40th anniversary pullout

Photo courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives

1

Introducing the Resort Municipality of Whistler aka the Whistler Experiment ROLAND STRONG, WHISTLER MUSEUM VOLUNTEER The Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) creation was unique in British Columbia history, empowered by the government, and integrated through the passion and unbridled dedication of some key individuals.

The years leading up to 1972 saw a great deal of activity in the Squamish-Pemberton corridor. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) was weakly regulating development in the region, with a flurry of construction projects occurring around the Whistler Mountain Gondola. Developers held permits to build everything from homes to shopping malls, with little infrastructure to handle the related sewage, water and waste that always follows such activity. Local community groups such as the Alta Lake Ratepayers (ARPA) and the Whistler Chamber of Commerce were concerned with the unbridled development in the area with no apparent regulatory control. Demand for ski access was rising, and alternate ski areas were already in development or under government review. Additionally, there was a bid for the 1976 Winter Olympics being pursued by

GODA (Garibaldi Olympic Development Association). For this entity (government) would need to be created to follow up to be successful, the area around Whistler Mountain needed on the recommendations in the Gilmour Report, facilitate the effective community planning, utility infrastructure and effective implementation of an OCP, follow through on the OCP, manage regional management. sewage and waste in the region, and regulate development in In 1972, the New Democratic Party (NDP) was elected ushering in a way that would foster world class tourism to the resort. After a renewed interest developing tourism in the Garibaldi Park region. much consultation and discussion in Victoria, Bill C-130 (The In order to halt the uncontrolled development taking place, they Resort Municipality of Whistler Act) was initiated. It was ultimately issued a moratorium on development until a review of the area and an experimental government model. Through this legislation, its potential could be assessed. After consultation, James Gilmour a new kind of municipality was to be created, tasked with from the Municipal Affairs and Planning Services Department created managing and maintaining a unique recreational environment. a report for the provincial government regarding the Whistler area. Additionally, it would need to facilitate this infrastructure for a In it he concluded preparation for an Official Community Plan (OCP) could not be postponed any longer due to This “Whistler Experiment,” as it has concerns over the amount of unregulated development, sometimes been called, has touched the the lack of sewers, the open garbage dump, and lives of millions from around the world... the potential opportunity for properly managed development in the valley.

Gilmour’s report recommended that a single-centred (community significantly large visiting versus residing population. On Sept. 6, hub around a single location) be created, as opposed to multi- 1975, Bill C-130 was incorporated, becoming law, and the Resort centered model. The rationale was to create a psychological focal Municipality of Whistler was born. point, induce a multiplier effect to support local businesses, and This was an uncommon political event, and arguably one minimize the amount of car traffic in the valley. The report identified that influenced a new perspective of Canada to the world. a location for the town centre; situated between Whistler Mountain This “Whistler Experiment,” as it has sometimes been called, and the anticipated Blackcomb Mountain development. has touched the lives of millions from around the world in a At the time it was becoming evident that a municipal constructive, positive way.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

Nancy WilhelmMorden and her husband Ted in Whistler in 1976.

MAYOR’S MESSAGE Celebrating our 40th anniversary is a special moment in the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s history.

From the early pioneers who were first attracted to the area, to the individuals who built the resort community, all have embraced Whistler’s relationship with nature and outdoors and understood the need to develop the built environment to match the majesty of the natural surroundings.

Whistler’s original Master Plan, first developed in the mid 1970s, provides the blueprint for the Whistler that exists today — a place where people are proud to live, work and play.

Today the original Whistler vision is a reality. A pedestrian village full of a diversity of accommodations, restaurants and retail experiences is the valley’s centrepiece. We welcome the world in all seasons. Whistler Blackcomb has become the largest ski and bike resort in North America. Our golf courses are spectacular. We have hosted the 2010 Winter Games and so many amazing events. Our extensive natural areas, parks and trails define our landscape. The valley’s dozen residential neighbourhoods are mainly hidden in the trees, offering privacy and tranquility yet easy access to the bustle of town.

Whistler does not rest on its laurels. Our strategic plan — Whistler 2020 — sets out the community’s shared vision for tomorrow. Whistler is committed to achieving social and environmental sustainability and a healthy economy.

We are not immune to global trends and issues and have our eye on the changing economic, social and environmental dynamics. Updated plans have been developed by the community in the past several years in the areas of economy, recreation, cultural and learning and education, while an updated climate action plan is underway. Our Cheakamus Community Forest gives us community control of our surrounding landscapes.

Best of all, many of the passionate risk takers and their families who built Whistler are still here, along with the new pioneers of today’s Whistler, teaching school (and ski school!), running restaurants and shops, running the municipality, delivering the mail, building custom homes and managing real estate.

Whistler’s vibrancy fueled by nearly 10,000 resourceful, hardworking, hard-playing, friendly people who have done whatever it takes to be able to call Whistler home.

I have lived here throughout the municipality’s history and am very proud of what we have achieved together, and what we have to look forward to.

Sincerely, Nancy Wilhelm-Morden

3

Photo courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives

2

Choosing Whistler’s first council TRISH ODORICO, WHISTLER MUSEUM Ninteen seventy five saw the beginning of the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), a crucial and unique kind of government for the mountain town.

While Canada had municipalities as well as resorts — such as Banff, where a local advisory committee provided guidance to the senior level of government with absolute control over the resort — the implementation of the RMOW was to be distinct.

This new government allowed property owners and residents to elect their own mayor and three aldermen, though what made the RMOW Act different was the inclusion of the fourth alderman.

The fourth alderman would be appointed by the Province in order to oversee financial issues and maintain the interests of the greater population — not just the residents of Whistler.

Whistler’s first election was held in the summer of 1975. Two candidates were running for mayor: Pat Carleton, president of the chamber of commerce, and Paul Burrows, president of the Alta Lake Ratepayers Association. Carleton came out on top, with 185 votes to Burrows’ 103. Garry Watson (237 votes), John Hetherington (178 votes), and Bob Bishop (176 votes) were the three elected alderman, and on Sept. 6, 1975, the first municipal council was sworn into office. Many residents of Whistler gathered to watch as Judge C.I. Walker announced their first designated government.

The ceremony was set to take place at the Roundhouse Lodge

at the top of Whistler Mountain. Free gondola and chairlift rides were provided for those who wished to attend, but some Whistler residents decided to take a more active approach. Accompanied by their dog, Paul and Jane Burrows hiked up the mountain to attend the ceremony. During their hike, a last-minute decision was made to move the event to the base of the mountain at Creekside. Unable to download their dog on a chairlift, and thus sadly unable to make it down the mountain in time, the Burrows missed the swearing in of Whistler’s first aldermen and mayor — an announcement that they were greatly looking forward to.

Nevertheless, the ceremony continued. Al Raine was the provincial appointee, joining the three elected aldermen, while Pat Carleton, Whistler’s first mayor, led these four representatives into their reign as Whistler’s first council and the members of the very first resort municipality in Canada. At the time of the RMOW’s incorporation, fewer than 1,000 people lived in town, and of the 350 registered voters, 303 people voted in the first election.

The early municipality had many obstacles such as the lack of an official municipal building. Meetings were held in various locations such as the Carleton’s garage and the lunchroom of Myrtle Philip Community School until a more permanent home was found. Eventually a permanent space was found in a portable at the proposed site of the Village. In May 1981 the Old Keg restaurant was purchased and moved in three sections from Whistler Cay to the current site of Municipal Hall, which the RMOW still resides in today. The old Municipal Hall building was moved off Highway 99 near Function Junction. Initially being used as the location of the Whistler Chamber of Commerce Information Centre, it was also used as the first location of the Whistler Museum.

Moving the old Keg Building to become the new Municipal Hall.

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB, MOUNTAINS OF SUCCESS

In 1960 four Vancouver businessmen sought to find and develop a site in British Columbia to host the 1968 Winter Games. London Mountain was deemed a “perfect ski mountain,” and renamed Whistler in honour of the whistling marmots that lived among its heights. The Winter Games didn’t come until later but Whistler Mountain opened in 1966, and Blackcomb Mountain in 1980 followed by many developments over the decades. Renowned as the largest, and by some the best, ski (as well as snowboard and bike) area in North America Whistler Blackcomb has always been a cornerstone of the lifestyle, culture, development and definition of Whistler since the early days.

