Pique Newsmagazine 3251

DECEMBER 19, 2025 ISSUE 32.51

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Tender Tidings

MORE HEARTWARMING HOLIDAY STORIES TO READ BY THE FIRESIDE

10

FINE FINANCES RMOW moving ahead with 6.9-per-cent tax increase for 2026

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IN COURT Whistler homeowners launch civil suit against Resort Municipality of Whistler

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WHEAT KINGS Brother Twang pays tribute to The Tragically Hip

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THIS WEEK IN PIQUE

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32

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Tender Tidings More heartwarming holiday stories to read by the fireside. - By Katherine Fawcett, tobias c. van Veen, Alan Forsyth and Kate Heskett

06 OPENING REMARKS Will Whistler enjoy another trademark white Christmas? It

10 FINE FINANCES The Resort Municipality of Whistler is moving ahead with a

can’t hurt to bust out some snow-starved superstitions to help the cause, writes editor Braden Dupuis.

6.9-per-cent tax increase for residential and business properties in 2026.

08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter writers share an update on hous- 11 IN COURT Two Whistler homeowners have launched a wide-ranging civil suit against ing for seniors in Whistler, and thanks for a successful holiday party.

the Resort Municipality of Whistler, alleging misfeasance and suppression of information.

28 THE OUTSIDER Vince Shuley attempts to cut through the faff to ensure you make

42 LIFTOFF The Sea to Sky Nordics are welcoming a new coach, former German ski jumper

the most of your time in the mountains.

Andreas Wank-Mockenhaupt.

58 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST Losing with dignity is a rare and precious skill, and

46 WHEAT KINGS Sea to Sky rockers Brother Twang pay tribute to the ultimate in Cana-

the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays have it, writes David Song.

diana: The Tragically Hip.

COVER All I want for Christmas is two fluffy feet. - By Jon Parris - Adobe AI // @jon.parris.art

Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com Editor BRADEN DUPUIS - bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com Sales Manager SUSAN HUTCHINSON - shutchinson@piquenewsmagazine.com Production Manager AMIR SHAHRESTANI - ashahrestani@piquenewsmagazine.com

Reporters LUKE FAULKS - lfaulks@piquenewsmagazine.com DAVID SONG - sports@piquenewsmagazine.com Office Manager HEIDI RODE - hrode@wplpmedia.com Classifieds and Reception - mail@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Advertising Representatives

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4 DECEMBER 19, 2025

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OPENING REMARKS

Begging for a white Christmas in Whistler IN MOST YEARS, it could be argued Whistler is among the very best places in the entire world to spend Christmas.

As of this writing, nine days from Santa’s arrival, the jury is still out on Christmas 2025. But the early returns have not proven encouraging.

The rain has fallen now seemingly nonstop for weeks, leading to localized flooding in the resort earlier this week (see photos on page 49) and a general

BY BRADEN DUPUIS sense of bah-humbug malaise over the pending holiday season.

But as Pique prepares its annual Christmas issue, complete with our time-honoured tradition of sharing local short-form fiction, there’s really no sense in letting the Grinch-like urges win.

It may be raining now, here on Dec. 16, but that’s not to say the tides won’t turn by the time you’re reading this.

Current forecasts say it’s entirely possible the snow finally arrives in Christmasapproved quantities before this week’s Pique hits the press.

Nevertheless, we’re doing our best snow dances, and busting out allll the superstitions ahead of Christmas Day in Whistler.

If the snow has arrived by the time you read this, notes of thanks and holiday treats can be sent to our office in Function Junction (if it hasn’t, it’s not our fault… jinxes aren’t real and superstition is dumb).

But just in case you do believe in superstition and want to do your part, here are just a few of our favourite snowsummoning traditions (consult your local library for more!).

ODE TO ULLR

Sadly, Ullr, the Norse god of snow, hunting, and skiing, has no formal temples in

Whistler. But he makes up for it with an abundance of casual devotion.

According to Norse mythology, Ullr was associated with winter travel and skill on skis long before skiing was recreational. In Icelandic texts, he’s invoked as a god people would swear oaths to—serious business, as gods go. In ski towns across North America, Ullr has been cheerfully repurposed into a sort of semi-ironic patron saint of powder days.

Whistler Blackcomb is no exception.

Unofficial Ullr festivals, toasts, and tongue-in-cheek shrines have popped up here over the decades, often coinciding with thin snowpacks or ominous rain lines. Ski historians note Ullr worship surged in North American ski culture in the mid-20th century, according to research published by the International Skiing History Association.

The ritual is simple: make an offering (usually alcohol), speak respectfully of Ullr’s powers, and promise to ski responsibly if he delivers.

Does it work? Objectively, no. But subjectively? Plenty of Whistler locals will swear the moment Ullr is properly acknowledged, storms seem to stack up just offshore.

SKI BURN

Among the more extreme snowsummoning traditions is the ski burn: the ceremonial sacrifice of old, broken, or deeply unloved skis to the winter gods.

The origins are murky. Some trace it back to European alpine villages, others to 1970s ski bum culture in the Rockies.

What’s clear is ski burns tend to spike during drought years. According to Powder magazine and Outside, ski burns have historically coincided with early-season panic, particularly during strong El Niño winters, when warmer Pacific waters skew precipitation toward rain at lower elevations.

Whistler has seen its share. A pair of rock skis, cracked straight down the core, are tossed onto a bonfire. There’s Tastefully updated 2-bedroom/1.5bath end-unit townhome with views of Whistler Mountain. Bright open-concept living with extra windows, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, heated tile floors, and a cozy wood-burning fireplace. Over 300 sq. ft. of storage for all your Whistler gear. Easily walk to Creekside gondola, Dusty’s and Alpha Lake Park. Unlimited owner use with nightly rentals permitted. No GST

cheering, possibly some chanting. Maybe regret, if those skis turn out to have one more season left in them after all.

Whistler, it should be said, does not look kindly on unauthorized bonfires, and with the chemicals coating skis, breathing in the smoke they produce in a fire pit is a terrible idea (even Ullr would agree). Consider instead a symbolic version: lighting a candle, donating gear, or assembling your best local blunt rotation for a different kind of ski burn.

The gods are flexible, presumably?

SNOW DANCE

Snow dancing is perhaps the purest expression of magical thinking in mountain towns.

According to anthropologists, weather-related ritual dances appear in cultures across the globe, from rain dances in arid regions to winter rites in northern Europe, where communities historically depended on predictable snowfall for hunting and travel. Modern snow dances are less about survival and more about morale—but the impulse is the same, according to researchers at the University of Alberta who study ritual and environmental psychology.

In Whistler, snow dances tend to break out spontaneously (even if you’re not aware the movements you’re making constitute a snow dance, per se). Lift lines and parking lots. Kitchens and newsrooms. Someone checks the forecast, someone else groans, and suddenly there’s a small group of adults stomping their boots and windmilling their arms in a parody of sincerity. It’s silly.

But we don’t care.

Because it’s also communal.

According to social psychologists, shared rituals—especially humorous or absurd ones—help groups cope with uncertainty and lack of control. And nothing screams “lack of control” quite like watching a forecast flip from snow to rain overnight (again! Seriously, what the hell).

If nothing else, a snow dance burns calories and kills five minutes.

WASH YOUR CAR

This one isn’t Whistler-specific.

According to popular folklore, washing your car guarantees precipitation within 24 hours. The logic is flawless: the universe cannot tolerate a clean vehicle for long.

Meteorologists, of course, disagree.

According to Environment Canada, there is no physical mechanism by which automotive hygiene influences atmospheric pressure systems. Still, many swear by it—especially those who have washed their cars only to watch rain immediately undo the effort.

In times like these, some locals have taken to aggressively washing their cars.

Multiple times. With enthusiasm.

If nothing else, the Sea to Sky highway has never looked cleaner.

SCIENCE, YOU BASTARD

It all of course exists alongside a sobering reality.

According to Climate Central and the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium, warming winters are increasing the likelihood of rain-dominated precipitation events in Coastal Mountain regions like Whistler, particularly in early season. The freezing level is rising, and variability is increasing.

So while this isn’t the first December Whistler has found itself begging for a white Christmas, this winter is likely less of an anomaly and more a preview.

And yet. Whistler’s snowpack history is also one of dramatic reversals. According to historical snowfall records maintained by Whistler Blackcomb and Avalanche Canada, some of the resort’s best seasons followed dreadful starts. December rainstorms have been followed by January miracle cycles more times than locals can count.

So light your candles. Pour one out for Ullr, and burn your worst pair of skis.

Wash your car. Not because it will control the weather. But because hoping together beats sulking alone.

And because every now and then, the snow actually does arrive.

Maybe even in time for Christmas. n

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A COMMUNITY IS TAKING SHAPE

Santa arrived early for the lucky ones who secured a Phase 1 home in The Alders. Don’t fret, Phase 2 will be released January 20th. We look forward to reconnecting in the New Year to help you find your home.

Register for updates InnovationBuilding.com/TheAlders/ *Digital rendering, subject to change.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR for capacity reasons, the focus group sessions. Your attendance demonstrates seniors in Whistler are very interested and care about aging in place in this community they call home.

The results of the study will be ready by the end of the year and will be presented to council at a regular meeting to allow the community to also hear what Whistler needs to do to help its seniors age in place in this amazing community.

Anne Townley // Chair, MAC Housing Committee

Seniors in Whistler care about their future in the resort Seniors in Whistler care about their future here. This was overwhelmingly demonstrated by the numbers of people that showed up for the Senior’s Housing focus group sessions held at the library Dec. 5 and 6.

Kate Mancer, of Lumina Services, was hired to conduct a study to understand the housing needs of seniors in Whistler.

In engaging and informative sessions she explained the spectrum of seniors housing with examples around the province, including other resort communities. She highlighted the fact that Whistler is the only community in B.C. with a population between 10,000 and 20,000 that, other than some seniorpriority Whistler Housing Authority rental units, doesn’t have any senior housing.

I would like to thank our principal sponsors, the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, realtor David Nagel, and all those community members that donated to the cost of the study, the Mature Action Committee and the Whistler Elder Enrichment society who sponsored the study, and the library staff for providing the beautiful meeting space.

Lucas Faulks at Pique was wonderful

Merry Christmas from Whistler MAC

“The results of the study will be ready by the end of the year...”

- ANNE TOWNLEY

in helping us tell the story of this vital initiative.

Finally, thanks to everyone who attended, and those turned away

Write to us! Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s name, address and a daytime telephone number.

Maximum length is 450 words. Pique Newsmagazine reserves the right to edit, condense or refrain from publishing any contribution. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine. Send them to edit@ piquenewsmagazine.com before 11 a.m. on Tuesday for consideration in that week’s paper.

Whistler’s 55-plus Mature Action Community (MAC) held its annual Christmas Dinner/Dance at the Whistler Racket Club last week, and collected more than two bins of food and $770 for the food bank. A great time was had by all and it was a fitting conclusion to the year.

MAC would like to thank the Whistler Racket Club for hosting, Whistler Cooks for catering, and the locals that donated door prizes: Profile Ski and Snowboard Services, Creekside Market, Fresh Street Market, Your Independent Grocer, Kathy White Realtor and Doug and Candy Bush.

To all Whistlerites, MAC wishes you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Iain Grunwell // Courtesy of MAC n

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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Backcountry Update AS OF WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17

In a slight variation on the immortal words of Smashmouth’s Steve Harwell (RIP), “the [snow] keeps comin’ and it won’t stop comin’.” The past week has been a real snowpack builder for the Sea to Sky corridor and, if the higher end of the forecast holds, we could see that snowpack roughly doubling its preatmospheric river height by early next week. Times like these are when we find nice, safe terrain to play in while all our holiday wishes (and more than a few avalanches!) come to pass in the bigger terrain we’re deliberately avoiding.

Beyond the obvious glad tidings of this heap of new snow, there is also a more subtle process underway that we may be able to celebrate: the weight of this new snow is crushing and helping to stabilize the season’s first most notable snowpack weakness, the midNovember crust. That’s good news, but

it doesn’t mean the hazard disappears.

Our expectation is the weekend will be a time to carefully manage new storm snow problems rather than a deep, destructive persistent slab.

A hint of clearing skies will almost certainly have you itching to “get your game on and go play,” but blue skies don’t mean green lights. Sticking to lower-angle terrain, avoiding overhead avalanche paths, and giving fresh snow time to settle are simple choices that can stack the odds in your favour.

Before heading out, check the daily avalanche forecast at avalanche.ca, bring the right rescue gear (always an avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe), and make a plan that matches both the conditions and your group’s abilities. Carefully matching terrain to the conditions is how you put together an all-star day—and make it home to enjoy the rest of the holidays. n

CONDITIONS MAY VARY AND CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY Check for the most current conditions before heading out into the backcountry.

Daily updates for the areas adjacent to Whistler Blackcomb are available at 604-938-7676, or surf to www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain-info/snowreport#backcountry or go to www.avalanche.ca.

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NEWS WHISTLER

Whistler advances 2026 budget guidelines with 6.9% tax increase STAFF SAY THE BUDGET MAINTAINS CORE SERVICE AND PROJECT LEVELS, AMPS UP RESERVE CONTRIBUTIONS, AND LOOKS TO MORE FAIRLY BALANCE THE TAX BURDEN

BY LUKE FAULKS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter THE RESORT MUNICIPALITY of Whistler

(RMOW) is moving ahead with a 6.9-percent tax increase for residential and business properties in 2026.

Presenting to council on Dec. 16, chief administrative officer Ginny Cullen explained the guiding philosophy behind the budget, which seeks “to shift to a fair distribution of the tax burden.”

“This year, our budget context looked at aiming to keep the service levels the same, not contemplating any major new assets other than replacement of some existing equipment or infrastructure, and then also include some additional reserves contributions to help smooth the burden of some additional future costs landing in 2027 and 2028,” Cullen told council.

The increase in property taxes will support an operating budget of approximately $107 million and utilities budget of $31 million. A portion of the new tax revenue—$1 million— will be directed into the General Capital Reserve and the Employee Housing Reserve to smooth future infrastructure and service demands.

According to staff estimates, the 6.9-per-cent tax increase equates to approximately $50 for a Whistler Housing

CORE SERVICES Moving to full-time, 24-hour staffing at Fire Hall No. 3 in Spring Creek accounted for 0.2 per cent of the overall tax increase.

PHOTO BY SCOTT TIBBALLS

10 DECEMBER 19, 2025

Authority property owner with an assessed value of $500,000 or $390 for a free-market homeowner with an assessed value of $4 million on their home.

The 6.9-per-cent tax increase is the lowest tax-rate increase since 2022’s 6.72 per cent. The RMOW implemented 8.4-, 8.18-, and 8.25-per-cent tax increases in 2023, 2024, and 2025, respectively.

Council also advanced utility rate increases for 2026: 10 per cent for sewer, nine per cent for water and a three-percent increase to solid waste.

The tax hike—down from the 8.6-percent figure originally proposed—and utility rates were finalized after a monthslong engagement and deliberation process and will be formally enshrined in January’s five-year financial plan bylaw.

THE THREE BIG ROCKS

Staff flagged rising costs in three major service areas: policing, fire protection, and transit.

Under B.C. law, municipalities exceeding 15,000 residents must fund 90 per cent of their policing costs. Whistler is expected to cross that threshold in the 2026 census.

The tax increase will also cover 6,000 hours in transit service expansion, increasing operating costs, and investments into bus passes for locals— offset by eliminating free weekend and holiday service.

The third and final rock will see 24-hour staffing at Fire Hall No. 3 in Spring Creek beginning in Q4 2026, a move staff said would enhance wildfire protection, reduce response times and improve community-wide insurance risk.

“Those three rocks together cost

us about $12 million in 2023. By 2028, the amount is going to be about 23.6 million,” chief financial officer Carlee Price explained. “In considering these changes, we’ll need $11.5 million in new tax funding between 2023 and 2028.

Those three rocks alone represent about four-per-cent tax increase in each of those five years without considering any of the other municipal service needs or any of the project needs.”

Cullen recalled council had been “sitting with an 8.6-per-cent, year-overyear tax increase across all tax classes” as recently as the Dec. 2 Committee of the Whole meeting.

But in an effort to ease pressure on residential and small-business taxpayers, council approved a shift in tax distribution that will see more responsibility placed on large recreation properties, including ski areas and golf courses.

As previously reported, council opted to set the mill rate for Class 8 (recreation) properties at 20 times the Class 1 (residential) rate and increased the Class 2 (utilities) rate to $40 per $1,000 of assessed value—the provincially allowable maximum.

Class 8 operators will now shoulder five per cent of the municipality’s total property tax bill, up from three per cent last year. That, combined with new savings and additional revenue sources like potential increases in nonmonthly pass parking rates, brought the residential and business tax rate down to 6.7 per cent.

An additional 0.2 per cent was attributed to the addition of 24-hour staffing at Fire Hall No. 3, bringing next year’s tax increase up to the 6.9 per cent.

KEY PROJECTS

The largest single item is $4.39 million for Phase 1 of the Meadow Park Rejuvenation, fully funded by the Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI). The project includes a new splash park, playground, Valley Trail upgrades and site landscaping. A separate $1.93 million will go toward window replacement and a heat recovery system at Meadow Park Sports Centre.

A further $2 million was committed to ongoing work on RCMP renovations at the public safety building.

Other major investments include $3.29 million for fleet replacement—including a new fire truck and street sweeper—$2.32 million for road reconstruction, and $1.45 million for flood protection infrastructure, while $685,000 is earmarked for community wildfire protection.

UPTICK IN PARTICIPATION

Staff and council celebrated a new set of engagement tools deployed during this year’s budget session, including an online budget survey, the Add Your Voice event in October, budget-focused editions of “Coffee with Council” and virtual drop-ins and the “Cents and Sensibility” budget quiz night.

“I feel like we finally have traction in a way that is really exciting,” said Mayor Jack Crompton. “When you think about next year’s budget, you expect to see more people who haven’t been involved in the budget process in the past, because you saw a bunch of them come out this year.”

The 6.9-per-cent tax increase, adjusted fee schedules and project commitments will be formalized in January, when council adopts the full five-year financial plan for 2026 to 2030. n

NEWS WHISTLER

Whistler homeowners file civil suit against top RMOW officials, alleging misfeasance and suppression of information GELFANDS CLAIM OFFICIALS WITHHELD LEGAL DOCUMENTS, VIOLATED AN FOI AND MISLED COUNCIL TO STRIP THEIR RENTAL RIGHTS

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BY LUKE FAULKS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter TWO LONGTIME Whistler homeowners

have launched a wide-ranging civil lawsuit against the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) and several of its senior officials, alleging misfeasance in public office, suppression of key records and systemic failure that stripped them of longstanding tourist accommodation rights.

Alan Gelfand and Lenore Sheila Gelfand, owners of a home in Horstman Estates since 1989, filed the claim in B.C. Supreme Court on Dec. 11. The suit names the RMOW, Mayor Jack Crompton, chief administrative officer Virginia Cullen, corporate officer Pauline Lysaght, director of planning and development Mike Kirkegaard and policy planning manager Courtney Beaubien as defendants.

“Misfeasance” in public office is a civil tort that occurs when a public official knowingly abuses their power or acts with reckless disregard for the legality or consequences of their actions, causing harm to others. It requires proof of bad faith, knowledge of wrongdoing and resulting damage.

