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Regional approach needed for transit

It is time to develop a regional transportation strategy, integrating both public and private carriers.

It is time to develop a regional transportation strategy, integrating both public and private carriers. We need to move people and their things into, out of and around our region in a manner that is more attractive than driving and available to those without cars. How do we integrate private and public?

At present, the Greyhound to Vancouver stops at the Hotel Vancouver before reaching the terminal. Wouldn't it make more sense for it to stop at Waterfront Station, where people could easily connect with Canada Line, SeaBus, two Skytrain routes, the West Coast Express and buses?

In Whistler, some transit routes don't go past the Greyhound stop. People with huge suitcases and ski gear drag them from the Gondola Loop, up a long flight of stairs, down a longer flight of stairs and through the village. Try it sometime.

The buses we call "commuters," connecting Squamish and Pemberton with Whistler, are poorly promoted and hard to find information on. In spite of that, they are attracting a growing number of followers.

My experience and comments are on the Squamish bus. From Whistler, there are shoppers, university students, golfers, climbers and people needing government services. From Squamish, there are workers, those attending events and skiers who would rather pay $5 to be dropped off at a gondola than to drive their own car, find parking and walk to the gondola. The bus route gives access to six lifts.

The lack of marketing for the commuter service may relate to legal and moral obligations to private carriers.

I think we need to broaden our regional transit coverage and allow carriers like Greyhound to bring tourists and locals in and out of the area. A shortened, quicker, more direct Greyhound route would benefit tourists and those of us who travel to Vancouver by bus. Dentville and Brackendale need better transit service, not a slower Greyhound.

Greyhound would benefit by providing a direct, full-fare, long-haul service. At present, we have a mix of services, poorly promoted routes and poor connections between services.

In spite of that, my last trip to YVR cost less than $12 and took less than two hours. It was with a Fare Saver ticket on the Greyhound and a quick trip on the Canada Line. Again, why does the Greyhound stop at the Hotel Vancouver?

An area we have regressed in is rail travel. I've taken the train to Prince George, but you can't do that now. Our B.C. government didn't see fit to provide legacy or short-term Olympic rail service. If you think it can't be done, watch as guests of Alberta's government enjoy B.C. scenery from their Olympic train as they travel between Vancouver and Whistler.

The same tracks that go through Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton and beyond practically pass through Lonsdale Quay and the SeaBus station. Wouldn't Vancouver skiers, tourists and Sea-to-Sky commuters and shoppers benefit from well scheduled rail service between Whistler (or beyond) and Lonsdale Quay?

Rail, coach or transit, there needs to be at least one way for commuters to get from Squamish to Vancouver. It can be a dedicated service or part of a general service. It might include rail service to Lonsdale Quay. It might include transit buses to connect with the dozens of buses in Horseshoe Bay.

Greyhound service, whether for tourists or commuters, needs to connect with transit. Instead of that dark, unmarked stop under the Lions Gate Bridge, stop at the Park Royal transit stops, both ways.

Please, somebody, figure out some way to travel north from Horseshoe Bay. To get from Horseshoe Bay to Whistler you must take transit to Park Royal, walk several blocks to an isolated stop and wait for the Greyhound. It takes longer to travel from Horseshoe Bay to Squamish than it takes to travel from Squamish to YVR.

Murray Gamble

Squamish

 

Gas math

As I sat in the Husky line to get gas, I was reminiscing about the Petro Canada.

I was also thinking about the hoopla we had about putting in a third station in White Gold. Those were the days.

Somehow we went from the thought that the town needs three gas stations, to the current total of one.

Pemberton has a population of 2,500 people and they have three gas stations.

Squamish has a population of 15,000 people and they have seven or eight gas stations.

Whistler is a town of 10,000 that swells to 50,000 in the winter... Well, you get it.

How about we get this issue back on the radar.

Steve Bernard

Whistler

 

Jennings's views should be heard

I was quite surprised to find no coverage of Andrew Jennings's talk, which was held at the Summit Lodge on Tuesday, Dec. 8th. His book, Lords of the Rings, should be required reading for everyone in this town who is looking for a balance between facts and propaganda. I read it seven years ago.

It was standing room only with over 100 people jammed into the room for a chance to hear the other side of the Olympic story. Not some fable hatched by ADIDAS and Joseph Goebbels which has been swallowed whole by many around the world. It is just a business, people, not some sacred ceremony.

His talk was both historically correct and insightful into the business of the Games and the ties to Fascism and corruption that have tainted the experience for many in this town and province.

That is why I am writing this note today in order to let it be known that differing views and opinions are healthy and important for a community and just because someone isn't on board the VANOC express does not mean they don't care about our community. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I realize that we are in very difficult times in this town and that some say we are lucky to have the Olympics in our town for all the right reasons. To this point they are entitled to have this opinion but they must also recognize that others also have the right to be on the other side of the fence on this issue. Please respect this and do not demean anybody's right to express their opposition or you too are a Fascist in training.

