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Lots of good drivers

We at Whistler Transit feel that we have a duty to respond, in the wake of the many letters to the editor and articles that have been written about Transit in Whistler recently.

We at Whistler Transit feel that we have a duty to respond, in the wake of the many letters to the editor and articles that have been written about Transit in Whistler recently.

First of all, we are appreciative of the privilege that we have been given to be the operators of the transit system in the resort. This is a responsibility that we take very seriously and we certainly don't take it for granted.

We are proud of the part we played during the Olympic Games. We are proud to be the operators of the largest fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses in the world. We take pride in the work that we do on a daily basis.

Really, we owe G.D. Maxwell a debt of thanks for calling us out. With all of the good press we've been getting lately, we were in danger of toppling over from swelled heads.

Sincerely though, if anyone perceives that the transit service is not meeting its obligations, or that anyone from Whistler Transit is not performing their job adequately, of course they have the right to point it out.

We greatly appreciate it when riders or other members of the public contact us directly with their specific concerns or comments.

Please give us the time and the bus number, it really helps.

There are a number of points that have been made with which we do take issue.

However, we will restrict ourselves, and only respond to one.

It has been said that Whistler Transit has some very good drivers, which might imply that we have some good drivers, and a lot of not so good ones. We can state emphatically that the opposite is true. We have a lot of very good drivers.

We have a good idea of who they are, but of course, observations from our riders help us to determine who the stars are, and who is in need of correction or further training.

Training of the drivers is ongoing process. The last two weeks all of our drivers were put through a special accident avoidance-training program.

A number of drivers received additional customer service training in the past week as well.

This is just a part of the ongoing effort to provide safe and reliable service.

Steve Antil, Manager, Service Delivery

Whistler Transit Ltd.

 

Bouncer bus drivers

I have to laugh at some of the criticism that has been directed towards transit and particularly at the transit drivers.

Because of my work schedule, I frequently ride the buses late at night. Unless you spend a lot of time riding transit at night and (you are) sober, you really have no idea how difficult it is for the drivers.

These guys don't need a Whistler Ambassador course; they need serious training in violence prevention and self-defence.

I wonder if they signed up to be bouncers on wheels.

For those who are concerned about our tourists having to deal with surly bus drivers, I wonder how they enjoy sharing the bus with the drunk and rowdy crowds. When Dylan wrote (recently), that he had to wait for over an hour for the bus, I wondered, "was that the one with the young woman who was so drunk and high, that she was trying to pick a fist fight with everyone on board until the RCMP finally arrived and hauled her away?"

That episode and many similar ones have a way of delaying buses, you know.

Rhonda Johnson

Whistler

 

Promote, market, advertise

Thank you for the recent six-month extension to Sea to Sky Transit, the Squamish Commuter.

This provides critical time to redesign and reimplement the service into a more sustainable and attractive service.

I have seen no indication of this extension on Squamish or BC Transit websites. The BC Transit site still says, "98 Squamish Commuter - route and schedule remains unchanged until March 31, 2011." Does this mean we will see no changes or improvements until after August?

Here are some suggestions for immediate, small changes.

Please, reduce the price for tickets and passes. Whistler sells tickets for 20 per cent below face value. Ten $2.50 tickets cost $20. At that rate, Squamish Commuter tickets could be 10 trips for $64 instead of $72.

A Whistler bus pass is $65. This is the same as 26 cash fares. (26 x $2.50) The same rate could place a Squamish Commuter pass at $208 instead of $232.

At the moment, the cheapest way to travel on the Squamish Commuter is to buy BC Transit tickets in Whistler and use three $2.50 tickets and 50 cents.

Please, tickets at 10 for $64 and passes for $208.

Many of the people from Whistler who use the Squamish Commuter get a $2.50 discount each way by using their Whistler bus pass. That is $5.50 each way. BC Transit electronic fare boxes should have confirmation of the numbers. They are currently travelling cheaper than commuters from Squamish.

The cash fare should be left at $8, or even raised to $10. This is still competitive with the Greyhound but puts people closer to their destinations in Squamish.

Advertise on the buses in Whistler. Have Squamish merchants sponsor the advertising on the buses in Whistler. Promote the 7:45 a.m. and 5:10 p.m. trips to Squamish and the 1:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. return trips. These are the trips with the lowest use aren't they?

Promote, market and advertise the Squamish Commuter in Squamish. Start now to rebuild the numbers of pass and ticket users who commute to Whistler.

There has been attrition over the years. No efforts were made to replace them. Many others left when the price went up. Make an effort to attract them back. Many others left when it seemed that the service was going to end on March 31. Make an effort to attract them back.

Please, promote, market and advertise the Squamish Commuter. Reduce the tickets to 10 for $64. Reduce the monthly pass to $208. Leave the cash fare at $8 or raise it to $10.