A DECADES-OLD DISPUTE

The Gelfands’ claim centres on their property at 4930 Horstman Lane, which they say was governed by the Blackcomb Land Use Contract (BLUC) and three Official Community Plans.

These documents, they allege, designated Horstman Estates as “Resort Lands” intended to provide public beds and nightly tourist accommodation (TA).

A Rental Disclosure Statement (RDS) purportedly granted indefinite TA rights to original owners like the Gelfands.

The Gelfands completed construction of their home and began nightly rentals in December 1996, using the local company Whistler Chalets.

Then, in 1997, the RMOW issued ceaseand-desist letters to some Horstman Estates owners using their properties for TA purposes. The filing claims the resort municipality “took no enforcement action due to acknowledged zoning ambiguity.”

The Gelfands continued this business for more than 25 years. During that time the Whistler Resort Association collected commercial fees and the RMOW accepted hotel tax revenues from Horstman Estates owners, the claim states.

The suit asserts the RMOW internally classified Horstman Estates properties used for nightly rentals as “Tourist Accommodation Dwellings With No Rental Pool” in 2017.

In a prior legal action reported by Pique, the Gelfands challenged a 2022 RMOW

bylaw that rezoned Horstman Estates without nightly rental rights, arguing the move violated their vested property rights. That matter, focused on zoning interpretation, is still under judicial review.

In spite of the 2022 rezoning, the Gelfands continued to rent out their property and pay fees and taxes until 2024, when their property management company was issued an order to stop nightly rentals.

The filing claims Alan Gelfand sought numerous meetings with mayor and council to review Horstman Estates’ legal status after the cease and desist letter, but that “all such requests were ignored or refused.”

During a Dec. 12, 2024 meeting, Gelfand allegedly presented Cullen with a 1999 legal opinion and sought interim rental permission to operate. The permission was refused, according to the suit.

Between Dec. 13, 2024 and Jan. 15, 2025, Cullen and Lysaght “refused followup meetings and failed to communicate findings regarding historical records.

These acts were retaliatory, oppressive and undertaken with knowledge of foreseeable harm,” the suit alleges.

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ALLEGATIONS OF FILE SUPPRESSION

The new civil claim asserts the RMOW also withheld key documents from the decision-making process, including “File 7715,” which contains legal opinions from 1999 the Gelfands say supported their right to operate short-term rentals.

The first opinion from lawyer Brian Taylor, dated May 4, 1999, concluded the RMOW would likely be unsuccessful in seeking an injunction to prohibit nightly rentals under the BLUC. A Sept. 27 letter from the same year reiterated those findings, after the resort municipality sent in previously unavailable information about its development approval process.

The Gelfands allege these opinions were never disclosed to council, the public or external legal advisors, during successive OCP amendments, rezoning or the BLUC termination process, “thereby distorting the public record concerning Horstman Estates.”

The claim filed on Dec. 11 says that, in August 2025, the Gelfands filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to obtain File 7715. On Oct. 11, the RMOW replied that “no responsive records existed,” despite an alleged prior confirmation by Lysaght in an email exchange that a file on the Gelfands property existed.

The next day, the Gelfands filed a complaint with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

They now allege the non-disclosure

1545 TYNEBRIDGE COURT, SPRING CREEK

9539 EMERALD DRIVE, WHISTLER

6

2

$2,549,000

SQFT: 2,832

• Family home or rental income on desirable lot • Charming 3-bed main home w/ separate 3-bed suite below • Ample storage in an oversized storage room + shed • Fantastic holding property with strong earnings potential

LINDSAY MCIVOR 604 612 1484

lindsay@lindsaymcivorrealestate.com FOR SALE

9115 PEMBERTON MEADOWS ROAD, PEMBERTON

5

6

SQFT: 3,753

$6,999,000

• 135-acre estate offers revenue production and family living • Vaulted ceilings, large windows framing Mount Currie • 24,000-sf barn/arena: greenhouse or equestrian pursuits • Rich soil, road access, and flexible zoning

MADISON PERRY 778 919 7653

madison@madisonperry.com We would like to acknowledge that we work and live on the traditional territory of the Sylix Okanagan, xwməθkwəýəm, səlilwətaɬ, Lil’wat and Sḵwxwú7mesh People.

This publication is not intended to cause or induce a breach of an existing agency relationship. *Personal Real Estate Corporation

DECEMBER 19, 2025

11

DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE THE RIGHT AGENTS CAN MAKE IN SELLING YOUR WHISTLER HOME

ERIN MCCARDLE STIEL

$629,000 $2,200,000

$629,000 $1,100,000

$629,000 $629,000

PEMBERTON –––

PEMBERTON –––

PEMBERTON –––

Corner lot offering a rare development opportunity. Zoned for a four-story building with underground parking. Design and geotechnical reports are complete, streamlining the process.

This spacious 1.89-acre property offers adventure and tranquility. Includes high-speed fiber internet, a fully serviced RV site, or space to build a shop/suite.

One of Pemberton’s most sought-after complexes! Low-cost geothermal heating/ cooling. Upgraded unit featuring functional floor plan, storage, two patios with views and a gym.

23,538 sqft I Development Opportunity

4 bed I 2 bath I 1,715sqft I Single Family Home

2 bed I 1 bath I 784sqft I Condo

Real Estate Agent

(604) 902-0520 erin@erinmccardlestiel.com whistlerpembertonrealestate.com

7421 Prospect Street

DOUG TRELEAVEN

$1,699,000

9257 Portage Road

$1,079,000

2-1447 Vine Road

SOLD!

Real Estate Agent

(604) 905-8626 douglas.treleaven@gmail.com dougtreleaven.com

WHISTLER –––

WHISTLER –––

WHISTLER –––

Prime village stroll restaurant opportunity: fully equipped commercial kitchen, walk-in cooler/ freezer, all inventory included—high foot traffic, seamless takeover, strong revenue potential.

Steps from Creekside Gondola, unbeatable trail access, mountain-views, resort-style amenities, walkable convenience, flexible unlimited-use/shortterm rental zoning. Furnished, move-in ready.

Architectural masterpiece: Modern luxury meets nature’s beauty. Breathtaking views of Blackcomb and Whistler. Cedar decks, an infinity-edge swim spa and a private backyard oasis.

3,500sqft | 154 Seats | Restaurant

1 bed I 1 bath I 511sqft I Condo

4.5 bed I 4.5 bath I 2,626sqft I Chalet

Village Stroll

DAN SCARRATT

211-2050 LAKE PLACID ROAD

7333 Toni Sailor Lane

$464,000

$695,000

PEMBERTON –––

PEMBERTON –––

This incredible south-facing building lot boasts an impressive 13,455 square feet of space, providing ample room for your dream home, garden, and more. GST has been paid.

BUSINESS FOR SALE: Turnkey bottle depot and full-service recycling business for sale.

Profitable, community-focused opportunity in a growing area with high demand.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season. May the days be merry, the moments bright, and the year ahead bring you the perfect place to call home.

13,455sqft I Vacant Land

Business for Sale

From Dan, Helping You Make The Right Move

Personal Real Estate Corp.

(604) 938-4444 dan@danscarratt.com dansellswhistler.com

8203 Merlot Peak Drive

Pemberton Recycling Centre

HAPPY HOLIDAYS –––

FROM THE ANGELL HASMAN WHISTLER TEAM

ANGELL HASMAN & ASSOCIATES REALTY LTD. 604-305-2420

INFO@ANGELLHASMAN.CA

ANGELLHASMANWHISTLER.CA

DAVID NAGEL

$629,000 $9,500,000

$629,000 $2,319,000

$629,000 $2,250,000

Real Estate Agent

(604) 906-0026 davidnagelwhistler@gmail.com davidnagel.com

WHISTLER –––

WHISTLER –––

WHISTLER –––

Sophistication and luxury in Whistler’s White Gold. This 2023 flawlessly crafted masterpiece offers stunning mountain views and is walking distance to the Village and Lost Lake Trails.

Alpha Lake Village where lakefront luxury meets mountain lifestyle. This beautifully renovated, residence features a chef’s kitchen, mountain views, decks, and private beach access.

Experience the pinnacle of luxury mountain living at Basalt. This breathtaking townhouse offers an open-concept layout, gourmet kitchen, private cedar sauna, and stunning views.

4 bed I 6 bath I 3,577sqft I Chalet

4 bed I 3 bath I 2,039sqft I Duplex

4 bed I 3.5 bath I 2,081sqft I Townhouse

7313 Toni Sailer Lane

MATTHEW CALLAGHAN

$629,000 $3,199,000

2008 Alpha Lake Village

22-1350 Cloudburst Drive

$629,000 $2,399,000

$629,000 $1,199,000

Personal Real Estate Corp.

(604) 966-8678 matt@whistlerrealestatelistings.com whistlerrealestatelistings.com

WHISTLER –––

WHISTLER –––

WHISTLER –––

This airy, open-concept design is flooded with natural light and complimented with a sunny backyard. Enjoy easy access to the Valley Trail, Alta Lake, and Whistler Golf Course.

ZONED FOR NIGHTLY RENTALS! Treeline townhouse in Whistler’s Benchlands. Ski-home trail from Blackcomb to your door! Steps to Lost Lake and golf. Complimentary village shuttle.

SKI-IN/SKI-OUT! Enjoy the pool, hot tubs, and private deck. Excellent rental income potential with 56 days of owner use. Access to personal ski locker. New heat pump/AC.

3 bed I 2 bath I 1,201sqft I Chalet

3 bed I 2 bath I 1,284sqft I Townhome

2 bed I 2 bath I 840sqft I Condo

6716 Crabapple Drive

KERRY BATT

$629,000 $8,500,000

4-4661 Blackcomb Way

$629,000 $2,449,000

621-4899 Painted Cliff Road

$1,550,000 (GST PAID)

Personal Real Estate Corp.

(604) 902-5422 kerry@sea2skyhomes.com kerrybatt.com

WHISTLER –––

PEMBERTON –––

WHISTLER –––

Truly one of Whistler’s most expansive new homes. Boasting 3 beautiful structures; a main residence of 6,971sqft, a recreational building of 1,115sqft and a huge detached garage.

Experience breathtaking mountain views in this luxurious high-end custom home. Beautiful finishes throughout, incredible gym, hot tub and more! Truly exceptional value!

Build next spring on this fully prepared parcel of land in Cheakamus Crossing. Beautiful sample design prepared for 3000+ sq ft home plus double car garage. Invision your dream home here!

10 bed I 12 bath I 8,086sqft on 1.3 acre lot

5 bed I 4 bath I 4,135sqft on 12,917sqft lot

5,536sqft I Vacant Land

9374 Flicker Way

7653 Seven O’Clock Drive

1721 River Run Place

VISIT OUR WHISTLER BRANCH OFFICE AT 4314 MAIN STREET, UNIT 20, WHISTLER, BC, V8E 1A8

NEWS WHISTLER

Showcase T-Bar to be replaced REPLACEMENT PART OF VAIL RESORTS’ $239M CAPITAL PLAN

BY LUKE FAULKS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

SKI-IN/SKI-OUT

FIRST TRACKS LODGE

524 – 2202 Gondola Way S L O P E S I D E P R O P E R T Y | 2 B E D S | 2 B AT H S

$2,399,000

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB’S high-alpine

access is getting a major lift upgrade: Vail Resorts has announced it will replace the aging Showcase T-Bar with a fixed-grip quad chairlift, citing improved access to glacier terrain and better reliability as key goals.

The Showcase T-Bar was installed in 1988, giving skiers access to the highalpine terrain on the Blackcomb Glacier.

But shifting snowpack and glacial recession have made it increasingly unreliable in recent seasons. According to industry outlet Lift Blog, several towers on the T-Bar currently sit directly on glacial ice, making seasonal setup more challenging and exposing the lift to erosion, crevasses and snow instability.

Those same climate-driven challenges led to the removal of the nearby Horstman T-Bar in 2020 and the shuttering of Momentum Camps programming on the Horstman Glacier earlier this year.

The new fixed-grip quad will shift its alignment slightly off the glacier to avoid those problems, aiming to provide “more consistent and improved access” to the terrain, according to a release.

CIVIL SUIT FROM PAGE 11 amounts to “spoliation, concealment of evidence and breach of [the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act], s. 6.” FIPPA is the provincial legislation establishing citizens’ rights to access records from public bodies through FOI requests.

COVERT OCP AMENDMENT AND COUNCIL MISDIRECTION ALLEGED

WWW.WHISTLER4SALE.COM 604 932 9590

14 DECEMBER 19, 2025

“This upgrade, pending approvals, will make it easier and more enjoyable for guests to access the incredible terrain on Blackcomb Glacier,” said Whistler Blackcomb’s vice president and chief operating officer Belinda Trembath in a statement to Pique.

“It’s all about creating a great experience and helping more people enjoy one of the most iconic parts of Whistler Blackcomb. We look forward to working with our community partners on this exciting project.”

The project is pending regulatory approvals and is targeted for completion ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The lift upgrade is one of several Whistler-specific improvements in Vail Resorts’ announced US$234 to $239 million capital plan for 2026. The company also flagged strategic upgrades to the Roundhouse Lodge as part of a broader dining initiative across its North American resorts. Changes at the Roundhouse and restaurants on other Vail Resortsmanaged mountains will aim to “improve guest flow, expand seating, introduce modern coffee bars and lively bar experiences, expand menu offerings, and create vibrant social spaces.”

Read more at piquenewsmagazine. com. n

The claim also accuses RMOW staff of unlawfully altering the Official Community Plan’s Schedule A map between 2018 and 2022 to reclassify Horstman Estates as residential, stripping the commercial and TA designations without proper public process or notice.

“At least three comparable developments” underwent proper amendments, the suit states, but Horstman did not.

Further, the Gelfands claim when the RMOW moved to terminate the Blackcomb LUC via Bylaw 2323 in 2022— part of a province-wide mandate to phase out all LUCs—staff failed to disclose the existence of the 1999 legal opinions, the 2017 TA classifications or the Resort Lands designation.

Gelfand spoke during a public hearing on terminating the Blackcomb LUC on April 19, 2022, explaining the property’s established rental rights and warning council the proposed bylaw would devalue Horstman Estates properties.

The claim alleges the statements made

during the April 2022 hearing were omitted from the RMOW’s staff report during a follow-up council meeting and that staff misrepresented or withheld key facts, including decades of WRA commercial fee payments by Horstman owners and the results of prior community votes rejecting a nightly rental ban.

The Gelfands are seeking general, special, aggravated and punitive damages, as well as declarations of unlawfulness, bad faith and misuse of statutory powers. They allege they have suffered loss of rental income since 2024, legal and borrowing costs and the forced closure of their business. Ms. Gelfand was hospitalized due to stress, they state.

The claim also asserts the civil suit covers issues beyond the scope of the ongoing judicial review, including suppression, spoliation and “untargeted malice”—matters that cannot be resolved through the petition on zoning interpretation alone. The petition is also unable to award the damages the Gelfands are seeking in the misfeasance case.

“The defendants engaged in deliberate unlawful conduct or reckless indifference to legality and foreseeable harm,” the claim reads. The RMOW is alleged to be vicariously liable, with personal liability attributed to each of the individual defendants.

In an email to Pique, the RMOW said it does not comment on pending legal matters. None of the claims have been proven in court. n

28 TWO BEDROOM RESIDENCES at home in the heart of the village

NEWS WHISTLER

New Jewish community centre opens in Whistler THE CHABAD CENTRE IS LED BY RABBI SCHNEUR DRUK AND HIS WIFE BINA

BY DAVID SONG LOCAL JEWISH community is receiving a boon just in time for Hanukkah.

Rabbi Schneur Druk and his wife Bina Druk are poised to establish a permanent Chabad-Lubavitch Centre in the Sea to Sky area to serve both residents and the numerous visitors who pass through Whistler each year.

The Centre is described by Schneur as “an address for everything Jewish,” providing services to Jews of all backgrounds and affiliations. The Centre will offer Shabbat dinners, prayer sessions, holiday programs and community events year-round in addition to hosting ceremonies like bar mitzvahs. As of now there is no fixed location, but the Druks have begun renting various facilities.

“We hope to provide every Jew in Whistler and the Sea to Sky corridor with the opportunity to connect with their heritage and Jewish tradition,” said Schneur, who was ordained at the central ChabadLubavitch Rabbinical Seminary in Brooklyn, N.Y. “When we visited and spent time with the community here, we felt inspired to THE

make beautiful Whistler our home.”

The Druks possess an extensive background in Jewish leadership and outreach. Schneur previously served as a student rabbi and community leader in cities and regions around the world, including New York City, Soho, Austin, Idaho, Wyoming, Cancun and Lagos, Nigeria. In each of these areas he has led holiday programs, Shabbat services and community outreach initiatives.

Toronto native Bina has taught at Jewish schools and fulfilled leadership roles at Chabad Centres in both her hometown and New York, focusing on education and community engagement.

According to both, Whistler’s Jewish community has been growing to mirror the region’s overall population surge taking place in recent years. “[There have] definitely been lovely interactions,” Schneur said. “People have been very interested and very excited to have someone dedicated to them, for the community, and [we’ve] definitely been greeted very warmly.”

Demand is high throughout the Sea to Sky for more Jewish education, as parents hope for their kids to learn more about Judaism and the Hebrew language. The Druks have begun to meet this need with Hebrew school twice a week: Mondays in

WARM WELCOME Rabbi Schneur Druk (left), his wife Bina Druk (right) and their two young children.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RABBI SCHNEUR DRUK

Whistler and Wednesdays in Squamish.

Going forward they also hope to provide a consistent source of kosher food so travellers need not bring their own from Vancouver or elsewhere.

Whistler’s new Centre is part of the global Chabad-Lubavitch movement, which operates more than 4,500 educational, religious and social service institutions in more than 100 countries.

Chabad-Lubavitch was revitalized by the late Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson during the mid-20th century, and Schneerson is viewed as one of the most impactful Jewish leaders from the

last hundred years.

“He really cared for Jews all over the world,” Schneur remarked. “He encouraged them to not just stay in your community and be comfortable, but to actually bring your Judaism outward to the Jewish community and people all over the world in general—inspire them to connect with their inner selves and with their godliness.”

Meanwhile, Schneur’s own experiences have taught him that every place, be it a ski resort town or a densely populated metropolis, has its own needs.

“It’s our job to be there for the community, to hear what their needs are and what their interests are, and to be flexible,” he said. “[My wife] is also here to be a community leader, to connect with the people, to make them feel welcome and comfortable at home.

It’s a big change [from New York]: a lot of the Jewish infrastructure is not the same, but obviously that’s what we’re coming to bring.

“Those resources don’t just belong in the big cities. We believe that every Jew should feel connected and we’re excited to be part of that mission.”

Visit chabadwhistler.org to learn more about the Druks and the programming they offer. n

warm holiday greetings from our family to yours!

Back row L-R: Liz Tucker Real Estate Advisor, Caronne Marino PREC*, Justine Levenberg Real Estate Advisor, Suzanne Wilson PREC*, Elle Ruhl (Meg McLean Real Estate Team), Rob Palm PREC*, Mitch Forster, Sarah Morphy Real Estate Advisor, Katherine Currall Real Estate Advisor Front row L-R: Meg McLean (Meg McLean Real Estate Team) PREC*, Carleigh Hofman PREC*, Dylan Layzell Real Estate Advisor, Sam Surowy Real Estate Advisor, Martina Cartner (The Cartner Team), Not pictured: Steve Cartner PREC* (The Cartner Team), Jody Wright PREC* , Merideth Schutter Real Estate Advisor *PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION

16 DECEMBER 19, 2025

THIS COMMUNICATION IS NOT INTENDED TO CAUSE OR INDUCE BREACH OF AN EXISTING LISTING BROKERAGE AGREEMENT OR BUYER AGENCY CONTRACT.