Photo courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

4

THE HISTORY OF RMOW COUNCIL

2014—2018 Mayor – Nancy Wilhelm-Morden Councillors – Steve Anderson, Jack Crompton, Jen Ford, John Grills, Andrée Janyk, Sue Maxwell | Administrator – Mike Furey 2011 to 2014 Mayor – Nancy Wilhelm-Morden Councillors – Jack Crompton, Jayson Faulkner, John Grills, Andrée Janyk, Duane Jackson, Roger McCarthy | Administrator – Mike Furey 2008 to 2011 Mayor — Ken Melamed Councillors — Christopher Quinlan, Tom Thomson, Ted Milner, Grant Lamont, Ralph Forsyth, Eckhard Zeidler | Administrator — Bill Barratt 2005 to 2008 Mayor — Ken Melamed Councillors — Tim Wake, Nancy Wilhelm—Morden, Ralph Forsyth, Eckhard Zeidler, Bob Lorriman, Gordon McKeever | Administrator — Bill Barratt 2002 to 2005 Mayor — Hugh Charles O’Reilly Councillors — Caroline Lamont, Gordon McKeever, Ken Melamed, Kristi Wells, Nicholas Davies, Marianne Wade | Administrator – Jim Godfrey

5

Planning Whistler Village TRISH ODORICO, WHISTLER MUSEUM

gathered around and we said hello and shook hands. They said, ‘We have a meeting tomorrow at two. Could you have something for us at two.’ And I said, ‘Of course.’ … So at about 4 a.m. I woke up and I could really see it pretty clearly. So I got up and basically drew the plan and we worked on it then, but we had it ready for the 2 p.m. meeting, and presented it. And they all said, ‘Hey, that’s what we want to do.”’

Following Beck’s lead, the Village design adopted a completely new course — one that would flow like a stream and focus on pedestrians and leisure. There was also special attention placed on “views and sun,” as Beck felt it was crucial to have sunlight in

With Alta Lake experiencing rapid, unplanned and somewhat chaotic growth, and undesirable plans for further growth, RMOW alderman Al Raine decided to pay a visit to Eldon Beck, the American landscape architect who made a name for himself working at Vail, Colorado.

Beck said: “So Al pulled the (existing Whistler Village) ...the Village design adopted a completely plan out and said, “You know, something’s not right with this. new course — one that would flow like a Could you take a look at it?” It was like a little city, and a lot stream and focus on pedestrians and leisure. of the images felt like a miniVancouver… The land always tells you what to do.

Beck’s initial thoughts and comments were intriguing enough to mountain places, believing that this mix created a unique comfort. earn him an invite to Whistler to help amend the designs. During this Beck understood the importance of somehow keeping the charm visit, Beck spent a lot of time getting to know the lay of the land and and authenticity of a beautiful and natural site while rearranging it paying close attention to sight lines. Later that day he reconvened into a community with plenty of structures. If you feel that genuine with the resort development bigwigs in their corporate office. vibe while meandering along the stone pathways of Whistler “We went into a garage, and the council were kind of all Village, you undoubtedly have Eldon Beck to thank.

1999 to 2002 Mayor — Hugh O’Reilly Councillors — David Kirk, Ken Melamed, Ted Milner, Stephanie Sloan, Kristi Wells, Nicholas Davies | Administrator – Jim Godfrey 1996 to 1999 Mayor — Hugh O’Reilly Councillors – Ken Melamed, Kristi Wells, David Kirk, Nancy WilhelmMorden, Ted Milner, Stephanie Sloan

Early design of Whistler Village.

1993 to 1996 Mayor – Ted Nebbeling Councillors – Bill Murray, Kristi Wells, David Kirk, Hugh O’Reilly, Max Kirkpatrick, Thelma Johnstone | Administrator – Peter Kent 1990 to 1993 Mayor — Ted Nebbeling Aldermen – Bill Murray, Gordon Tomalty, David Kirk, Hugh O’Reilly, Terry Rodgers, Thelma Johnstone | Administrator – Peter Kent 1988 to 1990 Mayor – Drew Meredith Aldermen – Hugh O’Reilly, Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, Paul Burrows, Terry Rodgers, Thelma Johnstone, Ted Nebbeling | Administrator – Peter Kent 1986 to 1988 Mayor – Drew Meredith Aldermen – Jeff Wuolle, Sonya McCarthy, Paul Burrows, Craig MacKenzie, Diane Eby, Ted Nebbeling | Administrator – Peter Kent

Ski jump and ski jump inspired hotels defined the Village in the 1976 Olympic bid book.

1984 to 1986 Mayor – Terry Rodgers Aldermen – Paul Burrows, Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, Diane Eby, Doug Fox | Administrator – Geoff Pearce 1982 to 1984 Mayor – Mark Angus Aldermen – Bill Peterson, David O’Keefe, Bernie Hauschka, Terry Rodgers | Administrator – Geoff Pearce 1982 Mayor Wm – Pat Carleton Aldermen – Sid Young, Mark Angus, Doug O’Mara, Terry Rodgers | Administrator – Geoff Pearce 1980 to 1982 Mayor Wm – (Pat) Carleton Aldermen – Sid Young, Mark Angus, Doug O’Mara, Al Raine | Administrator – Geoff Pearce 1978 to 1980 Mayor Wm – (Pat) Carleton Aldermen – Rolly Horsey, Gary Watson, Sid Young, Al Raine 1977 to 1978 Mayor Wm – (Pat) Carleton Aldermen – Frans Carpay, Al Raine, John Hetherington, Garry Watson September 6, 1975 to December, 1976 Mayor Wm – (Pat) Carleton Aldermen – Bob Bishop, Al Raine, John Hetherington, Garry Watson

Eldon Beck sketch that helped form the Whistler Village design of today Sketches courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

1978 Signing ceremony between Mayor Carleton and the provincial and federal governments who would help fund village development.

Photo courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives

7

Photo courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives

6

Government supports Whistler’s success The 1975 provincial legislation that paved the way for the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) incorporation also began Whistler’s strong relationship with the provincial government and the Government of Canada. These relationships were strengthened during the 2010 Winter Games with all three levels of government sharing the same vision of success.

This vision included the securing of “financial tools” or the Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funding from the Province of British Columbia, which has contributed to Whistler’s ongoing success by reinvesting a portion of hotel tax revenues generated the previous year.

The funding strategy was actually born out of a Whistler idea — growing out of the planning done to host the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is a reflection that in the competitive world of tourism, resort communities like Whistler need to stand out and require funding to support not only the local community (through taxes) but to support the larger population that comes from being a tourism based economy.

RMI funding is a significant revenue source for eligible resort municipalities. It has allowed Whistler to invest in many

important programs and services to support tourism since it was implemented in 2006. RMI helps maintain and grow a robust regional tourism economy.

Whistler’s successful Festivals, Events and Animation (FE&A) Program is one of many programs and services funded by RMI. FE&A keeps the resort busy with original programming and much more. Many other projects have been accomplished with this funding, from Valley Trail and park developments to Skating at the Plaza.

Whistler also receives grants from the Province of British Columbia through Strategic Community Investment Funds as well the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) on accommodation. The MRDT is a two per cent tax on hotel rooms in addition to the eight per cent PST, in 2014 this equaled $3.9 million for Whistler, with fifty per cent going to Tourism Whistler.

The Government of Canada has also been an important partner through a variety of infrastructure grant programs as well as funding for the Whistler Live program during the 2010 Winter Games and subsequent partner funding to build Whistler Olympic Plaza. The federal government also funded the Cultural Capitals grant to Whistler, which has been an important investment in growing culture.

Thanks to the financial and partnership support of many levels of government, Canada’s first designated resort municipality is still going strong.

STEP INTO WHISTLER’S HISTORY

Located in the heart of the resort, the Whistler Museum is the place to discover Whistler’s history and unique mountain culture.

Florence Peterson founded the Whistler Museum & Archives in 1986 as a non-profit organization for the purpose of collecting, cataloguing and conserving artifacts and photographs of the pioneer history of the Whistler Valley.

Peterson was the town’s caretaker of its past.

In the 1970s Whistler was growing fast. Early pioneer Myrtle Philip and Cypress Lodge owner, Dick Fairhurst confessed to Florence a worry that the early days would soon be forgotten. Florence eased their fears by promising them that she would somehow ensure that their stories would be remembered and true to her word in 1986, after retiring from school teaching, Florence kept her promise by starting the Whistler Museum as a charitable non-profit society.

The museum offers a variety of exhibits year-round, plus a busy program of seminars, interactive activities and other events to suit all ages. Despite being a young community, Whistler has plenty of history. An eclectic array of artifacts — natural, man-made, serious and funny — are on display.

The “Whistler Olympic Journey Exhibit” is one of the many exhibits featured in the museum. The exhibit utilizes and builds upon the museum’s extensive collection of “mountain life” artifacts from photographs to antique skis. The exhibit tells tales of local lore and showcases connections between themes including Natural History, Pioneer Influence, Olympic Visions, Mountain & Resort Development, Environmental Preservation and the Road to Future Sustainability.

The Whistler Museum is a popular spot. In 2014, a total of 6,247 people walked through the museum’s doors.

Photo by Justa Jeskova

Whistler Council 2015

8

HELPING HAND

Every year RMOW council helps to support local organizations through its Community Enrichment Program (CEP) and Fee for Service agreement.

