whistler - November 03rd, 2005
Stuart, what's the website link?

anonymous - November 03rd, 2005
People want to know that there is a future for them in Whistler. With an absence of employee housing they are quickly losing faith, and growing cynical. Whistler is facing enormous challenges with several major infrastructure projects do be developed between now and 2010 and a critical shortage of skilled labor to build them. We also face critical staff shortages in the tourism economy. We must understand that these projects need to be prioritized. We also need come to terms with the sense of urgency to develop employee housing. And to develop it now! This is an issue that has been plaguing Whistler for far to long, and the time has come to get it sorted out. We need a deal on the Rainbow project, by Christmas. And If you elect me I’ll drag my council colleagues, the mayor and municipal staff, kicking and screaming if I have to get a minimum of 250 units of Employee housing built in the next 18 months.

I’m quite certain that people will say I’m naïve to think that we can do that.
But I’ve been called worse things than naïve. And I can tell you that when you set an audacious goal it rallies’ people to the cause. I may be naïve but I believe that with enthusiasm effort and an ounce of creativity, you can achieve any goal.
Peace,
Ralph Forsyth
ralphforsyth.org

anonymous - November 03rd, 2005
I have been involved in the process to bring forward the Rainbow Development for the last twelve months through my work at the Whistler Housing Authority. It is an outstanding opportunity to create good homes for locals. As a community, we have been working at this for a year, we have made it a priority, and yet the project had not made it to 1st Reading yet. Why not? I believe the biggest reason is because the Mayor and Council have not given staff clear direction and empowerment to move it forward. This will be job one for the new Council. If elected, I will be a champion for this project on Council, in the same way I was a champion for it at the WHA. We have to get this project approved in time to begin construction in the Spring. That means it needs to be on the table in December.

Tim Wake

anonymous - November 04th, 2005
Geez Tim, given that you were the General Manager of the Whistler Housinmg Authority for most of the time that Rainbow was coming down the pipe, it hardly becomes you to point the finger at somebody else. It's not your fault, it's not Council's fault, it's not STaff's fault and it's not the developers fault. Remarkably, notwithstanding all the moaning and complaining, nobody has come up with any sort of analysis as to how long this remarkably complex project should have taken to get to first reading. I guess it's election time and some think they need to point fingers to get elected rather than standing on their own merits. Come on Tim, talk about your accomplishments. Don't make the mistake of cr*pping in your own nest. Nick

anonymous - November 04th, 2005
Geez Tim, given that you were the General Manager of the Whistler Housinmg Authority for most of the time that Rainbow was coming down the pipe, it hardly becomes you to point the finger at somebody else. It's not your fault, it's not Council's fault, it's not STaff's fault and it's not the developers fault. Remarkably, notwithstanding all the moaning and complaining, nobody has come up with any sort of analysis as to how long this remarkably complex project should have taken to get to first reading. I guess it's election time and some think they need to point fingers to get elected rather than standing on their own merits. Come on Tim, talk about your accomplishments. Don't make the mistake of cr*pping in your own nest. Nick

anonymous - November 04th, 2005
I am a supporter of the Rainbow project. Imagine a Whistler where future election campaigns don't revolve around the creation of affordable housing because the need is largley met!
Rainbow goes a long way to getting us to that point.
Eckhard Zeidler

anonymous - November 05th, 2005
while the rainbow project is not perfect, and i do tend to say more often than not that the commercial space in the rainbow project could/should be minimized so residential space could be maximized,the rainbow project is a real good start, and i hope this type of project is a template for other projects.....


stacy kohut

anonymous - November 05th, 2005
Employee Housing and Rainbow are the most important issues of this election. Anyone that does'nt understand this should not be a candidate in this election.