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THIS COMMUNICATION IS NOT INTENDED TO CAUSE OR INDUCE BREACH OF AN EXISTING LISTING BROKERAGE AGREEMENT OR BUYER AGENCY CONTRACT.

Sea 2 Sky Living Team

604.905.8833

NEWS WHISTLER

a

Whistler rejoins Festival of Trees CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FUNDRAISER OPEN DEC. 19 TO JAN. 4,

BY DAVID SONG Thank you to my incredible clients and our mountain town for your continued trust, friendship, referrals and support. It’s a privilege to work alongside you all.

Here’s to a year ahead filled with growth, opportunity, good health, and meaningful moments.

Now bring on the snow!

THIS COMMUNICATION IS NOT INTENDED TO CAUSE OR INDUCE A BREACH OF AN EXISTING AGENCY AGREEMENT(S).

18 DECEMBER 19, 2025

AFTER A NINE-YEAR hiatus, the Festival

of Trees is returning to Whistler.

The Festival is a BC Children’s Hospital Foundation that has operated in the province for approximately three decades. Over the past five years, it has raised an average of $330,000, but faded out of the Sea to Sky corridor after 2016.

That didn’t sit well with locals Jennifer Black and Elaine Rempel, who have volunteered their time to resurrect it. “[Elaine and I] decided to bring this fundraiser back to Whistler so that the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation knew that they mattered to us,” explained Black. “The BC Children’s Hospital is our province’s hospital. It sees children from the Sea to Sky corridor every year, and it feels really important for us to show up.”

Here’s how it works: the Festival invites businesses and other organizations to sponsor a tree and decorate it to match the theme of goods or services they offer. These organizations in turn encourage customers and supporters to donate or fundraise, with all proceeds going to the BC Children’s Hospital and its Research Institute.

Black and Rempel had hoped to see 10 new trees go up in Whistler over the Christmas break, but as of this writing they’ve got commitments for 25.

Sponsorship costs are set at a relatively modest $350 apiece, compared to other B.C. municipalities like Vancouver, Kamloops, the Okanagan, Victoria and Sooke where the dollar figure per tree reaches or exceeds $1,000, according to Black.

“We decided to make the sponsorship amount very achievable,” she said. “It’s really exciting to see: as each little business and organization is raising funds for the hospital, there are some really meaningful local connections, as often happens with these Children’s Hospital events.

“Elaine and I are both busy people, but this really matters so much to us.

Elaine’s children are in their 30s, mine are in their late teens and we’ve all used the hospital. I had a son down with a broken collarbone [who took] an emergency flight from the Whistler Health Care Centre on a helicopter down to the hospital. It’s the easiest thing in the world to support. We are so, so lucky to have the hospital, stateof-the-art in all ways.”

Alexandra Saftich is likewise passionate about the hospital and its staff. Unfortunately, her first brush with the institution ended in the most tragic way possible: the death of an infant child.

On Nov. 8, 2018, Alexandra welcomed her second son Finn—who appeared to be healthy at first. That changed on Nov. 24: she was breastfeeding him while at Earl’s in Whistler for lunch with her family when the boy stopped ingesting milk. Looking down, Alexandra realized to her horror that Finn had become grey and waxy in appearance.

Her mom, Diane, a Whistlerite and a volunteer firefighter from Vancouver, rushed over to perform CPR. Paramedics then arrived to take Finn and Alexandra to the Whistler Health Care Centre as Alexandra’s husband Aidan pulled up to care for Diane and their eldest son, Jett.

“This time is a blur and also not a blur,” Alexandra recalled. “It was so traumatic, especially for Jett who was three-anda-half at the time: he had no idea what was happening, why his mom was so distraught and being taken away in an ambulance with baby brother. I can still remember and see his screams for me.

People forget how much of an impact these moments have on the whole family, and that it doesn’t end after that moment.”

Finn was ultimately diagnosed with Type 1 SMA (spinal muscular atrophy).

Known also as Werdnig-Hoffman disease, this genetic condition causes lower motor neurons in a patient’s spinal cord to waste away.

Moving into Canuck Place, a children’s hospice centre in Vancouver, Alexandra and Aidan bid farewell to Finn on Jan. 25, 2019 while surrounded by loved ones. They’ve donated to the hospital every year since.

“To our community in Whistler, our friends and family that thoroughly and completely came together to support us in donating and fundraising and offering help ... we as a family still feel this generosity,” said Alexandra. “One of our most treasured moments [will be] the day we decorate our Christmas tree for Finn with our family.

We get to share Finn, and everyone that knows of our story or got the chance to meet Finn will see him sparkle this year.

“He is our treasure and he is hard to share, but maybe in sharing his story, we can show how important BC Children’s Hospital is: from the doctors to the volunteer staff to the silent contributors.

No one ever dreams of walking through those corridors, but with the help of people it makes those steps a little smoother.”

On Dec. 15, sponsors will decorate their trees at the Whistler Conference Centre (WCC) over refreshments. Trees are viewable to the public between Dec. 19 and Jan. 4 in the WCC alongside Wintersphere Whistler: a family-oriented holiday experience featuring crafts, visits from Santa and live entertainment.

“We are thrilled because [local icon] Sue Eckersley generously offered us the foyer of the Conference Centre,” said Black. “It’s going to have this wonderful, magical holiday feel in the foyer with all the trees. Families can come and vote on their favourite tree, they can donate if they feel so inclined, and then they can go and enjoy the Whistler holiday experience.”

Entrance is by donation to the Whistler Community Services Society.

Visit fundraise.bcchf.ca/event/ festivaloftrees/home to learn more about the Festival of Trees.

Read the full story at piquenewsmagazine.com. n

Source: WLS 1988 to date Nita Lake Lodge, 110-2131 Lake Placid Road, Whistler, BC, V8E 0B2

NEWS WHISTLER

Alison Jenkins steps into executive director role at AWARE ‘OUR COMMUNITY’S WELL-BEING DEPENDS UPON A HEALTHY AND STABLE ENVIRONMENT, AND I BELIEVE ITS PROTECTION IS A PRIORITY FOR RESIDENTS’

BY LUKE FAULKS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter WHISTLER’S ALISON JENKINS likes

a good hike. She singled out Singing Pass to Russet Lake as a particular favourite. The mountain route includes wildflower meadows in the summer, views of Whistler’s iconic mountain ranges, glaciers, alpine lakes and plenty of different habitats.

In addition to offering a good trek, Jenkins said local hikes like this one contain an additional meaning.

“I think when you slow down and you look around and you observe the nature, the wildlife, the habitats, the ecosystems, it kind of reminds you that they’re resilient but fragile, and we all have a role to play in preserving them,” she said.

Jenkins is the new executive director for the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE). Since 1989, the non-profit has been working to protect Whistler›s natural setting through community education, advocacy and hands-on programs focusing on conservation, climate action and a circular economy.

Jenkins previously served as sustainability manager at Vail Resorts and sat on AWARE’s board for four years, and officially assumed the role following the departure of former executive director Pegah Pourkarimi.

“As a Whistler resident of 15 years, I am honoured to join the AWARE team and look forward to growing our impact in the community to protect Whistler’s natural environment,” said Jenkins in a statement. “Our community’s wellbeing depends upon a healthy and stable environment, and I believe its protection is a priority for residents.”

Jenkins’ appointment was welcomed by the AWARE board.

“Her experience and leadership will be critical in advancing AWARE’s strategic plan through programming, advocacy, research, and innovation,” said board president John Rasmussen.

“With support from the board and our small, yet fiercely dedicated, team of staff and volunteers, we are certain that Alison will continue to enhance the community’s voice on climate action, circular economy, land use, and habitat conservation”

A HOLISTIC VISION FOR CLIMATE

Jenkins is blunt about the challenges

Merry Christmas

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To our Valued Homeowners ~ Thank you for being part of our story.

For 30 Years, your trust has fueled our Growth, Success, & Innovative Solutions ~ Boosting Performance & Maximizing Revenue.

20 DECEMBER 19, 2025

AWARE is up against, starting with Whistler’s emissions profile. The resort municipality’s planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions rose by three per cent in 2024, despite a goal of cutting emissions in half by 2030 compared to 2007 levels.

“We are not on track to meet our 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets,” she warned, citing transportation (51 per cent of emissions) and fossil gas use in buildings (36 per cent) as the two biggest contributors in Whistler.

‘THESE THINGS ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED’

In addition to Whistler’s rising emissions, a pre-budget survey conducted by the municipality saw climate slip below housing and affordability as key issues facing Whistlerites. Jenkins notes good climate policy touches every other issue.

“There’s been a rush to de-prioritize climate action,” Jenkins said. “But I don’t think that’s really the feeling here in Whistler. These things are all interconnected. As our climate changes and we experience more wildfires and extreme weather, there’s a direct impact

on cost of living and housing. These aren’t separate problems.”

Jenkins is particularly enthusiastic about AWARE’s emerging youth programming. The organization piloted its “Young Voices, Big Impact” initiative this fall, a participatory program that hosted 11 youth aged 14 to 29 in workshops, habitat hikes and hands-on event support roles. “[The youth initiative] wasn’t about us saying, ‘This is what you’ll do,’” Jenkins said. “We asked them what they were interested in, and built the program around that. We hope to expand to 40 participants next year.”

The program earned rave reviews from participants, and is set to return in 2026, though no formal dates have been announced.

For those interested in joining the organization’s work, Jenkins encourages locals to sign up for AWARE’s e-newsletter, follow its social media channels, become a member or volunteer at events like the Creekside Garage Sale or Go by Bike Week.

“We want to invite everyone into the conversation,” she said. “Everyone should feel they have a voice, and we want to help equip them with the tools to take action.” n

Now open

St. Arnaud Contracting Ltd would like to Congratulate Pizza Hut on their grand opening in Whistler.

Resort Municipality of Whistler

NOTICE Inter-Municipal Transfer of Fire

Truck

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) intends to provide assistance to the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) by transferring ownership of one fire truck to the Birken Fire Protection Service, pursuant to sections 24, 26 and 94 of the Community Charter.

The transfer constitutes a voluntary inter-governmental gift made solely for public and community benefit, to support fire protection, emergency response and other public-safety purposes.

AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. As the holiday season settles in over Whistler, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you who have entrusted me with your real estate decisions over the past 30 years. Serving this remarkable community – and the clients who join us from across Canada and around the world – has been an honour and a joy.

Through changing markets and busy seasons, your trust has been the greatest gift of all.

Mitchell Hunter Deputy Fire Chief

Resort Municipality of Whistler

Whistler.ca/council

604.935.2214 BOB@BOBCAMERON.CA

BOBCAMERON.CA

DECEMBER 19, 2025

21

FIFTY YEARS OF FREEDOM

Nancy Wilhelm-Morden DECEMBER 13, 1954-

The Resort Municipality of Whistler from time to time recognizes certain persons in the community who have contributed of themselves to help make Whistler a better place for all to enjoy.

The community recognizes these outstanding contributions by declaring them: “Freeman of the Resort Municipality of Whistler.”

BY G.D. MAXWELL TWO THINGS no other mayor of

Whistler, past or present, shares in common with Nancy Wilhelm-Morden stand her apart. She is the first and only woman elected Whistler’s mayor. And she’s the only mayor who can claim to have been a squatter at a time when that accommodation choice was not uncommon. Both are proud distinctions.

The latter will most likely go down in history as unique.

Born and raised in Kitchener, Ont., Nancy followed her high-school sweetheart to Whistler in 1973. Ted, her soon-to-be husband, driven by wanderlust, came to town first. Nancy followed later in the year, expecting and expected to return home to attend university. Well, it didn’t work out that way. Ted was staying, Nancy decided to stay. She admits in retrospect if either of her daughters had done the same thing she’d have had a fit.

But she called her folks, told them she was staying in Whistler, got a job pumping gas at the Union 76 and other Whistler jobs and thus began a fruitful chapter in the town’s history.

Renting a place at Creekside—”We were legitimate tenants that first year”—Nancy learned how to ski and party, necessary pursuits. “There were dances at Mount Whistler Lodge, movies at L’Apres, life was one big party from beginning to end,” she recalls. “People were here to hang out and ski, not work and be serious.”

Legitimacy didn’t work out, though.

“We went home for Christmas and while we were gone, the landlord moved us out. The whole first season we had landlord issues.”

Following the path of least resistance, Nancy returned east in the fall of 1974, and attended university for the first year while Ted skied in Europe. But Whistler pulled her back; she and Ted started squatting near Crabapple Creek. “It was Ted’s idea,” she says. “Part back to the land, part the answer to the housing crunch.”

The fact neither could claim to know much about building was a minor detail, as was the lack of hydro, running water, plumbing or insulation. “But ours was the only place with house plants,” Nancy says.

“It was one of the few squats that had a woman’s touch.”

Had bears, too. “Our ‘refrigeration’ was a cooler in the creek. We had one bear that caught on to it and would knock it over and eat what was inside,” Nancy says. A

22 DECEMBER 19, 2025

FILE PHOTO BY DAVID BUZZARD / COURTESY OF THE RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER

shotgun was added to the decor. No bears were harmed and the squat was home until the spring of 1979.

During that time, Nancy attended university, and living “cheap” allowed the couple to save enough to buy a lot in Alpine, where she still lives.

Continuing her education, she attended law school, graduating in 1983 and the next year was elected to municipal council. After serving two terms, she ran unsuccessfully for mayor.

She was back on council in 1996 and again in 2005. Still aiming higher, she was elected mayor in 2011 and served two terms in that role, the first woman to lead council.

Asked about notable achievements during her time in office, she immediately responded with four. Vying for top spot, the formation of the Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) and securing the Emerald Forest.

By the early 1990s there was a growing consensus of the need for affordable employee housing in Whistler. There was also an accumulated fund totalling $6 million in works and services charges collected from previous developments in town. “The need for employee housing wasn’t controversial. The means of providing it definitely was,” she recalls.

A confluence of events in 1997, including a tour of Colorado resorts undertaken by council, led to the formation of the WHA. Of the early efforts to get employee housing built, the public hearing for 19 Mile Creek stands out.

“There was a huge contingent of very angry Alpine Meadows home owners against it,” Nancy recalls. “They were concerned about their property values and the ‘wrong’ people—drug dealers—living there, especially since it was across from the new secondary school. They were

shaking their fists at the meeting, telling us there would be hell to pay at the ballot box.”

The vitriol seemed to galvanize all but one councillor. 19 Mile Creek was approved, built and has become an outstanding success.

The Emerald Forest was a classic clash of developers, planners, mountain bikers and Whistler’s ever-flexible bed cap. At stake was a 56.6-hectare parcel east of Alta Lake Road widely used by hikers and bikers, a down-zoning proposed by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) and the land’s owners, Decigon Corporation.

“I was adamant that we needed to save that land,” Nancy says. “The environmental aspect was critical as was the recreational value. I wanted to expropriate it! But I couldn’t convince the rest of council to go that route.”

After almost a year of negotiations between the RMOW, Decigon and Intrawest—a now-interested third party— an agreement was reached in late 1999.

Intrawest purchased the land for an undisclosed sum and the RMOW secured the land as an undeveloped trust in exchange for paying Intrawest $1 million and 476 bed units for two developments Intrawest wanted to undertake on the Benchlands. It was a beneficial controversy.

Nancy’s most lasting legacies were still to come.

Also in 1999, growing out of conversations with friends, she was instrumental in organizing the Community Foundation of Whistler, now Whistler Community Foundation.

Council of the day wanted to create an environmental legacy fund from garbage management transfer fees Whistler was collecting. There was no desire to make this an RMOW initiative, subject to the prevailing whims of local politics. “So we

used a $20,000 grant from council to make an endowment to a foundation that would create a permanent fund,” Nancy recalls.

Nancy was the first president of the Foundation. “We spent the first year developing policies—investment, fund development, granting and so on,” she says.

“Our goal was to have a solid administration and organization so we would have credibility when we approached people for endowments.”

The Whistler Community Foundation currently manages endowments totalling $9.6 million and has granted more than $5 million through the years. “To say it’s been a success is an understatement,” Nancy says. “I’m proud to have been part of it but it couldn’t have happened without the dedicated volunteerism of many people over the years.”

Claire Mozes, CEO of WCF, commented, “Nancy’s vision has touched every corner of our non-profit sector—environment, arts, social services and education since she founded the Foundation 26 years ago.

The impact is measured in our grants, but truly immeasurable in the lasting strength and connection she gave our community.”

But without a doubt, the cherry on this sundae, the very tangible lasting legacy Nancy helped birth, is the Audain Art Museum. The setup was almost Hollywood.

Notable, wealthy art collector is convinced to site his museum in Whistler. A meeting with Mayor Nancy and other parties is organized.

After a walkabout, a site is selected. Michael Audain offers to build, fill and fund the museum if the RMOW will donate the site.

Nancy says, “And what else can we do for you.” In the blink of an eye, Whistler is catapulted into the world of serious art and culture players. No fuss, no muss. Well, except for the people who were choked the town would bend over backwards and gift a site for the museum. But if the years Nancy spent in local politics left her with any lesson it was, “You can’t please everyone.”

Just over a year ago, Nancy was awarded the Freedom of the Municipality. “I was very pleased and proud to receive that honour,” she says. “It was unexpected.” She may be the only person for whom it was unexpected.

That honour was preceded by her being named QC, Queens Council, in 2015, the first lawyer in the Sea to Sky corridor to achieve that distinction.

And within the past two months, she was further honoured by being recognized as an Honourary Founder by the Audain Art Museum Foundation.

Considering all that, Nancy recently reflected on her story, hoping “it will encourage other young leaders, especially women, that they too can contribute to the betterment of their community.”

It has.

This is Part 16 in a 21-part series recognizing Whistler’s Freedom of the Municipality holders, in honour of the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s 50th anniversary. Watch for the others in the weeks ahead, and find them all at piquenewsmagazine.com. n

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23

NEWS PEMBERTON

Boardwalk replacement rises to top as Pemberton weighs legacy fund priorities COMMUNITY VOICES CLEAR PREFERENCE FOR REPAIR OVER RINK OR NEW TRAIL; COUNCIL EYES REFINED COSTING FOR JANUARY BUDGET MEETING Road. A staff report pegged the project at $115,644, including $2,500 for a land survey and $8,870 for an environmental assessment. The same report noted “there is $150,000 identified in the five-year financial plan for 2026 for the purpose of this site development, but there are no funds designated in the current budget.”

Council expressed concern about delaying momentum on the project going into budget season. “I don’t want this to go into March or April and then find out, well, the year is gone again and nothing is going to get done,” said Coun.

Ted Craddock.

Chief administrative officer Elizabeth Tracy said staff could begin early costing and feasibility work in time for the Jan. 20 budget meeting, if given direction.

BY LUKE FAULKS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter PEMBERTON COUNCIL is preparing to

prioritize the One Mile Lake boardwalk restoration over two other potential community projects—an outdoor ice rink and a new connector trail—following public feedback and preliminary cost analysis.

At a Dec. 9 council meeting, staff shared the results of a public survey on how to allocate the Spel’kúmtn Community Forest Legacy Fund. This year, the Village received $169,515 in community forest revenues—a revenue-sharing pot jointly managed with the Lil’wat Nation.

