Tag: Whistler Question

Whistler’s Answers: October 2, 1986Whistler’s Answers: October 2, 1986

October 2, 2025 Whistler MuseumWhistler 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 1986.  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: Smoking bans were not introduced in some municipalities in BC until the late 1980s and 1990s and provincially in the early 2000s. Some restaurants, however, began introducing non-smoking sections before any bans were put in effect. In June 1985, council considered a no-smoking bylaw after a letter from the Coast-Garibaldi Health Unit suggested a bylaw to increase the number of smoke-free areas in the community. The matter was then passed on to the Chamber of Commerce and the Whistler Resort Association for comment and members of the community were consulted. Some members of council supported the idea, but not everyone in Whistler was on board.

Question: What do you think of mandatory non-smoking sections?

Janet Mattson – Owner/Manager

I oppose a mandatory bylaw. It puts the restaurant owner on the spot, knocking off a third of your tables. You have to have a hostess at the door, and unless you have big, ugly signs on the wall you can’t enforce it. I’ve never had any problems with the voluntary system. If a person requests a non-smoking area, you seat them in an area where no one is smoking. We shouldn’t be affected though, because your liquor licence determines whether you’re a bar or restaurant.

Joel Thibault – Owner/Manager

I think it’s going to be part of the routine. People expect it, and the more we realize that, the easier it will be. It’s easier for us because we have a large restaurant, but for small places it will be hard. It does give everybody the privilege of their choice, and the more we can accommodate the public, the better.

Lawrence Black – Owner/Manager

I’m a non smoker and we’ve always kept a no smoking area, but it’s hard to enforce. When you run out of smoking tables and people light up in the no smoking section, what are you supposed to do? Phone the police to avoid being fined? It’s hard to keep a designated section. It needs to be flexible. It will be expensive for the municipality to enforce, and a waste of time. I think it’s a bad move.

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Whistler’s Answers: September 25, 1986Whistler’s Answers: September 25, 1986

September 25, 2025 Whistler MuseumWhistler 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 1986.  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: This one seems pretty self explanatory, so we think we’ll leave it there.

Question: Do you think Whistler has enough culture?

Roberta Stewart – Owner/Manager – Emerald Estates

It’s beautiful on the physical side, but it doesn’t have any culture. I think it’s something that hasn’t happened here much because it takes a very dedicated person to organize something like that. Like this man who’s bringing improvisational theatre to the Rainbow. It needs a lot of support, people going to it for one thing. Maybe with an increase in population we’ll see more of it. Whistler offers so much on the physical side. It’s not that people aren’t interested.

Mundigier Ferdinand – Retired – Victoria

It has a little bit. It’s beautiful, I think it has the potential to be like the resorts in Bavaria and Austria, but it doesn’t reach it. It’s too commercialized, one building on top of another, no space to breathe, like Waikiki. This square is fantastic, but needs something in the middle. The outdoor cafes are fantastic. But the buildings are too square and plain, like boxes. It doesn’t feel homey. If you go to places in Europe, you don’t forget them. But the surroundings here are really beautiful.

Kim Hauner – Businessman – Vancouver

No, it doesn’t have enough culture. But I don’t think people want culture here. So the answer is, yes, it has enough culture. You don’t come to Whistler for cultural stimulation, you come here for nature and to socialize, to relax. A permanent cultural thing, like an art gallery, wouldn’t work. But you could certainly bring up more theatre and events. A movie festival or Shakespeare festival would probably work.

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Whistler’s Answers: September 18, 1986Whistler’s Answers: September 18, 1986

September 18, 2025 Whistler MuseumWhistler 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 1986.  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: This one seems pretty self explanatory, so we think we’ll leave it there.

Question: Do you think law enforcement is adequate in the Village?

Jason Hyde – Waiter – Whistler Cay

I think the police are visible enough. We’re not in a police state. You get results from the police, they do the best they can right away. Most of the stolen bikes seem to turn up. I would just as soon have it lower profile, though they could be a little more diplomatic at times. They do their job, with breathalyzers on long weekends and such. They don’t try to be too visible but when they need to be they are.

Michele Bush – Bartender – Whistler Cay

I think they do a pretty good job. You have to expect a certain amount of rowdiness and noise in any resort town. Normally if we get problems Alpine Security comes in. Unfortunately with that large group Sunday night, there wasn’t much they could do because there wasn’t any backup. It could have happened in any town, but in the city you have the help reinforcements.

Mary Talbot – Waitress – Gondola

I think we do in the winter ski season, or any time there are a lot more people around. At times like Christmas there are a lot of rowdy people and drunks. And on busy weekends things can get out of hand. It would be nice to see them around a bit more, so you know they are there. I’ve never come into a situation where I’ve had to call them.

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Whistler’s Answers: September 11, 1986Whistler’s Answers: September 11, 1986

September 11, 2025 Whistler MuseumWhistler 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 1986.  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: As construction wrapped up in the Whistler Village and eyes turned to the development of Village North, discussions began again about a skating rink in Whistler. The original plans for the Whistler Conference Centre included a rink but as plans changed during the recession in the early 1980s the skating rink (and many other features) were removed. While some people thought a skating rink should be included in any plans for Village North, there was no rink built in the Village until after the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games when the skating rink in Olympic Plaza was constructed.

Question: What kind of skating rink should Whistler have?

Kim Wetaski – Professional Figure Skater/Coach – Alpine Meadows

I think they should go for a full-size rink, because people will want to play hockey and you can always divide it for multipurpose use. As far as figure skating goes, you can’t really practice set dance patterns on a small rink. I may be the only figure skater here, but if they want it for the future it should be a full size rink, with Ice Capades they used metal sheets beneath the ice for their portable rinks. That worked whether we performed in Hawaii or Texas. But they should cover it because of the snow.

Darrel Mrowka – Clerk – Alpine Meadows

I don’t think a lot of people will be pleasure skating – it will be hockey. It would be such a small rink in the square that you wouldn’t get that outdoor feeling you get skating on a lake anyways. And while it might be okay for teaching little kids, people who really want to skate wouldn’t take it seriously. Anyways, I don’t think an outdoor rink would feasible. I favour an indoor rink.

Keith Sabey – Proprietor – Emerald Estates

I favour Mountain Square. Studies have shown that in planned communities, facilities that are within walking distance get more use. If you put it somewhere else it’s an extended walk and people won’t do that. I think it’s a terrific idea, and it would lend a lot of ambiance to the area. We’ve been talking for some time about doing something to the upper end of the village. And, after all, the reason why we’re here and employed is tourism. And in Mountain Square all the lighting facilities are already there.

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