This week had some major events in the 1980s, some of which resemble things happening in Whistler today. For more photos of the construction of Lift No. 6 (Jersey Cream) on Blackcomb take a look here. For more photos of the 1984 floods, check here.
1978
A quiet day at Garibaldi Building Supplies Ltd.
Dancing was a must at the recent Quonset hut party, and few people were left off the dance floor.
Diners fill their plates at the Community Club dinner this past weekend.
1979
The game is on! Students from Signal Hill play the Myrtle Philip School soccer team on Wednesday.
Construction of the town centre continues as this building stands alone.
Builder and artist, Trudy Salmhofer decorates one of her new chalets in Blackcomb Estates.
Lorne O’Connor (left) from the Vancouver Olympic Committee and Whistler alderman Rolly Harsey lead the visiting C.O.A. delegates from the plane on Saturday. Following behind are Frank Shaugnessy and Cliff Powell, both from Montreal.
1980
The dinner part of the Community Club dinner & dance hosted in the Myrtle Philip School gym.
Paul and Jane Burrows take a turn around the the floor.
Kelly and Max Maxwell with their new daughter Fiona at the Community Club dinner.
Whose legs were on display at the dinner?
The Whistler Liquor Store has a curb outside but there still remains some paving to be done.
RCMP & wrecker crews remove the van from the fast flowing Lillooet River.
1982
Whistler’s future firefighters examine the tools of the trade at Myrtle Philip School.
Crowds swarmed to Whistler Village over the Thanksgiving weekend to enjoy some sun and relaxation.
Chop-chop! Dozens of Whistlerites took advantage of a stockpile of free timber left on the slopes of Blackcomb Mountain after trail clearing operations. The mountain was open to the public Saturday and Sunday.
Sikorski S61 chopper lifts cement for the tower pads of Blackcomb’s new Lift No. 6.
Worker welds part onto tower head assembly due to be installed on Lift No. 6, under construction on Blackcomb Mountain.
It’s a dog’s life at the pound when your master hasn’t shown up yet to pay the fine and bring you home again.
Sergeant Jim Hogarth settles into his new duties as head of the Whistler RCMP detachment. With 17 years on police forces, Hogarth brings a good deal of experience to the position. He resides in Emerald Estates with his wife and two daughters.
1983
It was a case of a bridge too high and a house too wide last Thursday at the Fitzsimmons Creek Bridge in White Gold. Although the house owned by Len and Patty Richie was eventually moved from Garibaldi Estates to Lot 30 on Ambassador Crescent, it couldn’t go by the bridge for more than six hours.
House mover Bob Malaughney takes a chainsaw to one of three bridge-posts (one had already been ripped off) that have to be removed.
And resting behind it all on a beam supporting the house was the fragile bird’s nest.
John Robinson puts final touches on his MDC home with help of wife Diane and daughter Kristal.
1984
Pat Carleton, ex-mayor of Whistler, came out of the closet Sunday to join aldermanic candidates Paul Burrows and Nancy Wilhelm-Morden in celebrating the official opening of Whistler’s new municipal hall. The building, which was opened six weeks ago, was formerly used by Keg Restaurants, relocated and later renovated at a cost of $492,000.
Passersby saw the Soo River leap its banks on Highway 99 close to Pemberton Monday, but highway crews soon had the river under control.
Fifteen loaded freight cars were forced off the B.C. Rail track just north of Pemberton after the Lillooet River eroded material supporting ties and tracks. The railcars were part of a 96-car freight train southbound when the accident occurred early Monday morning. Elsewhere in Pemberton, houses, farmland and roads were flooded badly, but by Tuesday afternoon the flood was on the wane, although more rain was forecast.
Pemberton fire chief Milt Fernandez, who supervised rescue and flood control operations in the besieged town, takes a moment out at the rescue centre for victims of the Meager Creek disaster. Fernandez and other rescue workers laboured around the clock Monday and Tuesday before outside help arrived to push back the rising waters. But Pemberton wasn’t the only victim of torrential rains.