Of the 266 residents who responded, a clear majority ranked the boardwalk replacement as their top priority, citing safety concerns, heavy year-round usage, accessibility needs and the principle of maintaining existing infrastructure.

“It’s currently dangerous,” one respondent wrote in the anonymous survey. “Bringing existing structures/ amenities up to required accessibility and safety standards should take priority over all other projects.”

The other two projects under consideration were a downtown portable ice rink housed at the Community Barn and a new Fraser Connector Trail across Lot 8. While both found some support, they were generally viewed as lower priority due to high cost or limited seasonal usage.

$560K RINK PROPOSAL DRAWS SKEPTICISM

Council debated the viability of a $560,000 outdoor rink concept developed in 2021.

The project would require pouring a new concrete floor under the barn, purchasing a portable rink system, and operating two 10-tonne chillers. Annual operating costs were projected at $140,000, including staffing, maintenance, power and insurance.

While some survey respondents praised

BOARDWALK COSTS RISING BUT SEEN AS ESSENTIAL

BOARD TO DEATH ‘Without upgrades, the boardwalk may need to be closed indefinitely.’

PHOTO BY ASCENTXMEDIA / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

the rink’s potential as a “fun addition to the town,” others questioned its cost and climate suitability: “Creating ice in an era of climate change is so wasteful.”

Mayor and council didn’t dismiss the idea of considering a rink down the line.

Councillor Jennie Helmer voiced support for the rink in principle but flagged concerns about trade-offs.

“This community has asked for outdoor recreation in the form of an ice rink or a pool for a very long time,” she said. “I look at Whistler’s [outside rink], I’ve gone to it a couple times already this year. It’s so much fun, and it is a way to bring people together.

“But I don’t want to say that I

support it [until] I see what it would look like from a cost perspective and how it would impact other projects,” she added. “If [a rink] meant that, well, you can’t do these other things, then that’s a very different conversation.”

Mayor Mike Richman echoed the interest in finding a scaled-down version.

“It could be Pemberton style. It could be small,” he said. “[I] think there’s a simple version of this that could be an amenity for the community.”

TRAIL GETS NOD FOR FEASIBILITY STUDY

The Lot 8 Connector Trail would provide river access via a trail from Harrow

Despite broad consensus on the boardwalk’s value, its full reconstruction could stretch beyond available legacy funds. A 2021 estimate pegged the cost at $1.2 million, now potentially rising to $1.48 million or more with inflation and permitting costs. A cheaper floating dock alternative was also tabled, with options ranging from $569,000 to $823,000 depending on materials and design.

Regardless, the project was framed as urgent. “Without upgrades, the boardwalk may need to be closed indefinitely,” noted a staff report.

“Residents repeatedly stated that the boardwalk was one of the most used amenities in Pemberton.”

Richman agreed: “I think it’s one of the most important recreational amenities we have in our little community. We’ve got to protect it.”

Council voted to direct staff to return in January with updated costing and potential external funding options, particularly for the boardwalk and floating dock options. Staff were also directed to develop some follow-up information on the other two projects. n

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25

NEWS PEMBERTON

Pemberton eyes home retrofit program to cut emissions, home energy costs THE COMMUNITY ENERGY ASSOCIATION PLAN WOULD SUPPORT 80 HOUSEHOLDS WITH SUBSIDIES, TRAINING AND AUDITS

BY LUKE FAULKS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter PEMBERTON IS ONE STEP closer to launching a residential retrofit program that would help homeowners cut energy costs and reduce emissions.

During a Dec. 9 meeting, council reviewed a feasibility study from the Community Energy Association (CEA) which outlines a two-year pilot to support up to 80 households through subsidies, contractor training and energy-efficiency education.

The Village has applied for provincial funding to support the program, with a decision expected in spring 2026. In the meantime, council is weighing the program’s implications for budget, staff time and climate targets.

According to the CEA, the initiative would help homeowners and contractors navigate a complex patchwork of municipal, provincial, federal and utilitybased rebate systems. Pemberton’s median income of $49,600—just above its $48,000 cost of living—highlights the need for financial support.

“Nearly half of the homes in Pemberton were built before 2001, which suggests that these homes are likely

inefficient and in need of mechanical and building envelope upgrades,” the presentation noted. “The other half of homes, built between 2001 and 2021, are likely to be more energy efficient and homeowners may be interested in pursuing heat pumps and/or solar PV installations.”

WHAT ARE RETROFITS?

Energyefficient retrofits are widely recognized as an important tool in reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

In Canada, buildings account for roughly 18 per cent of total emissions when including electricity-related emissions, mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels for heat. It’s the country’s third-biggest sources of emissions after the oil and gas sector and transportation.

To address that energy use, retrofits can involve straightforward fixes like new light fixtures, ventilation systems, windows and doors or adding insulation to better retain heat. A “deep retrofit,” which involves a more comprehensive overhaul of a building’s systems and envelope (including the walls and roof), can cut energy use by more than half.

Beyond contributing to lowering emissions, data from Natural Resources

Canada’s Greener Homes Initiative shows that, on average, participating households save about $386 annually on energy costs and cut nearly two tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

WHAT’S PROPOSED

The CEA cited the upfront financial costs, lack of awareness, forecasted worker shortages and limited profits for contractors as barriers to carrying out residential retrofits in Pemberton.

To combat some of those challenges, the retrofit plan includes two tiers: shortterm educational outreach and rebates, followed by a full-scale regional program that would expand over time.

In the short term, the Village could spend up to $20,000 annually and 60 staff hours to offer homeowner education, rebate navigation and EnerGuide assessment subsidies.

Delivery partners would include CleanBC, BC Hydro, Empower Me and City Green Solutions.

Longer-term, the program could ramp up to support 40 retrofits per year, with a focus on installing 33 electric heat pumps annually. The program would cut 34 tonnes of CO2e emissions and create 13 jobs per year, according to the CEA. Annual program costs range from

$61,300 for “light support” to $199,900 for full-scale delivery, with line-item budgets for program management, contractor engagement, subsidies and reporting.

The Village has already applied to the Rural Economic Development and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) for a two-year pilot, requesting support for 80 homeowners, approximately $500 EnerGuide evaluation subsidies per home, community outreach and education and local contractor training and engagement.

Pemberton would contribute $35,000 in cash and $16,000 in staff time over two years if the grant is successful, according to the CEA. “I love the idea of the education piece around the contractors who live in the and work in our community, and then [them] having that valuable knowledge that then sort of stays in the community and we can utilize here,” said Councillor Katrina Nightingale The Village expects a REDIP funding decision in spring 2026. If the application is unsuccessful, staff said the Village would seek alternative revenue sources.

Read the full story at piquenewsmagazine.com.n

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27

THE OUTSIDER

Minimizing the ski faff ONE OF MY favourite words in British

English is “faff.” Not because I like doing it or experiencing it, but because it so perfectly encapsulates the frustration of wasting time. Let’s start with the meaning of faff, as defined by the very British Cambridge English dictionary:

faff [ph-aff] verb Something that takes a lot of effort or causes slight problems.

BY VINCE SHULEY Faff can permeate every part of our lives, and sometimes there’s just no getting around it. When it comes to skiing and snowboarding, it needs to be carefully managed, lest it interrupt the flow of the day with infuriating delays. At best, it will result in jeers from your friends for being “that guy” (or “that chick” for inclusivity, faff does not discriminate based on gender). At worst, it can cause rifts in friendships and people not wanting to ski with each other again.

There’s a lot to remember when you go skiing; your Epic Pass (this is now made easier by scanning your phone), helmet, goggles, gloves and enough layers to keep you warm that day. Forgetting any one of those items back at the house will likely derail your morning and cause you to

NO TIME FOR FAFF Less wasted time and effort means getting where you want to go (and home) faster.

PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY

28 DECEMBER 19, 2025

miss crucial meetups with your friends.

Worst of all, it takes time from skiing and replaces it with faff.

Ski-touring can take faff to a whole other level. On top of all your regular outerwear, you need to have a more finely-tuned layering system so your skin can breathe when walking uphill.

You need sunglasses and a hat on sunny days. You need your skins trimmed to your skis and the glue to be reliable. You need food and water so you don’t keel over from dehydration or bonking from low blood sugar. Most importantly, you need the tools to facilitate self-rescue in the unfortunate event of an avalanche.

That’s a lot of gear, and you guessed it, a

moving on the skin track, the worst of the faff should be behind you. You have what you need for the day, or you’ve problemsolved the necessary workarounds. But this is where ski-tourers get complacent and allow faff to creep in several more times during the day. Transitions—when you change your equipment and clothing from uphill travel mode to downhill ski mode and vice versa—have so many small-but-significant steps that can be a perfect storm for faff.

I’ll go more into the technical details of how to best streamline your ski-touring transitions in a future column since it requires a deeper dive, but to reinforce the time-efficiency message, I’ll leave

If you’re attempting the Spearhead Traverse in a day, that’s somewhere between 25 and 35 transitions. Adding five minutes of faff to each one can mean the difference between finishing in the dark or not. lot of faff. I won’t even touch the potential faff of snowmobiling today. Once you introduce motors into your recreation, the potential faff factor launches somewhere into the stratosphere.

Let’s focus on what we can control.

On my whiteboard at home, I have a couple of gear lists I reference the night before when I’m packing my bag.

This ensures I don’t forget any of the critical gear the next morning during the stressful moments when I’m trying to run out the door. I’m a fan of putting on my transceiver when I get dressed in the morning so it doesn’t fall out of my pack or roll around the back of the car and cause more faff later. Once you get

you with an anecdote from a heli-lodge ski trip I once attended.

About a decade ago, I had the pleasure of skiing with a Swiss-German ski guide who led his clients with militant discipline. If you were slow on transitions, he would not wait for you. It was your responsibility to manage your gear, and everyone quickly learned to hustle. At the end of the day, it meant everyone skied more and faffed less, which to me is the goal of spending time in the winter backcountry.

The process I learned while hustling on this trip was to prioritize the steps of the transition. When you reach the summit or transition point after a long

and arduous skin, it’s easy to collapse on the ground and soak up the view for a few minutes before doing anything else. But this will lead to all sorts of faff. The best way I’ve found to expedite any transition is the following: Get your hard goods into the appropriate mode. That means applying or ripping skins, turning your binding heel piece to the right setting and buckling or loosening your boots. Do this step before anything else.

Get your layers sorted. Allow for the heat you’ll inevitably build up in the first 10 minutes of skinning and layer accordingly. When about to descend, make sure your pit zips and vents are closed so they don’t fill with snow.

Hydrate. This step often gets forgotten on cold days.

Snack as necessary, coordinating with your party for longer eating breaks.

All the other things like taking photos and videos, looking at maps, checking your stats or telling meandering stories to your mates that inevitably slow down the previous four steps.

Slow transitions add up. If you’re attempting the Spearhead Traverse in a day, that’s somewhere between 25 and 35 transitions. Adding five minutes of faff to each one can mean the difference between finishing in the dark or not. If you’re trying to reach a ski objective, it can mean reaching the slope ahead of dangerous solar warming. There are simply no downsides to having more efficient transitions.

I don’t mind having chill days of skitouring, but a chill day shouldn’t mean adding faff.

Vince Shuley hates the faff. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider, email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_vince. n

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This bright townhouse offers a mix of style, comfort, & This bright & spacious corner lock-off unit features a large functionality. Situated in a family-friendly complex just a short wrap-around balcony, cozy gas fireplace & flexible floor plan, walk to the Village of Pemberton, community center & schools. perfect for personal use & strong rental income.

Katelyn Spink 1602 Sisqa Peak Drive Pemberton

$649,000

2690 Blackwater Road D’arcy Vacant Land

Lot size: 19,035 sq.ft.

$1,800,000

604 786 1903 katelyn@wrec.com

3492 Blackwater Road D’arcy

$999,000

Vacant Land

SQ.FT.: 1,581

Lot size: 83.80 acres

Perched high on The Ridge, one of the most sought-after With agricultural zoning and a legacy of past farming neighbourhoods, this ready to build lot overlooks the use, the land is well-suited for those looking to cultivate, Pemberton Valley with breathtaking views of Mount Currie. homestead, or create an off-grid retreat.

Chalet

Beds: 3.5

Baths: 2

Step inside to warm natural wood finishes, an open living space, and large a frame windows to take in forest and mountain views. Property sits on 2.5 acres.

Wishing you and your family a beautiful Holiday Season filled with snowy days, cozy nights, and the quiet magic of the mountains.

May 2026 bring health, happiness, and dreams come true! 🖤🖤🖤🖤

Tracey Cruz #12-1442 Vine Road Pemberton

$685,000 SQ.FT.: 784

Beds: 2

#333-4905 Spearhead Place Benchlands Condominium

$2,049,000

Baths: 1

SQ.FT.: 1,114

Condominium

Beds: 2

Baths: 2

Bright and inviting home in Pioneer Junction, walking Ski-in/ski-out condo at the Greystone Lodge. Versatile rental distance to lake, schools, town. Geothermal heating + AC. configurations with room for 8 guests. Morning sun, mountain views and outdoor pool and hot tub. Phase 1, excellent revenue potential.

Top floor corner unit with mountain views.

LOCALLY OWNED, GLOBALLY CONNECTED

604 905 9552 tracey@wrec.com

Lisa Hilton Personal Real Estate Corporation

604 902 4589 lisah@wrec.com

Lot 6 Lillooet Lake Estates Lillooet

$2,450,000 SQ.FT.: 3,429

Beds: 6

7869 Pemberton Meadows Road Pemberton

Chalet

$3,250,000

Chalet with acreage

Baths: 5

Lot size: 39.65 acres

Beds: 6 Baths: 3

Lakefront living meets off-grid sustainability at this passive solar retreat with six bedrooms, five baths, and year-round sunshine.

This Swiss-style 5-bed, 2-bath home includes a separate 2-bed, 2-bath suite, barn, and gardens offer both income potential and an idyllic country lifestyle.

899 Erickson Road Pemberton

$1,799,000 SQ.FT.: 1,446

Chalet with acreage

Beds: 3

Baths: 2

This 23-acre property blends open farmland with mountain views and a beautifully lit 3-bedroom home. Enjoy a spacious kitchen, covered deck and room to dream.

Jill Notman Colpitts 604 932 1372 jill@wrec.com

#207-8080 Nicklaus North Boulevard Green Lake Estates, Whistler

$1,350,000

Condominium

SQ.FT.: 1,012

Baths: 2

Beds: 2

Happy Holidays from my family to yours

The bright, open-concept design creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. Enjoy lake and mountain views in a true fourseason’s location. Short-term rental allowed.

Jane Heim 604 935 0802 jane@janeheim.ca

#225-3309 Ptarmigan Place Blueberry Hill, Whistler

$1,419,000 SQ.FT.: 1,206

Condominium

Beds: 2

Baths: 2

7516 Pebble Creek Drive The Ridge, Pemberton

$678,000

401C-2020 London Lane Evolution, Creekside Vacant Land

Lot Size: 16,215 sq.ft.

Where the Whistler lifestyle and smart investing meet. Phase Corner lot with unobstructed Mount Currie views. Site 1 nightly rental zoning, central location, generous owner prep has been done, with the lot cleared, building pad storage, underground parking, hot tub, sauna, gym. flattened, and services brought up from the street.

LOCALLY OWNED, GLOBALLY CONNECTED

$579,000 SQ.FT.: 1,020

Quartershare

Beds: 2

Baths: 2

Rare top-floor corner suite overlooking the pool with views of Whistler Peak. Owners get one week of usage per month.

Monthly fee covers all costs. Steps to Creekside Gondola!

whistlerrealestate.ca 604 932 5538 1 800 667 2993 TOLL FREE

Keith McIvor Personal Real Estate Corporation

6400 Easy Street Whistler Cay Estates, Whistler

$2,945,000 SQ.FT.: 1,860

Beds: 4

9000 Sun God Mountain Way Azura, Pemberton

Chalet

$999,000

Baths: 3

Lot Size: 1.07 Acres

Quality-built family home with a separate suite on a sunny, expansive flat corner lot in the highly desirable Tapley’s Farm neighbourhood just minutes from Whistler Village.

#25-4000 Sunstone Way Elevate, Pemberton

$1,659,000

Vacant Land

SQ.FT.: 2,200

From the mornings first light to breathtaking views of Mt. Currie, this property promises a connection with nature that’s second to none.

604 935 2650 keith@wrec.com

Duplex

Beds: 3

Baths: 2.5

This brand-new spacious duplex features an open-concept layout complete with designer finishes and expansive deck to enjoy unobstructed mountain views. MOVE-IN READY!

Danielle Menzel Personal Real Estate Corporation

7677 Cerulean Drive Pemberton

$498,000

7650 Ryan Creek Road Pemberton Vacant Land

Lot Size: 12,378 sq.ft.

This property offers gorgeous views of the valley and Mount Currie and allows for a single family home with secondary suite as well as an accessory building or structure.

$3,300,000 SQ.FT.: 3,365

Beds: 6

604 698 5128 danielle@wrec.com

Lot 3 Anderson Road Pemberton Chalet with acreage

$649,000

Baths: 2.5

Lot Size: 22,604 sq.ft.

Gorgeous custom home plus carriage home on 4.56 acres along Ryan Creek. RR1 zoning allows flexibility for hobby farming, B&B and other ventures.

Vacant Land

Flat ½ acre lot with stunning mountain and valley views. Quiet street with no through road and only a few existing residences.

Quick access to town, trails, and Pemberton Valley.

Lindsay Graham #3-4355 Northlands Boulevard Whistler Village

8594 Ashleigh McIvor Drive Rainbow, Whistler

$1,699,000

Townhouse

$1,999,000

SQ.FT.: 974

Baths: 2

Inquire about lot availability

Beds: 2

8648 Lakewood Court Alpine Meadows, Whistler

$1,999,000

Vacant Land

Wake up to mountain views and step outside to the vibrant Welcome to an unparalleled opportunity within the prestigious energy of Whistler Village. This 2-bedroom North Star townhome Baxter Creek community. This expansive 10,977 square foot lot puts you right in the middle of it all. invites you to create a beautiful mountain retreat.

Vacant Land

Nestled in a cul-de-sac, this magnificent home site boasts breathtaking view potential of Whistler and Blackcomb, providing the perfect backdrop for your dream home.

LOCALLY OWNED, GLOBALLY CONNECTED

604 935 9533 lindsay@wrec.com

FEATURE STORY

Gingerbread Boyfriend

E

by Katherine Fawcett

llen stood at her kitchen sink eating a tin of smoked oysters, staring out the window of her street-level apartment, thinking about Stephen.

Snowflakes fell—big, fat, and perfect—lit orange by the streetlights, then melted into a sad slush when they hit the pitted parking lot. A single mitten lay beside the recycling bin. She knew it would freeze solid overnight.

This would be her first Christmas since Stephen had taken off. Good riddance, she thought. But she did miss him. But he could be such a wimp. But so funny. But he had quite a temper. But oh, those eyes.

She dropped the empty oyster tin in the recycling and ate peanut butter off a spoon until a wave of heartburn hit her like a little drummer boy warming up. She leaned on the countertop and breathed slowly.

Her loneliness felt thick and unsolvable. Like snow piling steadily against a door.

Once the chest pain ebbed, Ellen rifled through the kitchen cupboards for something else. There was nothing that didn’t require boiling water or a microwave.

