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Seniors not getting any younger

RE: Holborn seniors housing and tennis resort delays ( Pique July 23) What was not made clear in your reporting on the Holborn Group's delay in fulfilling the conditions for adoption of its Rezoning and Phased Development Agreement (PDA) Bylaws, that

RE: Holborn seniors housing and tennis resort delays ( Pique July 23)

What was not made clear in your reporting on the Holborn Group's delay in fulfilling the conditions for adoption of its Rezoning and Phased Development Agreement (PDA) Bylaws, that were given third reading in May of 2008, is that each year of delay puts the completion and delivery of the committed community amenities that much farther away. Holborn has six years from the adoption of these bylaws to complete the new tennis facilities and eight years to complete the seniors housing. Had the bylaws been adopted in the fall of last year, as was reasonably expected but not followed through by Holborn, these two projects would have had to be delivered in 2014 and 2016 respectively, but these deadlines have now each been pushed back by another year and will continue to slide so long as Holborn continues to delay.

Unfortunately this situation will remain completely under Holborn's control unless and until the municipality revises the PDA, prior to adoption, to set fixed calendar dates for the construction and delivery of the seniors housing and tennis facilities. Council has now referred this matter back to staff for review.

A partial alternative that has been suggested by the Mature Action Committee (MAC) is to have Holborn convey the portion of its site planned for seniors housing to the municipality at this time which would allow that project to be proceeded under self financing as early as the summer of 2010. This would be at no risk or cost to the municipality and Holborn would be relieved of a future obligation. Holborn's co-operation would at least constitute an act of good faith on their part. In the meantime we remain ever hopeful that the right thing will be done.

Unfortunately none of us is getting any younger but we can take some comfort in the saying of Confucius: "Man never too old to have happy childhood."

Garry Watson

MAC Director

Whistler

Promises, promises

I don't know why everyone seems amazed that the Holborn seniors units will be built "whenever" ...when not at all would be my guess.

For 30 years I have been watching various groups promise, then reneg on staff and affordable housing in Whistler. Why would King Melamed be any different?

Now Nita Lake Lodge is allowed to get away with compounding the problem further. This isn't rocket science people, force the developers to build the agreed to affordable and staff units FIRST... before they nail a single board of "for profit" housing... especially Mr. Holborn.

Nita Lake Lodge couldn't afford the 22 staff housing units after building and selling 44 townhomes and a lodge during the market peak? Give me a break... $950,000 equates to a penalty of about $10,000 per unit when you factor in the lodge and "other improvements." Pretty cheap penalty considering the increase in property values.

Don't kid yourselves; the Whistler Housing Authority will most probably never end up using the money to build new housing, due to some contrived excuse.

As for me, I'm just trying to figure out whether it's continued gross incompetence or old fashioned premeditated lying on the part of the local developers and politicos.... either would be grounds for an honest and accountable person to resign.

N. Quarmby

Vancouver

Who pays for free parking?

Five weeks ago, before leaving for a trip, I considered writing the editor about the pay parking issue. Believing that the issue wouldn't last, I decided not to. Holy crap... the sh*t has hit the fan!

On my travels, by bus, from YVR back to Whistler, I picked up the Pique and Question and it's wonderful to see the impassioned public engagement that's emerged. Pay parking has become a flash point!

So many other local and global issues - such as, municipal spending, budget shortfalls, property tax increases, affordability, government subsidies, climate change and the transition into an uncertain climate-energy era - get entangled into the pay parking debate.

While in Europe, I rented tiny cars and paid between Cdn $2.50 and $4 per litre for diesel, making it about Cdn $80 to fill the tank. The news in Europe was filled of stories about the pricing of carbon and the imperative to transition to renewables.

Here in Whistler, does it make sense that ANY of our taxes (or indirect subsidies) go towards free public parking? The local political sentiment indicates yes, while the global imperative and political leadership indicate no. Such is the dilemma of those having to make tough political decisions in our modern democracies.

My right-of-centre fiscal sensibilities tell me that free parking is not in the same category as education, health care or snow removal and that a user pay system is most appropriate. My strategic planning sensibilities tell me that there is a lot of change in the climate-energy era pipeline and the slower we are to learn and adapt the more painful the consequences will be when change is finally forced upon us.

Dealing with a flash point issue means that the stakes are relatively high and that being authentic, having a dialogue and staying widely engaged as a community are keys to success. Let's all agree to work together and make a wise decision on the pay parking issue.

