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From illusion to reality

Collectively we would be better off to read and re-read Claire Piech's "Promoting the Whistler Youth Illusion" piece last week in which she makes a strong case for us to "embrace Whistler's inner gnar-bro.

Collectively we would be better off to read and re-read Claire Piech's "Promoting the Whistler Youth Illusion" piece last week in which she makes a strong case for us to "embrace Whistler's inner gnar-bro."

It is good that the chamber is focused on Whistler's future in the commercial and retail sector. And it is dutiful that the RMOW is revising the Official Community Plan to look at land and resources. But amidst it all I am not sure who is taking stock of the important demographic dynamics, shifts, even tensions, as described by Piech.

At the Best of the Fest at the GLC last week I commented to a friend that Whistler still reminds me of a "college town" although as he pointed out, "without the homework." And as a parent of three twenty-somethings, I know of the contributions the under-30s make and the criticisms they have of inequities in the community and world order. We need more Dr. Ken Nickersons around to help stitch the generational tissue.

Over lunch at the Aspen Institute a couple of years back, a former Whistlerite commented that Aspen has matured over the past 70 years, whereas young Whistler is still in its adolescence - thinking it can do anything, that it's the best at everything and is vulnerable to nothing. I'd be fascinated to have him and Ms. Piech in dialogue on identity and image.

But it's the "illusion" part I don't get. Is the argument that Whistler is a kind of "Fountain of Youth" and we should forget all our troubles to hang out here? Or is it that from the strain and stress of modern life, visitors and locals come here to escape and get a new lease on life?

For me the danger in illusion is that it is illusory and transitory. It's not a foundation upon which to build a vibrant community and mature resort. Nonetheless, there are demographic dynamics and tensions in Whistler we ignore at our peril.

Through Leadership Sea to Sky this year we have piloted an "Intergenerational Mentorship Initiative." The results are mixed and we are learning a ton. But it is one of the few intergenerational anythings going on. At the Chairlift Revue the cast, crew and audience spread across the generations and it felt so good. We need more.

So thanks for Promoting the Whistler Youth Illusion, gnar-bros and all. Out of this illusion let's all work for the reality of vitality, authenticity and intergenerational equity.

William Roberts

President, The Whistler Forum for Leadership and Dialogue

 

Overly dedicated?

I was amused to read that the RMOW is appointing another blue chip advisory panel, this time to guide the update of the Official Community Plan. What really caught my eye was that 15 of the 20 members will come from the Whistler 2020 Taskforce. Is that not akin to having the fox guard the chicken coop?

I try to diligently read Kevin Damaskie's Whistler 2020 column but it is a tough read. A recent column used the word "sustainability" six times and "environmental" five times. I don't read the word "affordability" or "development" very often.

I just wonder if a group so dedicated to sustainability can remain open minded and objective as the RMOW seeks input from the community on the update of the OCP.

Gary McDonnell

Whistler

 

Turn on the tap

Re: Bottled water no disaster (Pique letters April 29)

We commend the RMOW for eliminating the sale of bottled water at all municipal buildings, recreation facilities and parks beginning May 1. This ban brings Whistler one step closer to becoming a Blue Community.

The Council of Canadians' Blue Communities Project calls on communities to adopt a water commons framework by banning the sale of bottled water in public facilities, recognizing water as a human right and promoting publicly financed, owned and operated water services.

In response to Nestlé Waters Canada, the RMOW is in the business of maintaining and delivering publicly owned water to its residents. Our municipal officials are accountable to their constituents - not to multi-national water companies. As such, the RMOW was not required to consult with the Canadian bottled water industry, Nestlé or Coca Cola before rendering its decision.

Nestlé officials cannot deny that bottled water has a carbon footprint. Unlike tap water, bottled water is not produced locally, and energy is needed to pump, process, transport, and refrigerate the products, producing large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, not to mention the glut of plastic bottles in our landfills. Anyone concerned with the environment knows that reducing and reusing are far more important than recycling.