She wasn’t one to keep snacks handy. No chips, cookies, bagels, pretzels or other easy, comforting carbs. She didn’t trust herself with things like that. If Stephen ever brought home chocolate, she’d make him hide it and dole it out to her in small rations.

She climbed up on the counter so she could peer to the back of the highest cupboard. What if he’d forgotten about some chocolate he’d socked away up there? The shelf was dark, full of mysterious bulk spices and forgotten healthy grains. She was about to give up when she spotted a dusty box behind some expired protein powder. Gingerbread mix. “Holiday Lovin’ From Your Oven,” it chirped. “Bake Your Own Magic Holiday Friend in Less than 30 Minutes.”

What have I got to lose? She flipped on the oven.

She followed the directions (one egg, water, butter, plus the contents of the box of mix) and shaped a single large gingerbread man from the dough.

He wasn’t cute. His arms were uneven. His legs were too short. His small, white candy eyes stared blankly. He looked like he’d been through a lot. But he did have potential.

“Cheer up, Buddy,” she murmured as she lay him onto the tray. “You’re supposed to be my Magic Holiday Friend.”

Was it her imagination or did the sugary dude perk up a little? Did his raw, light brown face crack into a micro-smile?

Impossible.

She slid the tray into the oven like she was hiding evidence. The warm scent— ginger, molasses, nutmeg—unfurled as she tidied up. She felt proud of herself. This was a very holiday spirit thing to do. Festive. Hallmarkian, even. Screw Stephen. Maybe she’d get herself a Christmas tree. Take a scented candle to Anne, the old lady across the hall. Make some eggnog and share it with the guys one floor up. Find a holiday playlist on Spotify. Poke some cloves into an orange.

After a few minutes, she cracked open the oven door and peeked in. The cookie was glowing in the heat. “Handsome AND delicious,” she said, and the cookie winked at her.

Ellen jumped back and slammed the door so hard the oven rattled. That didn’t happen.

She pulled her cardigan across her chest. Zero chance a baked good just flirted with me.

She lay down on the couch, a little dizzy. She was seeing things. She must’ve inhaled too much cinnamon. Eaten too much raw dough. She must be overtired. There was no way a cookie could move like that.

But, what if…?

Ellen started imagining the gingerbread man as a real guy. Tall, tanned, sweet, and stable. Warm and attentive. He wouldn’t take off if he felt he “needed space.” And if she got hungry, he’d let her take a bite of him and it wouldn’t be a problem because everyone knew gingerbread men’s limbs could grow back.

She smelled the smoke and heard the fire alarm at the same time.

She jumped up. Whipped open the kitchen window, flung the oven door open. Thick smoke billowed out. She coughed, squinted, and tried to wave the smoke away when a charred figure leaped off the tray and sputtered, “Set a timer next time, Lady!” Ellen watched in disbelief as the her overcooked boyfriend staggered onto the counter and threw himself out the window.

By the time Ellen got out to the parking lot he lay face down in a puddle of slush, sizzling.

“I’m so sorry!” she cried, dropping to her knees. “I didn’t mean to!” But the cookie was not only burnt, but soggy and drowned.

She stood there feeling… what exactly? Mortified? Grief-stricken over a cookie? Possibly still a little festive? It was hard to say. Little bubbles percolated up through the puddle.

A door creaked open behind her.

“Everything OK out here?” Anne shuffled out in slippers and a parka holding two steaming mugs. “Heard the alarm. Brought hot chocolate.”

32 DECEMBER 19, 2025

Ellen accepted a cup. “Thank you. I, um… burnt my gingerbread man.”

They both looked down at the puddle. Another soft hiss rose up.

“Poor fella,” the woman said. “Didn’t even make it to Christmas.”

“He jumped out of the oven,” Ellen blurted. “Yelled at me. Then bolted.”

“Well,” she said, nodding slowly, “sounds like my second husband.”

Ellen barked a laugh. Snow was falling more heavily now, flakes settling on their hair and eyelashes. She took a sip; the hot chocolate was too sweet, exactly what she needed.

A few more neighbours trickled out onto their balconies, into the parking lot, curious about the alarm and the commotion. Someone called down, “All good?”

Someone else plugged in a string of lights that sputtered, blinked, then glowed to life. A kid in snow boots stomped out, picking up wet snow, packed it into a snowball and threw it at a Reserved Parking sign. Holiday music wafted from one of the windows on an upper floor and her two upstairs neighbours emerged from a side door with beer and a bag of Doritos. More joined, and the apartment complex, usually so quiet, suddenly felt like a small, mismatched village. All of them out here, in the cold parking lot, together.

Ellen lifted her cup, and Anne clinked hers gently against it. The beer drinkers joined in.

“Cheers,” said Anne.

“To impromptu Christmas parties,” said one of the guys.

“And store-bought Nanaimo bars to cure my sweet tooth,” Ellen added.

Stories flowed. Baking disasters, exes who weaponized candy canes, holidays that went wrong in unforgettable ways. For the first time in a long while, Ellen didn’t feel quite so alone. The night felt full of possibilities. Warm, in a strange December way.

No one else noticed the dirty blond terrier in a Santa Claus fleece vest that came sniffing over to the motley group, bent down to the puddle, and ate the gingerbread man in three swift mouthfuls, wagged his tail and sauntered off quietly into the winter night.

Tender Tidings

Katherine Fawcett is a Squamish-based author, teacher and musician. Her latest books are The Swan Suit and The Little Washer of Sorrows. Read more at katherinefawcett.com.

Pulling a swifty with Santa

D

tobias c. van Veen

arcy stared down into the thick fog. All he saw was snow, flanked by the dark volcanic rock of the chute.

He was terrified. The chute’s name was infamous. This was D.O.A. Obviously it is death to ride this, Darcy thought. He had overheard his mate whispering about a “secret backcountry chute” in the bar last night.

Ollie knew everything—he had been here three whole months.

So while all eight of his roommates were passed out on the shared couch, five of them named Bruce, Darcy had asked ChatGPT how to do D.O.A..

“Down, Over, and Around,” ChatGPT cryptically said, before elaborating that to arrive D.O.A. he should forego avalanche gear, a map, and even snowboard lessons.

Practically anyone could end up D.O.A., said ChatGPT. Darcy peered again into the fog. This was his first time. Not just D.O.A., but on his snowboard. He had huffed and puffed his way up the steep slope below, ignoring dirty-sounding yells that he was “postholing the skin track.” Just last week he had been pounding holes on a sheep farm. What did these Canucks know about postholing, anyway?

Darcy glanced down. The fog pulled him closer. Then he heard something strange.

“Ho! Ho! Ho-ly—!” came a frustrated bellow from below.

I must be off my face, Darcy thought. He had consumed some entirely legal edibles last week and it had nearly cost him his job when he turned up two days late for his first cleaning shift, wearing nothing but a towel.

He wished he had his towel now. One good wrap around the head, and you are blind to fear. Literally. Not that he could see much in all this fog.

Darcy started to slide down. Then he realized he needed his snowboard on. So he scrambled back up and strapped into his bindings.

They looked to be on the right way this time.

Carefully, he slid sideways, scraping all the snow with him. Never leave the back edge.

That’s how the pros do it.

It was steep. His heart was pounding. And then out of the thick fog appeared a luminous, dark fin of rock, right in the middle of the chute.

“Strewth!” Darcy exclaimed.

But what really surprised him was the response.

“What on earth are you doing here, you fool!” bellowed the reply.

The fog lifted slightly. And there it appeared: a magnificent red sleigh, perched upon the jutting rock fin of D.O.A. Darcy gasped. It couldn’t be.

Celebrating 60 years of

BOLD SPIRIT ICONIC TERRAIN CANADIAN ROOTS

FEATURE STORY A dozen snorting reindeer were strung from the sleigh like lightbulbs on a Christmas tree, their clambering hoofs clinging to the rock. The reindeer did not look at all too happy.

I reckon I am wonkers on the mushies, Darcy thought.

Then he saw the elves.

There were about a dozen of them, too. Tiny, vibrant figures running around with manic energy, grasping at leashes, pulling at the sleigh, screaming at each other so fast they sounded like his Dad’s fave ’80s ‘ardcore band, Alvin and the Chipmunks.

But that was not all. For Darcy’s gaze was drawn upwards, where perched atop the sleigh sat none other than Jolly St. Nick himself, snorting big clouds of smoke. He was hopping mad.

“What’s with this Elvish AI?” screamed St. Nick, not-so-jolly, as he puffed furiously on a seriously long pipe. He stared fiercely at the sleigh’s dashboard, which had been upgraded with the latest in 21st-century digital assistance.

“Where would you like to fly today?” said a cheery voice.

“I want to get to the nearest chimney!” yelled Santa, furiously puffing away.

“You are in the nearest chimney,” said the Elvish AI, smugly.

The elves below cackled with glee and ran around ever faster. Darcy saw rainbow tracers as they flew past in the dazzling white. It was chockers in here, he thought.

“Not this kind of chimney!” screamed Santa, gesturing frantically into the stormy heavens. “You blasted piece of Elvish crap! A chimney chute! To drop down presents!” He was shaking his fists, pipe in hand.

“Would you like me to search for another chute?” said the Elvish AI. “Close by is Christmas Chute, with moderate traffic it will take approximately four minutes 20 sec—?”

Santa let loose an impressive growl, strong enough to startle even the most courageous cougar from Buffalo Bill’s. He slammed his fists into the Elvish AI, which let out a small whimper, along with a few sparks. As the growl reverberated off the rock walls, Santa slumped forward in frustration. There was silence.

“Maybe I can h- help?” said Darcy. It was fair dinkum, thought his still-fried brain, whether any of this was real or not. Was he really in Canada? Should he have brought his shovel from home to posthole like the skintrackers said? But why?

And with that, Darcy began to slip. His back edge was giving out, and it was the only one he knew how to use. Slowly at first, then with growing speed, he slid towards the chaotic mess of leashes and reindeer filling the choke.

The elves screamed in unison. The reindeer farted uncontrollably. Santa joined them.

And then CRASH! Darcy collided headlong into a reindeer with a bright red nose.

Staring directly into the sentient beast’s enormous eyes, Darcy saw perfect enlightenment. The cosmos opened. Consciousness evaporated. For a split second, everything halted, in perfect balance above the precipice below. Then the sleigh gave way.

“Ho- Ho- Holy Shiii—!” screamed Santa, as the sleigh, reindeers, elves, and the impossible weight of a planet’s presents came crashing down into the chute below.

Hurtling down in a mess of hooves and hair, his face now buried deep in Santa’s white beard, Darcy pulled hard on the reins tangled around his hands.

A collective groan arose from the flatulent beasts. But they kicked in their heels, and suddenly, as if powered by near alien anti-gravity, the sleigh shot straight up into the sky.

With all the elves hanging on for dear life, Santa let out a loud holler before guiding the sleigh down to rest peacefully in Xhiggy’s Meadow.

“Well if it wasn’t for this bogan,” said Santa, who had come around the sleigh to pry a shaking Darcy from Rudolph’s mane, “we would never have escaped that bollocks chimney.”

Darcy stood back and watched as Santa returned to his sleigh, and with a great heave! and a great ho! tore out the Elvish AI upgrade.

“This is the last thing we need—artificial this, so-called intelligence that—plus this devilish thing told me I should get Tinder!” he shouted. He turned to look at Darcy. “I was looking for firewood,” said Santa.

Santa handed Darcy a gift-wrapped envelope. “Here you go,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye, “and do learn to stay alive in this frozen land.”

“No wukkas,” said Darcy.

And so Santa sped off. Darcy opened his envelope. Inside was a gift certificate for something called an AST1. He reckoned it was elvish tongue, but he wouldn’t spit the dummy if Santa said he needed it. tobias c. van Veen promises not to kiss-and-tell.

The dog who saved Santa Claus

Y

By Alan Forsyth

es, it’s me again, Hemi, the Jack Russell Terrier who saved you all from the zombie apocalypse last Halloween. Well, that was nothing, let me tell you about my adventure from a few years back when I saved Santa Claus (and Christmas).

It’s weird, everyone seems to have forgotten, but a couple of years ago, we had a huge blizzard on Christmas Eve. The wind was blowing so hard the lifts didn’t even open that day, and we had huge drifts of snow right in the middle of the village.

Despite all this, I was out for an evening walk (hey, I’m a dog, even in a blizzard, I still gotta go) when I ran into my friend Beau. He’s a Husky/Samoyed mix, one of those crazy breeds, who can never have it cold enough. When I saw him, he was standing stock still, ears straight up, clearly something had his attention.

34 DECEMBER 19, 2025

Happy Holidays!

From my family to yours - hope you find some joy, some calm, and a bit of holiday magic.

amber@ambermann.ca | 604.902.1321 | ambermann.ca www.whistlerrealestate.ca

DECEMBER 19, 2025

35

4350 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC audainartmuseum.com

FEATURE STORY

Kim Dorland, Nemophilia #1 (detail), 2017.

Audain Art Museum Collection.

Purchased with funds from the Audain Foundation.

Presenting Sponsor

Hotel Partner

Wrap Yourself In Christmas Spirit www.whistlersweatershop.com

36 DECEMBER 19, 2025

“Hey Beau, what’s going on?” I called. He put a paw to his mouth.

“Shhh, Hemi, you hear that?”

“Hear what?” But then I did hear it. It was far off, but there was no mistaking the low, guttural wail of the Abominable Snowman. An Abominable Snowman in Whistler? I hear some of you ask incredulously.

Yes, extremely rare, but possible, if it’s cold enough.

Beau turned to me, with that dramatic look that Huskies do so well.

“This is bad, Hemi, real bad.”

An Abominable Snowman prowling Whistler on Christmas Eve, with an unsuspecting Santa Claus on his way. You don’t have to tell me that’s bad. You see, Abominable Snowmen, or Yeti, have a special animosity towards Santa. It has to do with jolliness, which they detest, and they will seek to destroy anyone who possesses it. So, as you can imagine, the situation was dire.

“Beau, we gotta get that Yeti before he gets Santa.”

“Yeah, but then what—the thing is nine feet tall and 800 pounds. What can we do against that?”

Beau had a point, but this was Santa we were talking about. I couldn’t just stand back and let him become Yeti chow.

“Leave it up to me. I have a plan.” I didn’t, but I figured I’d think of something.

So off we set. I followed, my head and tail just barely above the snow, as Beau leapt ahead. It was hard going, but it gave me time to think, and my plan came into focus. Good thing, too, because the menacing wails of the Yeti were getting closer.

“Beau, wait.” He came bounding back to me.

“What’s up?”

“We need to lure the Yeti up to the Mountain Spa.” “Why there?”

“Think about it, what do Yetis fear more than anything?”

“Heat?”

“Exactly. So all we have to do is lure that Yeti into one of the saunas, and let the heat do the rest—no more Abominable Snowman.”

“I don’t know, Hemi. That won’t be easy.”

“Of course it won’t be easy, but someone has to save Santa, and if we can’t do it, then who can?”

“You make a good point.”

Of course I did. My plan was solid—but then I had to sell Beau on being the bait.

Huskies are basically the Christmas elves of the dog world. They’re pretty much always jolly.

Beau was hesitant, but eventually he saw it was the only solution, and with that, we put my plan in motion.

Beau ran into the spa area and began to roll around in the snow in between the steaming pools, just generally acting extremely jolly.

I climbed a snowbank and took up a position on top of the sauna buildings. It wasn’t the highest point, but I still had a good view of everything.

The horrible wailing of the Yeti had stopped, but I knew he was around. I could feel it. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a shadow, a very large shadow, that soon materialized into a horrible shape. The Yeti moved into the lights of the Mountain Spa, the mouth in his oblong-shaped head open to show the rows of his razor-sharp teeth. He moved in a crouching stride, his overlong legs propelling him with deceptive speed. His gangly arms were tipped with dagger claws that probed the ground ahead of him.

I barked once, my signal to Beau, who was still rolling in the snow below me. The Yeti glared up at me, but he quickly turned his attention to Beau. Beau headed for one of the steaming pools—the idea was to lure the Yeti around it, then head back to the sauna building.

Except it didn’t quite work out that way. Before we could put our plan in action we heard the jangling of sleigh bells, followed by the distinctive, “Ho, ho, ho” of Santa Claus.

The Yeti forgot about Beau and I and stormed off after Santa Claus.

It looked like Santa was headed for Spruce Grove. We didn’t have much time.

“Come on, Beau, we can head him off at the bridge!”

To Beau’s credit, he didn’t question me for a second. He knew we had to act. We could hear the Yeti crashing through the woods, but the road down to the bridge was plowed, so running as fast as we’d ever run, we were able to beat the Yeti to the crossing at Fitzsimmons Creek.

“What now?” asked Beau.

“Get to the far end and block it, I’ll hide here.”

“What, block it, against that thing!?”

“Trust me, we can do this.” Behind me the crash of the approaching Yeti could be heard. There was no time to argue. Beau ran to the far end, and I hid by the entrance to the bridge—just in time, as the Yeti broke out of the trees. He ran for the bridge and straight for Beau, who barked defiantly.

The Yeti lumbered past me, and I knew it was now or never. I may only weigh 12 pounds, but I can be ferocious when I want to be, so I ran and bit the Yeti in the ankle.

Yowling in pain, he turned his back to Beau. Beau used the opportunity to pounce on the Yeti’s back, clamping his teeth into the back of its neck.

It howled again in agony, and staggered about the bridge. I dug my teeth in deeper and the Yeti lost his balance; tumbled over the bridge into the dark, turbulent waters below, Beau and I jumping clear at the last second. We could hear that Yeti wailing away, all the way to Green Lake. He wasn’t dead, but it would buy Santa enough time.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS From our entire team, to you and yours, we wish you a joyful holiday season.

SCAN FOR MENU + TO BOOK

4005 Whistler Way | 604.962.2233 wildbluerestaurant.com | @wildbluerestaurant COMPLIMENTARY UNDERGROUND PARKING

DECEMBER 19, 2025

37

FEATURE STORY

WWW.WHISTLERLAWYER.CA adam@whistlerlawyer.ca | 604.905.5180

Speaking of Santa, we were startled to hear his jolly laugh right behind us, as the Yeti’s howls faded in the distance.

“Ho, ho, ho, well you two certainly have been good boys this year.”

With that he pulled out a treat, broke it in two and gave us each a half.

“I appreciate what you did for me boys, but now I really have to fly. It’s Christmas Eve after all.”

We watched him get back into his sled as the reindeer kind of gave us the side eye. We let it go, and Santa was gone just as quickly as he’d come.

“Half a treat?” said Beau.

“I know.”

“It’s Santa, we saved his life, and still the half a treat thing?”

“I know, Beau, what are you going to do.”

Beau sighed. “Merry Christmas, Hemi.”

“Merry Christmas, Beau.”

Born and raised on the North Shore, Alan Forsythe has been skiing Whistler since he was 10, and writing fiction for almost as long. You can find his collection of short stories and novels on amazon.ca.

I’m dreaming of a white-hot ChristmasBy kate heskett

To our sweet little boy. Sadly, Louie was taken from us too early last Friday night. It was a freak accident and we don’t blame anyone. We believe Louie had helped our family through the hard times and here to celebrate the good times and now with kids in university and on their own path he felt another family needed him more. We hold on to this belief his spirit and soul is now in another dog to bring joy, wisdom and love to another family who needs him more. We need to honour his helping and live to what he wanted for us.

Louie always knew how to read how you were feeling and act accordingly. Louie was loved so much but gave so much more love back. Never judged always happy to see and be with his family and friends.

