Tag Archives: Crystal Lodge

This Week In Photos: November 22

From the photos, it looks like snow in the valley this week isn’t a given but certainly a possibility.  We hope everyone enjoys opening day today, whether heading up the hill or not!

1978

Highways’ truck gets stuck by the yard on Thursday.

Lone Highways’ worker pushes snow off of the overpass after the snowstorm.

The Gardiner vehicle as it ended up in Green Lake.

1979

No door on the helicopter allows a crystal-clear view of the Town Centre, Public Service Building and Myrtle Philip School.

Large pile of construction garbage at Mons dump indicates total disregard for sign by garbage dumpers.

Mayor Pat Carleton and Frans Carpay of Whistler Village Land Co. lead one of many media groups on a walking tour of Whistler Town Centre on Wednesday.

Border Lake has spring ice blasted away…

… while 60,000 metric tonnes of ice is dislodged to prevent future disaster to work crews.

The presentation of the Pemberton Community Plan, left to right: Zoltan Kuun, Clerk Tom Wood, Mayor Shirley Henry, Planner John Connelly.

1980

Phone system change hits snag.

Voters line-up to decide Whistler’s future last Saturday, November 15. A record turnout was recorded by the Municipality.

Valley employees begin a Hospitality Seminar.

The interior of the totally revamped Creek House Restaurant.

1981

Don’t recognize this building? It’s the new 54-unit Crystal Lodge, complete with observation decks and 20,000 sq. ft. restaurant. Of course, this is just a model, but the real thing is scheduled for completion by August ’82.

Municipal workers divert water around an area contaminated by creosote, which was washed off power poles in the background by heavy rains. The area is 200m north of Scotia Creek on Westside Road.

Hold it! Two models from Dominion Creative Consultants take advantage of Whistler as a backdrop to model some of the latest ski fashions for an upcoming catalogue for Jones Leisurewear of Vancouver.

1982

Hearty congratulations were in order for Mayor-elect Mark Angus Saturday, November 20 at his well-attended victory party.

Mayor Pat Carleton unveils a plaque commemorating the opening of his namesake, the Carleton Lodge, which opened November 21.

Lead singer from Willie Catfish belts it out into the mouth of the mascot at the Brass Rail Saturday, November 20.

After a long time away from slippery slats skiers ventured cautiously on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains’ opening day Friday, November 19.

Viv Jennings and family survey the remains of their Mercury wagon that was partly demolished on November 18 by a large snow removal machine in Whistler Village.

Blackcomb’s 1982/83 Snow Hosts – the on-mountain PR people that provide information, guided tours and much more to Blackcomb Mountain visitors. Shown here are Mike Rodgers, Deb Gurlach, Linda Turcot (Assistant Supervisor), Shelley Phelan (Public Relations Co-ordinator), Valerie Lang (Racing and Special Events Co-ordinator), Megan Armstrong, Andrea Houston, Bob MacIntosh. Not shown is Kent Rideout.

1984

Bill Herdman of North Vancouver takes major airtime on Blackcomb Satruday, just off Catskinner. There was some new snow over the weekend and skiers responded by hitting the slopes in favourable numbers – Whistler and Blackcomb report that in the first 10 days of skiing, more than 27,000 skier-days were recorded. Both lift companies are this winter offering a number of special programs, including lessons, orientation days for destination tourists, and speciality clinics for already accomplished skiers. Blackcomb is still offering a special discount rate on season’s passes for valley employees. Conditions to qualify for the $340 pass ($100 off) are that the employee works for a member of the Whistler Resort Association and Chamber of Commerce, and works a minimum of 20 hours a week.

Five models – four women and a man – modelled 30 new outfits at a fashion show at the Sundial Friday night. The models came from Blanche MacDonald modelling agency in Vancouver, and according to owner Sharon Donair, they were the best available, one of them recently returned from Japan, another from Milan and others destined for great success in the modelling world.

The Whistler Winterhawks raised more than $1,800 at an overwhelmingly successful fundraiser Friday in Dusty’s. One hundred and fifty team supporters turned out for the event and danced to the music of The Questionnaires. Nearly one quarter of the supporters also went home with prizes ranging from a Whistler Mountain season’s pass and ski lessons to computer courses and hats.

Seppo Makinen won a prize at Friday’s Whistler Winterhawks Benefit at Dusty’s but decided to let organizers draw another name for ski lessons on Whistler. That’s the spirit Seppo!

Nello and Jenny Busdon, as well as their two children, Nicholas and Melanie, bid farewell to Whistler November 30 when the family moves down to Sun Valley in Idaho. After 17 years in Whistler, where the couple saw the community develop from 100 residents to more than 1,800, the couple caught the travelling bug after seeing many of their friends in Whistler move to other areas.

Women’s History Month: Part II

If you read last week’s post (if you haven’t had a chance yet, you can check it out here), you already know that October has been designated Women’s History Month in Canada since 1992.  One of the reasons for choosing October to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women across Canada was the inclusion of Person Day.  On October 18, 1929 (only 89 years ago last Thursday) Canada’s highest court of appeal ruled that women are considered ‘persons’ under the British North America Act of 1867 and should be eligible for appointment to the Senate of Canada.

For the woman we’re featuring this week, the Persons Day is of significance as it made her appointment to the Senate in 2009 possible.

Toni Sailer and Nancy Greene-Raine on the World Cup Downhill course.  Question Collection.