It is important to seize this opportunity that has been placed upon us but not at the cost of our humanity and the ability to debate based on facts.

I hope that we come out of this experience a better community and that we can move forward to all the challenges facing this town with the ability to include those whose opinions do not toe the line.

I have always been a big supporter of sport, it is the sport bureaucracy that I don't trust.

Grant Lamont

Whistler

 

Cuts to Parks significant

Many of us use and enjoy B.C. Parks throughout the corridor. These include Joffre Lakes, Wedgemount Lake, Garibaldi Lake, Elfin Lakes, Lake Lovely Water and many other places which we use year-round.

These areas are managed and maintained by the Park Rangers and sub-contractors. As of late, the budget for the B.C. Park Rangers has been drastically cut, by up to 70 per cent in some areas.

The implications of these cuts are significant. Maintenance of foot bridges, trails, shelters and outhouses is being neglected due to lack of resources. Education, in terms of both school outreach and on-site interpretive signage, has nearly ceased.

B.C. Parks is a public trust with the mission to protect certain natural places for conservation, outdoor recreation, education, and scientific study. With limited funding, B.C. Parks can neither maintain the current state of the parks, nor can it plan for future park management and protection.

Many of us enjoy the parks by biking up to Elfin Lakes, hiking the Chief trail, mountaineering on Wedge or spending the night at Russet Lake; but few of us realize that our beloved parks are in jeopardy due to funding cuts.

Amy Stein

Squamish

 

Stairs to nowhere...

What an embarrassment. I felt horrible the other day when from a distance I saw a lady grasp for the railing only to miss it, fall and roll down to the pavement below. It was freezing cold and windy and getting dark.

I don't know whose responsibility it is at RMOW to oversee the construction project of the stairs leading down into the skier day lots, but if I were that person I would be worried about losing my job.

I'll be the first to admit that I am neither an architect, engineer, builder or people manager, but I am an able bodied local who can clearly see that this project has been poorly executed and terribly mismanaged. Each and every day I fail to understand just what the hell is going on with this project.

When the weather was nice, the boulders were removed from the hill and a great set of temporary wooden stairs was constructed to allow people to access the lots safely at different spots. Just before the weather turned though, and at a time when the village was bustling with hundreds of people enjoying conferences and Cornucopia, these temporary stairs were demolished to make way for the permanent stairs... which seem nowhere near complete. Why were the temporary stairs not left there until the completion of the project?

If I as a private citizen had hired a contractor to build covered stairs leading up to my house and it had taken this long to complete them, the contractor would have been fired. If I were Derek Venter Architects or Peak Ventures Contracting, I would be embarrassed to have my name and logo displayed on the gates blocking each set of stairs. If I were the mayor or a council member, or even an employee of the RMOW I would be even more embarrassed for having this debacle of a construction project proceed the way it has.

I believe the community and its visitors are owed an explanation by RMOW as to why the temporary stairs were removed so early and why it has taken so long to complete the permanent stairs. Until it is done, I guess we are just expected (able bodied or otherwise) to put up with slipping up and down the hill, or walking far out of the way to access a safe path. Maybe the RMOW believes this is part of the "Whistler Experience" we want everyone to share in....

Danny Mason

Whistler

 

The best and the worst of us

It's no doubt that with the Olympics come a number of great things. The excitement of the Games will bring out the best in most of us.

However, they have also brought out the worst. I refer to the boundless greed that some of Whistler's landlords have displayed by first, demanding ridiculous amounts for rent, and second, evicting tenants so close to Games time. You should all be ashamed.

The Olympics are about unity and these people show their Olympic spirit by making homeless the very people who make this town unique and great, just so they can get an extra buck. It's people like this who don't belong here.

So many locals are now condemned to months of couch surfing, while some landlords sit in Mexico getting their feet rubbed by a cabana boy named Juervo. They taint the image of Whistler and of the Games with their selfish ignorance of how hard it is to actually afford to live here.

Jamming a house with temporary tourists who will pay an arm and a leg may seem like the way to go, but at the same time it's spitting in the face of those who have rented from you since the beginning. It's all about money with these people. I hope they enjoy it, because hopefully Karma will bite them in the ass and their property value will plummet after the Games.

Jonny Fleet

Whistler

 

The other side

Landlords beware! It is the law of the jungle!

I've been forced to go through the eviction process recently (usual reasons... late payment of rent, unauthorized pet, damage to unit, what have you). The Residential Tenancy Office has been a thorn in my side from step one. First, it takes over a month to get a hearing. Then, they sent the decision and the eviction papers to the wrong address and then filed them when they were returned - instead of re-sending them. After three days of phone calls, they realized what happened and sent me the decision for somebody else.

By the time I actually had the documents, a month had passed since the mediator's decision... now nearly three months since my initial application.

