Tag: Al Raine

This Week in Photos

This Week In Photos: August 16This Week In Photos: August 16

August 16, 2018 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

1978

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean aerial practice ends.

Mayor Pat Carleton stands by one of the Municipality’s trucks, complete with the Municipality’s logo. (In a side note, the “City Hall” sign hanging above the trailer’s door has recently been added to our archives.)

The Christiana Inn is currently closed to the public, as this sign makes clear.

1979

Fire Chief Lindsay Wilson puts up one of the many No Campfire signs now appearing in the Whistler area due to the extreme fire hazard rating.

One V.W. easy over! Stewart McQuarrie of North Vancouver escaped uninjured when he lost control of his car near Daisy Lake.

Stevenson workers work on Package 5 while the piledriver works on #6 at the Whistler Town Centre.

The new temporary addition trailer to the Whistler Municipal Hall.

Neal Davidge shows Rotary President Doug Read the location of Nanisivik in the Arctic.

1980

Cover this turret with copper, fix up the other finishing touches, and put it on top of Parcel 16 and you’ve got Whistler’s very own clock tower. The clock is visible as skiers head down the chairlifts of either mountain.

Two members of the party unload skis off the sea plane at Garibaldi Lake before heading up the route.

A lone skier descends down the glacier to Garibaldi Lake.

Peter Chrzanowski stands in one of the warm mini-lakes at the foot of the glacier. Camera’s lens is 1/2 submerged causing a strange distortion below the water’s surface.

Like toothpaste from the tube, cement oozes from a hose handled by a construction worker as he balances along the top of the “dressing room walls” of the Resort Centre.

1981

Whistler Question publisher Paul Burrows loads one of the 40 bags of mail that left the Post Office on August 12 after the mail strike was over.

FIRE! Lightning strike sets fire to Rainbow Mountain Ridge. Sunday afternoon cocktail sippers got this view from Stoney’s terrace.

Hilda Davey and daughter-in-law Nancy smilingly await the arrival of the new soft ice cream machine at Hilda’s Deli which recently re-opened in the Village centre.

L&A Contracting CAT 225 loader sits in the waters of Green Lake after road widening ledge collapsed on August 11.

Dave Cathers exhibits fine form during the mixed double finals at the Inside Out Tennis Tournament.

The swimmers and sunbathers on the beach and the new dock.

1982

Bon Voyage! The Raine family – Al, Nancy and twin boys Charley and Willy – gather on their front porch for a parting shot shortly before leaving for Switzerland Sunday, August 22.

Petanque player shows his form while President of the Whistler Petanque Club, Jean Jacques Aaron, looks on.

Thieves were determined to get into the office of Whistler’s Husky station as this battered door evidences.

Whistler’s original sluggers, Doc A’s, took part in the Pemberton Ladies’ Invitational Softball Tourney August 14 – 15. (L – R, top row) Brillo, Jan Simpson, Kathy Hicks, Linda Henderson, Cathy Dickinson. (L – R, bottom row) Barb Simpson, Valerie Lang and Laura Nedelak. Missing – Ann Chaisson, Katie Rodgers, Jan Haldimand and Wendy Meredith.

New owners of The Going Nuts Shop (l – r) Brenda and Doug Horton and Chuck and Claire Kingzett take a break from busy preparations.

1983

Jerome Rozitis, right, took first place and Andrew O’Keefe second in the Children’s Triathlon Saturday.

The Whistler Community Arts Council sits with collection boxes for a Book Drive and Auction, while also advertising the Class of ’83’s Arts & Crafts Show.

It was a hot time in the old town of Whistler August 12 – 14 as jazz musicians and their fans poured into the valley for Jazz on the Mountain. Skies stayed sunny and spirits soared, including Larry Coryell’s. A pioneer jazz fusion and one of the most innovative performers featured at the three-day event, Coryell cranked it out with saxophonist Richie Cole and blues belter Ernestine Anderson for a real show-stopper Sunday afternoon. J. Bartosik photo.