Mitch Rhodes

Whistler

Olympic memories...

If the muni hall staff want to have a 2010 commemorative yearbook then they should have to do the same as the high school kids. All students must pay up front for a copy of their yearbook and if not enough are purchased in December then the yearbook doesn't get printed for distribution in June. A simple solution and no more taxpayers dollars are wasted on "engaging our staff" who are already making more money with mega perks than the majority of other employees in this valley.

The muni staff will be receiving complimentary Olympic jackets and event tickets for just doing their jobs so please, no more taxpayer-funded freebies! All Whistler residents will remember their Olympic and Paralympics experiences every year they pay their increased muni taxes.

Kathy Macalister

Whistler

The Olympic Shock Doctrine

For those of you who have just woken up, felt the swelling on your jaw and realized that you've been the recipient of an Olympic-sized sucker punch I recommend that you read Canadian author Naomi Klein's #1 national best seller, The Shock Doctrine - The Rise of Disaster Capitalism .

In her book Klein describes how what she coins as "corporatists" use disasters or other events that lend themselves to opportunities by creating situations in which such everyday things as democracy and the associated human rights and public interests can be temporarily suspended, with the full co-operation of government of course. In the corporatist world democracy gets in the way of business. So the less democracy the better, especially during times of great opportunity.

One of the key strategies of the proponents of what Klein calls the "Shock Doctrine," the Chicago School and its disciples, the Chicago Boys, is to keep anything that has the potential to be even slightly controversial secret right until the last moment where it is rapidly deployed. The resulting shock helps to ensure minimal opposition because people are disoriented by the shock, which is the intent. And even if they do start to come to their senses it is too late for them to do anything about it anyway.

The fact that people who could be adversely affected by the 2010 Olympics are complaining that they can't get information out of VANOC is a bad sign. When they finally do find out what is coming down the pipe they are probably not going to like it. But at the same time it is unlikely they will be able to do anything about it.

David MacPhail

Sunshine Coast

Going for the candy store

I have spent many years writing letters to Pique Newsmagazine, voicing my ongoing rollercaster of opinons. Earlier last week I was ready to move forward my version of "Civil Disobedience" and I was not going to read a Pique or Question, or attend a Tourism Whistler meeting for an entire year. My thoughts were I would rather be a happy ignorant local than a frustrated, miserable educated local. I have come to love my home in Whistler and the people that act as the variables of the ongoing Whistler equation. I love the passion that I see in most locals in Whistler; there still is a feeling and opinion in each and every one of them that reflects a beautiful forward motion in Whistler.

But I have noticed that for most no matter how hard you scream, your screams do fall on deaf ears. Can you blame the council for becoming side tracked, blinded by the light? In most areas they should be held accountable with disciplinary actions.

For some of our council members when they were elected I am sure it was like being in a candy store with an unlimited budget. I think they have forgotten that the unlimited budget isn't unlimited and belongs to a community and the candy store is the hearts and homes of the people that live in Whistler.

If you want change sometimes you have to become part of the system you are against, and you have to work within. The next council election I am going to throw my hat in the ring.

In the big picture, I am really no one. I do not own a home in Whistler or a business, I don't drive a brand new Toyota with a sled in the back and there is no financial portfolio to be seen. But what I do have is love for my community and the people that make this magic place function and operate.

Ken, I commend you on your terms and I thank you for being the mayor for me. You have taught me how not to be, and you have shown me what not to do, and for that I thank you. I commend you for making Whistler "crabby and cantankerous." Job well done.

Paul Rowe

Whistler

Whistler - we need leadership

I have been a resident in Whistler for 25 years and I have seen Whistler grow to where it was the recreational jewel of North America four years ago. There was excitement and pride - the residents were excited about the economy and the future. Today there is complaining, dissatisfaction and a lack of morale that is hurting the entire community.

Why are we "cranky and unhappy"? Is it the pay parking? Is it the higher taxes? Is it the embarrassing highway through Whistler, which could have been four lanes? Is it the unbridled spending in city hall? Is it the uncontrolled growth in the RMOW bureaucracy? Is it the ridiculous salaries for ineffective people? Is it the $6 million library that cost $13 million? Is it the 100 per cent budget overrun (more of less) in the cost of upgrading the sewage plant and garbage dump? Is it the dead weeds on the roof of the library and other municipal buildings? Is it the ice rink fiasco?