In Whistler, two log jams developed on the Cheakamus River and by Tuesday had reached a precarious point. Mailoch and Moseley logging company employees survey a major buildup at the garbage dump bridge six miles south of Whistler. Clean up operations began Tuesday night.
You may notice this week’s post is shorter than usual – some weeks have missing negatives while others are missing entirely. This happens to be one of those weeks, but there was still a lot going on in the years that are covered, from bridge openings to boat building to Brownies meetings.
1978
Mayor Pat Carleton waits for a train to arrive outside the Whistler Station.
Construction crews on Whistler Mountain recently got the feeling that they were being watched…
The most photographed bridge on #99! The bridge over the 19 Mile Creek as it was in a nearly finished state last Saturday.
1980
The Midstation towers on the new Olympic Chair on Whistler North. Picture taken from the top of the Village Chair.
The new Whistler Mountain lapel pin.
Do-it-yourself! – Whistler United Pharmacy owner Dave Stewart gives his front windows a polish.
LUNCH BREAK! Nello Busdon, Neil Roberts, Pat Greatrex and others enjoy the sunshine in the town centre plaza.
Workers lay interlock brick tiles in the Whistler Village Square.
Chamber of Commerce’s Michael D’Artois shows off the Town Centre to members of the BCIT Hospitality and Tourism Faculty.
Cst. Chuck Klaudt, the new member of the Whistler RCMP detachment.
1982
The winners: The Boot Pub Ladies Golf Classic.
Dryland downhill training – Dave Murray takes Blackcomb and Whistler Ski Club members through some of the exercises that help limber up skiers for the season opening.
The winning team (minus one key player) who put together Whistler’s weekly miracle, the Question, which was judged top in its class by BC and Yukon Community Newspapers Association October 2.
Dennis and Judy Waddingham display the new sign painted by Charlie Doyle, which hangs outside their store in Whistler Village. Opening day will be before the mountains begin their season.
Whistler’s Brownies rekindled the campfire spirit October 4 when they gathered at Myrtle Philip School for the first meeting of the year.
T’is the season to get sawing and chopping. These Alpine residents seem well prepared for winter’s onslaught.
A crew of landlubbers helped hoist the deck onto the sleek craft which Cress Walker and Paul Clark have been building all summer long in the driveway of their Alpine Meadows home.
Members of the Niels Petersen Band. Niels Petersen (lead vocals), Connie Lebeau (bass guitar), Christopher Allen (harp) and Gary Petersen (drums) warm up an act that will be entertaining Whistlerites all winter. The band will be appearing at Tapley’s and at the Brass Rail throughout the ski season.
1983
A cold crisp morning kept most creatures inside early Sunday, but this great blue heron had work to do. It was photographed as it flew over the River of Golden Dreams close to Green Lake looking for fish. Shortly after this photo was taken an industrious beaver swam past carrying wood for its lodge.
A smiling Ted Pryce-Jones proudly snips the ribbon to mark the official opening of the new suspension bridge built across the Callaghan River near the Cheakamus River junction last Thursday. Pryce-Jones designed the army-style bridge and with the help of a host of EBAP workers completed the project in under three months.
Bridge decking is composed of 3.5m long fir planks treated with a special wood preservative designed to make them last more than 20 years. And for those with bridge phobias, 2 1/2cm steel cables stretch across the river to provide for a safe crossing.
Marilyn Manso, one of three employees at the Alta Lake weather station, enters local weather information on a data terminal linked with Toronto. Entries must be made every hour on the hour or more often as changing weather patterns dictate.
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.