Whistler’s new $15,000 tent had its inauguration during the August 12 – 14 jazz festival, much to the pleasure of 4000 jazz buffs who turned out for the event held at the base of Whistler Mountain. Friday night’s concert, offered at no charge, featured the stylings of West Coast Jazz Orchestra and Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation in Village Square. At press time, no official report had been released on the financial outcome of the festival.

1984

Cyclists in Friday evening’s White Gold criterium race averaged about 37 km/h in the 50 km event. Ninety-three racers from the Lower Mainland, the rest of Canada and other parts of the world took part in the criterium, which was part of a five-event series that ended Sunday in Gastown.

Whistler windsurfer Sue Cameron picked up four medals at the Western Hemisphere Championships (District 11) on Chestier Lake in Calgary over the weekend. Cameron, who plans to enter professional competition, placed high in three separate events to pick up the overall crown. The championships will be aired on September 8 on CTV.

The Melloyds, an a cappella group, grabbed the spotlight as one of the most entertaining acts during the weekend Music Festival.

A wide variety of musical acts took part in the festival, including Olatunjia (a band featuring African drums and dancing), Mojo and Vancouver’s Jim Byrnes, who created a local following after just one show.

This Week in Photos

This Week In Photos: July 12This Week In Photos: July 12

July 12, 2018 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

This week seems to be full of races! With the Garibaldi Cup, Molson’s Whistler Bike Race and the beginnings of the Whistler Half Marathon all making appearances, July would seem to have always been a very active month in Whistler.

1979

Paul Tattamanti and Eugene Rochfort at the Stage 1 turnaround at Whistler in the rain on Saturday. By the end of the weekend, Rochfort was celebrating as part of the Anglia-Norco team that won the Garibaldi Cup.

Mayor Pat Carleton and Alderman Al Raine with Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Vander Zalm and his wife Lillian.

The Blackcomb view from the 4,000 ft. level looking down one of the runs towards the school and the Town Centre.

Vic Hurford’s crew at work on the Blackcomb Road.

1980

New location for Town Hall puts municipal buildings adjacent to the Public Safety Building (PSB) on the north side. Upstairs meeting room in the PSB will be used for Council Chambers.

Blackcomb’s mountain top restaurant takes shape before a shrinking backdrop of peaks and glaciers.

The wedding hall in Whistler set with finery ready for a post-nuptial feast.

Betty Vogler slams a service over to her opponent during the first women’s open tennis tournament on Sunday.

Dale Arsenault completing the first hang-glide journey from the top of Whistler to the base facilities near Highway 99.

1981

Cyclists climb as part of Molson’s Whistler Bike Race.

The $300,000, three-room addition to Myrtle Philip School begins to take shape.

Betty Vogler, winner of the women’s singles.

Birthday boys Murray Coates (left) and Doug Schull cut their giant cake.

Peter Andrew, Willy Schaeffler, Nelson Bennett, Bob Bartley, Bill McCance, Lorne O’Connor, Boyd Stuwe and John Hanna discuss the new downhill course plan.

1982

Delta Mountain Inn’s General Manager John Pope surveys the main lobby of the hotel as workmen add finishing touches.

The guest rooms at Mountain Inn feature luxurious appointments, including original artwork. This one was decorated in tones of royal blue with beige and rose bright lights.

Molson’s Whistler Bike Race passes through the Whistler Village.

Phil Anderson of West Point Cycles could have stolen the show in the Celebrity Race with this two-star wheelie. Celebrities, including Whistler’s Mayor Pat Carleton, tested their skills on similar race vehicles during the Sunday afternoon race.

In honour of the first annual ‘sailpast’ of the newly formed ‘Whistler Yacht Club’. Commodore Jan Holberg takes the salute as the motley array of boats passes the reviewing stand on July 12.

With the families and godparents gathered together, Rev. Ed Wallace recites the baptism service to the Roberts family (left) and the MacKenzies on the occasion of the christening of their children on July 10.

Under a Rest lifted their voices in perfect harmony to give Whistlerites a taste of a capella singing on Friday.

1984

Whistler T.V. Society members Floyd Eclair, Richard Heine and Albert Bryjack went up to adjust the society’s channel 6 antenna atop Sproat Mountain last Sunday.