The fact is, it is none of these things on their own. It is the collection of these issues created by embarrassing leadership. Whistler is no longer the pride of the taxpayers. In fact the direction that RMOW has taken under our present leadership is simply embarrassing.

The mayor seems to suffer from two problems - he can't say no to a dumb idea and he can't say yes to a good one. His bureaucratic elves don't have the wisdom or the courage to give improved direction. The wasted taxpayer money is beyond serious - it is the result of a leader who has no leadership. He is drowning in his own world of fairy tales. If he had good judgment and courage he would resign. I am not a politician but I am a businessman. I don't need to live in a garbage dump to recognize one when I drive by. When I drive by city hall I get a sick feeling - it is hard to keep my food down.

Don Wensley

Whistler

Kung-Fu fighting at Secret Dock

As a Whistler veteran, I have to admit that I miss the sense of freedom and carefree abandon that used to be Whistler. We have managed to impose a lot of rules on ourselves and I am not sure that we are better off as a result.

And I suspect that as a result of a surprising and unpleasant interaction today, there will be more restrictions imposed upon ourselves - and perhaps more importantly upon our canine friends. The current RMOW council are nothing if not restrictive bylaw passers.

OK, today (Monday, July 27th) was hot - nice. So I walked our 13-year-old black lab (thank you Kelly!) from our home in Alta Vista to "Secret Dock" down St. Anton Way - a place we have been going to since we bought the property in 1967. Understandably there were lots of people and dogs there, each and everyone - well, all but one - enjoying cooling off in Alta Lake.

Then arrives (jogs) a lithe young lady with what appears to be polyglot canine containing not a little Jack Russell. She goes for a swim and the little guy, bursting with enthusiasm jumps in after her - all good. That is until the "dock warden" reclining in her collapsible chair near the end of the dock lights into her to get her dog off the dock: "no dogs allowed on the dock" or something to that effect. The young miss responds that there are always dogs on this dock, to which the warden replies: "Don't talk back to me just get your dog off the dock."

Well the good, kind folk of "Secret Dock" collectively could remain silent no longer and a chorus of protest against the warden arose to which she responded: "There will be a sign here tomorrow," followed by some comment about her association with the RMOW. The crowd would have "voted her ass off the island right now."

Ian Fleming (yes of James Bond) once said that, "laws are the crystallization of the collective prejudice of the masses."

The Whistler experience is being neutered and sanitized by too many rules and bylaws. Humans (and canines) crave freedom. 20-to-1 in favor of the dogs being free should count for something. (I and most of the other survivors were inches away from dunking the warden.) Let's have fewer bylaws and more reason and respect for majority opinion please.

Christopher Shackleton

Whistler

Official language not an option

As I was calling Shaw Cable's customer care service this morning, I was given two choices from the automated service; English or Cantonese/Mandarin. I'm French Canadian, so you can easily imagine my surprise to find out that French was not even an option!

I understand that the Vancouver area has a very large Asian community, heck, there's also a very large East Indian community and both these communities probably easily outnumber the French Canadian community. I absolutely have nothing against either culture. I believe that they are part of the Canadian fabric and that it demonstrates how, we, Canadians are open-minded, welcoming and tolerant towards other cultures. It is part of who we are as a society and I'm proud of it.

But also, as a society, we have decided on two official languages that represent our people, culture and history. Those official languages are English and French, not Cantonese or Mandarin. So, I believe that if one is to decide to become part of our society that he or she, should at the very least learn the language. And isn't it great? In Canada, you have the choice between two of them.

On the other hand, I also understand that Canadian corporations such as Shaw want to service all the different cultures and their clients the best way they can. But I don't believe that they should be doing that at the expense of diluting our official languages. On the contrary, I think that large Canadian corporations have a duty, just like our government, to promote and protect our official languages and culture.

I'm not a separatist. I have lived in Ontario for many years and have now been living in British Columbia for nine years. I am a Canadian from the province of Québec not the other way around. I have mostly disagreed with the separatist ideology that is cultivated by some in the province of Québec. I have always promoted harmony between the French and English Canadian cultures. But I have to admit that after my call to Shaw this morning, I'm now wondering if protectionism is the way to go and that maybe some of the separatists have a point.

Eric Blouin

Whistler