Murray Gamble

Squamish

 

Composting biosolids good science

(Editor's note: The first portion of this letter ran last week. For clarity here is the conclusion.)

We are not adding biosolids to our compost; we are composting biosolids. Composting is simply a controlled process for breaking down organic matter.

Whistler owns one of the best in-vessel composters on the market today, and this composter is able to generate stable high temperatures in excess of 65C for up to two weeks, which effectively kills pathogens that are in the biosolids.

Both biosolids and the compost produced using biosolids are regulated. Whistler compost is tested regularly to ensure that pathogens and metals are all in compliance with federal and provincial regulations.

Composted biosolids are an important source of nutrients. As the world moves closer to a shortage of phosphorous and increased costs for synthetically derived fertilizers, biosolids become an even more important source of nutrients.

Concerns regarding hormones and pharmaceuticals in composted biosolids are unsubstantiated. There does not seem to be the same concern for dairy or poultry manure, which can contain extremely high levels of antibiotics and growth hormones.

To my knowledge biosolids have never been dumped into the oceans in B.C., although raw sewage has.

Traditionally in B.C., biosolids were landfilled or land applied. Landfilled biosolids result in large quantities of methane being produced as the biosolids degrade in the landfill. The reduction in GHG emissions by composting biosolids is a substantial step towards reducing the environmental footprint of the municipality.

There are literally hundreds of studies that have been done on the application of biosolids and composted biosolids, and results from these studies show that the risk of adverse effects to the environment or public health is lower than from the use of many conventional fertilizers and manures.

The compost produced from this program improves soil quality by adding organic matter, increases disease resistance in plants, ensures a healthy microbial population in the soil, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, and has many other benefits.

Since the composter opened, over 25,000 metric tonnes of waste has been diverted from landfills or burning. This is equivalent to approximately 2,000 dump trucks full of waste diverted from the landfills. No single project has had a bigger effect on the movement toward zero waste as outlined in the Whistler 2020 plan.

I'm extremely proud of the composting program that the RMOW has instituted and the community of Whistler should be proud of this initiative as well.

Patrick Mulholland R.P.Bio.

Whistler Compost Facility Operations Manager

 

Sea to Sky Trail Challenge

In reference to councillor Grant Lamont's comment, "there's been a lot of hot air and not a lot of lift" regarding the Sea to Sky Trail event, I would like to clarify some things about what the Sea to Sky Trail Challenge is, promises made and what it hopes to achieve in the future.

I conceived of this event after participating in several two-day cycling events in other regions, including the Seattle to Portland event and others.

I really believed the idea of this trail (thanks to Ross Kirkwood) was brilliant. In 1995, I took the train to D'Arcy with my bike, a tent and a sleeping bag and bicycled back along the trail to Squamish over two days.

I enjoyed it immensely and thought why not organize a non-competitive ride along this trail for mountain biking enthusiasts.

I approached the Sea to Sky Trail Society (Dave Roberts was the president at that time) and described the event and how it might help raise awareness of the trail and by bringing cyclists to ride it in numbers, might help them achieve their objectives in terms of fundraising, getting community support etc.

I also believed (and promised) that the event would help generate economic benefits by bringing visitors to Whistler (many of the people who have ridden the Sea to Sky Trail event have come from outside the corridor- throughout BC, Alberta, Washington, Oregon and further).

Most who have come have been introduced to trail they wouldn't have otherwise discovered and from all accounts, they all like the idea of a trail that links communities; many have come back again and again, and with friends and family.

Each year, in preparation for the event, myself and others have collectively spent many hours clearing trail of fallen branches and improving trail. At bike shows in Seattle and elsewhere I have promoted this trail and the region for mountain bikers. Finally, we have donated funds to the Sea to Sky Trail Society and other trail builders totalling several thousand dollars.

It seems to me quite inappropriate for a councillor, who has a clear conflict of interest, to make a comment such as was made by Councillor Lamont. The Sea to Sky Trail Challenge is trying to promote mountain biking and trails and an interest in building, and protecting trails in the Sea to Sky corridor.

It hopes to continue to generate direct donations to the Sea to Sky Trail Society (to which it has already committed for 2011) and it hopes to be one of many event economic generators for Whistler and area.

Robbin McKinney

Sea to Sky Trail Challenge

 

Keep glacier lift free

I wish to add my voice to Karl Ricker's and Paul Tutch's opposition to ski lifts in the Blackcomb Glacier region. Ambiance is what makes it special. Remove that ambiance with mechanization and all you have is just another run of the mill, instantly tracked out and noisy ski hill.

Besides that, I feel an important point is being overlooked.