Frustrated and ready to leave town!

anonymous - November 06th, 2005
It is nice to see that Ted has people to answer the questions for him. (see above)That way if he see's a better opportunity once again,(if he is elected mayor) he can have his people deal with issues until his term ends.

anonymous - November 08th, 2005
Was the Rainbow project was killed at an in-camera meeting this afternoon? Did Ken vote to kill it? Krisi? Nick? Gord? Marianne? Where are our families supposed to live? Kicking Horse? When was the public consultation period? Why was this done in an in camera meeting?

anonymous - November 08th, 2005
I can't believe it! How can Ken say he is for affordable housing and then behind closed doors today send the project, yet again back to the developer.

I hope everyone on the waiting list at the WHA doesn't vote for any of these people from the current council !!!!

anonymous - November 08th, 2005
I am for employee housing but before I commit to any project i have to know alot more about it.
What was in this memorandum of understanding?
Who was it signed by?
Is it binding upon the present or future council?
How come these developers got a memorandum of understanding?
Is this a normal procedture?
How many employee bed units are in this project?
How many market bed units?
Are their any guarentees that the Employee bed units will be built before the market bed units are sold?
Do the market bed units fit within the 52,500 market bed unit cap?
I am all in favor of Employee housing but I would like these questions answered. Sonya McCarthy

anonymous - November 08th, 2005
Great points by the contributers in this forum. I'm interested in knowing which of our hopeful council members and mayors lives in restricted housing. I'm also interested in finding out why the Housing Authority needed to employ an " expiditor " for some of these projects. Wasn't delivering afforadble accomodation the mandate of the Housing Authority ? Perhaps the WHA members and council members were so busy sitting on other committees that they didn't have time to deliver or expidite ? I don't know and I'm not accusing but a response would be interesting.

anonymous - November 09th, 2005
The process leading up to Rainbow has been a lot longer than anyone would have anticipated. Three years ago, the departing Council had understood that the 300 acres of free Crown Land (Olymoic Legacy) would fulfill the Municipality's long term needs. The WHA of the day also recommended that we should be building rental units (see original direction of Nita Lake). Although it is not as flashy as bricks and mortar this Council did do a lot of NECESSARY planning. For example the WHA Board pushed for a housing site assessment (remember the golf course proposal) of private land, and staff completed a solid analysis of servicing costs for Crown land sites. In the end the cost to service Crown land sites would have exceeded the cost to develop private sites such as Rainbow. The MOU was intended to set general terms of the development for both the developer and the Muni, to prevent another Cheak Three (where the applicant and staff worked hard on a project only to have Council not even allow it to go to a public open house). The Housing Expeditor was brought in as to bring in some lacking expertise into the business side of the project, and to get things moving. Many developers were weary of spending money developing affordable housing given Cheak Three as well as the low benchmark price of $155/sq.ft.
As a planner working on the project for the developer (I have declared a conflict), but also someone that has been the planner responsible for housing ('89-'96)and been on the waiting list and desperate for a home, I believe both staff and the applicant are willing to resolve the issues and move forward. They are not big bad developers, just already down a very long and expensive road,responding to a considerable number of issues raised throughout the community.

I don't think any affordable housing project is perfect, but most are housing people,and with Rainbow there will be the potential to house hundreds, providing for the first time real options for our local residents.

Caroline Lamont (it would be terrific if all of the people who addressed the blog signed their name, as each of the candidates are willing to sign their name and take the kudos/criticism, so should the greater community).

anonymous - November 16th, 2005
Let's not forget that the Rainbow developers aren't offering to build employee housing out of the goodness of their hearts. It is a calculated risk with a tremendous payoff.

There are significant environmental and economic questions that are too important to sweep aside just because some locals are tired of renting. It takes a long time to answer those questions. Don't blame council for having the good sense to complete its due diligence.

anonymous - November 17th, 2005
Too bad we measure Municipal progress in three year cycles.

anonymous - November 18th, 2005
Maybe the delay in rainow has to do with things like no source of water and problems with defining who is going to pay for the sewage, just speculation though

anonymous - December 06th, 2005
Rainbow is as dead as a door knob. You read it here first!

anonymous - December 16th, 2005
Please explain the above.