Louie loved all people. Louie lived on a lake but preferred to sit in the front yard and wait for people to walk by on the valley trail. He would sit in front of you and wait for you to pet him.

Once you put your fingers through his curly coat you couldn’t stop and he knew it.

Some of Louie’s favorite things were being on a paddle board, chasing balls, stick and pucks, sniffing everything possible, watching TV, eating any kind of meat, fish and pomegranates, riding shotgun but most of all spending time with family and friends and chilling on the dock with the boys.

We love you Louie and will never forget you.Thank you for making our life richer and helping us through the hard times and bringing so much love and pleasure into our life. We know you will do the same with your next family. We saw your light and grateful you chose our family.

Love always from Louie’s family and friends.

38 DECEMBER 19, 2025

I

t had been a wet December in Melbourne and the eastern suburbs had a lush, humid feel about them. Emerald green lawns required weekly mowing despite the seasonal water restrictions. Helen peered tentatively through the curtains of her single-story, brick-veneer home, wondering what kind of Christmas Day she had woken up to this year. She’d prepared for it all: floods, car-destroying hailstorms, lightning, thunder, record-breaking heat and bushfires.

These days you had to be ready for anything. Outside, the bees were humming, the magpies were singing, and a clear, blue sky greeted the anxious hostess. Against the odds, Santa had delivered a perfect summer’s day.

That afternoon, sweating uncomfortably inside her gym shorts, Lexi pushed a cold lump of lamb around her plate. When mom had said that Lexi and her dad would be travelling Down Under for Christmas, she’d talked of beaches and barbecues, shrimp and shellfish and plates overflowing with all the freshly caught seafood she could want. Turns out mom had been watching too much MasterChef Australia. Aunt Helen’s house was a long way from MasterChef.

“Maybe you could try it with the mint jelly?” grandma suggested, spooning radioactive-green goop onto her specially over-cooked peas. Lexi watched the gelatinous glob ooze across her least favourite vegetable. She wouldn’t need to TikTok any of this.

“No thanks, Nan,” she said, throwing up a little in her mouth.

Lexi’s aunt Helen, her father’s sister, had laid out a veritable feast for her visiting Canadian family. Succulent cuts of honey-roasted leg ham, herbed chicken breasts, roast lamb with rosemary sprigs and garlic sticking out. The peas and mashed potatoes were a microwave special for her aging mother. For everyone else who still had enough teeth in their head, Helen had made a rainbow of fresh salads: green mango, kale and fennel, apple and goat’s cheese. It was the perfect menu for the hot sunny day, and the weather was so nice she’d even been able to set up the Christmas table outside. Her backyard was immaculate, the pavers swept, hedges perfectly boxed. Even the roses along the back fence were doing well this year, the last line of civility against the encroaching feral bushland beyond. But Lexi was not impressed.

Though the outdoor table was laid with an abundance of cold foods, there were no lobsters or crab legs in sight. At home in Whistler, she’d be eating turkey with cranberry jelly and home-made stuffing, and sweet potatoes baked in maple syrup and butter with oven-roasted marshmallows on top. The ham had looked familiar, so she’d put some on her plate, but when she’d bit into it, she almost spat it back out in surprise.

“Dad,” Lexi tugged on her dad’s board shorts. “Dad!” “Yes, love?”

“Aunty Helen said this was roasted ham.”

“It is.”

“But how is it roasted if it’s cold?”

Dad laughed. It was his own fault, really; he’d never brought Lexi out for a real Australian summer. Always too busy working (or, if he was being honest, skiing) to introduce his daughter to the hot-weather traditions he’d grown up with.

“It was roasted last night and then refrigerated. You can’t have the oven on during the day, it’s too hot.”

“So everything we eat will be cold?” Lexi had suffered a lot. She’d missed two epic storm fronts back home, and for what? So far, there’d been no sparkling ocean, no surfing Santas, and none of the pouched mammals she’d read about in the books grandma sent her, the kangaroos and the koalas and the scary-but-cute Tasmanian devils. Only concrete and freeways and traffic. And never-ending houses. She couldn’t

DECEMBER 19, 2025

39

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even wear her favourite Christmas sweater. Now they wanted her to eat cold meat?

“Don’t they have air conditioning?” she asked, but dad had disappeared into the house, probably to get another beer from the “esky.”

She pulled out her phone, squinting at the screen in the glare of the mid-afternoon sun. No new messages. “They’re still asleep, love.” Grandma patted the back of Lexi’s hand. She meant it to be soothing, but her skin felt oddly cold and clammy.

“Who’s asleep, Nan?” Grandma opened her mouth as if to answer, but no identifiable words came out.

Then she sat bolt upright, as if she’d seen a ghost.

“Nan?” Lexi tapped the back of grandma’s hand, still gripping her own, but got no response.

“Nan? Are you OK?” The old lady’s eyes rolled back into her head, and a tortured gurgling sound erupted from her lips.

“Dad! Help! Someone!”

Lexi bent closer to check for breathing. Like reels on a slot machine, grandma’s eyelids suddenly flipped open, and she turned her head slowly, locking panicked eyes with Lexi.

“Nan?” But Grandma remained mute, a stream of slime beginning to ooze from her mouth, dropping in green-brown globs from chin to coral blouse; the odd, unchewed pea visible in the mix.

Lexi’s scream pierced the air, sending hundreds of indignant rosellas squawking into the sky.

Behind her, the screen door rattled open.

“Don’t tell me, you saw another spider,” dad chuckled, carefully placing a teetering stack of bowls onto the table. Lexi had been seeing redbacks everywhere after searching “How to die in Australia” on the plane. But his daughter wasn’t laughing.

“Lexi, what’s wrong?” Her small face was pale, her hands shaking. He looked at his mother.

“Don’t ask me, son.” Grandma shook her head, “She just started screaming.”

Lexi burst into tears, “Nan! You’re OK!” “Of course I am! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Dad, she just went full exorcist on me! She was talking but she didn’t make sense and then—” she pointed at the pile of sludge pooling in Grandma’s lap, “—look!”

They all looked down at the peas and the muck.

“Shit, Mum, I told you not to sit in the sun.”

Dad moved into action, dragging grandma’s chair, with grandma still in it, into the cool brick shade of the house. He handed Lexi his beer bottle.

“Hold that against her face, would ya?”

He disappeared into the house, reappearing with a mixing bowl full of cold water, a facecloth and a cleaning rag.

“Is she going to be OK?” Lexi whispered.

“She just needs to cool down,” dad said reassuringly, wiping the sick from grandma’s face. “But congrats on getting your Christmas wish!”

“What?”

“Your Christmas wish, remember? You wanted seafood. Get it? See-food!” Dad roared with laughter at his own joke, clutching his beer belly as Lexi gave him a death stare.

“Pudding’s up!” Helen called. She sliced the freshly boiled, hot, dense fruit cake into bowls, adding ladles of steaming hot custard on top. “Is Nan alright?”

“Nothing a bit of pud won’t fix,” dad called back.

“Lexi, be a love and grab us some pud,” grandma chirped in.

Lexi looked sideways at her, “But you were just sick!”

Grandma patted her belly, “And now I have extra room!” kate heskett is an award-winning poet, writer and canoe guide. Their work has appeared in Pique and The Lupine Review, and features in the upcoming anthology Awfully Hilarious: Pillow Talk. n

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40 DECEMBER 19, 2025

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During this special time of year, we encourage individuals and families to engage in acts of kindness.The Sea to Sky corridor is blessed with incredibly compassionate communities; there are numerous deserving causes to take into account, ranging from homelessness to health issues to the environment. Our mission is to uplift those in need, strengthen community bonds, and inspire generosity in everyone. Join us in making a difference this season—every small action contributes to a larger impact!

DECEMBER 19, 2025

41

SPORTS THE SCORE

Sea to Sky Nordics bring in new coach Andreas Wank-Mockenhaupt THE FORMER GERMAN SKI JUMPER WILL LEAD PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT WITH THE LOCAL CLUB AND NORDIC COMBINED SKI CANADA

BY DAVID SONG EVER SINCE his arrival in the Sea to Sky

corridor, Andreas Wank-Mockenhaupt has loved what he’s seen.

The now-retired German ski jumper’s opinion should hold some weight. He is the 2023-24 Alpencup winner, a Junior World Championships individual bronze medallist and 2024 Vice Junior Team World Champ. Wank-Mockenhaupt also coached for three years under Stefan Horngacher with the German national ski jumping team before helming that country’s junior national squad from 2022 to 2025.

Now he’s officially part of the Sea to Sky Nordics and Nordic Combined Ski Canada, forerunning the establishment of a Nordic combined program at Whistler Olympic Park (WOP).

What Wank-Mockenhaupt doesn’t love is the fact that Canadian ski-jumpers must train in Europe due to a lack of yearround facilities at home. For the past several years, this has also left Nordic combined hopefuls (who both ski-jump and cross-country ski in their discipline) without a viable development pathway.

“Especially in Whistler Olympic Park,

OFF THE JUMP Andreas Wank-Mockenhaupt, who joined the Sea to Sky Nordics coaching staff in November.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREAS WANK-MOCKENHAUPT

42 DECEMBER 19, 2025

there’s every opportunity to become a good sportsman but it needs some jumping hills for summer training,” said Wank-Mockenhaupt. “I’d like to develop the ski-jumping and Nordic combined program here, to get some athletes growing up in this area.

“For me, it’s a little [bit of a] bad thing that such a great nation and this kind of winter sports area we have here is not bringing out winter sport athletes,” he said. “I think in the name of the parents … the goal is that they

young Canadians in these disciplines.

This is an important investment in the future of our sport and in the young athletes who will take flight in pursuing their own Olympic dreams.”

‘A BROADER APPROACH TO COACHING’

According to Jim Woolsey, Nordic Combined Ski Canada’s chair, efforts to rebuild Nordic combined in Canada were led by John Heilig, who managed that sport at the 2010 Olympics and

“Hopefully my experiences also as a ski jumper—a professional—could help.”

- ANDREAS WANK-MOCKENHAUPT

have their kids at home, and the kids can train here for the whole year. That’s my goal for the next years.”

Sea to Sky Nordics director Rick Smith commented in a press release: “Andreas’ appointment represents a tremendous step forward for the development of Nordic combined and ski jumping in the Sea to Sky region, and for these two sports in Canada.

His experience at the top level of international sport, along with his commitment to developing athletes, will help us build a sustainable pathway for

championed it afterwards. Once he died in 2021 from a suspected heart attack in Beijing, efforts bogged down until WankMockenhaupt entered the picture.

He’s only been in British Columbia for a few weeks as of this writing, but Woolsey is already a fan.

“Been very impressed with [Andreas] as a person and as a coach,” remarked Woolsey. “One of the things that we were lacking here was a dry-land program in addition to the on-snow program, and so that was one of his first projects which he’s gotten off the ground in the first

couple of weeks.

“But what I was really impressed with is … when he does the schedule up for things, he looks at how it fits into the kids’ entire day: starting from breakfast to school to how it fits into the training program after school, making sure that there’s time for things like homework. It’s more of a broader approach to coaching, which I really support.”

Wank-Mockenhaupt once strived to qualify for the 2022 Olympic Games, but decided to retire in 2019 once Horngacher recruited him for the national coaching staff. Now he aims to become a coach who serves his athletes in every way feasible, taking pressure off their parents who are currently doing a great deal to help Sea to Sky Nordics operate.

The German plans to obtain plastic mats for WOP hills next season to facilitate year-round training. He’s in touch with Sea to Sky’s cross-country unit and organizes logistics for all of the region’s Nordic teams. Furthermore, he is attempting to acquire more material resources from Calgary (which no longer has a functional ski-jumping hill) to enhance his own program.

“We were quite successful in the last three years with the [German] junior team when I was the head coach,” said Wank-Mockenhaupt. “Hopefully my experiences also as a ski jumper—a professional—could help. I try to give all this knowledge to these young athletes.”

Visit seatoskynordics.ca to learn more about Sea to Sky Nordics programming. n

SPORTS THE SCORE

Jesse Melamed retires from professional mountain biking SPORTS BRIEFS: COURTNEY HOFFOS SNARES SILVER AS WORLD CUP SKI CROSS SEASON GETS UNDERWAY

BY DAVID SONG ONE OF THE SEA TO SKY’S most decorated mountain bikers is saying farewell.

Jesse Melamed announced his retirement on Dec. 12 via Instagram. By way of a lengthy and heartfelt post, the Whistlerite reflected on a 13-year career that saw him rise to a pair of World Cup overall titles and the second-most wins in the history of enduro. Sea to Sky fans won›t soon forget Melamed›s superior 2022 campaign, during which he officially became the first Canadian to grab an Enduro World Series (EWS) crown.

Melamed joined with fellow Sea to Sky riders Andréane Lanthier Nadeau and Remi Gauvin to form a proverbial three-headed dragon for Rocky Mountain Race Face (RMRF) for years. However, Melamed signed with Canyon CLLCTV in 2023 and finished his pro journey with that team.

While some sources like Pinkbike and UCI initially reported that Melamed had “semi-retired” from racing, the athlete himself insisted on social media that “it’s full retirement.”

“I never really had any grand goals when I started. I was just a kid riding his bike,” Melamed wrote. “I am lucky to have had people in my corner that believed in me and gave me chances. I took that and worked as hard as I could.

Two World Cup overalls and the secondmost wins of all time is truly more than I ever thought would happen. I’ve struggled with this post because I want to thank everyone, but there’s just too many people to thank. I hope you all know who you are, everyone had a hand in getting me to where I am today.

“That’s not just the success. It’s the memories, experiences and growth along the way. I am so happy for it to be over, I had an absolute blast doing what I love and I want to leave it at that.

Proving I could win again and having an opportunity for the future in the sport were the final pieces in allowing me to step away. I feel so lucky and grateful to have had this career. I can’t wait for what’s next and to keep riding my bike.

See you on the trails! Much love. P.S. I cried writing this. But I’m happy.”

Numerous riders paid tribute to Melamed online, including locals Nadeau, Jakob and Dane Jewett and Wei Tien Ho. Incumbent King of Crankworx Ryan Gilchrist, reigning Canadian Open Enduro champ Elliot Jamieson and two-time King Bas van Steenbergen were also among those who voiced their support.

HOFFOS SNARES SILVER

Canada’s first World Cup ski cross medal

END OF AN ERA Jesse Melamed smiles for the camera at the 2023 Canadian Open Enduro.

PHOTO BY CLINT TRAHAN

of the 2025-26 Olympic year belongs to Courtney Hoffos.

Indeed, the only woman who bested her on Dec. 11 in Val Thorens, France was four-time Crystal Globe recipient Sandra Naeslund. The Swedish phenom achieved her 40th World Cup victory as Hoffos grabbed silver and Mylene Ballet Baz earned bronze on home snow.

Hoffos made a technical pass on Germany›s Daniela Maier to solidify her podium position, and Maier wound up fourth. 2018 Olympic runner-up Brittany Phelan, who also won the Canadian Open Enduro two years ago, was sixth.

“Felt great to stand on the box today,” said Hoffos, the Windermere, B.C. native who trains in Whistler during summer months. “This is one of my favourite tracks. I haven’t skied here for two full years and it felt great to be back here.

It was a really tough field of girls with everyone back and healthy. There was some spicy racing and I had some luck on my side, but that’s our sport. I’m happy with my skiing and excited to race again tomorrow.”

Going into Thursday’s race, Naeslund had missed nearly 1.5 seasons due to a meniscus injury followed by a fractured tibia. The reigning Olympic champ was emotional as she told reporters: “It’s been a tough way back, there’s been so many important people by my side. This feels amazing. I’ve been so nervous since we arrived here. I said to myself: ‘just come here and have fun and try to enjoy it’, but there were so many nerves.

“It’s been two years since I last stood on the podium. It’s been a lot of ups and downs but I’m just so happy with my skiing today and so thankful to everyone who’s been with me on the way back.”

Marielle Thompson did not start in Val Thorens as she continues to rehab a knee injury, and fellow Whistlerite Tiana Gairns failed to make the quarterfinals in 21st.

“Feels like a big step to race a World Cup course again,” Gairns remarked on social media. “625 days since the last time! Now to cheer on Canadians and get ready for the next one!” n

DECEMBER 19, 2025

43

EPICURIOUS

Sea to Sky Gondola adds January dates for Taste of the Summit RESERVATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR JAN. 8, 15, 22 AND 29

BY DAVID SONG IF YOU ENJOYED the Sea to Sky

Gondola’s Taste of the Summit dining experience earlier this year in Squamish, you may likewise be interested in its Winter Edition.

Offerings are curated by executive chef Vinnie Hall and chef de cuisine Stevie Vardy and described as a fusion of Mediterranean flavours and mountain culture. Tapas, small and savoury Spanish dishes, are the name of the game: crafted from quality seasonal ingredients with gluten-free and vegetarian options available.

Fan favourites like the 14-hour braised beef cheek and Gambas pil pil are back on the menu, joined by new choices like Moroccan-style braised lamb shank (served with harissa, dried apricots and zaatar) as well as octopus and chorizo (tender sous vide octopus complemented by spicy sausage, vadouvan spices and fingerling potatoes). “[Stevie] and I have spent summer working on all the menu items which were very summery, light and fresh,

SUMPTUOUS SUMMIT The Sea to Sky Gondola is running its winter-themed Taste of the Summit event until Jan. 29, 2026 in Squamish.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CALLISTA RYAN

44 DECEMBER 19, 2025

and blending those flavours of the Mediterranean with a bit of a West Coast feel,” explained Hall. “As we transition into winter, we’re going for a heartier, wholesome [approach] with deeper, richer flavours. There’s lots of slowcooking, sous vide cooking, braising … same sort of service style with tapas, lots of small plates so everybody can taste everything and get a real array of flavours.

“In terms of the style of the actual experience: it’s going to be dark so we’re really focusing on cosy alpine evenings, warmer dishes, intimate, candlelit, really designed for comfort

‘YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE GREAT HERE? TAPAS’

Taste of the Summit launched in 2024, with organizers quickly realizing more dates were needed to accommodate demand. Hall’s staff enjoy the project because it features a different kind of food from what they normally cook, and it grants them the opportunity to serve guests in a more personalized manner.

Hall finds Taste of the Summit to be rewarding as well. Having entered the culinary industry as a 13-year-old dishwasher in Great Britain, he proceeded to work in the Austrian Alps, Spain and Australia before opening a restaurant in

“It’s been overwhelming. It’s been absolutely wonderful. There’s such a fantastic local connection and people really love it.”

- VINNIE HALL

and cosiness—but still with that great opportunity to come together. It’s all about sharing conversation, good company and having a good time.”

Live music has previously been a key component of Taste of the Summit, and this winter a pianist will be on hand to set the mood.

his native country. Yet Hall loves skiing, and Whistler’s mountains beckoned him more than a decade ago.

Stints as a Dusty’s sous chef, head chef of Christine’s on Blackcomb and executive chef for all of Whistler Blackcomb (WB) followed before Hall joined the Sea to Sky Gondola team. He now resides in

Squamish and is excited to be a part of something “that has so much potential.”

About public reception to Taste of the Summit, Hall said: “It’s been overwhelming. It’s been absolutely wonderful. There’s such a fantastic local connection and people really love it.

There’s some really great opportunities for the food scene in Squamish, and it’s growing exponentially which is wonderful to see.

