Good things under the shadow of the icon
Should the Lot 1-9 “iconic” ice cover proponents entice a sugar daddy to take on all the iconic financial implications, they deserve to be knighted. Long shots sometimes come in. You can’t win the lottery without a ticket, just don’t buy too many.
Where to best focus time and effort? The design concept for the “iconic” ice cover overshadowed other important aspects of the Lot 1-9 plan. The concept of having some countries’ and sponsors’ Games pavilions designed and built to serve their Games requirements as well as post-Games community facility requirements, such as the museum, arts & culture and sustainability centres, on Lot 1-9 is very practical and most likely achievable. As I understand, rather than rent and renovate existing commercial space within Whistler Village, several countries and/or sponsors would build their pavilions on a portion of the day skier parking lot for temporary Games use and, post-Games, these structures would be moved across to Lot 1-9 for permanent community facilities with little or no cost to our small community tax base.
Thank you to Planner Mike Kirkegaard, Councilors Lorriman Zeidler, and the Lot 1-9 Task Force for your work, particularly this most practical concept.
Steve Bayly
Whistler
Perspectives on two icons
I was at two very different presentations in Whistler last week. The first was an open house for lot 1/9 which presented a concept for the 2010 presentation plaza and beyond. The ice rink has lots of support and I agree would be an asset for the community. However the $18 million roof structure, while beautiful to look at, comes with a price tag that I feel is embarrassing. We were told that the roof would be an iconic structure that will represent Whistler to the world and that the federal government will be solicited for funds.
I then listened to Stephen Lewis give an impassioned talk about the plight of Africa where women and children struggle to survive on $1 a day. Where $130 would pay for enough antiretroviral drugs for a year that can save a mother’s life so ravaged by HIV/Aids and shield her children from becoming orphans. The number of orphans in Africa living with their grandmothers or together in sibling-headed households is shameful.
Whistler does not need an artificial iconic structure. Look around. We have natural iconic structures in Black Tusk, Armchair and the Tantalus range.
Let’s build a simpler, less expensive roof and instead of soliciting the federal government for funds for an iconic $18 million roof let’s encourage them to increase their foreign aid money. As Stephen Lewis stated, Canada is the only G8 nation to reduce its foreign aid funding. Canada is predicting a $14 billion surplus; surely some of that money could go towards Africa.
Whistler needs to take a stand and show the rest of the country and the world that we care more about the people of this world than about showcasing an $18 million roof.
Anne Townley
Whistler
It’s your call
I read Cindy Filipenko’s tragic article on the carnage on our highway and I was surprised there wasn’t an appeal from the RCMP for drivers to call when they see aggressive or dangerous driving.
I was struck but not surprised that 80 per cent of traffic accidents are a caused occurrence and preventable. We’ve all driven north and been behind a car that’s swerving a bit and hoped that they were only going to Alpine or Emerald. We’ve all seen reckless drivers cross the centre line, pass around corners or tailgate so they can get to Park Royal 20 cars ahead of you.
People who choose to drive this way always have an excuse and it’s rarely the fact that they are entirely selfish. They need help in recognizing they have a problem or they’ll continue to put other people’s lives at risk again and again.
No one wants to be a whistle blower and land someone with a DUI or dangerous driving charge but there comes a time when everyone on the road needs to look out for each other and make the call. It’s your phone so you can be the judge… but the call you make may save lives.
Short of being the family member on the tragic end of a call from the RCMP, the worst feeling would be to ignore a dangerous driver or give them “one more” chance and then see the mangled wreck of their car and two others further up the highway. It’s your call.
Mike Mills
Whistler
Juryn’s dream becoming reality
I am writing on behalf of the North Shore Mountain Bike Association, from North Vancouver. I would like to thank your news group for the article posted in the Oct. 18th issue regarding "Memorial planned for Richard Juryn Oct. 25".
I was (and remain) a fellow NSMBA director, plus a personal and professional acquaintance of Richard Juryn. He hired me to work with him and Dan London on the IMBA World Mountain Bike Conference in Whistler in June 2006; an event that doubled its attendance from the previous year's event, to 420 delegates and brought visitors to Whistler, representing 20 international countries. I will never forget the start of that week's WORCA Toonie ride — you would think it was the Tour de France.
Since then, I have enjoyed an incredible "sponsorship/promotional" experience on the “Richard Juryn ride” with the NSMBA, the Vancouver Outdoor Show & Gear Swap and his recommendation to manage Ryan Leech's 2007 "Trials of Life" cross Canada tour. His networking skills and contacts were always appreciated.
He was a great friend and mentor, always interested in bouncing a few ideas around. I always looked forward to a daily e-mail or a phone call from RJ. He will be sadly missed by me and many, many others.
Richard and I were organizing his Mongolian Film night at Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver for Oct. 25th; a show he presented in Whistler at Crankworx this past July, before his passing.
I would like to thank Mayor Ken Melamed for his kind memories and words in council recently, along with WORCA for their recognition of Richard's memorial with their donations. I would also like to thank Intrawest and his contacts through Crankworx for their e-mails, phone calls and offers of assistance during this difficult time for everyone.