Both programs help move Whistler closer to its vision for Whistler2020. Organizations that receive the grant run the gamut from boosting the environment to offering recreation and sports activies to supporting arts and culture. Last year a total of $155,502 grants were awarded to 30 organizations.

The Fee for Service agreements, meanwhile, provides funding to organizations that offer a service that the municipality would normally provide. That includes Whistler Animals Galore, the Whistler Arts Council, Whistler Museum and Archives Society and the Whistler Chamber of Commerce.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

10 9

Building a world-class tourist destination

BY LAUREN MCIVOR

Association, was formed in 1979 following a recommendation by the provincial government to incorporate a community tourism agency and marketing body, which would serve to promote Whistler as a tourist destination.

The organization is not-for-profit and represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage, or carry out business on Resort Lands in Whistler. It also operates municipal assets including the Whistler Golf Club, the Whistler Conference Centre, Visitors Centre, and whistler.com.

“Tourism Whistler has helped steer the resort from its beginnings as a winter regional ski area to a viable international year-round destination, with strong winter and summer visitation, and growing shoulder season conference and event business,” said Barrett Fisher, President and CEO of Tourism Whistler.

Working in conjunction with the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler has evolved into a well-respected organization with a reputation as an industry leader, and has received awards and recognition nationally for recent marketing campaigns.

Whistler’s natural assets, which span a total of over 12,000 hectares, are a huge factor in drawing tourism to the resort. Over 90 per cent of the area is not developed, said Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, allowing for hundreds of kilometres of mountain bike and hiking trails, as well as golf courses and parks.

Wilhelm-Morden explained. “The foot of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains is really the ideal place for the Village — with the focus of the hotel accommodation and other public accommodations around the base of the mountains. All of that was very thoughtful planning in the early days.”

Tourism is ingrained in Whistler’s history, she added.

“It’s really interesting to look at tourism over the course of this community because tourism goes right back to the early days, when Alex and Myrtle “It’s really interesting to look at tourism Philip opened Rainbow Lodge as a fishing resort in 1914, and over the course of this community because a very popular summer tourist destination,” she said. “To talk tourism goes right back to the early days” about the history is informative and it’s great to remind everyone about where we’ve come from, but looking into the future we are continuing to build “In my 25 years of experience in Whistler I have seen the resort upon that success with things like the Audain Art Museum opening in and the tourism organization grow, evolve and flourish, overcoming the spring and the worldwide attention that that will bring.” many challenges, reaching significant milestones and achieving Each season, more than two million vacationers visit from around great success,” Fisher said. “Tourism Whistler is pleased to work so the globe, attracted to the seemingly never-ending array of activities closely with our resort partners, including the RMOW, in ensuring we and events. achieve our vision to be the world’s most recognized, visited and One of the key forces behind the promotion and success of the valued four-season, sustainable mountain destination. We thank resort is Tourism Whistler, which aims to “market and sell Whistler to the Resort Municipality of Whistler for their many initiatives that help the world as the year-round mountain resort of choice.” support Tourism Whistler’s efforts and ensure a world-class guest The organization, officially known as the Whistler Resort experience at Whistler.”

Whether it’s pruning trees in Whistler Village, teaching a toddler to swim or working with resort partners to plan for future success, Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) staff work behind the scenes as stewards of this special place.

In an average year RMOW staff ensure that 14, 887 tonnes of organic waste is composted, 76 kilometres of municipal roads are cleared of snow, 160 marriage licenses are issued and 40 kilometres of the Valley Trail are maintained along with much more.

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Mike Furey said, “Our organization is proud to be a key resort partner in the planning, building and successful operation of the resort community, and all staff are part of this.”

In the last 40 years, the RMOW has grown from a relatively grassroots organization to one of professional staff that oversee the broad range of programs, services and infrastructure that underly the experience of each community member and visitor.

The municipal building was once the old Keg restaurant, located in Whistler Cay on Crabapple Drive. The municipality bought it for one dollar in 1981 and moved it from the shores of Alta Lake to its present location in Village North.

When the new building opened its doors, municipal staff worked on the top floor of the building while the library and medical clinic were on the ground floor. A lot has changed in 40 years.

“You can’t underestimate the impact the RMOW had on developing infrastructure and facilities so critical to the overall resort. Everything we did set the stage for Whistler becoming a destination,” said former Chief Administrative Officer and longtime RMOW employee Bill Barratt. “ It’s hard to imagine anywhere else that has done such a good job. We have some amazing people working for the municipality that have a lot of vision.”

Staying true to the community’s vision, which has remained largely unchanged, with guiding principles such as the cap on development, significant green and park space, “warm beds” rent property concept, and a tourism economy, Whistler continues to be groundbreaking. The commitment level of many RMOW employees is unwavering.

“In resort operations, our team has been extremely consistent since the 1970s. A lot of passionate people have stayed the course and found the RMOW a wonderful place to work. We age but we never get old,” said Dave Patterson, manager of park and village operations. “We’ve seen this place grow up.”

11

Photos courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives

THE PASSION BEHIND THE RMOW

HWY 99: THE ROAD MUCH TRAVELLED

Roads are an essential part of the Whistler experience and shuttle an average of 2.5 million visitors to the resort community every year. The trip from Vancouver to Whistler takes just 2.5 hours on the beautiful Sea to Sky Highway.

It wasn’t always so easy.

In 1914, getting to Whistler was no easy feat, it was a three-day journey: a steamer ship from Vancouver to Squamish, overnight in Brackendale, and a two-day horse trek.

It got a bit easier in 1964 after a single-lane road was extended from Vancouver to Whistler because of the ski area development.

The trip Vancouver to Whistler still took five to six hours. In 1965 a two-lane gravel road was built and four years later paved the way to Whistler.

The section of Highway 99 in between Horseshoe Bay to Pemberton was named the Sea to Sky Highway due to its dramatic change from a coastal highway at sea level to quickly becoming a mountain highway with an elevation of more than 700 metres.

Now the road to Whistler is better than ever. One of the last legacies of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games was significant upgrades and capacity improvements to the Sea to Sky Highway.

The newly improved highway not only makes travel safer and more reliable for travellers and residents along the corridor, it also adds to its award-winning reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful drives. It is ranked as the number 10 attraction in British Columbia, and the number three attraction in Vancouver

by TripAdvisor To ensure the drive within Whistler is smooth and enjoyable too, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) road maintenance crews work hard year round to ensure a safe, high quality road system. In the winter, the RMOW clears snow from all municipal routes in Whistler — approximately 70 kilometres of road surface — working around the clock when needed and providing one of the best municipal snow clearing programs around.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

Growing up Whistler

12

Historically Whistler had a very small population, which was largely seasonal, and today it’s home to almost 10,000 residents.

It’s a place where more than 2,000 families have settled and there are enough kids to fill three elementary schools and one high school.

The resort community has small town appeal with city-like amenities such as the culinary and retail mix, Meadow Park Sports Centre, extensive transit system, sports fields, the Valley Trail, world-class mountain biking and skiing, Whistler Athlete’s Centre, as well as a growing arts and culture scene.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has worked to ensure that Whistler remains a great place to call home. From getting much needed infrastructure in place to helping to build schools for the growing community.

The original Myrtle Philip Elementary School was built in 1976 on a site that is now part of Village North off Village Gate Boulevard. It served as the centre of community activity prior to the development of Whistler Village and the completion of Meadow Park Sports Centre.

The school was started by and is named after Myrtle Philip,

one of Canada’s true pioneers who, together with her husband, Alex Philip, built Whistler’s Rainbow Lodge in 1913.

As student numbers increased so did the need for a new school. The new Myrtle Philip Community School and Community Centre was officially opened in September of 1992. Additional funding from the RMOW allowed for building community space within the school, and the school is a hive of activity from morning until night. Myrtle Philip Community School and the Meadow Park Sports Centre together form a platform for most of the municipality’s community and recreation programs.

Beyond this, there are other steps the RMOW took to keep families in Whistler. The Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) was created to ensure families have access to affordable housing, whether they rent or own. Nearly 80 per cent of Whistler’s workforce live in the community.

The RMOW also delivers grants to community groups, ensuring a diversity of opportunities in the community ranging from sports clubs to social programs.

Whether it’s through providing affordable housing, quality education opportunities or programming through local nonprofit organizations or other community programs and services, Whistler residents and the RMOW are working to ensure that Whistler is a great place to grow up, and stay.

Photo by Justa Jeskova

Photo by Mike Crane

14

Whistler’s grassroots trail network Like most things in Whistler, cross-country mountain bike trail building in the community was started by a handful of passionate pioneers.

Photo by Justa Jeskova

13

WHAT MAKES WHISTLER AMAZING? ITS VOLUNTEERS

Whistler is known for the commitment and enthusiasm of its volunteers. The resort community has hosted several worldclass events from the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games to the annual Subaru IRONMAN Canada triathlon.

