Tag: Frank Thiessen

Whistler's Answers

Whistler’s Answers: October 18, 1984Whistler’s Answers: October 18, 1984

October 19, 2023 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

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 1984. 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: On Monday, October 8, houses, farmlands and roads in Pemberton were flooded, beginning when a creek broke through the dyke in Pemberton Meadows at 6:07am. Flooding continued throughout the day and about 100 people had to be evacuated to higher ground, some to the Pemberton United Church basement. The flood was on the wane by Tuesday, though more rain was in the forecast. There was no flooding in Whistler, though uprooted trees did plug up the Cheakamus River on the Tuesday and cause the level to rise high enough to endanger the sewage treatment plant temporarily.

Question: What was your reaction to the Pemberton floods?

Bill Barratt – Parks Foreman – Whistler Cay

I would say the impact was hard to feel until you saw it on television, even though it was so close. It’s hard to feel the impact unless you see it up close. But I think everyone here definitely felt a lot for what was happening – it could happen in MDC or White Gold. It was a rude awakening.

Frank Thiessen – Resident – Alpine Meadows

I think it’s unfortunate having a flood so close to Whistler, but we’ll never be affected in those kinds of terms. But if the sewage treatment plant goes… We get all these rains in the valley and a couple of years ago it washed out M Creek. This year is just came a little further north.

Peter Leriche – Waiter – Whistler Cay Heights

I’ve got experience with floods just in respect to the flood here in Christmas 1980 and the floods in Squamish. I didn’t really feel a large impact from the flood because we weren’t affected very badly by it in Whistler. I do feel the flood relief package the government is offering is not enough.

Whistler's Answers

Whistler’s Answers: February 3, 1983Whistler’s Answers: February 3, 1983

February 3, 2022 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

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 1983. 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: Students at the original Myrtle Philip School often remember helicopters landing on the field near the school in the early 1980s. There was no municipal airport, though a tri-service airport facility had been under discussion. At the beginning of 1983, a helicopter pad was proposed for the roof of the Tantalus Lodge, in order to have a site near to the Whistler Village.

Question: Where do you think a Whistler helicopter landing pad should be?

Warren Borden – Shipwright – North Vancouver

This is not a matter of convenience but of safety. The maximum period of danger with helicopters is during takeoff and landing so they just must be away from people. Ideally they shouldn’t be landing near tall buildings because of the updraft. If you’re going to land outside your medical centre they should cordon off an area as well.

Keith Dalley – Lift Maintenance Supervisor, Whistler Mountain – White Gold

The roof of Tantalus parking structure seems fine to me because it’s handy to transport injured people from the medical centre. My next choice would be Function Junction. The thing you have to remember is that no matter where the pad is, in a real emergency, a helicopter will land wherever the pilot wants.

Frank Thiessen – Professional Pilot – Alpine Meadows

The critical thing with helicopters is that they stay away from congested areas. I don’t think either the practice fairway or Tantalus are particularly good spots for a landing pad around here. Although the odds of something going wrong are small – they are really safe machines – you’ve just got to be away from crowds. I suggest they move back to the school or to Function Junction.