, let’s stick to the original plan, “limit the size of stores”.

And you never know, some group of bright young folks might be baking outside the box to create a family entertainment zone that will finally make that space work for us.

The reason folks are not coming back to the village is because we have let the Blue Zone, Jack-Ass young Yaboes take the reigns at night and we’ve taken so many body blows over the last few years we have not been our fun selves during the day. This snow year is bringing back our genuine smile. And our guests are not fickle; they just want to be greeted warmly with a smile and a laugh from the people living this crazy lifestyle. Want happy transient workers (besides creating “reasonable” housing); offer prizes for the employee of the week. One each from the chamber, the muni and Tourism Whistler. Can you imagine the results if a day of heli-skiing was on the line every week?

Let’s stop being so stuffy and corporate, this place is about fun, let’s make it simple yet profound in our pursuit of too much fun.

The Mountain Culture Collective Radio Society is booking the Hornby Island Blues Workshop Festival during the month of May and creating our own four-day workshops and concert series with 10 of Canada’s best blues musicians. Limited workshop availability will be offered to local musicians (and wannabe musicians) first. One of the roles of a community radio is to develop local talent. Join us outside the box.

Scott Kittleson

Chairman

Mountain Culture Collective Radio Society

 

 

Getting a kick out of a grant

The Pemberton Youth Soccer Association would like to thank the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation for their very kind grant in funding the purchase for two sets of moveable soccer goals.

With the recent contribution we are now able to purchase the nets in time for the spring soccer season, due to begin mid-April. Coaches and players will be looking forward to the additional equipment during our training and game times.

In the spring, the Pemberton Youth Soccer Association would like to invite the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation to visit the fields to view the nets and be recognized as a major supporter of our association. At that time we will also reveal the engraved sign to be mounted on the goals.

Once again, we greatly appreciate your recognition of the sport of soccer in the Pemberton Valley.

Bettina Falloon

Administrator

Pemberton Youth Soccer Association

 

 

The final indignity

As one of the many people stuck on the highway for the night of Dec. 14, I read your Dec. 21 article on same with some interest. What you did not report was that the final highway closure of this episode, at about 2 a.m., was due to a Whistler transit bus stuck completely sideways across the road at the Spring Creek turn-off. It took two hours to move the bus and allow motorists, some of whom had been in their cars for close to 12 hours with no food or water, to drive the remaining couple of kilometres to Whistler.   Talk about adding insult to injury.

Bruce Beaudry

Whistler/Coquitlam

 

 

Tax fairness long overdue

I was extremely impressed with Alison Taylor’s article (“Fairness, equity still missing in condo taxes” Pique Dec. 14, 2006) regarding the Class 1/Class 6 property taxation. It was correct, factual, balanced and well written. It is unfortunate that your newspaper has not given this issue more coverage in the past 10 years.

The “fix” that may come, as I understand it, may have a significant impact on the RMOW’s revenues but tax equity and tax fairness is much overdue for the Class 6 condo hotel owners.

If the province and Whistler hope to be successful as we go forward to 2010, the tax burden will have to be shared fairly and equitably. Our calculations estimate that the solution that is proposed would require an increase of less than $80 on every assessed property in Whistler. This seems reasonable as it would share the tax burden and would alleviate the difficulties for those owners who have been paying way more than their fair share for the past 10 years.

Jim Allard

Whistler/Coquitlam

 

 

Interview hits home

Micheal Beaudry's interview with Brent Harley ("Seeking sustained prosperity", Pique Dec. 21) got me to thinking how we as a progressive mountain tourism community can truly set some guideposts that tell us when we have reached our sustainable limits. Everything we need to live comes from our environment. Without clean air, pure water, seasonal temperatures and healthy natural resources we as human beings would not survive.

Surley when we see evidence of declining and extinct species of fish and bears, pollution of our air and water and degradation of our forests it's a sign that we need to stop and re-evaluate the impact development — ie. more houses, more vehicles, more garbage — has on our environment. Let's do everything we can to live within our limits and continue to take actions to reduce, re-use and recyle.

I believe our most precious prize is our pristine natural environment. It's why tourists and people in general want to visit and live here. Like Brent Harley says, Whistler is a place that can bring elation, joy and amazement. Let us all work harder to take whatever action is needed so that our children can learn from us and enjoy the gifts that Mother Nature provides.