The success of these events is largely due to Whistler’s enthusiastic army of volunteers. The community’s volunteers provide homegrown hospitality and serve as the backbone of the Whistler experience.

During the 2010 Winter Games, more than 9,000 volunteers were engaged to support the events in Whistler. Every year more than 2,600 volunteers assist with the annual IRONMAN triathlon.

The list of events and volunteers goes on.

Events of this scale would not be possible without the enthusiastic volunteers who step up to help make Whistler a welcoming resort community.

You don’t need a special event to discover Whistler’s unique spirit of volunteerism. Every day Village Host volunteers strive to create an environment where visitors feel genuinely welcome.

Getting around the Village may seem like a simple task for most residents, but for tourists visiting Whistler for the first time, a little help goes a very long way. The Village Host Program is a Resort Municipality of Whistler volunteer program and operates year-round.

“Our goal is to create an environment where visitors feel genuinely welcome by providing guidance, direction and a sincere interaction, contributing to a resort experience that is memorable and unique,” said Cathie Coyle, RMOW coordinator for the Village Host program.

Village Hosts can be found year-round in the Village Host kiosks located near Village Square and Whistler Olympic Plaza.

They can also be found walking the Village Stroll providing assistance and seeking out visitors requiring help and direction.

Photo by Justa Jeskova

Visionaries like Dan Swanstrom and Chris Markle packed chainsaws and bikes into the surrounding forests and crafted classic trails like Danimal, River Runs Through It and Comfortably Numb.

Within municipal boundaries Whistler has more than 280 kilometres of public off-road recreational trails. These are generally located between valley bottom and mid-valley

elevation, and while distributed throughout the valley, the majority is located relatively close to Whistler Village.

Portions of trails within municipal boundaries were built and are maintained by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW). Others are maintained by the Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association (WORCA), the community’s largest club with over 1,800 members.

Photo by Justa Jeskova 15

A NORDIC SKIER’S PARADISE

In 1980, the Alta Lake Sports Club compiled a proposal to build cross-country ski trails in the Lost Lake area. The initial idea was to offer cross-country ski trails suitable for a variety of purposes to attract skiers in the winter and hikers, walkers and runners in the summer.

Twenty-five years later, Whistler’s Lost Lake Cross-Country and Snowshoe Trails offer 35 kilometres of groomed and track-set trails for both skate and classic style with four kilometres lit for night skiing. The system also offers 15-kilometres of maintained snowshoe and Nordic hiking trails.

In 2012, which was a great year for snow, 19,579 cross-country ski tickets were sold, along with 5,102 snowshoe tickets and passes.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler also partnered with the nearby Whistler Olympic Park and Callaghan Country, which offer more than 70 kilometres of recreational ski trails.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

Franz Wilhelmsen points at newly developed Whistler Mountain.

July 2, 2003 Whistler Village celebrated that it would host the 2010 Winter Games.

Photo courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives

17

Photo by Tyler Garnham

16

An Olympic Winter Games to be remembered

BY CINDY FILIPENKO

“We celebrated anniversaries and special dates leading up to the Games. In all, we cut 20 cakes. These types of celebrations, extensive community outreach and a commitment to listening to the community were essential in getting the community on board,” Douglas said. “As we moved forward, people starting believing in what the Olympics could be and got behind it.”

Jan Jansen, general manager of resort experience at the RMOW, was instrumental in the development of the bid. When VANOC formed, he was seconded as the director of Whistler Venues. The legacies of that work include a bobsled/luge track (Whistler Sliding Centre) a Nordic sports hub (Whistler Olympic Park) and a multi-purpose park and performance space (Whistler Olympic Plaza). These venues have become a central part of the community, allowing for more sporting events, fostering youth sports development and providing greater recreational opportunities. There are other important legacies that aren’t as readily apparent.

“I see an even bigger Olympic legacy being the highway,” says Jansen, noting the increase of day traffic to the resort.

He also sites the conversion of the Athlete’s Village into the Cheakamus Crossing neighbourhood, which has provided affordable housing options to hundreds of local families, as

On a chilly July morning in 2003, with the sun still rising, thousands of Whistlerites, from toddlers to seniors, crammed into Village Square.

Eyes glued to jumbo screens, they waited to learn if Vancouver would beat out Pyeongchang, Korea and Salzburg, Austria in its bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

When International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge announced that Vancouver won the bid, there was a split-second of silent disbelief followed by a roar never before heard at 8 a.m. on a Wednesday. It had taken 50 years, and five previous bids, but Whistler would now have its Olympics, as the Host Mountain Resort.

An ecstatic Garry Watson, who had started championing a Whistler Olympics in 1960 as a member of the Garibaldi Olympic Development Association, told local press, “We will put on the best Winter Olympic Games “The Olympics were an extension of what ever.”

However, not everyone Whistler does — amped up 1,000 per was thrilled that the Olympics were coming to town. cent. It didn’t change who we are.”

“There were concerns about Whistler’s environmental capacity. There was a sense that the organizing another important legacy. committee would push through plans that would affect everything Jansen describes the nine years he spent on the Games as from land use to Whistler’s values. And there were concerns that being “the most rewarding experience.” the Games would dramatically impact long-term affordability in He also has considerable pride in how the community Whistler,” said Maureen Douglas, who spent eight years with the responded to the Games.

Games as director of community relations.

“Whistler handled the Olympics exceptionally well,” he said.

Douglas said the tide turned when the community started “The Olympics were an extension of what Whistler does — amped to trust the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) up 1,000 per cent. It didn’t change who we are.” when it began acting on community concerns. Whistler’s Watching the steady parade of smiling visitors having photos sustainability values became a cornerstone in all of VANOC’s taken at the Olympic Rings next to The Plaza, it’s evident that planning. And an information centre in the Village ensured that Garry Watson’s prediction was correct. Vancouver and Whistler both residents and resort visitors had access to transparent, put on the best Olympic Winter Games ever — an event people honest information about the Games. And then, there was cake. want to remember.

SOME OF WHISTLER’S FINEST CITIZENS

From local pioneers, community leaders, athletes, artists and entrepreneurs, Whistler is comprised of dedicated people from all walks of life who have made their mark on the community.

From time to time, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) honours some of these outstanding Whistlerites with the Freedom of the Municipality distinction. It’s the highest honour a municipality can bestow.

The Freedom of the Municipality honours citizens for their outstanding contributions to the community, and in practical terms gives the recipient the right to vote in Whistler elections regardless of property ownership or residency in Whistler.

Only 11 people have received the Freedom of the Municipality distinction.

Each has played a significant role in shaping Whistler — politicians, the creator of the Valley Trail system, the developer of the ski resort.

Joan Richoz: had a vision for the development of the Whistler Public Library, where she was the first librarian.

Drew Meredith: former Whistler mayor, who was instrumental in the push for additional summer recreational facilities and directly involved in the development of the first Whistler Affordable Housing Policy.

Jim Godfrey: former RMOW chief administrative officer helped secure Whistler’s pivotal role in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Garry Watson: one of Whistler’s original council members and was instrumental in creating the resort that Whistler is today.

Al Raine: one of Whistler’s original council members served as a government-appointed alderman on the RMOW first four councils and helped create modern day Whistler.

Florence Peterson: founded the Whistler Museum and Archives and has authored several books about Whistler’s past.

Myrtle Philip: Whistler’s pioneer settler, established the iconic Rainbow Lodge and the Alta Lake School Board.

Pat Carleton: Whistler’s first mayor who served from 19751982.

Franz Wilhelmsen: helped to bring the ski industry to Whistler and was the president of the Garibaldi Lifts Ltd. and Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation.

Trevor Roote: guided the first phase of the Valley Trail and parks construction.

Chester Johnson: contributed significantly towards the development of Whistler as Whistler Land Corporation Chairman.

18

PROTECTING THE VALLEY

Originally called the Alta Lake Volunteer Fire Department prior to the creation of the RMOW, the Whistler Fire Department is one of the valley’s oldest organizations.

It was run as a volunteer fire department till 1990 when the RMOW hired its first four full-time firefighters, including Sheila Kirkwood, the first female career firefighter in B.C. The Whistler Fire Department has been helping us in times of need, from fires to car accidents.

Sheila Kirkwood Photo by Mike Crane

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

19

MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE: A GATHERING PLACE FOR WHISTLER

When Whistler’s Meadow Park Sports Centre opened its doors in 1993, it quickly became an important gathering place for the community.

Years later, the sports centre continues to serve as a hub for public indoor recreation and provides facilities for fitness, aquatics, skating, hockey and squash for both residents and visitors.

