As we get further into each year we’re looking forward to seeing when the first snow fell. This week photos of snow in the valley turned up in 1982, 15 days later than 2018’s first snow on October 2.
1979
Tuesday night craft class – one of the many Adult Education courses currently being offered at the Myrtle Philip School. Left to right: Inge Neilsen, Jenny Busdon, Ruth Howells, Marilyn Willoughby and Kelly Fairhurst.
The logging truck that burned near Green Lake on Thursday.
Whistler Creek Lodge showing where the worker fell off the roof on Friday.
Cartoonist Tom Thomson stands in front of his cabin in White Gold Estates with the sign put up by the Whistler realtors in answer to his cartoon of September 26.
Edith Iles (right) makes her speech before giving Gay Guthrie the “Endurance Award”.
1980
Fire Chief Lindsay Wilson shows the Myrtle Philip kindergarten class the workings of one of the Whistler fire trucks. The visit was in recognition of National Fire Prevention Week.
The town shapes up! The addition of curbs and paving in front of the town centre approach really sets it off against the new snow on the mountains behind.
Long weekend parking problem! New curbs create a traffic problem outside the Whistler liquor store on Saturday just before closing.
The view of the Whistler United Pharmacy, now open for business in the Blackcomb Professional Building in the centre of Whistler Village.
Whistler’s first paved ski area parking lot! Grandview Blacktop crew paves the day skier parking lot in front of the base area daylodge.
This giant saw blade decorated and donated by Germaine Degenhardt is one of the prizes to be sold off at the Pemberton Lions Club auction on Thursday, October 23.
1982
A Whistler wonderland appeared overnight Sunday, October 17 with the season’s first snow in the valley.
DeMolay youngsters take full advantage of the first snow of the season and run through a very crisp game of flag football Sunday.
The world was someone’s living room – so who needs a TV when you can sit and watch the crowds stroll by in the municipal parking lot.
Newcomers and old-timers enjoyed tea and nibbles at the second annual Welcome to Whistler Tea put on by the Alta Lake Community Club in Blackcomb Lodge Sunday.
Whistler Council shows the signs of a gruelling three-hour public hearing held to discuss bylaws for the equestrian centre October 18.
Rich Miller outside Granny’s Food Emporium, which will open in Whistler November 1.
Pierre Trudeau, insulation contractor, Alpine Meadows.
1983
Connie Kutyn dismantles the stage in Village Square that helped feature entertainers all summer long. She and Al Bosse built it earlier this spring.
Two friends watch from the stands…
… as their classmates get started in the meet.
Winners of the Fire Prevention Week poster contest are, left to right: Madeleine Demries (gr. 3), Nicola Dedeluk (gr. 6), Jocelyn Willoughby (kindergarten) and Rachel Roberts (gr. 5), all students at Myrtle Philip Elementary School.
Building a log cabin is traditional work using a minimum number of modern conveniences. David Stary chisels a section to fit precisely the log beneath.
Whistler residents were delighted Wednesday to hear of $7.8 million worth of completion plans for the long empty convention centre. Plans for the building include a completely refurbished roof, atrium, theatre and tall, bright banners to orient visitors to its location.
1984
Part of the aftermath of last week’s severe flooding in Pemberton.
Farmer Tom Kempter lost close to 150 tonnes of hay when flood waters destroyed it last week. Kempter lost two-thirds of his winter feed for his livestock.
Tracy Comber was one of the many Whistler volunteers who flocked to Pemberton to help with the massive clean-up job. She helped with cleaning equipment at the flood-ravaged Pemberton High School which sustained about $500,000 in damage.
Whistler’s slo-pitch league almost became snow pitch this season, but Stoney’s pulled ahead before the flakes fell and won the championship in the 19-team league. Saturday’s championship game against the Gourmet Rainbow Reefers saw the Stoney’s crew win 14 to 8, and had some observers calling the league the Beer and Whine league by the end. Next year should be another interesting season as the Tapley A’s make their long awaited slo-pitch debut. Left to right: Norm Trottier, Lance Fletcher, Marianne Hardy, Dave Kipp, Paul Liakakos, Tim Malone, Val Jazic, Will Moffat, Sue Christopher, Dave Murphy, Barb Simpson, Wendy Jazic and Ron McCready.
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.
Trucks head up Whistler Mountain during the summer construction of the new chairlift.
The top drive station of the new “Little Red” chairlift being built at the top of Whistler Ski area.
1979
Smoke pillars up from the fire behind Garibaldi last week.
The concrete is poured on Wedgewood Properties Package #8 while workers get up to the roof level on the condominiums above Packages #4 and #5.
David Fairhurst proudly shows off the first Pine mushrooms he found last month.
Air West’s new Twin Otter on Alta Lake after bringing the C.O.A. delegates to Whistler.
The students give Dennis Lamarche’s wagon a good wash while the bake sale goes on behind.
The ad for Espresso Express Line, a unique business set up in Whistler.
