Tag: Whistler Mountain

Banking on WhistlerBanking on Whistler

May 7, 2024 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

In February 1984, a “Whistler’s Answers” feature in the Whistler Question asked residents “Are your banking transactions made overly complicated because there’s no bank in Whistler?” Before the summer of 1984, there was no permanent financial institution located in Whistler, which could make banking more difficult than usual for residents and even visitors. Over time, we’ve heard many stories about banking (or not) in Whistler at the museum, such as the race completed by Whistler Mountain employees on payday to make it to Squamish before the bank there closed.

Two of the stories we’ve hear from longtime residents concern bank robberies, both occurring at the trailer that the Bank of Nova Scotia (now known as Scotiabank) operated near the base of Whistler Mountain for a time in the 1970s. It seems that the trailer operated as part of the Pemberton branch and, though it did not offer all the services one might expect to find at a bank, local residents could cash cheques there, avoiding a drive to either Pemberton or Squamish.

Historically, quite a few Whistler services and retail operations have been located in portable buildings, such as the Liquor Store in 1980. Whistler Question Collection, 1980.

According to one tale, one or two people in Vancouver who were acquainted with some Whistler residents decided that they were going to rob the bank. They drove up the highway, went into the trailer, held up the teller (though it is unclear what, if anything, they used as a weapon), and escaped with the money, though there was apparently at least one customer who recognized them. While it might have seemed like a simple robbery to plan, the thieves forgot to make a plan to get out of Whistler. With only one road in and out, the bank called the RCMP in Squamish who set up a roadblock on the highway and apprehended the thieves.

The second story of a bank robbery in Whistler was even more straightforward. As the bank was located in a trailer, someone reportedly decided to hitch it up to their truck and drive away with it. Unfortunately for them, there was no money kept on the premises and the bank was found abandoned but intact relatively close by.

Important elements of a financial institution are delivered to Village Square to be installed in the North Shore Community Credit Union. Whistler Question Collection, 1984.

Though the Bank of Nova Scotia did offer some services in the trailer for a few year, it was not until June 1984 that a financial institution opened an official branch in Whistler. The North Shore Community Credit Union (NSCCU; known today as Blueshore Financial) officially opened in the Blackcomb Professional Building in Village Square on Saturday, June 2, though they had already been accepting clients for almost month. Although credit unions are not the same as banks, the NSCCU provided residents with many of the same services, including chequing, RRSPs, mortgages, and loans. With four full-time and two part-time employees, the NSCCU planned to be open five days a week (Tuesday to Saturday) and was also planning to install an ATM. This was the seventh branch of the NSCCU to open and the first outside of the North Shore and West Vancouver. For visiting NSCCU members, the opening of a Whistler location was also very convenient.

The opening of a financial institution in Whistler was well received by the community. Businesses and organizations such as the Whistler Resort Association and both mountains took advertisements out to welcome the NSCCU and there was a very good turnout at the opening. The NSCCU also encouraged residents to become members by offering a chance to win either a season’s dual mountain ski pass or a summer’s windsurfing. Though all members from any branch were eligible to enter the competition throughout June, it was two Whistler residents, Fred Lockwood and Heather McInnis, whose names were drawn by Willie Whistler at the beginning of July.

Tony Tyler (NSCCU branch manager) and Linda Stefan (NSCCU employee) draw the winners of the NSCCU opening draw with the help of Willie Whistler. Whistler Question Collection, 1984.

The NSCCU did not remain in its Village Square location for long. Over a weekend in December 1984, everything in the branch, (including the safe) was moved across Village Square before later making its move to its current location on the Village Stroll. Over the past forty years, other financial institutions have opened branches in Whistler, though none have been as portable as the Bank of Nova Scotia’s trailer.

READ MOREREAD MORE

WSSF: The BeginningWSSF: The Beginning

April 9, 2024 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

April is the last month for our temporary exhibit Off the Lip: The Rise of Snowboarding in Whistler. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, make sure you stop by before it closes to allow for the installation of another new exhibit. Although Off the Lip is the first exhibit dedicated to snowboarding in our current facility, the museum’s first snowboard display took place in April 1996 and was developed to coincide with the very first World Ski and Snowboard Festival (WSSF).

According to festival director Doug Perry, the organizers of the WSSF had two goals when they began planning: to increase activity in the resort at a traditionally quiet time of year and to attract as much media attention as possible. To this end, they planned 22 events over ten days with 1,500 athletes participating.

Insight Photography Collection, 1996

The 1996 festival brought together established events that already took place in the spring such as the Couloir Ski Race Extreme, the Whistler Cup, and the WestBeach Classic and added more events both on the mountain and throughout the Whistler Village. These included family events, related arts and culture events such as the snowboard exhibit at the Whistler Museum, industry displays and demos, more ski and snowboard competitions, and performances by nearly a dozen bands in various venues over three days with Vancouver’s 54•40 closing out the festival. By the end of the ten days, Perry had head the festival described as “the single most important happening in the ski and snowboard industry” and organizers were already looking ahead, promising an even bigger and better festival next year.

