Age: Young at heart
Occupation: Director Stephanie Sloan Women Only program
Volunteerism: Whistler Community Arts Council member and vice-chair; library board; public art committee
Skier, biker, skate skier
Hobbies: reading
E-mail: sloan@direct.ca
Last book read: Good News for a Change, by David Suzuki and Holly Dressel
Why are you running for council again?
Ive sat at the council table for six years now and during that time Ive worked hard on Whistlers behalf, and have accomplished I feel so much. Its very difficult to give that up. You want to continue with the work youve been doing.
Im running again to complete on some of the major policy and planning initiatives that weve established, and on the process that weve established.
What are the major accomplishments/failures of the last council?
Some of the things weve accomplished are The Natural Step. Were the first town in North America to adopt it, and Im very, very proud of that.
Weve completed the environmental strategy and the transportation plan, and I want to make sure these things are acted on. The threat is if another council gets in, or council member, that that wont be a priority any longer. The community asked us to make our natural environment a priority, because obviously its what Whistlers all about and so important.
We built 4,000 employee housing units. Of course, affordability and employee housing is a very hot topic and something thats a real problem issue for Whistler that needs to be solved. I want to continue working on that.
Weve also started the very comprehensive exercise of Whistler. Its Our Future . Its a planning exercise that involves the whole community and is very important in establishing what were going to look like in five, 10, 20 years from now. Its so important because were about to reach build out. Whistler is at a crossroads really. Weve gone from a development-based community to hopefully to a sustainability-based community. We have to figure out how to do that.
Another major accomplishment, last week we endorsed the 2010 Olympic bid. We worked long and hard over the last four years in negotiating with the province and the bid committee to achieve everything we set out to do, based on our guiding principles. We asked for lasting legacies. One of those lasting legacies that will help us address the affordability issue, hopefully, is the land bank. Its 300 acres in the Callaghan Valley, or a smaller site, the Cheakamus site, across from Function Junction. If the planning process with Whistler. Its Our Future endorses that direction I see it as a very good solution to our employee housing problem. Not one, be-all and end-all solution, but one part of the solution.
I know theres some concerns with (the Callaghan) site, the fact that its out there on its own. Ive heard it called the ghetto, but I dont think its possible to have a ghetto in or close to Whistler. I see a green, smart growth community down there with a world class Nordic centre in its back yard and a world class ski area in its front yard, just 10 minutes away from Creekside. And its a lot more environmentally friendly to drive or take the bus from there than it is to come from Squamish or Pemberton.
And in my mind its got to have a mix of housing: single family, townhouses, apartment style accommodation with gyms and a store.
We do have $30 million for servicing costs, and we have the land. And were going to get it whether we win the Olympic bid or not.
Weve also negotiated for financial tools, something weve been trying to get the province to address for many years. The Olympics have been the catalyst to hurry up that process. We need a resort-based tax where the visitors will help pay for the facilities and services that theyre using.
The other thing we got from the province is an indemnity agreement were assured therell be no extra tax levy on Whistler taxpayers to host the Games.
A major disappointment was when the White Gold affordable housing project fell through. We were negotiating long and hard and we thought it was a really good solution to have an integrated employee housing complex in White Gold. But unfortunately one of the partners pulled out. It was quite complex in that there were a number of partners involved. It was the Westin that pulled out ultimately and so it couldnt work without all the partners, it was too expensive.
Were looking at all other possible opportunities and solutions to employee housing.
What are the big issues facing the next council?
With Whistler. Its Our Future , the nature of that whole project is the bed cap issue. I dont think anybody wants to increase the bed cap, except for affordable housing.
( Whistler. Its Our Future ) will address our affordability issue, hopefully, which is part of sustainability. What were after is a sustainable Whistler, socially, economically and environmentally. Hopefully this planning exercise will address those issues. Its a huge process. Weve just finished phase one, were entering phase two which I think will be more interesting. As we go forward now I think it will be a little more interesting and well begin to see results.
Key issues are the Olympics. I think there are incredible opportunities and this whole Olympic bid movement has accelerated processes that we were already in.
As well as the financial tools were asking for and $300 million in lasting legacies and legacy funding.
Why should people vote for you?
After sitting at the council table for six years I understand the complexities and the challenges. I know how to look at the big picture, based on our policies and guiding principles, listen to the concerns and use a team approach to help set policy to lead us in directions that will ensure Whistlers continued success.
I think as we reach build out theres more and more pressure from developers, for example weve seen that with the Nita Lake Lodge development, for one. Theyre coming forward with a huge amenity package in demand for increasing the bed cap. I think we need to really stick to our policy documents and listen to what the community has to say through the Whistler. Its Our Future initiative to set new policy as we reach build out.
Its complex, because were reaching build out and because of the pressures, and I think after sitting at the council table for six years Ive got an understanding of these complex issues. It takes a while to learn about the policies and the guiding principles and the directions our community has told us they want to go. I think its important to re-elect people.