The Blackcomb Glacier Valley is a provincial park and Whistler Blackcomb operates there under a park use permit.

The original intent was one of public safety, considering the need for avalanche and terrain control of a region so immediately accessible from the existing lifts. It exists as a necessary buffer between the ski lifts and the backcountry. The notion of mechanized lifts in the park has nothing to do with public safety and serves only a misguided idea of maximizing terrain use to increase skier visits.

What does BC Parks have to say about this? How do ski lifts fit with their mandate to the citizens of B.C.?

While they're at it, perhaps BC Parks could explain why Whistler Heli-Skiing continues to hold an operating tenure across a vast portion of the Spearhead Range. Times have changed and clearly they do not need this parkland to survive financially.

On the other hand terrain available to backcountry skiers has become increasingly marginalized or completely lost due to the proliferation of sled and helicopter access, both commercial and recreational.

With few exceptions, the only day ski touring that currently exists is Garibaldi Park next to the ski areas and the Duffy Lake Road.

There is an obvious increase in demand for backcountry skiing in the Spearhead Range, as is evident by BC Parks proposal for a series of backcountry huts.

Considering these facts, how is a heli-ski operation justified in Garibaldi Provincial Park?

Whistler Heli-Skiing's operating park permit is being reviewed as we speak. I would urge anyone concerned about this issue to immediately contact BC Parks (Chris.Platz@gov.bc.ca) and voice their opinion.

Bruce Kay

Squamish

 

It's not too late

With the new paid parking rules not coming into effect until June 1, "it is not too late" to make a change that would be very popular with many Whistler residents.

As we all have noticed, parking lots 4 and 5 are usually full of cars and Lot 3 is always empty. I would suggest that the municipality should simply move that monstrous snow pile from Lot 5 over to empty Lot 3. The great thing is that it will not affect the bottom line of the paid parking projections, and it will create more parking spots that will be utilized.

Noel Villard

Whistler

 

Whistler parking in the news

Did you have a chance to read the Seattle Times on March 20th?

The link is http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2014515936_trwhistler20.html . Note the writer's special highlights: "beware parking fees," "bring food from home or shop in Vancouver or Squamish" and "bring booze with you."

About the perennial parking fees problem - there are quite a few areas in downtown Vancouver, Kitsilano, Commercial Drive etc. that have one to two hours of free parking to entice shoppers to local small stores and restaurants, and away from supermarkets and malls.

In the USA we have noted that the oldest areas of many towns have dirt cheap, or even free, parking. In Eugene (Oregon) we ended up paying $0.75 for three hours of parking in a multi-storied parkade!

Once, in Salem (Oregon), my driver buddy saw a few empty parking spots on a street a block away and rushed there. I thought it was too good to be true: right by the State Capitol building. The next thing we knew a huge cop - and I mean muscular huge - was banging on the driver's window.

He told us, rather sternly, that we had gone through a pedestrian crossing without stopping (it was compulsory to stop, even if there were no pedestrians around for miles) and that we were parked in reserved spots (there were no signs but being in front of the Capitol building should have been a hint.)

Then he smiled broadly and said, "Are you folks staying for a while? Follow me to four hours of free parking." We were only too happy to go with him!

In both Eugene and Salem we stayed longer than we planned, had meals etc. because of their attractive parking.

Even downtown Portland has easy to find, economical and secured parking. Not to mention free transit.

Mr. J-L Brussac

Coquitlam

 

Late immersion

A motion to introduce Late French Immersion as a program of choice at Signal Hill Elementary was both defeated and deferred at the School Board meeting earlier this month.

At that meeting - and in the discussion surrounding it - there has been much said and even more implied about the effect such a program would have on First Nation students.

There are four First Nation children registered for this program, there is aboriginal leadership at the highest level of the decision about it, there is an established language immersion program in the school at the centre of the largest local aboriginal community, and there is a publicly available letter of support for French Immersion from former Chief Leonard Andrew.

But four out of seven trustees want more.

So, to the aboriginal parents and caregivers of students at Signal Hill: you should know that there are groups of well-intentioned non-native adults sitting around presuming we know what's best for your children.

You should also know that with the escalation of interest in this discussion we are starting to fill your silence with our own spin.

There will be a public forum on this at Signal Hill next Wednesday (April 6th) at 6:30 p.m.; please attend to voice your opinion (or send an email to LateFrenchImmersionAtSignalHill@sd48.bc.ca). Your school trustees want to hear from you, and - for what it's worth - so do I.

Paul Cumin

Mt. Currie

 

Higher hydro rates cost all of us

Just read over your latest report on BC Hydro, rate increases; real cost of buying power from private power producers and my blood started boiling. Not only will we see our own personal hydro rates increase but goods produced in B.C. and goods sold in B.C. will cost more because the producers and sellers' hydro bills will go up.