Over the past two years, over 70 Canadian municipalities have banned or phased out bottled water and the list continues to grow. Some municipalities have gone with an outright ban, while others have taken an incremental approach by encouraging people to drink tap water.

Last week, Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter announced that he would ban the purchase of bottled water in all provincial buildings. Once implemented, this will be the first provincial bottled water ban - and one that hopefully will be repeated across the country.

Given the choice, it makes sense that people would want to drink clean, safe and affordable drinking water delivered through their taps, rather than pay for a higher-priced version that costs 200 to 3,000 times what they spend on tap water. In future, we hope there will no longer be a demand for bottled water, outside of emergency use.

Turn on the Tap, Ditch the Bottle.

Pina Belperio

Whistler Chapter - Council of Canadians

 

Dear John

Dear Mr. John B Challinor the Second,

I'm sorry that you and your cronies at Nestlé feel upset about the RMOW's great decision to ban bottled water (Bottled water no disaster, Pique letters April 29). Don't you think it's a great way for us to promote our beautiful mountain community by saying that we have some of the greatest tap water around? Just because you've dug up some fluff saying about 60 per cent of Canadians drink bottled water daily does not mean it's not considered to be an environmental disaster by many, and so what if bottled water has the smallest carbon footprint of any bottled beverage. The last time I checked, I couldn't get a glass of Coke (other beverages are available!) out of my faucet!

Thanks though for your concern that we are missing out by not drinking your extra delicious product, but as I see it water should be for LIFE not for PROFIT.

Harvey Lim

Whistler

 

Ask the professionals

Party? Did I hear there's a post-Olympic Party and every one's poo-pooing it, even our two most sociable councillors?

I even heard some are partied out. Hungover perhaps, but admitting defeat... never! That's not the Whistler Spirit I remember. You know the "full pull" image we collectively created that has been marketed as part of the Whistler Brand. My hazy recollection of it roughly follows this routine: ski all day, apres at Dusty's, make it to Citta' for appies at sunset, over to Tapley's for a couple of periods of hockey with beers, catch a rocking band at the Boot, stumble over to the Dirtbag, poach a few hottubs, watch the sunrise, hitch to the Southside Deli for breakfast, go home for a snooze, off to work or repeat if there's another day off.

But seriously, the message is clear: we don't need the muni to tell us when, where and how to party and then send us a bill. We can celebrate Canada Day with our visitors without any help, thank you very much! I read a while ago that the town's bank balance would be about $100,000 after the Olympics. Spending $96,000 on a party now is like buying a bag of weed with your last $100 when the rent is due. Oh yeah, that's the Whistler attitude. Maybe our government officials were part of that culture too!

Most long-term locals know the best authentic parties are spontaneous, mid-week, shoulder season and often don't get rolling till after 2 a.m. when the servers are off. They are usually word of mouth. They also aren't chaperoned by officials in uniforms.

It's not that we don't want to party we just don't want an expensive fake party in the busy season. Whistler has the most professional partiers of any place I know of in Canada. You know who you are, or who you were.

Thanks to all my friends and acquaintances for the nostalgia and the faded memories over the last two decades. We'll see you all at the real parties!

Mike Roger

Birken/Whistler

 

The Fantasy Forecast

What on earth could be council's motive for the $96,000 July 1st party when the community they represent is universally against their tax money being wasted on such a frivolous activity?

And don't give us that crap that it's the hotel tax that made you do it and it's not costing us anything - we've heard that one more than enough already.

Seems to me the muni is trying to justify the $4,215,984 cost of turning a unique village forest into six acres of asphalt. Considering we are small town with four other plazas, the new one will only serve to waste our money trying to justify itself by staging large, expensive events designed to fill it.

Don't believe me, read the Five Year Financial Plan. Next year we have another celebration to celebrate the official opening of Celebration Plaza.

The Five-Year Financial Plan seems created to demonstrate that the muni has things under control. In reality it should be titled the Fantasy Forecast. Take the same plan of just two years ago which forecast total government expenditures of $53,498,445 for 2011, now the forecast for 2011 is $75,084,185 (including transfers to reserves). Why put out a forecast when you are out by 40.3 per cent and $21,585,740? Don't you just love these forecasts made to the nearest dollar when they can't get within $20 million?

