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Quintessentially Whistler

A random, incomplete, irreverent sampling of what it is that makes this place unique

"I think Whistler should be called Alpine World — you know, after the movie Westworld. Alpine World — where nothing ever goes wrong. Plastic place. I feel alienated in Whistler. It’s a sophisticated alpine mall. It’s all sterile and suspicious to me."

– Marc Emery (the "prince of pot" and Vancouver mayoral candidate for the Marijuana Party), Vancouver Sun, Feb. 8, 2003

 

Every place has its faults, and every town has its critics. Whistler may differ only in that it sometimes seems to have more critics than other towns of 10,000 — just as it seems to have more Type A personalities than most towns of 10,000.

But for all its faults, critics and Type A personalities, there are a number of things that make Whistler special. There is no definitive list of what these things are; they may be little eccentricities, mannerisms, the cute way Whistler wrinkles its nose that sends hearts racing or leaves a lasting impression. Alternatively, they may be grand gestures, well-reasoned positions or something left entirely to chance.

Last year the Whistler Museum gave disposable cameras to a cross-section of Whistler residents and asked them to go out and explore through photography the word "local" and what it meant to them. The exhibit — Picturing Whistler: Local Faces, Local Spaces — is still up at the museum (and the museum is still open, behind the construction hoarding on Main Street) and still provides some insight into what makes Whistler special, at least for those photographers.

What follows is a random, incomplete compilation of some of the things that make Whistler Whistler.

 

Going to the dogs

Animals are held in high esteem in Whistler. For confirmation one only has to look at WAG (Whistler Animals Galore) and the no-kill policy it has held for many years.

WAG’s adoption procedure is also one of the most stringent policies to be found in Whistler. To ensure that adopted animals go to good homes prospective "parents" have to go through an interview and background check, and then are subject to follow-up interviews after the animal has been adopted.

Other signs that man’s best friend presides over man’s best resort municipality can be seen at Lost Lake, where there is a beach specifically for canines, and at Nesters Market, which features a dog hitching post.

But perhaps the most striking sign of pets’ status in Whistler are the dog obituaries that appear in the local papers. Some Whistler dogs are as well known and as recognizable as some Whistler people, so it’s appropriate that the town be made aware when a member of the community joins the dearly departed.

Pet obituaries are not unique to Whistler, but there aren’t many places where they are regular newspaper announcements — sometimes taking up a full page.

The first locals

Bears are another example of Whistler’s affection for animals. Until the early 1990s black bears were generally considered a nuisance, but in the last decade awareness of bears in Whistler has been raised and greater efforts have been made to live with the bears.

Through the work of black bear researcher Michael Allen, most of Whistler’s bears now have names. Jeannie, Sadie, Katie, Kit Kat, Daisy, Susie, the late dominant male Slim and other bears have become part of the Whistler social fabric through Allen’s lectures, columns and school workshops. A generation of Whistler students has grown up with Allen, and as a result has come to know and better understand Whistler’s black bears.

Allen’s work, and Whistler’s bears, are known internationally, through documentaries the BBC and German television have done.

Of course Allen is not the only one working on behalf of Whistler’s bears. In 1995 the Jennifer Jones Whistler Bear Society was established by the family of Whistler’s Jennifer Jones. Jones, who was enthralled by Whistler’s black bears, was killed in a car accident on the Sea to Sky Highway. Her family wanted to do something in her name.

Now called the Get Bear Smart Society, the organization’s mandate is to protect the wellbeing and lives of bears by establishing a healthier coexistence between people and bears. Education campaigns include advertising campaigns, Bear Smart presentations, a website, distribution of pamphlets and non-lethal bear management training workshops.

Bears and soccer balls go together

The picture of perfect harmony between animals and humans can be found on any particular day in Whistler between the young soccer players and the bears.

Whistler offers its youth the opportunity to interact more closely with the natural environment than do urban areas. The sight of a bear strolling down the Valley Trail or coyote on the side of the road is more common here than in many other places.

Some people tend to act adversely to the presence of wildlife in space that has been designated for human use, as seen in the recent spat of bear killings in the Lower Mainland. Those who grow up here generally learn a different philosophy, one tempered with tolerance of other creatures.

One place to see this is on the soccer field at Whistler Secondary. The school’s soccer field is located behind the classrooms, elevated above the swamp. Its stunning views offer a backdrop for soccer games and field hockey practices. It is also a favorite haunt of the bears, who appear out of the woods to graze at the edge of the field.

What is remarkable about this picture is that both events often occur at the same time. It is not uncommon to see both bears and kids on the field at once, completely absorbed in their respective activities. There is no yelling or frightened concern, and no one calls the police or bylaw department. The soccer game goes on, the players are just a little more careful where they kick the ball.