The Whistler Conference Centre building was originally designed to house an ice rink and later was adapted to a conference facility design. Later ice rink plans were considered in Village North while there were discussions about a pool to be constructed under a bubble near Myrtle Philip School. Before the rink and pool were built, the Whistler Winterhawks hockey team was well known for its trips to Squamish to play hockey while Sharon Audley held swimming lessons at her home.

Meadow Park Sports Centre was built with the community in mind. The arena was the first phase of the facility constructed in 1993, the pool followed in 1994 and the second floor fitness centre expansion was added in 1996. The facility was built by Bosa Developments with Eric Martin as project manager.

Bill Barratt, former Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) chief administrative officer (at the time of construction he was the Director of Parks and Recreation), said the new facility helped knit the community together.

“Seeing everyone from the community at the facility added to the fabric of Whistler,” Barratt said. “One thing we made sure to do when building the arena was to hire an architect who actually played hockey so the facility reflected the needs of all users.

Then we met with the Canucks because we wanted to get their training camps.”

The foresight worked because over the years several NHL teams from the Vancouver Canucks to the St. Louis Blues, as well as Team Canada in 1998 prior to the 1998 Olympics have used the facility.

Ongoing improvements to Meadow Park Sports Centre have also been intended to elevate the user experience and keep the facility relevant for the needs of today’s residents and visitors In 2010 the facility was awarded the Vancouver Regional Construction Award of Excellence. The award was the result of a retrofit project, which included the addition of a ground source heat pump for heating each of the swimming pools as well as 15 solar panels for preheating domestic water for the facility, which contributes to an energy cost savings reduction of over 70 per cent.

Photo by Justa Jeskova

20

Valley Trail: no ordinary path The Valley Trail isn’t an ordinary path, it’s Whistler’s iconic 40-kilometre path. The non-motorized trail network links key destinations to the Village and Upper Village, Creekside, other commercial centres, major parks, schools and neighbourhoods.

The Valley Trail is located within municipal boundaries and

managed by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW).

Developed in the early 1980s, before paved trails were a common amenity, the trail provided an accessible way for residents and visitors to travel around the valley and explore the beautiful scenery.

Now 30 years later, the Valley Trail is a foundation of recreation and transportation in the resort community. The network’s valley-bottom location and generally gentle grades cater to all users. Although user numbers vary with location, sections of the Valley Trail close to the Village regularly see over 300,000 users per year.

Photo by Justa Jeskova

21

Celebrating Whistler’s Parks

BY ERIC THOMPSON Whistler had always been a naturally beautiful area, but experiencing the outdoors became much easier after Bill Barratt began to oversee the parks department.

Working closely with Doug Wylie and his brother Tom, among others, Barratt’s biggest contribution was the development of the 40-kilometre Valley Trail, which essentially connects all of Whistler’s neighbourhoods, parks and key destinations.

“I remember when the first Valley Trail got paved, a group of us got together and bulk purchased some 10-speeds, and within six months all of a sudden these new mountain bikes arrived on the scene, so it was like ‘out with the Porsche, I need a Ford truck,’” said Barratt.

Bike technology wasn’t the only thing that evolved during Barrartt’s tenure. Development standards became more restrictive.

In the beginning he said things were “like the Wild West.”

“I don’t know if you would have been able to do what we did today because of the greater awareness to the environment,” he said. “You look along the River of Golden Dreams, that’s a sewer right of way that has the Valley Trail on top of it, but I don’t know if with today’s regulations you’d even be able to do that.”

While over his time, the trail development garnered a lot of attention most of the parks in Whistler went from just open land

Photo by Justa Jeskova

to the features that make them popular today; like the water park at Meadow Park, the Zappa trails at Lost Lake or the skate park at Rebagliati Park.

“I think people underestimate the amount of influence the municipality had on providing the infrastructure that has helped make Whistler a success,” said Barratt. “The people that I worked with — Dave Patterson, Eric Crowe, Keith Bennett — they were all passionate about what we were doing. They really wanted to make it something special and unique and that made it a rewarding, special time.”

Barratt also credited the vision of council at the time, including Don MacLaurin securing Lost Lake as a public land, and also for the expropriation of the Rainbow Park land, which required a 25-yearlong legal battle, finally reaching a $1.5 million settlement with the Saxton family just three years ago.

As a resort municipality, Whistlers parks and trails are crucial to the success of the town, particularly in the summer months. Of the 12,360 hectares Whistler spans, 90 per cent of it is natural area, including 19 parks and six lakes. As the municipality continues to get increased visitors during the warmer months, Patterson, now the manager of resort operations for Resort Experience Division, said the parks face new challenges.

“We’re being loved to death,” he said. “It’s a good thing. We are seeing spaces wearing more quickly because of the high use, so that’s high on our list; coming up with new ways to make these spaces continually better and withstanding this high use.”

But Patterson said surveys are still finding a high level of satisfaction with the parks and services. “It’s a good sign that we’re delivering a good experience for people,” said Patterson.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

22

Bringing community vision to reality

BY GINA NOELLE DAGGETT

for success.

Likewise, 17 specific strategies/task forces were created, said Battiston, which “reviewed community progress toward our goals, brainstormed actions and helped drive implementation of key actions across a number of sectors.”

Some of these sectors: energy, transportation, solid waste, and water.

Planning is one thing. Taking action is another.

Each year, Whistler gets a report card. The performance monitoring, which relies on 96 indicators measuring progress towards sustainability, lets the town know how it’s doing and where it can improve.

Whistler, for its part, has done well. It’s truly walking the walk and the world is taking notice.

In 2005, Whistler was recognized as one of the green trailblazers by the International Awards for Livable Communities in La Coruna, Spain and has since become known for its leadership in sustainability.

In 2007, Whistler was one of seven communities selected as recipient of the provincial government’s inaugural Green City Awards. That same year, the town was also recognized as the first community in Canada to have achieved the fifth and final

Ten years ago, a group of locals had a groundbreaking vision: create a thriving, sustainable Whistler for generations to come.

Nearly 800 community members rallied around the concept, all passionately invested in Whistler’s environmental and economic future. Together, they crafted a plan. It was ambitious.

It was bold.

And just like that, “Whistler2020 (W2020) - Moving Toward a Sustainable Future” was born.

The seeds for the W2020 movement were planted further back in time. “It built from the planning foundation of the shorterterm Whistler2002 project,” said Tim Battiston, one of the project managers who spearheaded the effort.

“But the real catalyst,” he said, “was a Whistler ChamberSponsored presentation by Dr. Karl-Henrik Robert in late 2002.”

Robert’s “The Natural Step” — a framework for strategic sustainable development — inspired and galvanized early visionaries.

Each year, Whistler gets a report card.

This initial effort was The performance monitoring, which relies led by the council at the time, including Mayor Hugh on 96 indicators measuring progress O’Reilly, Resort Municipality of Whistler’s Chief Administrative towards sustainability, lets the town know Officer Jim Godfrey, and a small group of active citizens how it’s doing and where it can improve. and organizations known as “Whistler: It’s Our Nature – Early Adopters Group” (AWARE, Fairmont Hotels, Whistler Blackcomb, Whistler Chamber and milestone within the Partners for Climate Protection Program.

Whistler 1hr Photo).

To keep up momentum, it literally takes a village. Every From there, as more and more people joined the bandwagon, it organization, business, and person must do his or her part. was a natural evolution. Created to inspire, align and guide the resort “We have achieved a great deal of progress over the last 10 community toward a shared vision of sustainability and success, the years,” said Battiston, who now serves as Manager of Special W2020 plan is a science-based approached rooted in values.

Projects at the RMOW. “A close inspection of the results will As part of the plan, five priorities were established: enriching illustrate that there is still significant effort that must be applied community life, enhancing the resort experience, ensuring in order to meet our community aspirations and shared goals — economic viability, protecting the environment and partnering we’re very much still on the journey.”

Photo courtesy of Bear Aware

23

BECOMING A BEAR SMART COMMUNITY

Whistler is home to about 100 black bears, 10,000 residents and more than 2.5 million visitors, which is why being Bear Smart is so important.

In 2012, Whistler was one of a handful of communities in B.C. to officially receive Bear Smart Community status from the Ministry of Environment.

The Bear Smart Community program is a voluntary, preventative conservation program designed by the Ministry of Environment in partnership with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

“The goal of achieving Bear Smart Community status is to address the root causes of bear-human conflicts, reducing the risks to human safety and private property, as well as the number of bears that have to be destroyed each year,” says Heather Beresford, manager of environmental stewardship with the RMOW. “As well as keeping bear safe by encouraging them to pursue natural food sources.”

Whistler Pioneer Myrtle Philip at Rainbow Lodge, today’s Rainbow Park.

Photo courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives

24

Representatives from all corners of the community contributed to the development of the W2020 plan.

Photo by Justa Jeskova

WHISTLER’S WOMEN ROCK

With four women on council, including a female mayor and countless other pioneering women, Whistler’s ladies are tenacious and groundbreaking. In fact, Whistler started with one very strong lady: Myrtle Philip.

