The appearance of snowboarders on the slopes in the late 1980s caused a stir in the Whistler community. Though it was not all sunshine and rainbows at the start, the new “youthful” sport persisted and changed the resort landscape.
The Whistler Museum’s latest temporary exhibit, Off the Lip: The Rise of Snowboarding in Whistler, digs into the beginnings of snowboarding in Whistler, how it has impacted the resort, and what it meant for the snowboarding community around the world.
Off the Lip opens Wednesday, January 31 and will run through April 30, 2024.
Another year, another year of questions and answers!
In the 1980s the Whistler Question began posing a question to three to six people and publishing their responses under “Whistler’s Answers” (not to be confused with the Whistler Answer). Each week, we’ll be sharing one question and the answers given back in 1985. Please note, all names/answers/occupations/neighbourhoods represent information given to the Question at the time of publishing and do not necessarily reflect the person today.
Some context for this week’s question: This one seems pretty self explanatory, so we think we’ll leave it there.
I’ve been off the job for eight months Friday – and I’m being replaced by scab labour. The poor economy and the government bother me, but I think there’s a solution somewhere.
Bob Brenke – Engineer – Chicago
Nothing – I’m just an easy-going person. I form my own opinions and other people form theirs, and it only bothers me when what other people do affects me directly. Why worry about all that?
Mark Horne – Waiter – Emerald Estates
You shouldn’t ask me at this moment because I’m bugged by all this snow – it really bugs me now having my skis. They’re in Calgary. There’s millions of things that bug me – boots that leak, not enough work. But what really bugs me is the seven magazine subscriptions I have that invariably arrive two to three weeks late.
The Whistler Museum and Archives Society experienced a resurgence in the past year, marked by a significant milestones. In 2023, the museum achieved its busiest year to date, welcoming more than 16,290 visitors to its exhibits – and increase of 43 per cent over 2022 and 13 per cent over the pre-COVID year of 2019. The museum also engaged an additional 10,400 individuals in a variety of events and programs.
Among these initiatives was the Valley of Dreams Walking Tour, a cornerstone program that imparts knowledge to both residents and visitors alike about the region’s mountain history, evolution of tourism in the valley, development of Whistler Village, and the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Now in its 26th year, the tour operates daily throughout June, July, August, and September.
The Valley of Dreams Walking Tour over ten years ago. Whistler Museum Collection
One highlight from the previous year was the museum’s Discover Nature program, held five days a week, Monday to Friday, during July and August. This program features an interpretation station at Lost Lake. Approachable interpreters interacted with participants through touch table items, fostering inquiries about the natural history of the area. Attendees had the opportunity to explore exhibited items more extensively, revealing fascinating facts about local organisms in Whistler. Each day of the week featured a different theme. The program was expanded this year to include a geology day, with elements of the content developed in partnership with the Fire & Ice GeoRegion. We would like to thank the Resort Municipality of Whistler and the Whistler Community Foundation for their continued support of this great program, now in its ninth year.
The Discover Nature touch tables include a variety of things to look at and pick up, and each day of the week is different! Whistler Museum Collection
The museum developed two well-received temporary exhibits in 2023. In February we launched the “Peak Bros: A Whistler Comic Strip 1979 – 1992” that delved into the creation of the Peak Bros. comic strip by Gord “Rox” Harder. The Peak Bros. comics were originally featured in The Whistler Answer and The Whistler Review. These comics celebrated an outlaw skiing lifestyle, capturing the escapades of a close-knit group of friends as they embarked on adventures around Whistler.
Accompanying the exhibit was the publication of the complete compilation of the comic strips in a book specifically created for the exhibit. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Gord’s friends and family whose contributions made this project a reality and brought the exhibit to life.
From left to right – ‘SO,’ ‘Rox’ and ‘Crazy Harry’ all featured in the Peak Bros. comics. Harder Collection
To commemorate the centennial anniversary of the first documented mountaineering expedition in Whistler, we opened the exhibit “Mapping the Mountains: The 1923 Carter/Townsend Mountaineering Expedition.” On September 9, 1923, Neal Carter and Charles Townsend embarked on a two-week odyssey through Wedge Mountain and Avalanche Pass. Throughout their expedition, these dedicated mountaineers meticulously documented their journey, captured breathtaking photographs, mapped the area, and assigned names to various features, many of which are still in use today by mountaineers exploring the region.
Charles Townsend beside a cairn on the summit of Wedge, with Mt. James Turner in the background (September 10, 1923). Carter Collection
This spring also marked 50 years since the creation of the Toad Hall Poster. We were very excited to be joined at our May speaker series by former Toad Hall residents John Hetherington, Terry Spence, and Paul Mathews to learn more about both Toad Halls (Nita Lake and Soo Valley), what it was like to live there, and how Whistler’s most infamous photo – immortalized on the Toad Hall Poster – came to be.
A volleyball game at the Soo Valley Toad Hall.
One of the biggest developments over the pat year has been the signing of a land lease with the Resort Municipality of Whistler for the development of a new museum facility. We have started to embark on the task of raising money for this endeavour. We are looking to raise $10 million to build a new, state-of-the-art Whistler Museum with mid-2028 as the target date for opening! If you are interested in donating to this initiative, more information can be found on our website at whistlermuseum.org/newmuseum.
Given our lack of physical space in our current location, our Museum Musings column has provided a valuable channel for the museum to share an additional 52 unique Whistler stories in 2023, and we are grateful for the support of Pique. Thanks to everyone who reads our column, attends our events, and visits our exhibits. Your ongoing support is appreciated and we look forward to seeing you in the new year!
Another year, another year of questions and answers!
In the 1980s the Whistler Question began posing a question to three to six people and publishing their responses under “Whistler’s Answers” (not to be confused with the Whistler Answer). Each week, we’ll be sharing one question and the answers given back in 1985. Please note, all names/answers/occupations/neighbourhoods represent information given to the Question at the time of publishing and do not necessarily reflect the person today.
Some context for this week’s question: The first legislation concerning impaired driving in Canada was introduced in 1969. The 1970s and early 1980s saw many calls for increased enforcement and stricter penalties, led largely by grass-roots organizations similar to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) in the US (no group in Canada was officially affiliated with MADD until 1989). Such campaigns focused a lot of public attention on the issue and in December 1985, Bill C-19 amended the Criminal Code of Canada and introduced two new impaired driving charges: impaired driving causing bodily harm and impaired driving causing death. It also raised the minimum fine for driving while impaired from $50 to $300 and authorized longer sentences for convictions.
Question: What do you think of BC’s drinking-and-driving laws?
Tony Henson – Unemployed – Whistler Village
I think they’re great – they’re going a good job. I suppose it comes down to a matter of what people want to face and what they don’t want to face – although I don’t think it’s ever going to completely stop.
Gavin Lee – Pub General Manager – Whistler Village
I think drinking and driving is a difficult subject to deal with at the best of times. No matter what laws are applied to it you are always going to get offenders. Generally speaking enforcement in BC is as well as can be expected, and it’s getting better. But laws are only as effective as the cooperation of people.
Diane Soden – Loan Officer – Burnaby
They are excellent. I think people are becoming much more aware now. It’s been a long time coming. The media campaigns could even be more graphic. We need more of the same.