Whistler’s Bottlemaster Harry Carman with just some of the new-fangled bottle types that have flooded the market.

Ready to go! Finishing in a time of just over 1:12, Alan Carr won the second annual Whistler Half Marathon last Sunday, beating out a crowd of more than 200 other runners. Carr says that the course was as hilly as he’d ever seen, adding that he trains only about four or five days a week, one half hour a day. Neil Waken placed second in the 13.1 km race.

Stew Muir gets a shot of diesel from Art Den Duyf’s tank at Mons.

Someone is chopping down trees on Ruth Buzzard’s property. Buzzard recently received permission to build a campground on a 15.3 ha (38 acre) site between White Gold and Mons. But despite no trespassing signs and notices asking that trees not be cut, at least a dozen trees have disappeared. Now a large area of the future campground is almost bare.

Whistler landscaper Leigh Finck donated time, plants and energy over the weekend to spruce up the Chamber of Commerce Information Centre at the gondola.

This Week in Photos

This Week In Photos: June 14This Week In Photos: June 14

June 14, 2018 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

This week in June has hosted a variety of events, including high school graduations, construction of summer attractions (and the Village), bicycle rodeos and picket lines.

1978

The Valleau Logging Camp Cookhouse near Mons Station stands deserted but not for long. Local residents plan to renovate the building and operate a food service for the valley this summer.

The graduating students from the Garibaldi/Whistler area with their parents at the Pemberton Secondary Graduation on Friday.

Whistler students from Myrtle Philip School participated in a district-wide track meet held in Squamish.

1980

Whistler Land Company’s new office is barely occupied last week as the first town centre offices are occupied.

Work on the golf course as seen from the bluffs where the building lots are situated.

Sandra Pollock and Kathy Francis prepare the models and… KABOOM!…..

Attorney-General Alan Williams, MLA for West Vancouver-Howe Sound, discusses the Barrier report and the BC Government’s Order in Council that froze all land in Garibaldi with area residents.

Lift Co. employee seeds lower northside runs to help cut down erosion. Runs are almost completed at lower elevations.

All that remains of a ’77 Ford pickup after it left the road early Saturday morning.

1981

The first glulam being hoisted into place over the swimming pool area of the Resort Centre.

Al Raine (left) takes publishers from around the province on a tour of Whistler Town Centre.

Betty Chaba strums a tune while relaxing at Alta Lake in front of JB’s.

Garibaldi Building Supplies’ expanded new yard is ready for a busy summer season.

Some members of the Whistler Rotary Club.

1983

The most prudent bikers in the RCMP bicycle rodeo held Saturday, June 12 in Village Square (l to r) Simon Bellar, Samantha O’Keefe, Jody Rustad, Nicolas Busdon (overall winner). Melanie Busdon, Dave Den Duyf and Davey Blacklock who won the bicycle donated by Whistler Chamber of Commerce.

Municipal trail crews cut through the brush to make the final connection between the Alpine Meadows trail and the Meadow Park trail (under construction). Paving to complete the trail system will begin at the end of July.

These three answered this week’s question: Graeme Mounsey, Traveller, Sydney, Australia; Walter Therrien, Caretaker – Capilano Mobile Park, North Vancouver; Anne Crocker, Travel Counsellor – North Van Chamber of Commerce, West Vancouver.

If you attend the Sea Festival parade July 23, you’ll be able to enjoy the final results of this artist’s rendering for a Whistler float. The illustration will be used as a guide for constructing the float, estimated to cost $2,500.

1984

Kids, cars and parents turned out Saturday for a car wash and bake sale that netted over $200 for the school’s parent/teacher group. Police cars, a fire truck and a whole flotilla of private vehicles stopped for spring cleaning.

Emergency Services (last year called Tri-Services) overcame a mid-game spurt by the team from Citta to post a 17-12 victory on Monday in Whistler Beer League slo-pitch softball league action. Emergency Services now has a sparkling record of three wins and no losses.

Three (two pictured) locked-out truckers picketed The Grocery Store in the village Tuesday, preventing other union members from bringing supplies to the store. Picketing trucker Dayton MacKenzie said they are protesting their employer’s decision to use “scab” drivers for food deliveries. Employer Slade and Steward Ltd. has locked out Vancouver employees, and other employees in BC are on strike as of Tuesday. Grocery Store owner Geoff Power was unavailable for comment at press time.