From building Rainbow Lodge by hand, to baking pies out on the trail, to guiding stranded railway men across the snow and back to civilization, Myrtle Philip set the bar high. Her name is even immortalized in the Myrtle Philip Community School.

Years later, the women of Whistler continue to break down barriers in media, politics, sport and more. The Pique Newsmagazine’s first publisher was none other than Kathy Barnett and her legacy continues to influence the community.

Whistler’s Fire Chief Sheila Kirkwood has a career of firsts.

She was the first female assistant fire chief in B.C. and is now one of the first, if not the first, female fire chief in the province.

Canada’s rank for women’s political representation is 78th in the world, but that’s not the case in Whistler. Nancy WilhelmMorden is the community’s first female mayor and three other women, Andree Janyk, Sue Maxwell and Jen Ford, join her on Whistler council. This at a time when the Union of British Columbia Municipalities is aiming for 22 per cent female representation on councils. Again, Whistler is ahead of the curve.

The Women of Whistler business network is one of the fastest growing in the community, hosting events meant to enhance and support the personal and professional development of women in the areas of networking, learning and mentorship. It’s just one of many ways the women of Whistler are making their mark.

Every day Whistler women are adding to the rich fabric of the community and inspiring the next generation of strong Whistler women.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

Photo by Mike Crane

25

Whistler is a festival kind of town It’s no secret that Whistler knows how to celebrate and the last few decades have been marked by the community’s artistic and cultural evolution. It’s hard to forget the Great Snow, Earth, Water race that started in 1975 and grew into a cult classic throughout the 1980s. The idea was simple. Hold a race that begins at the top of Whistler and ends in the valley. Throw in some other

26

SQUAMISH LIL’WAT CULTURAL CENTRE IS ONE OF A KIND

The Coast Salish First Nations people have inhabited the Sea to Sky region for thousands of years. The Whistler area was a waypoint for First Nation trading routes between the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations.

Today Whistler is home to a centre dedicated to the history and culture of local First Nations, the award-winning Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC).

The SLCC embodies the spirit of partnership between two unique Nations who wish to preserve, grow and share our traditional cultures. It stands as testimony to our proud heritage — from time immemorial to the present.

The birth of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre began as early as 1997, when the Resort Municipality of Whistler met with the Lil’wat Nation to start to discuss the cultural centre.

The Lil’wat and Squamish Nations later met to discuss land use in places where their territories overlap. The nations signed a Protocol Agreement that committed them to co-operating on matters of cultural and economic development.

Built to preserve their culture and share it with others, the SLCC is designed to evoke the longhouses of the Squamish people and the Istken (traditional earthen pit house) of the Lil’wat people with a modern architectural interpretation.

The SLCC is open daily and celebrates the joint history of the Squamish and Lil’wat, past and present, by showcasing their histories, creative works and cultures in an interactive format. The space is also popular for private events and conference groups.

This iconic space includes an interpretative centre with interactive exhibits and demonstrations as well as an outdoor Lil’wat Istken and Squamish Longhouse.

sports. Have some fun. The rules evolved as the years passed.

Whistler graduated from grassroots events to World Cup Alpine events. Whistler hosted 13 races, all men’s downhills or super Gs in the 1980s and ’90s. During that time, Whistler witnessed the fairytale win by Rob Boyd in 1989, as he became the first Canadian man to win a World Cup downhill in his home country.

After hosting several more World Cup events in several different sports as well as the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler knows how to host great festivals and events. There are few better ways to experience the vibrancy of Whistler than to take in one of its many festivals and events.

The lineup of festivals and events is no accident and due in part to the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) Festivals, Events and Animation (FE&A) program, which works to attract, develop and grow a wide variety of high quality year-round programming.

The program builds on and complements the many great events the resort has become known for such as the World Ski & Snowboard Festival, Crankworx, Cornucopia, the Whistler Film Festival, Whistler Pride and more.

Celebration has always been an important part of Whistler culture, and it’s pretty likely that it always will be.

Photo by Mike Crane

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

28

Photo by Justa Jeskova

Photo by David Buzzard

27

Bringing art to life in Whistler In Whistler, art springs to life as you walk along the streets and trails of the community. Art is embedded into Whistler’s mountain culture thanks in part to the community’s unique Public Art Program.

In 1996, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) created the Whistler Public Art Program to support the cultivation of arts in the community. The Projects are located throughout the Village, Village North, Upper Village, Whistler Creek and on the Valley Trail.

Art enthusiasts can take a stroll on their own, sign up for a tour via the Village Host program , check out Whistler Village tour map, or download Whistler’s Village podcast self-guided tour from iTunes.

The Public Art Program’s most recent endeavour involved the creation of a public art project inspired by Whistler’s experience

of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The RMOW and the Whistler Public Art Committee invited artists to submit proposals for the project and acclaimed artist Susan Point won the juried competition process.

Point has completed a number of high-profile installations, including other pieces associated with the 2010 Winter Games such as the medals.

For this project, Point reflects the art tradition of her people, the Coast Salish First Nation, in the creation of a contemporary sculpture. The circular format of the artwork incorporates a range of human faces, and each one is unique, celebrating the diversity of cultural and ethnic backgrounds of the athletes, visitors, volunteers and hosts who travelled from around the world to be a part of the 2010 Winter Games.

Five double-sided, solid segments will be cast and mounted, creating a circular form inspired by the Coast Salish spindle whorl. When the piece is put together, from a distance it will look like a snowflake with overlapping layers.

EXPLORING WHISTLER’S ARTSY SIDE

Painters, sculptors, ceramicists, multi-media artists, writers, actors, playwrights, photographers and filmmakers call Whistler home and contribute to the rich fabric of the culture and arts scene.

But Whistler wasn’t always a hub for arts and culture.

In 1982, a few passionate volunteers started the Whistler Arts Council (WAC) around a kitchen table. It signaled the start of a new era for arts and culture in the community.

Thirty-three years later, the arts council is a registered charity and a significant and flourishing “umbrella arts organization.”

Whistler is now home to a vibrant culture and arts community and was designated as a Cultural Capital of Canada in 2009.

“We respond to community needs because we believe the arts are integral to a health and culture of a community,” said Doti Niedermayer, executive director of the Whistler Arts Council.

While ensuring the community has access to the arts through events and programming, the Whistler Arts Council also plays a significant leadership role in arts advocacy and cultural development.

During the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the arts council helped build a Legacy Project by launching a new Media Arts Club at Whistler Secondary School, as well as partnered with the key players in the community to be a part of Whistler Live! — Whistler’s arts and entertainment festival during the Games.

There is no question that arts and culture in Whistler is growing and the arts council plays a key role in leading the way.

The Whistler Arts Council commissioned the Community Cultural Plan with support from the Resort Municipality of Whistler. Completed in 2013, the plan provides a “blueprint for cultural development over the next decade and aligns with the Cultural Tourism Development Strategy. With the vision and direction in place, the arts council is blazing forward.

“We want Whistler to move toward a broader destination experience that includes great recreation and leisure but also world class arts and cultural experiences,’ said Niedermayer.

With world class facilities such as the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre and the new Audain Art Museum and more, Whistler is well on its way to becoming a cultural tourism destination like no other.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

29

Iconic museum to feature B.C. art REBECCA ALDOUS The building is quietly nestled among the spruce trees. It’s understated, just like the man behind its creation, Suzanne Greening said as she stands on the site of the Audain Art Museum.

“Michael Audain and his wife Yoshi (Karasawa) are incredible philanthropists to the visual arts,” Greening, the museum’s executive director added. “They have been so supportive of so many institutions.”

Audain made his fortune building homes in B.C. His drive to better society goes back to his youth. In his 20s, Audain rallied for nuclear disarmament. In 1962 Audain organized the largest peace march in Vancouver since the 1930s.

His passion for art has weaved itself throughout his life. In 1992 Audain joined the Vancouver Art Gallery’s board of trustees before serving as chair. He’s also sat at the head of the table for the National Gallery of Canada. And in 1997, he established the Audain

Foundation, which supports visual arts in the province through grants and endowments for projects and exhibits.

Today, Audain’s latest endeavour landed in the heart of Whistler.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler has provided Audain the land between day lots three and four to build the 56,000 sq.-ft. facility designed by Patkau Architects.

“This is an incredible legacy that is being left behind not only to Whistler but to the world,” Greening said.

The doors to the new museum are scheduled to open in January 2016. The estimated $30 million building will house a collection of B.C. art the couple gathered over the years. The work runs the gamut of pre-European content to contemporary pieces. It includes paintings by Canadian icon Emily Carr, Abbotsford-born artist and musician Rodney Graham and a number of Northwest Coast masks. There will also be a gallery devoted to West Coast artist Edward J. Hughes.