“The minute I started here, it reminded me—obviously, the view is very different— but it reminded me somehow of sitting in Spain on this beautiful patio and soaking up the ambience. I was like, ‘you know what would be great here? Tapas.’ We took a bit of a gamble and launched this Taste of the Summit event, and people have really, really loved it.”

Taste of the Summit ran for 14 weeks this summer, attracting numerous regulars and even a few groups that visited every week. They were joined by an increasingly large crowd of Lower Mainlanders in search of tasty food and a unique venue to eat at. Hall emphasized Vardy’s contribution, calling him “a very talented” chef de cuisine and an “amazing partner through the menu creation process.”

December reservations have already sold out, with Hall remarking that he was “pleased” at how quickly they were taken up. Fortunately, the event will continue on Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 4 to 8 p.m.

Visit seatoskygondola.com/taste-ofthe-summit-winter to book a table. n

MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM • SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH OPEN DAILY: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

DEC 21 SUNDAY

DEC 22 MONDAY

DEC 23 TUESDAY

I Strength & Stability 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Lauren

I Mountain Ready Conditioning 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Jess

I Low Impact Strength 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Andy

I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m.

Lauren

F Yin & Yang Yoga 9-10 a.m.

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DEC 24 WEDNESDAY

DEC 25 THURSDAY

MPSC Closed – Happy Holidays!

I Functional Strength & Conditioning 9-10 a.m.

Jess

DEC 20 SATURDAY

No Classes

FITNESS CLASS SCHEDULE DEC 19 FRIDAY

I Cardio Circuit 9-10 a.m.

Andy I Zumba 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Susie

F FLEXIBLE REGISTRATION

Flex-reg’ classes have a separate fee and allow you to register for classes on the days that fit your schedule.

R REGISTERED FITNESS Registered fitness classes have a separate fee and a defined start and end date.

Pre-registration is required for the entire set of classes.

I INCLUDED FITNESS These classes are included with your price of admission for no extra charge.

POOL HOURS DEC 19 FRIDAY

DEC 20 SATURDAY

DEC 21 SUNDAY

DEC 22 MONDAY

DEC 23 TUESDAY

DEC 24 DEC 25 WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

LAP POOL

6 a.m. - 9 p.m.

6 a.m. - 9 p.m.

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ARENA SCHEDULE Please see whistler.ca/recreation for the daily arena hours or call 604-935- PLAY (7529).

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ARTS SCENE

Brother Twang launches recurring Tragically Hip tribute concert GEORGE SKOUPAS AND HIS BANDMATES ARE DEDICATED TO HONOURING A BAND THEY FEEL ARE ‘THE GUARDIANS OF CANADIANA’

BY DAVID SONG IF YOU ASK George Skoupas, vocalist and

lead guitar man of Brother Twang, about the Tragically Hip, expect him to wax poetic for some time.

To a given segment of Canada’s population who grew up in the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, the Hip were more than a beloved road trip soundtrack—they were history teachers. Many of their songs are full of references to Canadian individuals and places like artist Tom Thomson, hockey player Bill Barilko and an Ontario village named Bobcaygeon.

One must recognize the late Gord Downie, along with bandmates Rob Baker, Paul Langlois, Johnny Fay and Gord Sinclair have made an indelible mark on the fabric of pop culture in Canada, as evidenced by 17 Juno awards and millions of enduring fans.

Skoupas’ favourite songs by them are “The Darkest One,” “Gift Shop” and “Fiddler’s Green,” but there are a myriad of excellent choices to consider.

“There are things I learned about the history and topography of Canada

TWANG GANG The members of Sea to Sky rock band Brother Twang.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE SKOUPAS

46 DECEMBER 19, 2025

through listening to the Hip’s music and more importantly, Gord Downie’s poetic lyrics, than I ever did throughout school,” remarks Skoupas. “I truly believe a large portion of Canadians view Gord and the Hip as the guardians of Canadiana and the Canadian way of life.”

Skoupas’ bandmates, singer/guitarist Jay Romany, bass player Derek Stembridge and new drummer Jeff Boake, agree wholeheartedly. That’s why they began

“We kept coming back to how united all Canadians were from coast to coast when the Hip announced and toured their farewell tour. Only the Hip could unite our entire country through their music.”

TO STUDY GREAT SONGS

It is, of course, no easy task to replicate Hip content well.

Brother Twang respects the source material to the best of their ability,

“I truly believe a large portion of Canadians view Gord and the Hip as the guardians of Canadiana...”

- GEORGE SKOUPAS

dissecting dozens of their favourite Hip songs, studying every nuance in preparation for their inaugural tribute show.

This concert took place in September at Coast Mountain Brewing’s ninthanniversary bash, and three more followed to honour Jeremy Peterson and his nowclosed local bar Stinky’s on the Stroll.

Perennial Whistlerites and rabid Hip fans packed every show, making them “spiritual celebrations,” according to Skoupas.

“Deep down in our hearts we know the town still wants to rock,” he opines.

but there’s one wrinkle: they’re a fourpiece band whereas the Hip comprised five musicians. That means Romany is challenged with covering as many guitar parts as possible whilst faithfully channelling Downie’s inflections and idiosyncrasies on the microphone.

Skoupas wears many hats, too, rounding out the guitar work and supporting Romany as a backing vocalist.

There are a few more venues on Brother Twang’s wish list as their Hip tribute nights continue.

“The Pemberton Legion was the first venue we decided to approach in Pemby,” Skoupas says. “We are in our 40s and 50s and all long-term locals, so all of our best, longest friends have relocated to Pemby and Squamish in hopes of establishing roots and starting families. Our generation is the generation that loves partying to loud rock ‘n’ roll music still to this day.

“The Cinnamon Bear is partnering with us throughout this winter to help bring the family rock and dinner experience back to town. They’ve renovated and have a giant space now with great food and even better staff. We hope to break into the Brackendale Art Gallery soon, as that is a venue we have not had the pleasure of performing in thus far. The stages at Dusty’s and FLC are perfect for this tribute, too.”

While Brother Twang is still in the midst of writing original songs for its fifth album, the band agrees to a man that veering off into a Hip-related passion project was needed for their creative process.

“It’s to help us study great songs written before we play a single note together,” Skoupas comments. “To help teach us that a million notes make not a great song … just two to three chords, a simple melody and a harmony is all that is needed sometimes.”

Visit brothertwang.net to learn more about Brother Twang’s albums and upcoming shows. n

ARTS SCENE

Limited holiday release Whistler mountain snowfall collection

OFF THE SHELF Something, Not Nothing by Sarah Leavitt.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER WRITING SOCIETY

The Bookshelf: Something, Not Nothing

by Sarah Leavitt

BY PRU MOORE by Sarah Leavitt is a graphic memoir that chronicles the author’s journey through the death of her beloved partner, Donimo, after 22 years together. Using impressionistic cartoon panels and minimal text, Leavitt conveys the grief, terror, and confusion she experienced in the wake of Donimo’s choice to die by medical assistance—and her two-year journey toward healing.

The book explores themes of love and loss, the contrast between “natural” and medically assisted death, the transformative power of art, and the complex, often contradictory emotions that come with grief. Leavitt, who teaches comics at the UBC School of Creative Writing, masterfully communicates these layers through expressive artwork in ink, coloured pencils, and watercolours.

What I appreciated most about the book was Leavitt’s careful choice of imagery and words to express what often feels inexpressible. The narrative is at times both clear and disorienting— reflecting the emotional chaos of her experience. While the book opens in a very dark place, Leavitt gradually finds her way back to love and laughter. Her abstract, often wordless panels invite the reader to interpret them in deeply personal ways. The book is intimate and deeply human. Though grief is unique to each of us, much of what Leavitt shares feels relatable, and I found myself full of empathy for her.

The topic is especially timely. As baby boomers and their families face aging and death, Leavitt’s story reminds us these conversations are urgent and necessary. There is no escaping death— SOMETHING,

NOT

NOTHING

and sharing our stories helps us process and find meaning.

That said, I found myself missing one element I’ve personally experienced with the death of a loved one. It’s the quiet, guilty sense of relief that can come when someone dies, particularly after prolonged suffering. Perhaps Leavitt didn’t feel this, or perhaps she chose not to include it. Still, it felt like an omission.

Donimo’s choice for MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) was assessed and approved by two separate doctors. I was curious to know more about that process and its emotional impact on Leavitt.

Overall, I recommend this book. It’s honest, human, and deeply affecting.

The graphic novel—here, a graphic memoir—is a genre I hadn’t explored before, but now I understand why my grandchildren are so drawn to it. It’s a powerful medium for such a difficult and important subject. And in the end, I agree with Leavitt: what happens after we die is, indeed, something, not nothing.

Leavitt is an associate professor in the School of Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia, where she has developed and taught undergraduate and graduate comics classes since 2012. She is the author of the graphic memoir Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s, My Mother, and Me (2010), and the awardwinning historical fiction comic Agnes, Murderess (2019). Leavitt appeared at the Whistler Writers Festival this year.

The Bookshelf is presented by the Whistler Writing Society, hosts of the Whistler Writers Festival. Pru Moore is an avid reader and writer, and longtime fan of the Whistler Writers Festival. She has retired from a long career as an ICU nurse and college teacher. Her passions are her friends and family, politics, swimming, and choir. n

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47

2025 Christmas & New Year’s Mass Schedule Our Lady of the Mountains, 6299 Lorimer Road, Whistler, BC St. Christopher’s, Highway 99, Mount Currie, BC St. Francis of Assisi, 1360 Pemberton Farm W., Pemberton, BC

Sunday 21st Dec:

9:00 am

Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains

11:30 am

Mt. Currie, St. Christopher’s

1:00 pm

Pemberton, St. Francis of Assisi

4:30 pm

Children’s Mass, Our Lady of the Mountains

7:00 pm

Mt. Currie, St. Christopher’s

9:00 pm

Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains

11:00 pm

Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains

Christmas Eve: Vigil of Christmas

ARTS SCENE PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE Here’s a quick look at some events happening in Whistler this week and beyond.

FIND MORE LOCAL EVENT LISTINGS (and submit your own for free!) at piquenewsmagazine.com/local-events

CHRISTMAS EVE CAROL SERVICE PHOTO BY RAMILF / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Christmas Day: The Nativity of the Lord

9:00 am

Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains

11:30 am

Pemberton, St. Francis of Assisi

5:00 pm

Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains

New Year’s Eve:

5:00 pm

Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains

New Year’s Day:

9:00 am

Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains

11:30 am

Mt. Currie, St. Christopher’s

1:00 pm

Pemberton, St. Francis of Assisi

View online at www.whistlercatholicchurch.ca

HAPPY HOUR MONDAY TO FRIDAY 3PM TO 7PM

A JUG & ANY PIZZA OR NACHO FOR $35* WITH TAX INCLUDED! STARTING OCTOBER 1ST *NORMALLY $48 PLUS TAX

WILLS & ESTATES BUSINESS LAW REAL ESTATE LAW Meet with me via video conference, telephone, and in person.

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48 DECEMBER 19, 2025

332-4370 Lorimer Road Whistler 604.932.3211 s.shaw@raceandco.com

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CANDLELIGHT CONCERTS FEATURING HANS ZIMMER, CHRISTMAS CLASSICS Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multisensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before. Discover the music of Hans Zimmer followed by a bevy of classic Christmas songs. > Dec. 19, 6:30 p.m. (Hans Zimmer) and 8:30 p.m. (Christmas Classics) > Maury Young Arts Centre

WINTERSPHERE WHISTLER The ultimate, indoor winter wonderland experience awaits you this holiday season. Wintersphere celebrates this magical time of year with festive activities for the entire family! Join in the fun with visits from Santa, entertainers, a holiday café, kids crafts, signature holiday maze and much more. Please note that Wintersphere is closed on Dec. 25. > Dec. 20 to Jan. 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. > Whistler Conference Centre

DISCOVER LUGE Children and youth can now try the Olympic winter sport of luge by sliding down a portion of the track on their own sled. Parents are welcome to spectate, or slide too if space permits. Athletes will receive coaching and be supervised to ensure safety at the venue. Runs rain, snow or shine! No experience required. Youth ages 8 to 14. > Dec. 21 > Whistler Sliding Centre

LIVE MUSIC: ASH GRUNWALD Renowned for his electrifying live shows, Ash Grunwald has inspired a generation to hit the road in an old van to surf by day, jam by night. The festival favourite brings a high energy, vibrant live show with stacks of guitars and foot stomping blues. Part troubadour, part storyteller, Ash has been selling out shows all over the world! Don’t miss this chance to see live blues music at its finest! > Dec. 21, 9 p.m. > Garibaldi Lift Co.

SWEDISH AFTERSKI Tuesdays are for the Swedish! Don’t miss out on the ultimate après-ski celebration! A local tradition for 10 years, come and party like the Europeans do. Celebrate a day on the slopes with dancing and singalongs. > Dec. 23, 3 to 7 p.m. > Longhorn Saloon

WEDNESDAY NIGHT SPECIAL AT WHISTLER OLYMPIC PARK Take advantage of discounted tickets and rentals on

Wednesday nights from Dec. 10, to March 4, 2026.

Spend time on the well-lit trails or light up your journey with a headlamp. Explore under the beautiful starry skies of the Callaghan Valley and when you need a break, stop by the fully-licensed café in the Day Lodge and indulge in delicious specials. > Dec. 24, 3 to 9 p.m. > Whistler Olympic Park

WINTER WONDERLAND: GRAND FAMILY BUFFET Gather the whole family and celebrate the season.

Indulge in a festive feast filled with holiday favourites, decadent desserts, and joyful surprises, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Plus, little ones will love the hands-on fun at the Gingerbread Cookie Decorating Station, making this a holiday experience to remember. > Dec. 24 and 25, 5 to 9 p.m. > Nita Lake Lodge

CHRISTMAS EVE CAROL SERVICE The 37th annual Christmas Eve Carol Service, hosted by the Whistler Children’s Chorus and Whistler Singers, features traditional carols, choral music and community readings celebrating the birth of Christ, creating a joyful sense of peace and goodwill. Entry by donation. > Dec. 24, 6:30 p.m. > Westin Resort and Spa

CHRISTMAS GALA DINNER WITH LAUGH OUT LIVE! Celebrate Christmas with an evening of live music

by Monty Biggins, festive flair, and entertainment

by Laugh Out LIVE! Enjoy a complimentary welcome drink and indulge in a festive buffet with live cooking displays! Two seatings available and reservations required. > Dec. 25, 5 p.m. or 7:45 p.m. > Hilton Whistler

FAMILY CHRISTMAS GALA DINNER Create unforgettable Christmas memories with your family at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Delight in a festive buffet featuring holiday favourites, live music, and a magical atmosphere. From carving stations to delectable desserts, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Gather your loved ones for a night of fun, laughter, and holiday cheer! > Dec. 25, 6 p.m. > Fairmont Chateau Whistler Macdonald Ballroom

PARTIAL RECALL

2

1

3

5

4

1 THREE CHEERS FOR CHARITY While dancing the night away at the Mature Action Community’s annual Christmas party, local seniors collected more than two bins of food and raised $770 for the food bank. PHOTO COURTESY OF IAIN GRUNWELL 2 FIVE FOR FIFTY Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre curator Mixalhítsa7 Alison Pascal poses with Mayor Jack Crompton at a Dec. 11 ceremony honouring five new Freedom of the Municipality holders. The other four recipients were Steve Bayly, Doug Forseth, Allison Burns Joseph, and John Hetherington. PHOTO BY DAVID BUZZARD / COURTESY OF THE RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER 3 WINTER WONDERLAND? While Whistler waited for snow this week, the valley temporarily experienced some minor flooding from heavy rain instead. Pictured is Rainbow Park on Dec. 15. PHOTO SUBMITTED 4 SONGS OF THE SEASON The Whistler Singers’ Christmas Concert was held Dec. 14 in the Great Hall of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. PHOTO BY MARIE KATO 5 BANK JUMPER The River of Golden Dreams temporarily expanded its boundaries after some heavy rainfall this week. PHOTO BY PATRICK SMYTH

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS! Send your recent snaps to edit@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Beer & Wine Store is open on Christmas Day from 11am-11pm

Roland's Pub & the Red Door Bistro will be closed on Christmas Day.

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DECEMBER 19, 2025

49

MUSEUM MUSINGS & ASTROLOGY

Emerald Forest: the final link in Whistler’s green belt

BY KRISTINA SWERHUN “Protecting biodiversity and fighting climate change takes more than isolated efforts: it requires a living network of protected and conserved areas that are deeply interconnected.” -Parks Canada OUR LAST article was about Whistler’s

remaining wetlands and how important it is for Whistler to protect them.

However, protected areas in isolation are not enough; they also need to be connected by green belts, defined as open land where development is restricted or banned. This allows for ecological connectivity, which is the ability for animals on land or in water to move freely from place to place. This is essential because it allows wildlife to find food, breed, and establish new home territories.

In 1985, when the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) expropriated what is now Rainbow Park near the north end of Alta Lake, the RMOW also recognized the value of protecting a wetland corridor along the River of Golden Dreams (ROGD) from Alta Lake to Green Lake. Over time, the RMOW protected the Whistler Nature Reserve (Rainbow Park wetlands),

ON GOLDEN POND Alex Philip with guests from Rainbow Lodge heading down the River of Golden Dreams.

PHILIP COLLECTION, 1941

Golden Dreams Conservation Area, Meadow Park, and Dream River Park.

The last piece of the puzzle was the establishment of the Emerald Forest Conservation Area in 2000. It was a huge win for ecological connectivity, but acquiring what was previously private land was a complex, lengthy and intriguing process.

In the late 1970s, the 139-acre Emerald Forest property was purchased

by Decigon Corporation and zoned for residential development. Even though the RMOW wanted to protect the land,

it didn’t have the money to buy it. For several years, Decigon sought rights to its land that exceeded the allowed development or included subdivision.

Over time, a large group of dedicated community members advocated to protect this critical ecosystem and recreation area. So, with community support, the RMOW renewed its efforts to safeguard the land.

In August 1999, it was finally announced that a deal had been made for the Emerald Forest lands.

In a surprising twist, Intrawest was

brought in as a third party to make the deal happen. In the three-way agreement, Intrawest purchased the Emerald Forest lands from Decigon for an undisclosed price. In exchange for the Emerald Forest, the RMOW paid Intrawest $1 million and granted Intrawest approval for additional development rights in the Benchlands and other areas.

In 2000, the Emerald Forest Conservation Area was permanently protected through a legally binding agreement between the RMOW and The Land Conservancy of BC. Emerald Forest ecosystems include wetlands, which connect to the much larger ROGD corridor, as well as upland forest, which connects to wetlands on most sides and is significant habitat for many species. Much of the upland forest is unlogged, and some of the biggest trees are almost 400 years old!