The WSSF returned in 1997 from April 4 to 13, including many of the same events. Additional events were planned as well, including two biking events meant to take place on the mountains. The Grinders Cup Dual Eliminator Mountain Bike Snow Race was scheduled to run on Blackcomb Mountain under the Magic Chair but was canceled due to lack of interest by competitors. The Norco Challenge did go ahead and featured Norco factory riders trying to gain as much speed as possible down Whistler Mountain’s Saddle.

WestBeach events were incredibly popular during the World Ski and Snowboard Festival. Insight Photography Collection, 1997

Some of the snow events also raised money for various causes, such as the Backbone Enduro Vertical Challenge coordinated by Chris Kent. Teams and individuals competed to see who could finish the most runs over an eight-hour period while uploading only the Creekside Gondola and the Red Chair. Competitors collected sponsorships and the money raised went to a rehabilitative medical research centre proposed by BC Rehab and to the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre.

This appears to be the only photo we have found of Heaven at the Conference Centre so far. Insight Photography Collection, 1997

Other organizations also got involved in the festival through partnerships and by creating their own tie-in events, increasing the number of arts and culture events within the WSSF. The Whistler Resort Association (WRA) offered a new “Stay for Free” promotion where buying three days of dual mountain skiing got you two nights in a hotel for free. Heaven, advertised as a “full-on all-night interactive rave,” planned to turn the Conference Centre ballroom into a dance club with DJs from Toronto and Los Angeles. 23 bands were scheduled to play throughout the festival and, for the first time, film was introduced as a component of the festival with the Moving Pictures film festival featuring “some of the hottest and most controversial Canadian films from the past year.”

The Air Canada Whistler Cup was incorporated into the WSSF from 1996. Though no longer part of the festival, the Whistler Cup continues to run each year. Insight Photography Collection, 1997

According to statistics gathered just after the WSSF finished, the festival was a great success for the resort. Over 2,000 athletes came out that year to participate in the various events and the audiences for most events also increased, with over 8,000 spectators gathering at the base of Whistler Mountain to watch the WestBeach Invitational Big Air competition. Both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains reported their highest single-day skier numbers for the month of April on April 5 and the WRA reported bookings exceeding the 1996 WSSF by about 80% and an increase in package bookings of 200%. Though not all businesses reported their numbers, the Longhorn and McDonald’s both reported record sales days during the WSSF.

The WSSF is back again this year from April 8 to 14 and, though it has changed in many ways since it first began in 1996, will still include some familiar aspects.

READ MOREREAD MORE

Maximum ExposureMaximum Exposure

April 2, 2024 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

It’s often the case that some weeks are busier than others, whether they’re planned that way or brought about through unexpected changes. In late March and early April 1980, Whistler Mountain had a very busy week of events, only some of which they had planned to host.

The Labatt World Cup Freestyle Championships were scheduled to take place on Grouse Mountain from March 28 to 30. However, by March 20 it was announced that warm weather meant that Grouse would be unable to host the competition. According to Peter MacKay-Smith, spokesperson for Grouse, “It’s unfortunate but we had to face the fact that we would have to move an enormous amount of snow to provide a safe and adequate ballet and mogul course.” Instead, the three day event featuring around 100 skiers from around the world was shifted to Whistler Mountain.

The Labatt World Cup Freestyle Championships on Whistler Mountain. Whistler Question Collection, 1980.

Canadian skiers were looking strong heading into the competition, with Stephanie Sloan and Greg Athans leading the women’s and men’s divisions. Along with ballet, aerial, and moguls competitions, a pro-am mogul bash was also planned for March 26 to help set up the bumps ahead of the mogul competition on the upper T-bar headwall. Teams of three were made up of one professional and two amateaur skiers and the event was used as a warm up for both competitors and the lift company.

As with many events held on Whistler Mountain, the weather was not all that cooperative. Conditions for the World Cup Ballet Championships held on Friday, March 28 were described as “somewhat unfriendly with blowing snow and high winds,” even blowing out the fencing and banners that lined the course near the top of the Little Red Chair. The mogul event scheduled for Saturday, March 29 had to be postponed after 35cm of snow fell on the course. Both the moguls and the aerials took place on Sunday, March 30, making for a busy and tiring day for competitors. All of this was followed by a presentation ceremony at the base of the lifts where, having both held onto their leads, Greg Athans and Stephanie Sloan were crowned as World Cup Freestyle Champions. Sponsored by Labatts, there was also $30,000 in prize money given out.

Downhill racing on Whistler Mountain while the freestyle events go ahead. Whistler Question Collection, 1980.

Though running the World Cup Freestyle might seem like enough for one week, there were also downhill races running on Whistler Mountain Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (March 30 to April 2). While freestyle skiers demonstrated their acrobatic abilities, a Nancy Greene Ski League GS race was held on part of the Orange Chair downhill (today part of Upper Dave Murray Downhill). About 50 skiers aged 6 to 14 from the Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) and the Red Mountain Ski Club of Rossland raced to earn points for their clubs. In the end, Red Mountain came out ahead with 197 points against Whistler Mountain’s 154. The top placing WMSC racer in 7th place was Willy Raine (son of Nancy Greene and Al Raine).