If you really want to scare yourself read the line in the plan which states "assuming market rates of 5 per cent the borrowing capacity of the municipality is $250 million " and then they pat themselves on the back for only borrowing half this much. I can remember the day the B.C. Municipal Finance Authority had to pay over 14 per cent for a 10-year bond to get their funds - I should know, my clients at the time led the financing.

For a village dependent on snow, the fickle level of the Canadian dollar and now interest rates we should be avoiding debt like the plague. We should be asking ourselves, "Will the Olympic hubris of our politicians send us down the road to debtor's prison following other Olympic hosts such as Greece and Montreal?"

Ending on a more humorous note, pull up "Welcome to Mississauga" on YouTube, viewed over 2.2 million times. Rick Mercer interviews Mayor Hazel McCalllion, who at 88 has been the longest serving politician in Canada, outlasting 11 Prime Ministers. Hazel extolls the virtue of not only having no debt but $700 million cash in the till. She could certainly teach our council a thing or two.

Lennox McNeely

Whistler

 

Dog on the run

I would like to send out a heart-felt thanks to the motorists who stopped to help me catch Barkley, the runaway senior golden retriever, near Function Junction Saturday afternoon. To the woman who twice tried to stop her with the dogs in the back of your car, the man in the business clothes who hopped out of his car and to the two guys in the truck that finally nabbed her, thank you!

I am truly blessed to live in such a great community that helps others when in need... or when senior dogs decide to go on a marathon run! I couldn't have done it without the kindness of these strangers.

Barkley's mom is forever grateful!

Kate Turner

Whistler

 

Cohen Inquiry will be effective

In response to the Pique Newsmagazine's April 27 th article titled "Salmon Inquiry lacks Sea to Sky presence," by Jesse Ferreras, our efforts on the fisheries, consistent with our efforts on other issues on behalf of 129,000 constituents, have been to shrink the distance between Ottawa and the Sea to Sky corridor. As was reported here, I have been assisted in my work on fishery issues by local volunteers, many of whom have deep experience in fisheries.

The Cohen Inquiry is equipped with sweeping subpoena powers and it has the ability to propose effective solutions for the preservation of our fisheries. Members of the public are welcome to make public submissions to the inquiry. To make a public submission, please visit the inquiry's website at http://www.cohencommission.ca/en/

While we are not aware of any Sea to Sky residents who applied to be witnesses, I am confident that the interest of constituents will be represented by the many witnesses who will testify.

John Weston, MP

West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country

 

Deserving of recognition

This week (April 26-May 2) is Employee Recognition Week. It also happens to be the last week that I will be working with my amazing staff at Nagomi Sushi... maternity leave is just around the corner!

As I finish up, I want to give a huge thank you to the staff that has helped to make this past year and a half so great. I have been in Whistler for over seven years now and have been fortunate enough to work with many different people... but never before have I been so thankful to staff for their hard work, dedication, loyalty and care towards their job.

Thank you to Hayley for the daily supply of chocolate during this pregnancy (I needed it!); to Coco for constantly filling in whenever and wherever needed. Thank you to Tara and Christine for late shifts, early shifts and extra shifts. Thank you to Adam who always had the best attitude at work, Kassia for coming and going with great flexibility, to Penny for telling it like it is and always getting the job done. To Dave, my better half, for re-polishing the glassware, your amazing attention to detail and covering the bases I could not (we have missed you these last few months)! Thank you to the seasonal bartenders and hosts - I couldn't have done my job without your help, you know who you are.

Also, thank you to a great kitchen staff for all your hard work, staff meals and for always making me laugh. I will miss seeing all of your faces for the next year while I am off... but Dave and I (along with baby!) will most definitely be regular customers.

Thanks again to all of you, from the bottom of my heart - job well done.

Jessica Colombo

Whistler