WEST VANCOUVER relay race co-organizer, Sue Hills, checks out Papa Bear’s head bone during the second annual running
of the event which raised $4,500 for The Province's Empty Stocking fund, through local business sponsorship of the 11 par-
ticipating teams and public donations. Each team comprised eight runners, including a sport celebrity, and had to complete the

eight mile course in Ambleside Park, West Vancouver.

Dream built on snow

MANY YEARS ago Franz Wilhelmsen and a
group of his friends had a dream to build a ski
resort second to none in North America. And now,
after, 24 long years of planning, developing,
upgrading, building and rebuilding at Whistler,
Wilhelmsen’s dreAm has become a reality.

In 1960 when the
Norwegian born Wilhelmsen,
65, and group of 12 friends
decided to develop’ the
Whistler area it was all
wilderness. There were no
roads and the only route tn
was by rail from Squamish

Now if has all changed
There are two top cahbre ski
hills, Whistler and
Blackcomb, a busthing village
filled with shops, restaurants,
hotels and hundreds of
homes and condominiums
spred throughout the valley

Wilheimsen's group form
ed Ganbaldi Lifts Ltd , set
up a Board of Directors and
put together $50,000 in the
winter of 1961

““We wanted to make sure
we did things right so we
hired one of the top ski hill
designers in the world, Willy
Schacfler, to develop the
mountain: said Wilhelmsen

In May of 1964 the first
stage of construction began
at Whistler

“That first summer we
built the cafeterta at the base
of the mountain, both gon
dola stations, the red chain
and two T bars."’ recalled
Wilhelmsen “At the same
ume there were $0 homes
built in the Whastler Alpine
Villa, the Chemainus Inn and
the Highland Lodge °’

After five years of careful
planning and building
Whistler was officially open-
ed to the public on January
15, 1965

Like fine wine the moun
tain has matured with age
Whistier mountain has the
highest vertical drop in North
America and a variety of runs
unsurpassed by any of its
rivals

By BRAD EFWARI

such as Franz’s, named after
Wilhelmsen, Jammy’'s Joker,
Harmony Bowl, Chunky’s
Choice and more

One of the best downhill
race courses in the world runs
from the top of Whaustler’s
orange chair, through a
number of hair raising turns
and down to the bottom of
the mountain

In 1979 it was christened
the ‘Killer Run’ and was con
sidered too dangerous to hold
a World Cup event Since
then the course has been ium
proved and will be the host of
another World class event in
March of 1984

Many years ago the moun
tain’s original name, London
Mountain, was dropped by
the locals in favor of the pre
sent name

“In the summer when you

walk through the alpine
meadows there are marmots
everywhere,’’ explained
Wilhelmsen. ‘‘And if you get
near them they’ll let out a
shmill warning cry that sounds
like a whistle that seems to
echo in the wind.”’

And hence comes the name
Whistler Mountain.

Another interesting tale of
Wilhelmsen’s was how one of
the runs, Pony Trail, derived
its Name

“We had to use pack
horses to get our equipment
to the top of the mountain so
we built a windy horse trail to
the top. What used to be the
easiest way to the top is now
the casiest route to the
bottom "'

Since the addition of
Blackcomb Mountain next
door the days of the painfully
long lift line-ups are all bur
gone On a good day, with all
hfts running, upwards of
8,000 skiers can enjoy the
mountain

“Sure, we're competing
for the same skicr’s buck,’
admitted Wilheimsen, who
recently retired after 22 years
as) President of Giaribald)
Lifts Limited, ‘But in the
long run wo will be good for
everyone

**Blackcomb ts a beauuful
ly done mountain It's a
school sample of how it can
be done All the runs are fall
line runs, I hke st But one
(hing you should remembc: ,
there's only one Whistler and
we've got everything,’" smul
ed Wilhcimsen

CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER
CHANGE IN GARBAGE SCHEDULE

MONDAY, JANUARY 2. 1984

taatbage Collec ton for Monday January.’

January 4° 1984 No other changes in schedule

1984 will be made on Luesday

B3 - Wednesday, December 28, 1983 - North Shore News

THE EMPTY Stocking Fund
is fuller by $4,500 as a result
of the second annual running
of the Province’s West Van-
couver relay race held at Park
Royal on Saturday,
December 17, $500 more
than last year’s amount.

Sponsored by local
businesses, 11 teams, each
comprising ¢ight runners in-
cluding a sports celebrity,
completed the 8-mile course
in Ambleside Park, West
Vancouver. —

Winning team was spon-
sored by The Bears Toy
Store, and was captained by
Hugh Wilson. Their time was
47 minutes, 20. seconds.
Team’s celebrity did not
show up for the race.

Second was International

WV RACE HELPS
Empty stockin
getting fuller

Land Developers,

captain
Frank Kurucz, celebrity -

Jack Taunton, marathon
runner and doctor of sports
medicine, UBC. Time: 49:05.
Only 14 seconds behind them
came the third place team of
The Buttery, captain Mike
Beckerman, celebrity - John
Blain, B.C. Lions.

Other notable faces in the
crowd included West Van-
couver’s Mayor Derrick
Humphreys, Santa Claus,
Papa Bear, and Raggedy Ann
and Andy.

Sue Hills Fitness, West
Vancouver, co-organizer of
the event provided part of the
entertainment during the race
by introducing their new ex-
ercise program, Child’s Play,
which involved both adults
and children.

Have roll of film

your

develo
ped
and

d printed al
price

one extra

Sei oi prints

1615 LONSDALE NORTH VAN
PHONE 986-3471

{applies to Onginal devetoping & printing of © 41 Coton tim sizes disc 110

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126

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