Nancy Greene grew up skiing in Rossland, British Columbia and was Canada’s biggest ski star during the 1960s.  After winning the inaugural World Cup in 1967 Nancy went on to win two medals in the 1968 Grenoble Olympics (gold in giant slalom and silver in slalom) and her second World Cup.  Nancy’s total of 13 World Cup Victories and 17 Canadian Championship titles remain Canadian records today.

Though Nancy retired after 1968, her two incredibly successful seasons had inspired hundreds of young skiers.  The Nancy Greene Ski League was formed to promote participation in ski racing and fun in competition nationwide.

Nancy married Al Raine, then the Canadian National Ski Team coach, and the pair built a home in Whistler for when Nancy was working as a coach at the Toni Sailer Summer Ski Camps on Whistler.  When the Resort Municipality of Whistler was formed in 1975 Al was appointed to council and the family moved to the valley permanently.

The group at the Sailer Fischer Ski Camp party catered by the Keg. (L to R) Wayne Wong, Wayne Booth, Schultz, Nancy Greene, Toni Sailer, Rookie, Alan White.  Question Collection.

Over their 25 years in Whistler Al and Nancy were very involved in the community.  Active in early bids for the Olympics and founding members of the Blackcomb Ski Club, they were also involved in other aspects of the community.  Nancy served as School Trustee for the local school district during the early years of the first Myrtle Philip School and they were both involved in the Alta Lake Ratepayers Association.

In the early years it was hard not to be involved.  As Nancy recalled, “You had to go to every little sort of festival or function as a person who lived in the valley, ’cause if we didn’t all go there weren’t enough people.  And between volunteering for it, and driving the trucks, or putting your kids’ bikes in the parades and cutting the cake, we were all there.”  In 1990 Al and Nancy were jointly named Whistler’s Citizens of the Year.

Al and Nancy opened the Nancy Greene Olympic Lodge in 1985 (the word “Olympic” had to be dropped after protests from IOC lawyers), one of the first few hotels in Whistler Village.  They ran the lodge until 1994 when it was sold and renamed the Crystal Lodge.

The Raines: Willy, Charley, Nancy and Al, returned to Whistler just before school started after two years in Crans, Montana, Switzerland. Al and Nancy were ski instructors in the 1,500-person resort while the 14-year-old twins went to school in the French speaking community.  Question Collection.

The family left Whistler for the newly developing Sun Peaks resort in 1995.  There they continued to be involved in creating a new ski destination.  In 1999 Nancy was voted Canada’s Female Athlete of the Century.  Nancy has also received the Order of the Dogwood, the Order of British Columbia and been named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Nancy was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2009, where she served until her retirement this past spring.

This Week in Photos: February 22

1979

The crowds begin to arrive – the Olive Chair loading area on Thursday.

Blizzard! The scene looking down the Green Chair during the snowstorm on Tuesday.

The shed at Mons the day after firefighters were on the scene attempting to put out the blaze.

1980

Election day in the Myrtle Philip School gym.

Two of the many Japanese ski writers who have been visiting Whistler lately – From Skier Magazine in Tokyo (l to r) Photographer ‘Dragon’, Writer ‘Ando’, and Toshi Hamazaki of Whistler.

The new “guard rails” installed to protect the Lift Company office windows from skis.

No diplomatic immunity here – Mons prepares to tow away the Question truck from the lift base.

1981

Students at Myrtle Philip School take a look at cameras through the ages.

Nancy Green, Prime Minister Trudeau and Hugh Smythe spend the day taking in Blackcomb.

The Prime Minister was also taken on a tour of the construction sites of Whistler Village.

An unusually bright and empty view of the bar at Tapley’s.

Whistler Mountain’s Franz Wilhelmsen and Peter Alder watch proudly as Whistler’s Black Chair carries passengers for the first time this season on February 21.

1982

Search and Rescue Squadron 422 from Comox dropped into Whistler last week for a mountain rescue training session.

Stretching, an essential when preparing for a race.

A few Crazy Canucks share a laugh at Dave Murray’s retirement part at Myrtle Philip School.

The first test run of the fire department’s latest addition proved it could be instrumental in putting out high level fires such as the one at Whistler Village Inn January 13.

Long before they started making snow at Olympic Plaza snow piles have provided endless amusement.

A parking attendant’s dream… This giant tow truck pulled into town the other day – and quickly pulled out again, much to the relief of nearby parking violators.

1983

Soaking up the sun (l to r) Rosilyn and Marlin Arneson and Bill Bode of Washington State relax before calling it a day Monday, February 21 after the first really warm one on Whistler Mountain.

Sjaan DiLalla tries out one of the ranges in one of the 29 “studio lofts” in the recently opened Crystal Lodge.

First place team members in the Team Supreme competition. The event, held at Blackcomb February 20, raised $2,400 for the BC Disabled Skiers Association.

Seppo Makinen and Sam Alexander discuss Whistler’s proposed new Zoning Bylaw No. 303 with Assistant Municipal Planner Cress Walker.

Cross-country skiers set off on the Whistler Cross-Country Marathon which was held over a 20km route Sunday, February 20.

1985

Art ’85 was hosted in the gym of Myrtle Philip School this past weekend.

During an introductory press conference Sunday at Crystal Lodge, Todd Brooker (far left) introduces members of the Canadian Men’s Alpine Team: (l to r) Felix Belcyzk, Chris Kent, Paul Boivin, Chris McIver and Jim Kirby.

Canadian blues man Long John Baldry and crew crank it out at The Longhorn Sunday.

Jan Seger, Ski instructor, White Gold resident.