[F r e s h t r a C k s ]
— Jennifer Miller 12
Whistler [Winter/Spring 2010]
Cultural showcase t
he Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre isn’t a museum. While some of the interactive exhibits share the history and display artifacts of the two First Nations that called the area home long before it was called Whistler, the centre was designed to share the vibrant, living culture of the Lil’wat and Squamish people with the world. There’s a special feeling as you walk into the Great Hall, discovering traditional cedar and wool weavings and hand-carved canoes. A short film in the theatre introduces guests to the two distinct peoples who came together to create the centre. But it’s the Squamish and Lil’wat people themselves who make a visit to the beautiful building a must-do Whistler experience. The entire centre is staffed by members of the two nations, and the ambassadors offer personal tours, perform songs with drumming and dancing, and share personal stories and their language with guests. Learn about the nations’ connection to the land and respect for nature, and the traditional ceremonies that they continue to practice. Make a traditional craft and discover firsthand how the bounty of nature is transformed into tools and other objects. The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre also features a traditional Longhouse and Istken, or pithouse, outside the main building. Delicious First Nations cuisine such as bannock, venison chili and more is available in the café. The centre, at Lorimer Road and Blackcomb Way, is open daily. Visit slcc.ca for upcoming special events and performances planned for winter 2010. — Jennifer Miller
‘Life as unusual’ i
f you’re visiting Whistler for the first time during the Olympic or Paralympic Games, please be advised that getting here, and getting around, isn’t normally as you see it now. We don’t normally have 135 transit buses, including the world’s largest fleet (20) of hydrogen-fuel-cell buses, running around Whistler and up and down the Sea to Sky corridor. We also aren’t used to having some 7,000 security personnel, including 4,500 Canadian Forces troops, in our midst. As Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) officials kept telling residents, when the Games arrive, expect “life as unusual.” VANOC, provincial, municipal and security officials have put a lot of painstaking work into planning the transportation system that will ensure that people can go about their business and still see the Games run smoothly. And if you’re reading this before the Games, rest assured: Residents and guests will be able to get around relatively easily. They just might have to plan their trips more carefully than they normally do. Locals are being encouraged to ride the bus or to plan vehicle trips for nonpeak periods. Parking in and around Whistler Village will be extremely limited during the day, and the day skier lots will be exclusively for VANOC’s use (mostly as a spectator transportation hub) in February 2010. However, we’re assured that bus service — both the fleet of buses bringing spectators here from the Lower Mainland and the 135 transit buses in the corridor — will be frequent and efficient. — David Burke Joern rohde, www.InSIght-photography.com
hile the good folks at Tourism Whistler (TW) and the municipality have long made providing visitors with assistance and information a priority, their efforts are getting Olympic-sized for the winter of 2010. During the Games, resort guests won’t have to go far in the Village to find a kiosk with helpful staff and volunteers ready to answer just about any Whistlerrelated question one can imagine. For the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics, TW and the municipality’s Village Host program are joining forces to provide a robust program, said Dave Clark, TW’s senior manager of visitor services. Along the Village Stroll will be six locations providing information almost around the clock, including the permanent Visitor Info Centre near the main taxi loop and the longstanding Village Host kiosk near Village Square. Additional Games locations will be placed in high-traffic areas and easily identifiable by the international “I” symbol for information, Clark said. Additional info kiosks will be open at Whistler-area Games venues as well. Thanks to a central operations team, staff at all the info locations will have the most up-to-date details on everything from sport schedules and results to transportation and restaurants that have availability for the evening’s dining, Clark said. Plus, just in time for the Games, a group of Whistler locals launched a new visitor assistance program that allows all residents to offer help. Simply look for people wearing “Ask Me, I’m a Local” buttons, in five languages, as your invitation to request assistance.
Brad KaSSelman, www.coaStphoto.com
Information, please W