Mark Watson

Whistler

 

 

Build their community the same way we build ours

After reading Glenda Bartosh’s article about exploring partnerships between Whistler and other foreign communities (“Looking for the spark,” Pique Dec. 14), I feel that I am not alone anymore in voicing this initiative to the RMOW. Hopefully, Lindsay Mackenzie’s letter is followed with more enthusiasm from our community members to explore what it takes to build partnerships or sister city relationships with other foreign communities.

When I was approached by Mayor O’Reilly two years ago with the prospect of Whistler helping tsunami victims in Sumatra by building a long term relationship with Nias island, I was elated. I started to do some Internet research on various CIDA/FCM programs and how they were done over the years in various communities in Indonesia and other developing countries. I also tried to bring my own perspective, which stemmed from my lifelong understanding about the Indonesian value and mindset.

Like Mayor O’Reilly, Mayor Melamed is just as enthusiastic about this project. We are hoping that this project will create a new perspective on how people in developed countries see “foreign aid” for people in developing countries.

One thing that I want to share with your readers and people in our community is that we should not offer charity to people in developing countries through this partnership. Once we create the perception that it is going to be just another form of charity, we will perpetuate a nature of dependency and we will start wondering how long it will last. We also shouldn’t measure the progress solely by the amount of money donated or raised for this cause. Building a relationship with a foreign community should be just like building your own community, one step at a time. We should focus on doing the best for both communities, not just this generation but for our future generations.

To get to their hearts and minds, we will also need to show a sincere intention to make things better and determine to make long-term change. Their whole community — not just their government and our NGOs — will need to participate in the fact finding, learning process and project implementation. This whole project should be viewed as an opportunity to share our knowledge and skill, as much as an opportunity for us to learn from them.

If that is the case, no municipal staff time and CIDA/FCM monies can accurately be planned/budgeted to start this kind of thing. It will be pointless to figure that out in the beginning of the project.

To choose a community, we will also need faith that we will choose the community that is closest to our ideal thinking. But remember this, any community in a developing country will have its own stereotypical view of us as “the prosperous westerners”. So the first task will be making sure that this stereotype will not lead to another stereotype, “a charity act” or even worse, “a patronizing act”.

No more sparks will be needed to start this; the opportunity is always there for us to embrace. We just need to gather our courage to take the first dip into the water, and God willing, next thing we know we are changing the lives of millions in the process.

Jay Wahono

Whistler

 

 

The spirit moves you

The inaugural Bratz Biz Craft Fair Saturday, Dec. 16 was a huge success thanks to the whole community! It was an event from days gone by full of warm fuzzy moments for children, proud parents and awestruck shoppers. The young artisans who took on the role of vendor for a day really stepped up to the plate. Their displays were festive, creative and very professional! They wowed shoppers with their creations. Many items sold out quickly. Several artisans took a long list of special orders. It was beyond everyone’s expectations. The buzz started early in the day and continued through to closing.

Entertainers took the mainstage throughout the event and kept the room filled with the spirit of the season. Thank you to Whistler Chorus, Soul Funktion Competitive Dance Team and Storyteller Tim Regan who volunteered their time. Sharon Jensen and Laurie Edwards (Artful Dodgers) kept young visitors busy at craft workshops.

Bratz Biz co-founders/coordinators Carmen Laslett & Susan Shrimpton would like to thank every person and every business who had a hand in making this event a reality. Without the generosity of sponsors, costs would have been prohibitive for the young vendors. Thank you to Nesters Market, Whistler’s Creekside Market, Walsh Restoration Services, Maggi Thornhill, Whistler Construction Co, Elizabeth Chaplin & Cole Shuker, Mountain Decorating Centre, Jill Notman-Colpitts, Paul O’Mara, ReMax Sea to Sky Real Estate Whistler, John Ryan, Windsor Plywood, Cabin Creations Custom Interiors, Ron Mitchell, John Nadeau, Lynn Venner, Whistler Kitchen Works, The Parlor Hair Saloon & Sandra Redmond! Thank you also to the businesses who provided in-kind donations and services which helped raise money for the event.

Plans for the next Bratz Biz event are underway. Artisans who wish to participate in the next event or sponsors who wish to support this project should contact bratzbiz@whooshnet.com to receive information as soon as it is available.

Congratulations and thank you to the young artisans, their parents & mentors and the many volunteers who worked on this event!

Susan Shrimpton & Carmen Laslett

Bratz Biz

Promoting the Creative & Entrepreneurial