“I think across Canada, B.C. has always been recognized for having a very strong arts component,” Greening said.

Over the years the Audain collection has grown to approximately 170 pieces. In the beginning Audain collected small pictures for under $50 by Vancouver artists who were just getting established,

he wrote in an exhibit catalogue for the Some Reflections for the Shore, Forest and Beyond: Art from the Audain Collection show.

“I bought art simply because I wanted pictures to hang on the wall..... Even today I buy art in order to live with it at home or in the office, never to store it away in a vault. In fact, living with art has been one of the great joys of my life.”

As a fifth generation British Columbian, Audain feels passionate about the region. Artists are inspired by nature, which was one of the draws to building the museum in Whistler. Communities throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor have also recently set about promoting cultural tourism, adding the lure of placing the facility in the resort, Greening said.

“It just seems like everything is gelling.”

The strength of the museum’s collection and its programming will help garner lots of visitors, Greening said. The building will open with an exhibit by artist Jeff Wall. The Vancouver native is best known for his large-scale photographs that are placed in back-lit lightboxes.

Audain started the project in October of 2012. It’s exciting to see the building standing and the dream come to life, Greening said.

“Really Audain’s collection is the best of B.C.”

Michael Audain and Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden

Photo by Brad Kasselman

30

A walk through the seasons in Whistler Village

BY KIM VANLOCHEM

everything from raking leaves and cleaning drains to hanging festive lights and decorations for the holiday season.

Every winter, festive lights are strung throughout Whistler on trees along the stroll and at Whistler Olympic Plaza and the Village Square, as well as in the road entryways into the Village.

Dressing the Village with lights takes two months and the lights are maintained until January, then taken down and put away by mid-March. There are around 5,000 strings of lights in the lighting program, which connect almost 350,000 LED bulbs. Each tree is adorned with around 7,000 lights; this requires 450 watts of power.

“This work is important because we want to provide our community and our guests with the best possible experience,” said Ted Pryce-Jones, retired Village and Parks Operations

Taking a walk down the pedestrian walkways of Whistler Village is a bit like visiting a lovely garden. Flowerbeds and hanging vibrant floral baskets line the streets and community spaces along the Village Stroll.

It’s part of what makes the Whistler Village a magical place.

Every spring, Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) horticulture crews plant over 5,000 colourful annual flowers and 290 hanging baskets “This work is important because we want to throughout Whistler Village.

It’s part of the RMOW’s provide our community and our guests with commitment to ongoing investment and improvements the best possible experience...” to support the success and vitality of Whistler Village.

The flowerbeds brighten up the Village with colour and supervisor. “The festive lighting is important because it gives greenery, adding to the Whistler Experience. For example, the a special holiday character to the resort and provides a sense flowers at the entrance to Whistler Village are chosen for their of warmth and welcoming that our guests really appreciate. I visual impact: they welcome people to Whistler. get phone calls from all over the world (Australia, Germany, When the seasons change, the Village horticulture crews England, etc.) asking when our light displays are going up keep working. The trees are trimmed, seasonal flower baskets and how long they will be there, because people are planning are removed from the Village Stroll for the winter season and their visits to coincide with the experience.” annuals are pulled from flowerbeds. At the same time, new There’s always something new to see in Whistler Village, bulbs are planted for the next spring season. creating a special energy that only people in a beautiful place Village maintenance crews also spring into action. They do having a wonderful time can create.

Photo by Mike Crane

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

Expansion of the waste water treatement plant took place in 1986.

Photo by Courtesy of the Whistler Museum and Archives

31

Working to pass the smell test

BY ALEXANDRA GILLISS WHISTLER MUSEUM

sewage system in place before development of the village could begin. What seemed like a simple concept turned out to be one that mayor at the time, Pat Carleton, and representatives fought long and hard for. After the initial proposal was submitted to the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation in Ottawa asking for funding, there was much hesitancy from the government to support the project, and the proposal was continuously extended over the span of several months.

The sewer financing approval finally came at the 11th hour on July 5, 1976. Considering the tender contract was set to expire at 6 p.m. that same day, this was truly the last possible

With the formation of the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) came a desire to build a central village that would not only bring Whistlerites together as a community, but also lift the town out of its state of stagnation. The fact that Whistler at this time had no sewage system, no real garbage disposal, and a general lack of services Prior to 1976, all property owners – resulted in restrictions being placed on the number of both private and commercial – were residents that could live in the area, and consequently responsible for their own waste disposal. a slump in the economy. With the location set to build the Village in the spot it is today the first order of business was to opportunity for the proposal to be approved. The news came as a build a sewer system. relief to those council members that had worked tirelessly for this Prior to 1976, all property owners – both private and outcome. Construction of the sewer system began on Monday commercial – were responsible for their own waste disposal. The July 13, making possible the surge of development that would Whistler Developers Association knew it was essential to have a come over the next few years.

Photo by Leanna Rathkelly

32

Andy Munster’s squat circa 1977. Griffith Collection / Whistler Museum

Griffith Collection/Whistler Museum

A STORY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUCCESS

Whistler has always had unique housing options.

Long before the hotels and neighbourhoods, Whistler was pretty grassroots. The first homebuilders in the Whistler valley built shacks from trees higher up on the mountain and dragged logs by horse to the construction site.

Many people during the 1960s and ‘70s battled with the authorities after setting up illegal homes in the woods. These free spirited hippies were more frequently known as the Whistler “squatters.” Many of the squats were log cabins.

Squats and log cabins in the woods slowly gave way to fullfledged neighbourhoods and a growing resort. With increased popularity came a robust real estate market, threatening to squeeze locals out. A solution was needed.

Learning from the issues cited by other resort communities, the Resort Municipality of Whistler took a bold step and got into the housing game. In 1997, the Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) was created as an arm of the municipal government. Its mandate was to oversee the development of price-controlled real estate available for sale and rent to only resident employees and their families.

WHA oversees the development, administration and management of resident-restricted housing in Whistler. Its work has enabled 80 per cent of Whistler’s workforce to live and work within municipal boundaries, something that few resort communities can even dream of.

Ensuring that locals have the opportunity to live locally enriches the social fabric of the community and contributes substantially to the ongoing prosperity of the local economy.

It’s a model that is now in demand across the country and beyond.

To date, 4,200 people have taken advantage of the WHA program.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

Mike Douglas has a home energy evaluation.

33

RMOW: A sustainable frame of reference

BY KIM VANLOCHEM

line with the community’s sustainability and cultural goals.

It is also one of the first community forest operations on the BC Coast to employ a new ecosystem-based management approach, which allows for timber harvesting without compromising the forest ecosystems or undermining other tourism, recreation, or cultural forest values. It is the gold standard in sustainable forestry.

Whether large or small, here are just a few of the RMOW’s sustainability initiatives: • Cheakamus Crossing District Energy System • Lost Lake PassivHaus: First certified passivhaus in Canada.

• Seven publicly available electric vehicle charge stations in Whistler • Meadow Park Sports Centre: Solar hot water for domestic hot water and geoexchange retrofit for pool heating.

• Fleet Vehicle right sizing across each department. The municipal fleet now includes battery electric, hybrid electric, propane and biodiesel vehicles.

• Whistler Public Library: LEED Gold certified.

• Spruce Grove Field House: First geoexchange building in the

The integrity of Whistler’s natural environment is closely tied to our success as a community and tourist destination. With this in mind, Whistler has embraced the opportunity to become a leader in the development of innovative sustainability initiatives. Stewardship of this place is something the Whistler community takes seriously and in fact is part of what defines it.

Did you know that Whistler was one of the first communities in British Columbia to develop a community energy and greenhouse gas emission plan? In fact, Whistler has committed to a 33 per cent reduction in community greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, based on 2007 levels.

In 2005, Whistler also adopted a Green Building Policy to encourage the efficient use of energy and resources in construction. This has evolved In 2005, Whistler also adopted a Green into an associated checklist and Whistler Green homes set Building Policy to encourage the efficient use a new standard for residential construction. of energy and resources in construction.

Whistler was also recognized as an environmental leader in the country, as the first community in Canada to have completed the RMOW’s corporate building inventory. final milestone in the Partners for Climate Protection Program (PCP) • Spring Creek Fire Hall: First LEED certified building in the developed by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the RMOW’s corporate building inventory.

International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.

• Corporate building energy efficiency upgrade studies were The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) and the Lil’wat undertaken in 2010 for Municipal Hall, Public Safety Building and Squamish Nations also got into the forestry business because and Public Works Yard. who better to be the stewards of the surrounding forests than the • The RMOW was one of the first signatories of the BC Climate community itself?

Action Charter and is a designated SolarBC community.