Now when my tenants refused to leave, I was told that I needed to hire a bailiff - $3,000! - to evict them.

I pay my taxes and go by the book. Why do I have to pay for the law to be enforced, and to reclaim my own property? Would the RCMP send me a bill to cover the costs of the investigation if my car got broken into? Supposedly I can sue the tenants for the bailiff fees... yeah right, they're gonna stick around to be sued.

So three months of paperwork and I have to hire what is essentially the muscle. Whichever politician set this up, I should send the bill to you.

Peter Scholz

Vancouver

 

Wrap it for real - Really Good!

I just want to say thank you to Glenda Bartosh and Pique for her inspiring article about making Christmas gift shopping/creating fun and inexpensive! Her suggestions were unique and interesting, and moreover totally doable!

It's so true these days that people can rarely afford to purchase the high quality gifts that most people have on their wish lists. I hate giving or getting something I know I won't use or need because it was affordable and cheaply made.

Glenda's article has inspired me to think bigger, not in size or price but, with creativity and my local networking connections. Thank you so much for these timely suggestions! Happy Holidays!

Vanessa Pocock

Whistler

 

Minding our borders

Great editorial (Security effort gives Canada a black eye, Pique, Dec. 3) but a shame that it is needed! And don't be surprised if Andrew Jennings isn't allowed to enter Canada, or only after the date of the talk in Whistler...

What bothers me is that many average Canadians, upon returning home from a vacation abroad, are asked all sorts of questions about where they went, why, etc. as if they were total strangers, when, every time I enter Europe or Japan coming straight from Canada I notice that locals that were on my plane go through immigration in a flash, with the staff giving only a quick look at their passport. They are welcomed home, we are questioned.

I know people, both friends and acquaintances, who came back from a foreign country and were asked repeatedly "Why did you go to (fill in the country) if you don't speak the language? This is highly unusual?" Telling the agent that English and/or French are spoken in such and such country is met with incredulity and more questions. Note that these people are middle age, with a steady job or a pension.

And please don't tell me about 9/11! I travelled regularly from Canada to England then France in the 1970s, '80s, '90s when there were a few explosions and victims in both countries and a constant threat of more. People got quickly used to opening their bags before being asked when entering a department store or government building, sitting in the back of a restaurant or cafe rather than by the front windows and checking for suspicious, unattended parcels everywhere. Nonetheless, going through immigration in the UK and France was quick and smooth.

Not that security was lax! Anyone taking a wrong turn or walking close to a no-entry door on the way out of immigration or the luggage area was sure to be met by armed security. (In France some of the police routinely carry machine guns at the ready.)

Perhaps over there there was a mix of fatalism and realism. Many people have gone through WWII, when so many towns were bombed to rubble and millions of civilians were killed. Those that were born afterwards are well aware of all the memorials and reminders of wars (like buildings that are too perfect outside and too new inside to truly be from several centuries ago).

J-L Brussac

Coquitlam

 

Shall we go another round?

The Whistler Secondary graduating class of 2010 decided to host a Bingo night this month. So began the odyssey of discovery.

It became quickly apparent that most of us knew next to nothing about bingo! Panic and sheer terror was about to set in in the early planning stages, but our journey to a bingo night in Squamish in a snowstorm opened our eyes. Not only did we learn the value of a good dobber, but we were blown away by the kind-hearted help offered by the women there.

Things were really starting to make sense when Vince Moule took a day off from hunting and skinning deer with his mom, to personally deliver all the bingo equipment and donate all the cards on behalf of the Pemberton Lions Club.

Then the business community decided to be very generous indeed with their prize donations. So generous in fact, that Sharon Iles decided to rescue the dire situation at the 11th hour, and seemingly effortlessly whipped together a very successful and professionally-displayed silent auction.

Also at the very last minute, Randy Goodwin jumped in and arranged, with Rob Irish helping, to set up the massive bingo signage around town, created by Glenn of Cutting Edge Designs.

Thanks also go out to Uschi Scherer, who efficiently had the room set up, and Ximena Bermudez, who stayed late to arrange clean up.

Because of some dedicated hard work by the grads themselves, most notably Zendai Kashino, Katelyn McKeever, Catriona Blair and Jenny Lawson, it finally came together, and bingo players had an entertaining evening.

Dianne Hemmingson and Angela Mellor fed the hungry gamers parents' homemade delectable baked goods. Thus sustained by all the great food, they dobbed away into the night hoping to be the next one to cry BINGO!

It was only because of the unwavering support and steady direction of Mairi Blair, the cheerleading encouragement of Ann Spence, the multiple talents of the tireless Libby McKeever, Bea Gonzales's amazing efficiency and practical advice, and the one and only Terry Spence MCing, that it happened at all.

Close to $4,000 was raised for the grads' year-end celebrations. Wow!

Since it was so much fun, and some of us consider ourselves bingo experts now, shall we do it again in the spring?

Lisa Taylor

Whistler