1980
BC CABINET AT WHISTLER: Mayor Carleton greets Premier Bill Bennett and Labour Minister Allan Williams as they get off the train.
The Mayor shows the Town Centre off to Health Minister McLelland, Premier Bennett, Mrs. Aubrey Bennett, Provincial Secretary Hugh Curtis & Labour Minister Allan Williams.
Bennett poses with some Myrtle Philip students.
Miss Pemberton 1980 Kristi King presents the Premier with a giant potato casserole dish on behalf of the people of the Pemberton Valley.
Work on bridge over Fitzsimmons to bring skiers from Blackcomb into Town Centre.
Franz and Annette Wilhelmsen admire new Whistler pin while Hastings West president Ken Tolmie, Peter Alder and Trudi Salmhofer look on.
Heavy rain caused deep mud near the Town Centre. Golf course practice fairway 1 – Mark Clark truck 0.
Kayak is totally submerged at this portion of the course.
1982
Awarded a winged hat for being the fastest base runner in the beer league. Don Beverley of the 2.5 Rollbacks has all of next season to look forward to. Jan Simpson and M.C. Terry Boston presented him with his memento.
This W5 crew was on location in Whistler last week while covering a story on human rights. Segment of story covered here involved the theory of relocating Garibaldi residents to protect Whistler.
Students from UBC and the infamous University of Whistler braved chilly temperatures over the weekend to compete in the First Annual Intercollegiate Windsurfing Championship.
No one was hibernating on Whistler Mountain this summer. Renovations are nearly complete on the Roundhouse, including this new sundeck and snack stand on the east side of the building.
As the new Director of Ski Racing for Whistler Mountain, Dave Murray will be coordinating downhill race clinics, ski promotions and special events. Murray, 29, retired from the Canadian National Ski Team last year after the World Cup held at Whistler.
Parks Planner Tom Barratt and plant specialist Karen Edwards bone up on some of the plant species indigenous to this area.
1983
Brownies Karen Kogler, Sonja Richli, Madeleine Domries, Sara Jennings, Marika Richoz, Jessica Wilson, Adrienne Richters, Joanne DenDuyf, Jessica Humphrey, Melanie Busdon, Leah Wuolle and Heather Paul listened attentively to leader Brown Owl (alias Bettina Weidermann) at the first meeting of the season at Myrtle Philip School Wednesday. Brown Owl says that Brownies meet once a week, from 6:30 to 8 pm at the school, and are open to girls aged six through nine.
John Hunter Trucking goalie Steve Brunn misses a shot that grazes the post in Saturday’s Howe Sound Hockey League game opener against Tapley’s Winterhawks. Brunn was pestered with shots from Winterhawk forwards and defencemen all game long. A porous John Hunter defence coupled with fast skating Winterhawks players proved too much for the Squamish team as they went down to defeat 6-3.
Getting down is the way to get in shape at Bodyworks. Workouts will be moving to Myrtle Philip School starting Monday.
The skiing never stops for Philippe Lavoie and Brent Wood, seen here atop Whistler Mountain Sunday before boot-skiing on remaining snow.
Alpine Paving workmen roll along Mountain Lane and put the finishing touches to the route. With Village Stroll paving now complete, all that remains is completing Whistler Way from Tantalus Lodge to the underground parking entrance.
Greg Lee, new head skiing coach at Blackcomb, gets a head start working out with local girls and boys Sunday morning. Lee, a former World Pro Skiing Circuit skier, also does colour commentary for CBC Sports. Before Sunday’s soccer game Lee showed kids how to take their heart rate for better fitness.
Out for a postprandial training ride, cyclist Todd McPhalen coasts down Village Gate Boulevard. Not seen are Dave MacPhail, Don Barr and Murray Sudden, nuclei of the soon-to-be Team Whistler.
1984
An unidentified dog finds refuge from the rain beneath a Wedgemount Blasting truck parked in village parking lot “A”.
Chilly temperatures kept crowds to a minimum Saturday, but sunny skies brought throngs out Sunday for the fourth year of Whistler’s Fall Festival.
Pat Earley was one of six Vancouver-based artists who demonstrated their creative talents during the Sept. 22-23 Fall Festival. Earley specializes in oil pastel portraits which are exquisitely detailed and warm. Although the displays were moved indoors to the Delta Mountain Inn because of chilly weather, it was the first time artists were allowed to demonstrate and sell their wares in the streets of Whistler.
Playland set up an instant amusement park…
… but some youngsters weren’t too sure if they enjoyed the pony rides or not.
Television and movie producers seem to have developed a taste for Whistler. Actor Sean Connery, best known as James Bond, agent 007, starred Tuesday in a Japanese TV commercial for Biogur yogurt. Production coordinator Martin Yokata said they needed a “strong, healthy, clean” image, and 007 fit the part. In the ad, Connery is seen doing calisthenics and running alongside a golf green at the Whistler Golf Club with a Doberman Pinscher.