Sandi Barrett, a member of Whistler Secondary’s field hockey team, was present on one such an occasion.

"It was a new experience for me. I had never seen anything like it before," explained Barrett, who moved from South Africa to Whistler a few years ago. "We know that we’re sort of taking over their space. It was fine, we just moved out of the way. They played at one end of the field and we played at the other end of the field. It was a really cool experience. I don’t think you’d get an experience like that anywhere else."

This is an example of Whistler at its best. With a healthy respect for one another, bears and people can live side by side.

As a lifelong resident of Whistler soon to depart, that memory of playing on the same field as the bears is one of the things I will always remember about my hometown.

Getting your Loonie’s worth

The moanings and groanings about the expense of living in Whistler are often rife in the valley. However, you don’t have to look very far to find a great deal around town every Thursday.

The Loonie Races, held weekly in Whistler since 1989, are perhaps the truest example of getting your money’s worth in this town. For two bucks you can get a night’s worth of entertainment or exercise — depending on how you approach the mountain bike races — dinner and beverages.

Every Thursday for 20 weeks a year the Whistler Off Road Cycling Association (WORCA) holds a Loonie Race at a different location in Whistler. The "races" provide the opportunity for riders to explore the trails, socialize, compete or any combination of the above. They are open to riders of all ages and abilities and whole families have been known to show up for rides.

It’s hard to find a better deal then the Loonie Races. The entry fee for each race is two bucks, or a twoonie. All participants must be WORCA members. One dollar goes into WORCA’s trail maintenance fund and the other dollar goes into a pot for the top riders.

The name "Loonie Race" has been passed down from the early years when it only cost a dollar to compete and all the money went to the race winner. Although it now costs two loonies to participate, the name has stuck.

Subsidizing the cost of the races are the weekly sponsors. Usually a restaurant or café co-sponsors with another local company, providing food and beverages for the post-race celebration.

Whistler is not the most affordable place to live, but events like the Loonie Races show that it is still possible to get bang for your buck in the valley.

Re-Use-It Centre is as good as gold

Whoever first said, "One man’s junk is another man’s treasure" couldn’t have hit on a more true statement when it comes to Whistler’s Re-Use-It Centre.

The Re-Use-It Centre has experienced unrivaled success in a town where the focus is definitely not on thrift stores. The centre has seen the exchange of used goods between Whistler residents and visitors alike for a number of years. It has become a Whistler staple.

"It seems to be the perfect combination of variables to have a successful re-use-it operation. We get many donations from tourists, people who have second homes here, locals. So the pool of donations is quite large and varied… we get some really excellent items, lightly used," said Janet McDonald, executive director of Whistler Community Services Society which runs the centre.

Whatever the ingredients, the Re-Use-It Centre certainly seems to of hit on the right formula.

"It supports itself and the profits cover probably about three-quarters of our (WCSS) operating budget," commented McDonald. "We assist another 20-plus groups, programs, services within the corridor and actually around the world. We’ve helped different relief efforts — churches, camps for disabled kids. So it’s pretty far reaching in what it does for communities, not just ours," she added.

WCSS’s programs include such initiatives as the Food Bank, Youth Outreach, Community Kitchens, KidSport, and many others. All get contributions from the profits of the Re-Use-It Centre.

The centre, located in Function Junction, is a source of joy not just for treasure seekers looking for some valuable junk, but also for people in real need. It provides clothes, books, dishes, and even furniture when people can’t afford to buy it new from a retail store.

The quality of much of the used goods is surprising and McDonald agreed that it does contribute to the success of the centre. However, it’s not just the quality of "stuff" that is remarkable about Whistler’s Re-Use-It Centre, it’s also the quantity. The centre receives very generous donations from many contributors, giving the centre both a large and varied selection of goods. In fact, the centre gets more donations then it can hold. Many things get packed and shipped out to the rest of the corridor and beyond.

"Whenever we can we’ve filled other second hand stores in the corridor," said McDonald. "It’s kind of the first thing we do with extra items that we have — we ship it within the corridor. And then we often have stuff for beyond that as well."

The busiest times for the centre are spring and fall. "It’s the biggest donation time and also tends to be the biggest sales time," said McDonald.

McDonald emphasized that the Re-Use-It Centre could not be run without the support it receives from the municipality, which provides the building that the centre currently resides in, and the community at large. She also said, "A big thank you for community support. Everybody that has donated and everybody that has shopped at the Re-Use-It Centre, their donations and patronage has been a huge contribution to the community.

"When you’re shopping there, when you’re donating there, you are giving back to the community. So it’s greatly appreciated!"



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