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Whistler goes dark for Earth Hour tomorrow

RMOW will also power down municipal facilities and non-essential lights in the community

Whistler will join communities around the world in marking Earth Hour tomorrow by powering down between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. Earth Hour was founded by the World Wildlife Fund more than a decade ago, when 2.2 million people and more than 2,000 businesses turned off their lights for an hour to draw attention to energy consumption and its impact on the environment.…

Where are all the Whistler pot shops?

Council brief: Details on cannabis retail coming ‘sooner rather than later’

A public hearing for the sale of packaged liquor at a new distillery in Function Junction on March 26 saw no opposition, but it did raise a question for one member of the audience. “I just find it interesting that there’s another liquor distribution on the table when we have had cannabis legalized for nearly six months now and there is nothing on the table for that,” said Steve Andrews.…

Shorter wins U16 provincial crown

Lafreniere stars in Quebec; Whistler U14s excellent in Prince George

Consistency is key in ski racing and it was rewarded during the BC Alpine U16 overall championship chase. Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) competitor Matthias Shorter benefitted from an incredibly consistent Teck Open season, in which he finished no lower than eighth, by claiming the overall title after the provincial series wrapped at Apex Mountain Resort in Penticton on March 25.…

Pemberton to remove crabapple trees on Portage Road

Decision comes after COS letter warns take action or be in contravention of BC Wildlife Act

The Village of Pemberton (VOP) has decided to cut down the iconic crabapple trees that line Portage Road following a letter from the Conservation Officer Service (COS) and unsuccessful attempts to manage the fruit they produce. “Unfortunately, you just can’t have that level of bear attractant right in the middle of your high-traffic walking area,” said VOP Mayor Mike Richman.…

Ski Callaghan will stay open for one more bonus weekend this spring

Cross-country and snowshoe trails will reopen April 13 and 14; day tickets offered at a reduced rate

Good news for cross-country skiers and snowshoers hoping to take advantage of the spring sunshine: Ski Callaghan will remain open for one additional bonus weekend in April. Jointly operated by Whistler Olympic Park and its neighboring Nordic ski area Callaghan Country, the Callaghan Valley trail system will reopen for one last weekend of skiing and snowshoeing on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14, following its official closing day on April 7, according to a release.…

Housing guidelines updated

Council brief: New guidelines aim to provide flexibility for developers

Private developers looking to provide employee housing will have more flexibility moving forward. On Feb. 26, council approved further review of two of five private developer employee housing projects, while directing staff to “broaden the scope” to try and better accommodate the other three (see Pique, Feb. 28: “Rezoning continues for private employee-housing projects”).…

Clarke to represent Canada at Jr. Worlds

Young slopestyler has enjoyed strong season

Skye Clarke has had plenty of slopestyle success in North America this season—now she’s hoping to bring it to the world. The 16-year-old Whistlerite has podiumed in two of her five NorAm Cup events this season, including a win at Waterville Valley Resort in January.…

‘How can I help you?’

I was tempted to wade into a third part of the Annals of Ignorance this week, but giving the topic more thought, decided arrogance was the human frailty that lay at the heart of this missive more accurately than ignorance. It was a close call since there is enough overlap to go either way.…

Whistler police look to ID suspect in day-lot assault

police briefs: Off-duty officer helps catch drunk driver; gas syphoned from parked car

whistler police are asking the public for help identifying a suspect who reportedly assaulted a pedestrian last month in the day lots. On Feb. 16, RCMP received a report of an assault that occurred in one of the parking lots in the 4000 block of Blackcomb Way (police said there were opposing reports of the assault occurring in either Day Lot 2 or 4).…

Province gives $18.6 million for search-and-rescue teams

Government is charting a positive course on funding, says Whistler Search and Rescue manager

Whistler’s search-and-rescue team breathed a sigh of relief on Saturday, March 23, as the B.C. government announced it would provide $18.6 million in one-time funding over three years to the organization that represents the province’s ground-search-and-rescue teams. “It’s a relief to all of the teams in the province,” said Whistler Search and Rescue (WSAR) manager Brad Sills, adding that the money gives them the “assurance and the certainty” needed to proceed with training and purchasing vital equipment.…

New SAR funding a good start

Eighteen million square kilometres. The longest coastline in the world.…

Letters to the Editor for the week of March 28

Time to make choices to stop greenhouse emissions As I began reading Clare Ogilvie’s “Opening Remarks” in last week’s Pique (March 21), my level of optimism initially increased.…

How to manage $810M in assets

Asset Management Investment Plan presented at Committee of the Whole

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is doing a deep dive on its $810 million worth of infrastructure assets. A recently completed Asset Management Investment Plan (AMIP)—funded through a grant from the Union of BC Municipalities—was detailed at the March 26 Committee of the Whole meeting.…

Free will astrology for the week of March 28

ARIES (March 21-April 19)
: Kermit the Frog from Sesame Street is the world’s most famous puppet. He has recorded songs, starred in films and TV shows, and written an autobiography.…

Don’t Dress for Dinner is a high-octane farce that devolves into pure chaos

Between Shifts Theatre’s latest production hits the stage April 4 to 6, and 10 to 13

In a nutshell, Between Shifts Theatre’s (BST) latest production, the zany, lightning-paced farce Don’t Dress for Dinner, can be summed up quite neatly: Everybody gets screwed. At least that’s how Whistler actress Tara Bowland, who plays Jacqueline, describes the winding plot, an English adaptation of famed French playwright Marc Camoletti’s 1985 two-act, Pyjama Pour Six.…