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Uphill Battle

A closer look at what it takes to conquer the daunting Red Bull 400

Mike Shaw embodies the athletic spirit and perseverance associated with Red Bull’s extreme sporting events. The former freestyle skier, who once had aspirations of competing in the X-Games or Winter Olympics, took part in his first Red Bull 400 race last summer in Whistler.…

Council supports e-bike draft policy

‘Class 1’ e-bikes permitted on Valley Trail

After months of consultation with key stakeholders, Whistler council opted to support a draft policy concerning “e-mobility devices” (or e-bikes) at its July 9 meeting. The policy will permit Class 1 e-bikes (pedal-assisted motors, top speed of 32 kilometres an hour) on the Valley Trail network and most, but not all, off-road, non-motorized recreational trails.…

Deadly pollution does not respect borders

A number of years ago I returned to Ontario to spend a couple of weeks paddling in Killarney Provincial Park. Killarney occupies a small swath of the coast of Georgian Bay.…

Whistler avalanche dog makes star turn in new IMAX film

Henry the border collie is voiced by Hollywood star Chris Evans in Superpower Dogs

There was one moment in particular last winter when the producers of a new IMAX film knew they had made the right casting decision. Their photogenic star, clad in safety vest and fire-truck-coloured goggles hung over his silky, reddish-brown hair, sat perched, stoically, at the top of a picturesque slab of Whistler Mountain informally known as Kodak Rock.…

The Sheepdogs are keeping the craft of rock alive

Saskatchewan rock purists play Olympic Plaza on July 20

Compared to the career trajectory of their rock n’ roll compatriots, The Sheepdogs did everything backwards.
Plucked from relative obscurity in 2011 to become the first unsigned band to grace the cover of Rolling Stone, the Saskatchewan rock purists were thrust into the spotlight after winning the magazine’s “Choose Your Cover” contest.…

Cruz hits World Cup podium

Pemberton downhiller second at Vallnord

Pemberton’s Lucas Cruz made some history in Andorra on July 5. In his second year on the Mercedes-Benz UCI World Cup downhill tour, Cruz earned his first podium appearance, placing second in the junior men’s division at Vallnord.…

Wildfire remains a concern for local tourism stakeholders

Communication, messaging ‘exceptionally important’

The 2019 wildfire season has been kind to Whistler so far (knock on wood)—with no fires on the doorstep or smoky skies impacting enjoyment of the outdoors—but after back-to-back, record-breaking fire seasons, the issue is never far from the minds of local tourism stakeholders. “It’s always going to be on our radar because of what we’ve experienced,” said Karen Goodwin, VP of destination and market development for Tourism Whistler (TW).…

Seeking transparency

Transparency. It has become a bit of a touchstone word in the world of politics in the last few years.…

Letters to the Editor for the week of July 11th

We need
to recycle
our bikes The [number] of bikes that get thrown out in Whistler is outstanding [as] people eager to upgrade create lots of garbage.…

Housing project could benefit essential services

Council briefs: UBCM sponsorship controversy; Special Event Bylaw gets first readings

A revised application from Whistler Sport Legacies (WSL) for an employee housing project in Cheakamus Crossing was endorsed by council at the July 9 meeting, with a public information meeting to follow. The project is one of five private developer employee-housing ventures to arise from the Mayor’s Task Force on Resident Housing (and one of two that was green lit for further review on Feb. 26—see Pique, Feb. 28).…

Free Will Astrology

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
You’re in the Land of Green Magic. That’s potentially very good news, but you must also be cautious.…

Commercial lease rates stay steady, says report

2019 Whistler Chamber Lease Report released

Despite the expense, some business owners are still venturing to make a go of it in the village. Longtime local Jeremy Peterson said he recently paid $40,000 to purchase the remainder of a lease from yogurt shop Menchie’s.On top of that, Peterson had to put up a damage deposit of $41,000 and is now paying about $10,000 a month in rent for his space.…

‘Protesting grandpa’ arrested after trying to snorkel into Burnaby pipeline facility

Terry Christenson, 71, has previously scaled trees to protest Trans Mountain project

A self-styled “protesting grandpa” wearing a wetsuit and snorkelling mask was arrested early Wednesday morning as he tried to sneak onto a barge and climb a crane at the Trans Mountain pipeline’s Westridge terminal. Terry Christenson, 71, planned to unfurl a banner from the top of the crane reading “No tankers,” according to a press release from protest group Stand.earth.…

Squamish council makes wishlist for Waterfront Landing Park

Staff asked councillors for feedback on latest design of north park of major development

Covered spaces, a children’s garden, power for sound systems and parking considerations were some of the items on council’s wishlist for the north Waterfront Landing park. On July 9, municipal staff unveiled the latest iteration of that park, to be located in the Waterfront Landing development on 1500 Highway 99 and asked council for suggestions.…

Forever and ale-ways: A history of brewing in the Sea to Sky

Patio days are upon us, and what better way to spend a sunny summer evening than having a post-work brew at one of our local breweries? With craft breweries now popping up all over B.C. like suds in a glass of beer, the Sea to Sky seems to have got in on the brewing action quite early.…