As well, our local governments have significant hydro bills to pay for street lighting and other local government operations.

Our local governments will have to pay more and that means only two things, either more services will be cut or our taxes will go up.

We pay the bills for our local government. When the legislature resumes I hope the opposition takes the government to task for selling out the interests of the people of B.C.

This could only happen to a developing nation or third world country. Shame, shame, shame!

Phil Le Good

White Rock

 

Am I missing something here?

We have heard that it would cost $2 million to move Mr. Silveri's asphalt plant.

Now we are told that he is investing $2 million to bring a mobile asphalt plant to permanently reside at the Cheakamus Crossing.

Since the plant is mobile, I suggest it be mobilized right out of town.

An asphalt plant, which gives off eight cancer-causing toxic air pollutants whose long-term effects have not been particularly well studied, has no business anywhere near residents.

Mr. Silveri apparently has stated he has never met anyone who has suffered a problem being close to an asphalt plant.

Maybe those people are now dead. Maybe he would like to recommend that his grandchildren take up residence alongside his plant.

There are numerous cases of governments downplaying the risks of industrial pollution and most often in what would appear to be collusion with the industries, which these governments are trying to maintain for the industrial activity in their respective jurisdictions.

Just this week we have the very unfortunate disaster in the Fukushima nuclear facility with the Japanese government not informing its own citizens of the inherent risk of spreading radiation in a timely fashion.

For those that are not old enough to remember, or council members who have chosen to forget, try googling the following: Hooker Chemical and the Love Canal, Union Carbide and Bhopal, India, Chisso Corporation and Minamata, Japan, Grassy Narrows and Dryden Chemical and finally the Quebec Government and Asbestos Exports.

In each case the long-term problems of unborn fetuses, toddlers and long-term residents exposed to the chemicals from these plants have occurred years down the road with horrific consequences.

Let's just examine one example close to home: Among the people who had levels below Health Canada Guidelines for mercury poisoning at Grassy Lake, Ontario in 1975, 89 per cent were diagnosed with Minamata Disease or possible Minamata Disease in 2004.

Of those who had levels above the safe levels in 1974, none were alive in 2004, making long term studies of the after effects of mercury poisoning on the human body over extended periods somewhat inconsequential.

So getting back to Whistler, can anyone tell me why moving the asphalt plant 150 metres is going to solve anything - how can our so called "green mayor" call it a victory to now have an "improved asphalt plant" moved just 150 metres further from young families.

Even from an economic rational the municipality should not buy into this, as the municipality cannot now sell its own townhouses or its property in Cheakamus, which are designated to pay off Olympic dreams and debts. Ignoring the health risk to those that bought in Cheakamus and the liability from those sales, simply the rational of getting rid of the municipality's properties means we should get rid of the asphalt plant as soon as possible.

I expect this critique to fall on deaf ears, just as so much is met in concert with other complaints which are sent on to the mayor and council over the last year, however, we will see how such a response is met by the electorate later this year.

Lennox McNeely

Whistler

 

Twestival success

On Thursday March 24, Twestival brought thousands of people from around the globe together in their respective cities to Tweet, Meet and Give. Twestival Whistler represented in a big way for our community, raising almost $6,000 for Zero Ceiling and donating the most money per capita out of all Twestival events around the world.

As the organizers of the first ever Twestival Whistler, Amber Turnau, social media strategist for Whistler Blackcomb and Michelle Leroux of Reine Communications, would like to send a huge thank you to the many community partners that helped put on one amazing event.

Big tweets and much love to Whistler Brewing Company, Origin Design and Communications, Pique Newsmagazine , Rebound Sound, Paintertainment and Candy Girls Tabetha Boot and Lauren Everest, Burnt Stew Computer Solutions, Ace Mackay-Smith, Big Mountain Rhythm, local artists Suzanne Johnston, Mark Colbert and Penny Eder Martyn, Pure Bread, Nester's Market, Nonna Pia's and the talented Anastasia Chomlack for our gorgeous event images.

Kasi Lubin, executive director of Zero Ceiling, also generously lent her time and expertise to the event, ensuring the silent auction was a huge success! We would also like to send special thanks to Heather Clifford, Dee Raffo and Quentin Emeriau for going above and beyond. We had so many friends and prizing partners help out, please see our event blog at www.whistler.twestival.com < http://www.whistler.twestival.com/ >  for the complete list.

Thank you to everyone who came out to revel in a night of social media nerdery and plain ol' Whistler fun. For more adventures in Twitter please join Whistler's Social Media Nerdery group; we meet once a month and would love to see more of this amazing community come out! Find out about the next event here: http://www.meetup.com/WhistlerSocialMedia/

Michelle Leroux and Amber Turnau

Whistler