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"Something is missing" in Whistler

Residents brainstorm new vision for community at a crossroads
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Scott Carrell and Dave Halliwell turned their coffee shop talk into a forum to discuss the resort's future. Photo by Alison Taylor

Concern about Whistler’s future enticed roughly 120 locals to a meeting where they could create a plan of action for the resort.

As part of the evening last Thursday they were asked to help write a vision statement for Whistler. While some in the group found that stimulating, others were frustrated by what they saw as taking a step backwards and focusing on words rather than actions.

The point of the exercise, however, was to create alignment in the community and get everyone on the same page.

"We need to all engage to be successful," said host and owner of Affinity Sports Scott Carrell to the crowd.

It was a diverse group at Millennium Place on Thursday, March 9.

Some such as Garry Watson came in part because they were curious. Others like Michel Beaudry came because they thought they had something to offer to the discussion. And still others came to support their friends, Carrell and Dave Halliwell, the two local businessmen who hosted the meeting.

Whatever their reason for coming, it was clear from the two and a half hour meeting that there is something on the minds of the local community – business is not what it was five years ago, the future is unclear and there is a palpable undercurrent of concern.

"It’s not that there’s anything wrong," explained Halliwell, who has been living in Whistler for 12 years. "It’s just that there’s something missing."

That’s how this whole process began, in a simple coffee shop conversation between Carrell and Halliwell several weeks ago.

Their musings struck a chord in the community and a groundswell of interest. More people started talking about what’s missing, the need for alignment and a sense that Whistler needs to work together. The conversation of two morphed into a living room chat between almost 30 people and a month after that initial coffee shop talk there were more than 120 community members ready to get to work.

That in itself is a testament to the community and its desire to work together, said Paul Tormey, general manager of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler who was among the crowd.

"I was once again just struck with the level of passion and desire for Whistler to succeed and be a quality place to live and work and bring customers to," he said.

A look around the room showed Whistler’s mayor, administrator and the president of Tourism Whistler sitting side by side. Other members of council were dotted throughout the MY Place theatre, along with small business owners, representatives of larger businesses and interested members of the community.

"It’s really about the community and the future of the community," began Carrell at the meeting.

Whistler is at a crossroads, he said. Business has changed and the economy is not what it was five or six years ago during the peak of Whistler’s tourism boom. He held aloft his daughter’s Discman, state of the art technology five years ago.

The Discman has been replaced with an iPod, technology which can hold thousands more songs, it’s faster, smaller and far superior.

"That’s product evolution," said Carrell.

That’s what Whistler has to talk about, he added.

Whether it’s arts and culture, health and wellness, or learning, Whistler has the chance to diversify. There are numerous opportunities, said Carrell.

"We need to roll up our sleeves and we need to all contribute," he added.

The work began Thursday night. Led by moderator Anurag Gupta, of Landmark Education, Whistlerites were asked to answer the question: What is Whistler in the business of?

Among the answers were that it makes memories, creates good experiences, exceeds expectations, and helps people escape life’s stresses.

The group was then asked to come up with a vision statement for Whistler.

Among the words suggested by the audience were: community, experience, environment, wellness, integrity and prosperity.

But there was some frustration over the course of the evening.

Michel Beaudry was outspoken in his criticisms. He explained afterwards that the community has already spent time coming up with a vision statement and it’s at the forefront of the community plan Whistler 2020. For him the evening was a step backwards.

"There have been hundreds of hours spent on creating some kind of vision for Whistler," he said. "That’s not the problem. Words aren’t the problem.

"We just got right back on the same trail and started treading down that same trail we’ve trodden before."

Halliwell said afterwards the point of the evening was not to take away from Whistler 2020 rather to enhance it.

"We actually want to fulfill everything in 2020," he said. "It’s not designed to redo or replace Whistler 2020."

Long-time resident Garry Watson agreed that it’s now time for action, not more talk about visions.

"It’s a question of the doing of it, the action plans," said Watson. "And people getting committed and working to it.

"Something good should and likely could come out of this, I think, in motivating people but I think the motivation has to be in the direction of carrying out the action plan of (Whistler) 2020."

Watson and Beaudry said they would go to a follow up meeting but only if the format of the meeting changed.

Admittedly the discussion turned a little flat towards the end, as people quietly left the room, but for some it was a positive experience.

Scott Pass liked that is was a grassroots initiative. He liked Gupta’s message that the community can control the way it does things in Whistler.

And he thought the discussion was a way to enhance the work in Whistler 2020 rather than compete with it or repeat it.

"I don’t see this as being different from 2020," said Pass.

He is interested in being a part of future discussions.

Halliwell said they are now working on a mission statement so as not to confuse people with the vision statement in Whistler 2020. At the next meeting, scheduled for some time in mid-April, Whistlerites will be asked to refine the mission statment and begin to create simple powerful actions that people can take right away which will have an immediate impact on Whistler.