Pemberton Secondary Class of 1978. Not in order, the students are: Sherry Bilenduke, Hugh Blackstock, Kim Blundell, Helen Bush, Pat Bush, Lois Carson, Gary Decker, David Fairhurst, Carol Gilmore, Ken Gilmore, Laurie Hamula, Cathy Heine, Polly Jang, James Kernaghan, Norman LeBlanc, Anita Lever, Spencer Lowenberg, Edward Mah, Carola Marinus, Selma Miller, Bert Perkins, Ann Peterson, Doris Rollert, Kelly Ross, Philip Tourand, Conroy van der Lee, Peter Vogler, Celeste Watson, Michael Wetti, Michael Wilson, Joanne Wood.
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.).
On the Coast Mountain Outdoor School farm site – (L to R) Outdoor Education Coordinator Rick Price, W.L.B. Hawkes of the Ministry of Education, and Pemberton School Trustee T.B.M. (Slim) Fougberg.
A class visiting the Coast Mountain Outdoor School farm learns about chickens.
Johnson’s Trucking gravel crushing plant at work in the Alpha Lake Aggregate pit.
1981
And the winners are: (L to R) Tom Simister, Richard Juryn, Perry Rousseau & Debbie Wood – with the Whistler Cup.
Architect Barclay McLeod and developer Brian Moran indicate to council and concerned Adventures West owners the proposed plans for the ‘Keg property’.
May the Force be with you. Ezekial and His Force rock and reggae it up at the Mountain House until May 2.
Constable Klaudt of Whistler RCMP and Ron Mallinson of Ike’s Towing try to figure out how this Plymouth Horizon ended up in the ditch by the Alta Lake Inn turnoff late on Saturday, April 25!
1982
Survivors of the April blizzards, these crocuses stand proudly in Whistler Village.
Youngsters give it their best during an end-of-season match of Snowball (created by Doug Calder) held at Myrtle Philip School grounds.
Skiers on Whistler enjoyed the sun as much as the runs Sunday.
After a day on the mountain, a little recovery is in order. A siesta helps revive tired muscles.
Sowing so he’ll reap, Resort Municipality of Whistler maintenance man Brian Sandercock prepares the turf for summer.
Two contestants go under the pole during Friday’s Caribbean Night held at L’Apres. Michael Chidley limboed his way to Mexico taking first place in the competition. Val Wong’s style won her first prize in the women’s competition and a heli-skiing trip.
1983
A top-notch mogul basher takes one of the two required air times in his run down Whistler’s Raven run in the Schloss Laderheim Dual Mogul Classic on Sunday, April 24.
A march protesting nuclear weapons makes its way through Vancouver towards Stanley Park.
Anti-nuclear weapons protestors congregate at the rally.
Bill Runge of Whistler Mountain Ski Corp. fastens down the village’s newest signs on Monday reminding ski enthusiasts to keep heading south to the Gondola side of the mountain.
Got the summertime blues of what to wear this season? Not if you were at The Keg’s Fashion Show Sunday, April 24.
1984
The Whistler Question staff pose for a sunny photo in the Whistler Village.
Dr. Peter Oberlander of Vancouver is the lucky winner of a lifetime Whistler/Blackcomb ski pass. The final draw of the Whistler Rotary Club lottery was held Friday afternoon, and proceeds from the sale of tickets go towards the Whistler Health Planning Society. Rotary Club President Geoff Pearce drew the winning ticket.
Picnickers and powder skiers flew to Powder Mountain Friday for the annual Powder Mountain Heli-Skiing picnic.
While most people brought along only skis and sunglasses, Pascal Tiphine thought to import a little champagne, which he literally splashed into anyone who didn’t mind a few bubbles up their nose.
The surprised look on Drew Meredith’s face was no surprise, considering that 100 people were gathered at the Carleton Lodge Wednesday night to pay tribute to him. Meredith, who thought he was coming to attend a meeting, listened to roasts and toasts throughout the evening, which paid tribute to his work as Interim Director during the toughest year in the history of Whistler Resort Association.
It was an Easter sunrise service without sunshine, but that didn’t stop approximately 80 people from attending the special 7 am service Sunday morning on the shores of Lost Lake. Molly Boyd, playing the organ, led the Whistler Singers who also turned out in full force.