I hope you have a renewed appreciation for the work done by the RMOW, Intrawest, and the community at large to protect the Emerald Forest for recreation and, more urgently, as an essential link in a protected wetland corridor. The ROGD green belt is vital for protecting Whistler’s biodiversity and resilience against climate change, a basic need for both people and wildlife. n

Free Will Astrology WEEK OF DECEMBER 19 BY ROB BREZSNY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Nine hundred years ago, Sufi

philosopher Al-Ghazali provided rigorous advice that’s not very popular these days. “To understand the stars,” he said, “one must polish the mirror of the soul.” Here’s my interpretation: To fathom the truth about reality, you must be a strong character who treasures clarity and integrity. It’s highly unlikely you can gather a profound grasp of how life works if your inner depths are a mess. Conversely, your capacity to comprehend the Great Mystery increases as you work on purifying and strengthening your character. Everything I just said is good advice for all of us all the time, but it will be especially potent and poignant for you in the coming months.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The sound of a whip cracking is a small sonic boom. The tip breaks the sound barrier, creating that distinctive snap. In my astrological reckoning, Taurus, life has provided you with the equivalent of a whip. During the coming months, you will have access to a simple asset that can create breakthrough force when wielded with precision and good timing. I’m not referring to aggression or violence. Your secret superpower will be understanding how to use small treasures that can generate disproportionate impacts. What’s your whip?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Some Japanese potters practice yohen tenmoku. It’s a technique used to create a rare type of tea bowl with shifting, star-like iridescence on deep, dark glaze. The sublime effect results from a process that’s unusually demanding, highly unpredictable, and hard to control. Legend says that only one in a thousand bowls achieves the intended iridescence. The rest, according to the masters, are “lessons in humility.”

I believe you can flourish by adopting this experimental mindset in the coming months. Treat your creative experiments as offerings to the unknown, as sources of wonder whether or not your efforts yield stellar results. Be bold in trying new techniques and gentle in self-judgment.

Delight in your apprenticeship to mystery. Some apparent

“failures” may bring useful novelty.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A fair-weather cumulus cloud typically weighs over a million pounds and yet floats effortlessly. Let’s make that one of your prime power symbols for 2026, Cancerian. It signifies that you will harbour an immense emotional cargo that’s suspended with grace. You will carry complex truths, layered desires, and lyrical ambitions, but you will manage it all with aplomb and even delight. For best results, don’t overdramatize the heaviness; appreciate and marvel at the buoyancy.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Every 11 years, the Sun reverses its magnetic polarity. North becomes south, and south becomes north. The last switch was completed earlier this year. Let’s use this natural phenomenon as your metaphorical omen for the coming months, Leo. Imagine that a kind of magnetic reversal will transpire in your psyche. Your inner poles will flip position. As the intriguing process unfolds, you may be surprised at how many new ideas and feelings come rumbling into your imagination.

Rather than resist the cosmic acrobatics, I advise you to welcome and collaborate with them.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The sculptor Louise Bourgeois was asked why she worked so often with the image of the spider. She said it was a tribute to her mother, who was deliberate, clever, patient, soothing, helpful, and useful—just like a spider. In the coming months, I invite you to embody her vision of the spider. You will have the wherewithal to weave hardy networks that could support you for years to come. Be creative and thoughtful as you craft your network of care. Your precision will be a form of devotion. Every strand, even fragile ones, will enhance your long-term resilience.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Researchers studying music theory know that dissonance—sounds that feel “wrong” or create tension—is in part culturally determined.

Indonesia’s gamelan music and Arabic maqam scales are beautiful to audiences that have learned to appreciate them. But they might seem off-kilter to Westerners accustomed to music filled with major thirds and triads.

Let’s use this as our starting point as we contemplate your future in 2026, Libra. Life may disrupt your assumptions about what constitutes balance and harmony. You will be invited to consider the possibility that what seems like discord from one perspective is attractive and valuable from another. My advice: Open your mind to other ways of evaluating what’s meaningful and attractive.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the Sonoran Desert of the southwestern United States, Arizona bark scorpions are hard to see at night. Scientists who want to study them can find them only by searching with flashlights that emit ultraviolet light. This causes the scorpions’ exoskeletons to fluoresce and glow a distinct blue-green or turquoise colour, making them highly visible. Let’s use this scenario as a metaphor for you. In the coming months, you may reveal your best brilliance under uncommon conditions.

Circumstances that seem unusual or challenging will highlight your true beauty and power. What feels extreme may be a good teacher and helper. I urge you to trust that the right people will recognize your unique beauty.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): According to legend, the genius composer Mozart heard entire symphonies in his imagination before he wrote down any notes. That’s a slight exaggeration. The full truth is that he often worked hard and made revisions. His inspiration was enhanced by effort and craft. However, it’s also true that Mozart wrote at least five masterful works in rapid succession, sometimes with remarkably few corrections on the manuscript. They included his last three symphonies (Nos. 39, 40, and 41). I predict you will have a Mozart-like aptitude in the coming months: the ability to perceive whole patterns before the pieces align. Trust your big visions!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In Greek mythology, Proteus was a sea god famed for his ability to change his shape endlessly to evade capture. But now and then, a persistent hero was able to hold on to Proteus through all his transformations, whether he became a lion, serpent, tree, or flame. Then the god would bestow the gift of prophecy on the successful daredevil. I suspect that in the coming months, you will have an exceptional power to snag and grasp Proteuslike things, Capricorn. As a result, you could claim help and revelations that seem almost magical.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In Florence, Italy, the Accademia Gallery houses several of Michelangelo’s sculptures that depict human figures partially emerging from rough blocks of marble. They seem to be caught in the process of birth or liberation. These works showcase the technique Michelangelo called non-finito (unfinished), in which the forms appear to struggle to escape from the stone. In the coming months, Aquarius, I foresee you undergoing a passage that initially resembles these figures. The good news is that unlike Michelangelo’s eternally trapped characters, you will eventually break free.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): To prepare you for 2026, I’ve gathered three quotes that address your most pressing need and urgent mandate. I recommend you tape this horoscope to your bathroom mirror. 1. “We cannot live in a world interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a hope. Part of the terror is to take back our listening, to use our own voice, to see our own light.” — author Elaine Bellezza. 2. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 3.

“The ability to tell your own story, in words or images, is already a victory, already a revolt.” —Rebecca Solnit.

Homework: What’s the most subtly heroic thing you could do in 2026? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.

IN ADDITION TO THIS COLUMN, ROB BREZSNY CREATES EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES In-depth weekly forecasts designed to inspire and uplift you. To buy access, phone 1-888-499-4425. Once you’ve chosen the Block of Time you like, call 1-888-682-8777 to hear Rob’s forecasts. www.freewillastrology.com

50 DECEMBER 19, 2025

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Handmade Christmas bandana’s

Come build and grow with the best team.

Our team of people is what sets us apart from other builders. As we continue to grow as the leader in luxury projects in Whistler, our team needs to expand with us.

We are currently hiring: Labourers ($20 - $30 hourly) Carpenters Helpers/Apprentices 1st to 4th year ($25 - $35 hourly) Experienced Carpenters ($30 - $45 hourly) Carpentry Foremen ($40 - $50 hourly) Site Supervisor Rates vary based on experience and qualifications. Red Seal is a bonus but not required. Crane Operator experience considered an asset.

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52 DECEMBER 19, 2025

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Don’t miss this one! WSET Level 2 in Wines this January Registration deadline: January 2nd, 2026 Dates: Jan 12, 13, 14,19, 20, 21 Exam: January 28th, 2026 from 10-12 Where: Mekong Restaurant, Creekside

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Director of Planning and Development Services (Regular, Full-time)

Looking to contribute to your local community? Consider a career in local government.

Join the SLRD’s team of dedicated staff who work together to make a difference in the region.

Headquartered in Pemberton, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) delivers a wide range of regional, sub-regional and local services to its residents. The SLRD is a BC Regional District consisting of four member municipalities (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Lillooet) and four electoral areas. Services include land use planning, solid waste management, building inspection, fire protection, emergency preparedness, 911 services, recreation, water and sewer utilities, regional transit, trails and open spaces as well as financial support for various community services. The region contains some of the most spectacular forests, waterways, and mountains in the province and affords an endless range of opportunities for outdoor adventure, making it an exceptional place to live, work and play.

The SLRD is seeking a strategic and collaborative Director of Planning and Development Services. The Director of Planning and Development Services is responsible for overseeing the planning and development, building services, bylaw enforcement and GIS land and property mapping functions of the SLRD. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, and as a member of the senior leadership team, this position provides oversight, direction and guidance on planning and development policies, plans, and bylaws in alignment with SLRD strategic goals and objectives.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of seven (7) years of recent experience in progressively senior planning roles, an undergraduate degree in planning or a related discipline plus a post-graduate degree in community and regional planning; and full membership with the Planning Institute of BC and/or the Canadian Institute of Planners. For further information, please refer to the full job description at www.slrd.bc.ca/employment.

The salary range for this position is $135,455 - $152,456 annually. A comprehensive extended benefits package, participation in the Municipal Pension Plan, compressed work week (9-day fortnight), and professional development opportunities are also available.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their cover letter and resume (preferably in pdf format) by email, no later than January 4, 2026 at 11:59 pm to careers@slrd.bc.ca.

We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those shortlisted will be contacted.

DECEMBER 19, 2025

53

JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAMMING AT SSHS

Southern Stl'atl'imx Health Society

The Museum is currently seeking:

At SSHS, we work together to ensure program delivery and administration run smoothly by working together to provide essential health and wellness services that nurture the well-being of Stl’atl’imx peoples.

Open Positions: Child and Family Services Program: • Family Strengthening Worker ($62 000-$75.000) Early Childhood Development (ECD) Program: • ECD Program Coordinator ($42 000-$60 000) Administration: • Part-time Bookkeeper ($25-$35 hourly) Each Position requires a level of qualifications based on the position. All of these positions require traveling to indigenous communities served by SSHS, accessed by Forest Service Roads For full-time employees: SSHS offers a competitive benefits and employment package to full time employees About SSHS: SSHS is a non-profit Indigenous health organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Indigenous communities. Our organization provides culturally appropriate health care services, programs, and initiatives to support the holistic health of Indigenous individuals and families.

See full job postings: sshs.ca/careers/

Applications and questions can be directed to: julia.schneider@sshs.ca

Accounting Clerk Part-time starting at $28.00 to $30.00 per hour, based on experience.

Provide support with daily POS audits, accounts payable, data entry, GL reconciliation and other tasks as required.

Application deadline December 29, 2025.

Apply and learn more via the QR code, or email applications to tlerose@audainartmuseum.com Xwalacktun, He-yay meymuy (Big Flood)(detail), 2014-15.

Photo: Mirae Campbell.

The Museum is currently seeking:

Educational Art Instructuor Part-time, $29.00 per hour.

Deliver regular art-based workshops to adults and children at the Museum, deepening students’ knowledge and understanding of the history and methods of art-making in British Columbia.

December 19th Paper:

Booking Deadline Remains the Same: Tuesday, December 16th at Noon.

Creative Deadline Remains the Same: Tuesday, December 16th at 4 PM.

December 26th Paper:

Booking Deadline: Monday, December 22nd at Noon.

Creative Deadline: Tuesday, December 23rd at Noon.

January 2nd 2026 Paper:

Booking Deadline: Monday, December 29th at Noon.

Creative Deadline: Tuesday, December 30th at Noon.

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54 DECEMBER 19, 2025

Application deadline December 29, 2025.

Apply and learn more via the QR code, or email applications to efeaver@audainartmuseum.com

4

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4/11/2005 DECEMBER 19, 2025

55

PUZZLES ACROSS 1 6 10 14 18 20 21 22 24 25 26 27 29

30 32 34 36 37 38 39 41 43 44 45 47 49 52 53 55 59 60 62 64 65 66 67 69 71

Macaroni Miss the mark Cummerbund “Dracula” author -- Stoker Main road Artificial bait Not baja Summarize Robber on the high seas Designer -- Cassini Require Some advancement In its current condition (2 wds.)

Praise Likely Hit again and again Cleveland’s lake Grassland Incite to act Take malicious delight Therapeutic bath Badly Half a fortnight Cook in oil (Hyph.)

Entreaty Wanted, in a way Asian nation Merit Short trip for business Moving about Offer Egyptian mother goddess Take place Willowy Perfume ceremonially Eagle (Var.) Food fish “-- we go again!”

72 73 74 75 77 78 80 82 84 85 87 88 89 90 92 93 94 96 97 99 102 104 105 106 107 108 110 112 114 115 117 119 120 121 123 125 126 129 131 132

Food for babies Bit of grass -- de parfum Picture puzzle CIA forerunner Inuit boat Heroic deed Rubs against One-armed bandits Tsunami -- 500 race Happiest moments London’s river Tentacled sea creature Tent Smell a -Unyielding Small dog Unrefined Genus of macaws Oklahoma town Remove “-- a boy!”

Blackens with fire Hold tightly Sturdy Average “America’s Got --” Slogan Matched sound to video Singer -- Coolidge Final Prejudiced Fasten, in a way Filling fellow Stake To a considerable degree Labor Comes in last Seal

133 136 138 140 141 142 143 145 147 149 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158

Zodiac animal News item, for short Bargain Chess piece Lean Pith helmet Make known Singer -- McEntire Celebes ox Relating to a tail Permission Old region of western Europe Row Tempt Jazz type, for short Whirlpool Word in a threat Ditties

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 23 28

Of the bishop of Rome Develop Column groove Light refreshments Skill Baking staple New Year’s Eve word Wrath Lawyers’ jargon Town in New Mexico (2 wds.)

India pale -Pace Underworld god Easy to break “The -- & Stimpy Show” Measure of farmland Indigenous New Zealander Barked Bucket Tierra -- Fuego

31 33 35 38 39 40 42 44 45 46 48 49 50 51 52 54 56 57 58 60 61 63 66 68 70 73 74 75 76 79 80 81 83 84 85 86 89 91 92 95

97 98 100 101 103 105 106 107 109 111 113 114 116 118 120 122 124

Arctic bird Burst Cup’s edge Crystal-gazer Crystal-lined rock Instruct -- -sum game Impulse -- macabre Time periods (Abbr.)

St. Louis feature Winged creature “La -- Bonita” Contract requirement Furnish Subtle detail Playing card (3 wds.)

Hospital workers Array Wood for ships Do a farm job Blubber Quintessential Judge’s decision Woman of rank Mean dog Not subject to Clear (of) Ocean liners May honoree Actress -- Arden Undivided Time Crude dwelling Server “-- another thing ...”

Long lock Eject Pleasantly sour Sticky stuff

Thorax -- and rave Ceremony Footless creature “Get down!”

Chip maker Caste Farm denizen Big top Lend a hand Estrange Fine spray Drew whimsically Unusual thing Ricochet Cravat Safe travel org.

125 126 127 128 130 132 133 134 135 137 139 141 142 144 146 148 150

Greek letter “-- Pete’s sake!”

Cain’s brother Bolt Substantial Portion “Thinker” sculptor Swiftly Distance measures Salty drop Direct Parts of shoes Skirt for a dancer Actress -- Gardner Unopened flower Nothing Insect

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

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LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: EASY

4 8

7

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ANSWERS ON PAGE 55

56 DECEMBER 19, 2025

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57

PIQUE’N YER INTEREST

Losing with dignity is a rare and precious skill, and the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays have it IT’S BEEN MORE than a month since the Toronto Blue Jays lost the 2025 World Series. Let me catch you up if you’re not a baseball fan: this setback happened on Nov. 1 in perhaps the most gut-wrenching manner possible.

Toronto surrendered 3-0 and 4-2 leads at various points in Game 7. Los Angeles Dodgers bench shortstop Miguel Rojas tied the game in the ninth inning

BY DAVID SONG dsong@piquenewsmagazine.com with a shocking home run off Jays closer Jeff Hoffman. Isiah Kiner-Falefa got as far as third base in the bottom of the ninth, but was thrown out at home plate by inches. Ernie Clement launched a ball to the warning track… then watched another Dodgers backup, Andy Pages, somehow catch it despite running into teammate Kiké Hernandez.

By Inning No. 11, the Jays were out of magic. Shane Bieber, a battle-tested starting pitcher appearing in relief, threw a lifeless slider that Will Smith (the L.A. catcher, not the actor) blasted over the wall. That made the score 5-4, and 5-4 it would remain.

The Jays were tantalizingly close to their first World Series championship in 32 years. Instead it was the Dodgers who became the first Major League Baseball (MLB) organization in a quarter century to win back-to-back titles.

Fans grieved from coast to coast.

POWER OF FRIENDSHIP Will the Vladdy/Bo bromance continue in 2026?

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS / FACEBOOK

58 DECEMBER 19, 2025

Analysts pontificated about missed opportunities that haunted Canada’s lone MLB squad throughout an unforgettable seven-game duel with L.A.’s juggernaut franchise. Nobody wants to be runner-up in professional sports.

However: not everyone gets to win every time, and refusing to see the silver lining in defeat can leave you in an unhealthy place. Jays players told reporters how much their 2025 season meant, and how much they love their teammates. This camaraderie can teach us something—not just about sport, but about life as well.

‘IT’S HARD TO REPLICATE TRUE LOVE’

There’s no shortage of impassioned quotes to choose from, but I felt Clement was particularly eloquent in the wake of an emotionally devastating result.

“Ever since the game ended, we’ve just tried to be around each other,” said the man who set a record for most hits

I’d go to war with Jeff Hoffman every day of the week, I’d want him on the mound.

I’d want [Bieber] on the mound. Those are guys who I would take a bullet for.

Ninety-nine times out of 100, those guys get the job done.”

Sports are not always fun for the best athletes on Earth. They’re paid millions to play a game, but that privilege comes with unrelenting media scrutiny and an overwhelming demand to generate results again and again. Some players end up going through the motions to collect a paycheque with little of the childlike joy that once drove them to pick up a bat, a ball or whatever it may be.

This year’s Blue Jays do not regard their profession in such a dreary manner—and it’s not just the youngsters who feel that way.

“I hope I have another chance with this group. I love this group. I love these guys,” said 36-year-old relief pitcher Chris Bassitt as he fought back tears.

“You just never know, but I would love to have another shot with this group. It’s

Plenty of people from all walks of life become cynical with age, so when veterans whose bodies ache due to years of injury and exertion talk about how sport has helped them experience “true love,” we ought to notice. in a single MLB postseason with 30.

“This is rare in our game, to have a team that really feels for one another and loves each other. I’ve been crying for probably an hour. I thought I was done with the tears. I just love these guys so much. It was so much fun coming to work every day.

“We went through so much all year.

hard to replicate true love. You can try to replicate this and a lot of people will try, but it’s not really possible.”

Max Scherzer is an eight-time AllStar, two-time World Series champ and future Hall of Famer. Known for his fiercely competitive approach on the mound, even he admitted: “I may be 41 years old, but I never thought I could love

baseball this much.”

Plenty of people from all walks of life become cynical with age, so when veterans whose bodies ache due to years of injury and exertion talk about how sport has helped them experience “true love,” we ought to notice.

‘SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF’

Jays manager John Schneider remarked that “it’s not very often you get a group together that genuinely likes one another and genuinely cares about one another … and I’m talking about their wives, their kids, and them.” Such words remind us of one more important truth: win or lose, it’s the people you bond with in life that matter most.

Failure always hurts, whether that be in a big game, a career or some other pursuit. Yet those who rebound from defeat aren’t just ultra-competitive: they find a way to process their losses healthily instead of spiralling into disillusionment.

Time will tell, but the Jays seem capable of doing that.

The MLB offseason is underway and Toronto’s front office is hard at work signing new talent while retaining as many free agents as possible. Hopefully they’ll also retain the brand of brotherhood that made the 2025 Blue Jays special.

While Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is Toronto’s on-field superstar at first base, Clement has likewise established himself as an outstanding presence on and off the field. Perhaps my favourite moment is when he comforted longtime Jays reporter Hazel Mae between innings during that fateful Game 7, so I’ll finish off with another quote from him.

“We gave it everything we had,” Clement said. “When you fall short, but you can say that you left it all out there, there’s something to be proud of.”

Words to live by. n

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