The three governments are partners, including the provincial • The RMOW was the first community in Canada to complete government, in the Cheakamus Community Forest Society, an armsan Integrated Energy, Air Quality and GHG Management length corporation, which manages 30,000 hectares of forestland Plan in 2003. The community and municipality still have a surrounding the RMOW. As tenure holder, the Cheakamus long way to go, but Whistler is taking steps toward a more Community Forest Society sets standards for harvesting that are insustainable future.

Photo by Mike Crane

Photo by Mike Crane Photo by Mike Crane

34

Photo by Mike Crane

GROUNDBREAKING ENERGY EFFICIENT CONSTRUCTION

Located at the main entrance to Lost Lake Park, between the Upper Village and Whistler Village, the ultra energy efficient Lost Lake PassivHaus is the first of its kind in Canada.

The building was first used to host the Austrian Olympic Committee and Austria Public Broadcasting, which broadcasted live Games coverage to audiences in Austria during the 2010 Winter Games.

Today, the Lost Lake PassivHaus has become a lasting legacy of the 2010 Games. The PassivHaus was transferred to the municipality by the Austrian Passive House Group for community use as a day lodge, office and meeting space for the Whistler Off Road Cycling Association (WORCA) and Whistler Nordics, as well as a location for cross-country skiing and mountain biking rental business, and a café.

The $1.5-million project is the result of partnership between the RMOW, the Austria Passive House Group (APG) and Sea-to-Sky consulting. A grant from the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation was also instrumental to the realization of this project.

The Lost Lake PassivHaus is a benefit to the entire community.

It is a highly efficient building that uses energy incredibly sparingly.

With its low maintenance and operational costs, the PassivHaus provides a lasting benefit to recreational users in the community.

A PassivHaus is a building in which a comfortable interior climate can be maintained without active heating or cooling systems. It requires little to no energy due to construction using a combination of super insulation, thick walls and windows, solar retention, ground heat and other technology.

Typically a PassivHaus uses up to 90 per cent less energy than a conventional home and approximately 50 per cent less energy than a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) house. This is made possible through a combination of insulation; a tiny heat pump system located within the ventilation system; and efficient mechanical air exchange, to maintain both stable interior temperature and exemplary indoor air quality throughout the year.

RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

35

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A WORLD CLASS RESORT

Nothing truly great is accomplished alone. Much of Whistler’s success is due to the power of partnership and the spirit of collaboration embedded into the DNA of the resort community.

Whistler’s success to date has been founded on the thoughtful planning of the resort, effective partnerships, innovation, and a shared commitment to delivering an authentic, quality Whistler experience for visitors and residents.

Partnerships between the lead organizations both inside and outside the resort are critical to Whistler’s continued success.

Whether it’s working together on the Economic Partnership Initiative (EPI) Committee, planning to host events or preparing for a busy summer, the level of integration between partners is a cornerstone of success in Whistler.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) works in partnership with many organizations and community stakeholders, including Tourism Whistler, Whistler Blackcomb, the Whistler Chamber of Commerce and other affiliated organizations.

The RMOW also provides annual funding through the Fee for Service and Community Enrichment Program grants to organizations such as the Whistler Arts Council, Whistler Animals Galore, Whistler Chamber of Commerce and the Whistler Museum and Archives to help ensure the successful delivery of these important community services. True to Whistler form, these groups provide innovative, high quality programs.

Formerly known as the Whistler Resort Association, Tourism Whistler was created shortly after the RMOW incorporated and is the resort community’s tourism agency and marketing body. It receives membership fees from property owners on resort lands as well as annual funding from the RMOW from hotel tax revenues collected by the Province of British Columbia. Tourism Whistler also operates RMOW facilities, the Whistler Conference Centre and the Whistler Golf Club as part of long-term lease agreements while whistler.com is co-owned by Tourism Whistler and the RMOW Tourism Whistler has led successful and award winning programs and campaigns.

While some partnerships come from within the community, others are external and include our First Nations neighbours as well as Pemberton and Squamish and the Squamish Lillooet Regional District.

These relationships ensure that certain regional planning, projects, events and initiatives are achieved through a coordinated effort.

When our partners and friends celebrate, Whistler parties too. While the Resort Municipality of Whistler celebrates its 40th anniversary, Whistler Blackcomb is also marking its 50th anniversary of the ski area in winter 2015/2016 and in 2014 Squamish celebrated 100 years since the town’s incorporation.

There is a lot to celebrate and partnership is the cornerstone of much that has been achieved in the last century in Whistler and the region.

Photo by Mike Crane

36

A novel approach to building green

most internationally accepted green building practices.

The building, which uses low-emitting and local materials, maximizes the use of natural light and air, and reduces water use, uses considerably less than a building built to the model national energy code for buildings (MNECB).

The library’s timber roof structure incorporates hemlock, an abundant renewable local resource. The Resort Municipality of Whistler won a BC Wood Works award for choosing hemlock,

In January 2008, a new 12,000-sq.-ft. library opened its doors in Whistler and quickly became one of the busiest libraries in the province with almost 250,000 visitors each year.

Not only is this timberframed library busy, it is built to blend into its natural ...a new 12,000-sq.-ft. library opened its surroundings. It has many green and gold features doors in Whistler and quickly became one that make it unique. Gold is the level the Whistler Public of the busiest libraries in the province...

Library earned through LEED certification.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) traditionally undervalued as a material in the lumber industry, in recognizes environmental innovation including the building’s the construction of the library. exceptional passive solar design principles, a geothermal The library also won the 2009 Lieutenant-Governor of British heating and cooling system, high efficiency baseboard heaters, Columbia Award in Architecture, which recognizes excellence in and compact fluorescent light bulbs. LEED, a green building architectural projects and is judged on a number of sustainability rating system governed by the Canada and US Green Building criteria. The library is a community hub for locals, seasonal Councils, is highly regarded as a third-party certification for the residents, and visitors.

Photo by Mike Crane

partnership is the cornerstone of much that has been Photo by Mike Crane

achieved in the last century in Whistler and the region.

37

Composting success one food scrap at a time The Whistler composting facility turns garbage into highly fertile, nutrient rich top grade compost.

The facility in the Callaghan Valley composts biosolids from the wastewater treatment plant, residential and commercial food waste and wood waste. The fully enclosed composter diverts waste from the landfill, effectively treats Whistler’s biosolids, provides an opportunity for businesses and residents to compost food waste, and produces a number of high quality soil amendments for sale at the Waste Transfer Station and at the Squamish Landfill.

Whistler Blackcomb ski area has been a foundation of all development and success in modern Whistler.

Whistler is leading the way with a facility that which showcases the full cycle of waste management. Seeing our biosolids, organic waste, and wood waste go into this system to produce compost or biofuel that can be sold and used locally or regionally is something our community can be proud of.

Currently the composting facility handles around 50 tonnes a day, five days a week. In 2007, Whistler’s production of landfill waste was more than 600 kilograms per person. Whistler’s new composting facility has the potential to divert more than 5,000 tonnes (five million kilograms) of organic material annually (the equivalent of more than 20 per cent of our total waste) from the landfill.

It adds up to the sweet smell of success for environmentally conscious Whistler. The compost facility helps the community move toward its goal of “zero waste,” which is a goal of Whistler2020, the community’s comprehensive, long-term vision of success and sustainability in the future.

16

News Tuesday, February 10, 2015 Whistler Question www.whistlerquestion.com RMOW 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE

40

Photo by Mike Crane

38

LET’S TALK ABOUT WHISTLER’S WEATHER

If there is something Whistler residents like to talk about, it’s the weather. Sunny or snowy, the weather determines what adventure the day holds.

Whistler’s coastal proximity means temperatures are moderate through the winter season. In fact, the average daily minimum temperature in Whistler Village is -5 ° C during most of the winter months, making a day on the higher and cooler slopes ideal. Whistler also receives an average snowfall of 11.91 metres per year on the mountain ski area.

Whether it’s keeping an eye out for snow clouds or checking Whistler Blackcomb’s webcams, Whistler residents love the weather. There’s even a god dedicated to it that has become part of local folklore.

In old Scandinavian myth, Ullr was the god of justice and dueling, but was most well known for his beauty and mastery of skiing. Every winter, Whistler invokes the favour of Ullr with a huge party involving the ritual of burning skis and boards in hopes of epic snowfall that winter.

The snow base record for Whistler Mountain is 504 centimetres set in 1973/74.

During the rest of the year, Whistler is an ideal place for other recreation such as biking, hiking, golf, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Did you know that Whistler’s surrounding landscape is rain forest? Our eco-region is the Pacific temperate rainforest.

Temperatures reach an average daily high of 27°C during the summer months of July and August and the valley receives an average of 180 days of rain a year, keeping the area green and lush.

39

The history of the RMOW logo

Published by Whistler Publishing Inc in cooperation with the Resort Municipality of Whistler and the Whistler Museum. September 2015 Resort Municipality of Whistler 4325 Blackcomb Way Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 whistler.ca

#MYWHISTLER