Jill Warland and Jamie Parsons, winners of the first Bob Parsons Memorial Downhill. Whistler Question Collection, 1980.

Even as the freestyle competitions went on and young skiers raced down the GS course, slightly older junior racers trained on the Back Bowl course for two downhill races held Monday and Tuesday (April 1 and 2). These races made up the first Bob Parsons Memorial Downhill race, named for one of the founding Weasel Workers and Chief of Course for many downhill races on Whistler Mountain before his death in 1979. These races were restricted to racers who were “up and coming” with “100 FIS points or more.” Unlike the freestyle events, both downhill race days were cold and clear and the event went smoothly. Over the two days, Jill Warland of Kimberley and Jamie Parsons (fittingly the son of Bob Parsons) came in first in both downhills and the Bob Parsons Memorial Trophy was awarded to Jamie by his mother Lee.

According to the Whistler Question editorial following all of these events, Whistler Mountain came through this period with “a minimum of confusion and a maximum of exposure,” leading to a lot of positive publicity for the growing resort.

READ MOREREAD MORE

The Big Test: The 1967 du Maurier International Ski RaceThe Big Test: The 1967 du Maurier International Ski Race

March 26, 2024 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

Just over a year after Whistler Mountain opened in 1966, the Garibaldi Olympic Development Association (GODA) hosted the second annual du Maurier International. This race brought in top ski racers from around the world.

This competition was a test to see if Whistler could handle a race of this calibre, in hopes of eventually hosting the Olympics.

So, how did the first international ski race at Whistler go? Thanks to the publication Ski Trails, we have the full coverage of the event.

This advert for the race ran in Ski Trails and also promoted the new features found on Whistler Mountain that season.

The du Maurier International was created in partnership with the Canadian Amateur Ski Association (CASA) and du Maurier Cigarettes. The cigarette company saw the potential for advertising and promotion through skiing events. After receiving approval from the International Ski Federation (FIS), the first competition was held in 1966 and was split in two halves at different locations, Mt. Norquay (Alberta) and Mont-Sainte-Anne (Quebec). The race consisted of two disciplines, slalom and giant slalom, in both men’s and women’s categories.

The Whistler event took place January 28-29, 1967. CASA was responsible for organizing the event, while du Maurier Cigarettes sponsored the promotion and transportation for the athletes. Because the resort was fairly new with limited resources, there was a lot of planning and consideration for racers and spectators.

A crowd gathers at the bottom of the slalom course located alongside the Valley T-Bar. The weekend saw a mix of conditions (rain, snow, wind, and fog) that affected visibility for both racers and spectators. MacLaurin Collection

Luckily, it was a big snow year and the courses were well-packed and many racers complimented the construction. Aside from Canadian skiers, the race drew in professional athletes from the United States, Austria, France, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, West Germany, and Finland.

Spectators were charged an entry fee of $1 or $2 if they chose to use the gondola to view the race. Transportation options from Vancouver were a train via the Pacific Great Eastern Railway or a bus via Squamish Coachlines, GODA Charters, or Greyhound. Driving was an option but parking at today’s Creekside area was limited. The event organizers had parking available at Brandywine Falls, with a shuttle ready to transport the public to the base of the mountain. Though the organizers ensured there were extra trains and buses, transport did not go as smoothly as expected.

On both days, the giant slalom was scheduled at 9:30am and the slalom at 1:00pm. Some trains arrived halfway through the first race, and some buses did not leave Vancouver to make the two hour journey until 8:00am. As the race started at mid-station, it took about thirty minutes to hike up to the area, and by that time many spectators did not see much. The slalom was at the base of the mountain and easier to view.

It might be a little hard to see in the crowd, but here Nancy Greene is on the podium at the du Maurier race. MacLaurin Collection

The race results were particularly exciting for Canadians. Nancy Greene placed first in both races, beating France’s Christine Goitschel by two seconds in the slalom and Switzerland’s Ruth Adolf by four seconds in the giant slalom. In the men’s category, Norway’s Haakon Mjoen won slalom and Austria’s Werner Bleiner won giant slalom, though Canadian Peter Duncan placed fifth in both races.

Did Whistler pass the test? Yes and no. Hosting Whistler’s first international skiing event proved the mountain terrain was capable of holding Olympic level competitions; however, the resort still did not have enough resources to accommodate the athletes and number of spectators. The success of this event strengthened GODA’s 1976 Olympic bid, but ultimately these Games went to a previous host (Innsbruck, Austria). This was due to a few factors. The summer Olympics was scheduled to be in Montreal, and the International Olympic Committee did not want to have two Olympics in the same country in the same year. After awarding the bid to Denver, Colorado, it was rejected by the state due to environmental concerns. Whistler was reconsidered, but the new NDP provincial government did not support this round. Though disappointing, it gave Whistler more time to develop its resources.

READ MOREREAD MORE