I have been invited to represent the NSMBA in a newly formed committee, including North Shore government representatives, to establish a trail network for all levels of use, "somewhere" on the North Shore. A trail system was an area of concern and interest for Richard; discussed numerous times at NSMBA director's meetings and in personal conversations. His dream of a trail network in North Vancouver, much like Whistler's, is more of a reality now then ever before.
The NSMBA's goal now is to increase awareness for the association, while including members and trail users’ interests in the process. In 2007, with Richard's events and efforts, our membership alone has increased 20 per cent!
A new TD Canada Trust account has been established for the "Richard Juryn Memorial Fund" supporting activities to make Richard's dream a reality. If you would like to donate funds to this account, please contact me by e-mail at robin@nsmba.bc.ca for account details and instructions for your local branch.
Thank you Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton for your kind thoughts, words of condolence and continued support for our great friend Richard Juryn's legacy!
Robin J. Harvey
CommunicationsMarketing Director
NSMBA Richard Juryn Memorial Fund
Help on the road
On Sunday night we were driving home from Squamish to Whistler when a bear ran from behind a passing vehicle right into our vehicle. The damage was extensive and we're still not too sure about the condition of the bear, as it ran off into the woods. The police were called but the hopes of finding the bear are slim to none.
Our vehicle wasn't in any condition to drive and it was getting dark and very late as we sat on the side of the road wondering if anyone was going to stop and assist us.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the man in the blue van that stopped by to take a look at our "smoking" vehicle, Payless Towing and also a big thank you to James Gablehouse for picking us up and getting us home safely! It's comforting to know what great people we have living all around us! Thank you all!
Darryl and Rae Booth
Whistler
Muddy waters
Crabapple Creek has undergone many changes in the last 100 years. Understandably the building of roads, housing developments, ski hills and golf courses put a huge burden on its environmental integrity.
Fortunately there was a strong initiative from the Whistler Fisheries Stewardship Group (WFSG) and the Whistler Golf Course to bring stability to this still vibrant stream.
A certain amount of sediment input is to be expected from roads and the development on Whistler Mountain when water sheds off the steep gradients. It would appear that this silt bedload has increased substantially in the last number of years. Most rain events turn the stream to the colour of chocolate milk.
It would appear that the culprit of these muddy waters lies in the development of the Whistler Bike Park and the VANOC infrastructure. While Whistler Mountain can showcase many strong environmental initiatives it needs to address this siltation problem in the near future.
Eric Crowe
Whistler
Illegal activity must stop
RE: Off-road use of motorized vehicles at Mosquito Lake
I am a resident of Ivey Lake Estates near Mount Currie and Pemberton, and, like many other locals, use the Mosquito Lake area for responsible recreation. I have been doing this for 13 years and have been able to observe many changes in the area. One change which has been most objectionable to me is the increased use by motorized off-road vehicles. It has now come to the point where I avoid going up there at busy times because of the almost continuous roar of dirt bikes, ATV's, and 4x4 trucks. But sometimes avoidance is impossible. One day in the late summer, while sitting on our patio, I heard a truck working all day on the hillside. There is now a steep 4x4 route up the hill, and 50 young replanted trees were felled in the process.
More recently, there have been other 4x4 routes flagged in the area, obstacles have been removed with chain saws, and trucks have started breaking trail. The routes lie mainly to the south of Mosquito Lake, an area which has recently been transferred to the Lil'wat Nation-Mount Currie Band. The Pemberton Valley Trails Association has an agreement with the Lil'wat Nation allowing the public to continue to use the area for non-motorized recreation. Motorized use is expressly prohibited in this agreement.
So I would like to use this letter as a notice to all 4x4 users in the area, locals and visitors alike: the Mosquito Lake area is NOT a wilderness free-for-all. To the south of the lake the land is private, immediately surrounding the lake is the Forest Service Recreation Site, and to the north lie Crown lands and Ivey Lake Estates. This means that motorized use is not allowed on most of the land to the south of the Lake. Look at a map and read the signs! On Crown land, significant clearing, cutting, or ground disturbance are not allowed without permission from the Ministry of Forests and Range. From my observations, off-road 4x4 use causes significant disturbance, and felling 50 trees is obviously "significant cutting".
This illegal activity must stop now, before the area becomes a write-off for everyone but motorheads. Responsible users who observe illegal 4x4 use in the area should report the incident immediately to the police and to the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (who administers the Crown land). The people who want to destroy the area must be sent a clear message that these activities are not allowed here and will no longer be tolerated.
Sean Wolfe
Mount Currie
Supporting literacy
This past Thanksgiving Saturday saw another very successful book sale that raised approximately $4,500 to support the school libraries at Spring Creek, Myrtle Philip and Whistler Secondary. Our sincere thanks go out to Jane Reid and her team of library advocates who organized, stored, sorted and manned the event. These funds are greatly appreciated and are a necessary boost to our library budgets.
The monies raised for Whistler Secondary this year will be used to purchase new books, both fictional and informational; these are used for both pleasure reading and for support of our school curriculum.
Thanks again to Jane Reid, library advocate extraordinaire, to the members of the Rotary Clubs of Whistler and to Jim Chan from IGA who allows us to “set-up-shop” outside his store on these weekends. Thank you all for your continued support.
Libby McKeever Library Assistant
Brenda Norrie Teacher-Librarian
Whistler Secondary School