An Alpine Paving crew was hard at work last Wednesday paving the mini golf course just behind L’Apres at the gondola. Whistler Mountain hopes to have the Tattersfield and Associates designed course ready for operation by Saturday, June 16, but promise to have it ready for play by the following weekend. Eighteen holes will cost players $2.

No one skis anymore at the former Rainbow Ski area just off Highway 99 between Alpine Meadows and Emerald Estates but at one time it was the only place in Whistler open for night skiing. The ski jump was built by volunteers in the mid-1970s (though the date was recorded as mid-1970s in the Question accounts told to the Whistler Museum put the building of the ski jump earlier in the 1960s; the last competitions held on the ski jump occurred in the mid-1970s.).

The Nancy Greene-Raine ConnectionThe Nancy Greene-Raine Connection

May 4, 2016 Whistler Museum 2 Comments

We recently announced our upcoming Speaker Series on May 6th, celebrating 50 years of summer camps. The inclusion of Nancy Greene-Raine on the speaking panel quickly made it apparent that, although we have decent coverage of her husband Al Raine’s contributions to Whistler on this blog (plus here), up until now, Nancy’s presence is notably lacking. This blog post will start to fix that problem.

Though Nancy was born in Ottawa, grew up in the Kootenay ski haven of Rossland, BC with its historic Red Mountain Resort, and has lived in Sun Peaks for roughly two decades, her connection and contributions to Whistler remain strong.

Nancy, of course, is one of the most recognized and celebrated Canadian athletes of all-time, regardless of discipline, even earning the title of Canadian Female Athlete of the Century! She was the most dominant female ski racer of the 1960s, earning 13 World Cup victories, 2 overall world titles, and her gold medal (and silver, all while battling a severe ankle injury) performance at the 1968 Grenoble Olympics, alongside French legend Jean-Claude Killy, is the stuff of legend.

Here’s a complete run-down of her ski-racing accomplishments.

1969 Toni Sailer Summer Camp staff. Nancy is front row, 2nd from left, Toni Sailer is back row, 2nd from right, both wearing cowboy hats.

Nancy retired at the top of her field and a global celebrity after her dominant 1968 season. Retirement from ski racing was no permanent vacation, as the pervious winter she had already launched her Nancy Greene Ski League, Canada’s national, grassroots-level ski racing program. In the nearly 50 years of operation, virtually every single Canadian ski racer of note, from Steve Podborski to Ashleigh McIvoor, and countless thousands of others, started competitive skiing in Nancy’s program.

In 1969, she began coaching at Toni Sailer Summer Ski Camps on Whistler Mountain, a position she maintained for several years and which she will be recollecting at this Friday’s Speaker Series.

Al and Nancy first built a cabin in Whistler in 1970, which was their summer home while Nancy coached on the glacier. Once Al retired as a ski coach in 1975, they moved to Whistler full-time and set out to help Whistler become a leading international ski destination.

Nancy and her husband Al Raine also played a huge role in the early success of Whistler and their legacy carries on to this day. Nancy became an spokeswoman and ambassador for the resort, using her celebrity to promote the upstart ski area. As such, she was one of Whistler’s original “Celebrity-Athletes” that played such a pivotal role in Whistler becoming, well, Whistler.

Al sat on the first municipal council and was a leading figure in the planning, design, and construction of Whistler Village and Blackcomb Mountain.

al2 — Nancy and husband Al, representing Blackcomb Mountain (note the matching Blackcomb Mountain outfits, and Nancy’s Blackcomb logo name tag). circa 1980s.

In 1985 they built Nancy Green’s Olympic Lodge in the heart of the Village, and despite having long since sold it, the building bear’s Nancy’s name to this day. In the 1990s, Al and Nancy moved on to Sun Peaks in the B.C. interior, but they still maintain close ties to Whistler.

We are truly honoured to have Nancy join this Friday’s panel, and we hope you can join us. Get your tickets in advance, it will sell out!