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Master planner Beck presents final village piece

$35 million complex still in works

Whistler’s master planner Eldon Beck took the stage Monday night, updating council on the community’s vision for the final piece of the village puzzle – what to build on lots 1 and 9.

In his quiet, calm voice, Beck, who has had a hand in shaping most of the village, outlined what could be one of Whistler’s most significant legacies from hosting the 2010 Olympic Games: a Paralympic ice arena and a lasting recreational legacy for the community after 2010.

He spoke of a magical place in the heart of the village – a place that capitalizes on the surrounding views of Singing Pass and Wedge, Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains; a place that is warmed by the sun; that brings locals and visitors together for unique recreational experiences; that is relaxed, friendly and informal. This is not just another development.

He told council he thinks "the life" of lot 1/9 is perhaps more important that the architecture of the place.

"I think the fact that this is missing has been a negative here for a while," said Beck.

With the preliminary design now in place, Whistler is moving forward with plans to do more detailed design work and develop a business plan showing how the municipality will pay for it.

"You’ve taken what was an idea in most of our minds and made it a very real concept," said Councillor Tim Wake, as he praised the work of Beck, municipal staff and the volunteer community members who have been a part of the task force bringing the ideas together in one functional design.

The preferred concept, chosen in an open house in March, is called The Sunny Island. It would see an enclosed arena in the centre of lot 1/9, the forested, municipally owned land behind the Brew House, surrounded by five buildings.

Together those buildings, not including the arena footprint, make up 73,000 square feet – almost three times as big as the IGA Marketplace, which is 27,000 square feet. In earlier presentations The Sunny Island concept was 54,000 square feet.

Most of the space in the adjacent buildings will be for public use; things such as arena storage, classrooms, an indoor children’s playroom, arts and cultural space, among other things.

Other space could be for retail or tourist accommodation.

The existing zoning on the lots allows almost 17,000 square feet of commercial space and 10,000 square feet of market tourist accommodation.

While this could help offset the cost of building the arena, the report to council states: "Uses should only be considered that complement and add value to the local economy…"

Grant Thornton has been retained to develop a business case for the development.

The community, which has played an integral role in shaping this development, has said unequivocally that the development must be "affordable, economical and sustainable."

"Those are vital words," said Beck.

Construction estimates are in the range of $35 to $40 million for the development. Whistler will get $20 million from the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games to build the arena. The shortfall could be made up from other funding sources or the resort municipality could borrow the money to build, in which case the community would have to decide, through a referendum, if it wants to go into debt.

The business plan should be complete by June, before council makes any final decisions.

Beck said in their discussions it seemed as though the possibilities for future uses in the arena are limitless, from hosting music events with a crowd of 5,000, to car shows, conferences, and possibly Olympic awards ceremonies.

"It seems like the potentials are almost endless," he said.

The design allows bleachers to be moved in and taken out, depending on the event. There will be enough seating for 2,750 people during the Paralympic sledge hockey events in 2010, as required by VANOC. Designers are now looking to see if they can add more seating, especially after the popularity of the sledge hockey games in Torino, where the Canadian team won gold.

Whistler has come a long way to get to this point. Last summer the previous council considered forgoing the development and hosting the sledge hockey events, because the facility was too expensive to build.

However, public outcry forced council to reconsider the Paralympic arena idea.

Choosing this path means that there is no $8 million deal to build a practice rink at Meadow Park as previously discussed with VANOC, said Councillor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden.

"Those were just discussions," she said. "There’s no guarantee."

Whistler’s choices now are to accept $20 million and build an arena on lot 1/9 or take $2 million.

"And that’s the extent of the confirmed funding," added Wilhelm-Morden.

Monday’s presentation on the arena was met with applause from the audience.

Councillor Bob Lorriman pointed out that unlike the Whistler Sliding Centre, and the Whistler Nordic Centre, which are being designed and developed by VANOC, the Paralympic arena is really an exercise in community consultation. There have been two well-attended open houses to date with a lot of community feedback to get Whistler to this point.

That’s a model he hopes Whistler can take forward in future planning.

He said: "This is something that we’re really shaping as a community."