The Whistler Youth Centre creates The Initiative to engage youth during the 2010 Winter Games

Walking into the Whistler Youth Centre is like walking into a friends’ living room; you are greeted with friendly faces, a warm seat next to the fire, and the smell of fresh pizza wafting across the room. Whistler Youth Centre is a place that local youth can call a second home.

With a laidback and fun approach, the youth centre has created a program called, The Initiative. From February 12th - 28th, the program is aimed to treat Olympic visitors to unique performances throughout the village; the program is random in its time, location, and frequency in order to maintain the “magic of the moment”.

A crew of 20 youth, known as The Brains, develops performance ideas that range from break-out song and dance routines to take-away bingos. As a member of The Brains, youth Rae Becke comments “This is a great learning experience. We have the opportunity to learn how to organize an event, film and edit and I get to have a voice in the Olympics”.

Youth from Whistler, Pemberton, Squamish, and Mt. Currie perform roles of writers, anchors, actors, videographers, editors and technical support. Throughout the games their impromptu performances aim to create a sense of wonder and imagination amongst the hustle and bustle of Whistler Village crowds.

Caroline Stroud, Whistler Youth Centre Programmer, describes The Initiative program as a “fun way for local youth to learn production skills, to be engaged and to have their mark on the 2010 Winter Olympic Games”.

With abounding imagination and creativity behind the development, the goal of the performances is to remain lighthearted, novel, short enough to remain delightful, and most of all, be unobtrusive. Look for the spontaneous performances during your daily village stroll.

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Please be advised that the Men’s Alpine Skiing Super Combined events, originally scheduled Feb 16 for 10:00 a.m. (downhill) and 1:30 p.m. (slalom), will now take place on Sunday, February 21 at 9:30 a.m. (downhill) and 12:30 p.m. (slalom).

The Men’s Giant Slalom competition, originally scheduled for Sunday, February 21 at 10:00 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., will now take place on Tuesday, February 23 at 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

For many local residents, Whistler is more than an resort destination, it’s home. For Jack Crompton, Whistler has been home since summer vacations and winter ski breaks at his grandparents home in Whistler. Crompton has since settled in Whistler with his family.

Crompton and his wife Carolyn live in Whistler with their three children. Crompton’s grandparents, Ray and Margaret Crompton, built the family home in Alta Vista in 1966.

Since then, the Crompton family has been involved in local business and community organizing on many levels, ranging from founding the Creekside Whistler Skier’s Chapel, to the construction of the Clocktower Hotel.

Crompton has tried to carry on the family tradition— he sits on the Whistler 2020 Transportation Task Force, and has volunteered to be a Whistler Business Ambassador.

Crompton has jumped in with two feet. Crompton is one of many Whistler residents to take part in a Whistler2020 task force. Whistler2020 is Whistler’s sustainability plan, created by the community. Whistler2020 is Whistler’s vision, strategies and process for achieving a successful and sustainable future. Crompton serves on the transportation task force.

“I see transportation as a vital link in the resort chain, so it’s important. The decision made by the task forces benefit the community,” Crompton said.

Crompton is your average Whistler resident because most people who live here are invested in the community. But the community he lives in is far from average. It’s one of few places you’ll find standing room only at council meetings and sell-out crowds at local events.

“I see myself growing old in Whistler. It’s a tough place to leave because it’s really something special,” Crompton said.

Growing up in Whistler 

“I think Whistler is one of the best places in the world to grow up,” says Zack Lavoie,18, Whistler kid, budding actor and a great example of why Whistler is such a special place.

Lavoie, a graduate of the Whistler Secondary Class of 2009, spent his entire life in Whistler. With an ebullient smile and effervescent attitude, Lavoie and kids like him, help to define Whistler.

“We have great schools here, we have the mountains in our backyard and programs at school that allow you to participate in ski racing or outdoor skills training,” says Lavoie of growing up Whistler.

“If you missed a day of school because you went skiing it was expected you would make it up.”

Lavoie’s dad was born in Quebec and moved to Whistler 30 years ago. With access to bilingual schooling here and yearly holiday trips to visit family in Quebec, Lavoie is proud of his French Canadian heritage and language. Lavoie is currently working in a local restaurant in order to save money for a year of travel before university that will combine business and film.

“I’ll always be drawn to this place: it’s my hometown,” Lavoie says. “I may have to go elsewhere to get some training, but if it’s film, I may never really leave.” You can take the kid out of Whistler, but you can’t take the Whistler out of the kid.

Share your innovative stories of life during the Games in Whistler at kdamaskie@whistler.ca

Whistler Centre for Sustainability event looks at tourism's place in a sustainable world

A version of the popular TED conference is coming to Whistler on February 18. TEDxWhistler: Tourism’s Place in a Sustainable World, will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at Whistler Canada Olympic House.

While the guest list has already been filled, members of the public are invited to join in the action live online at tedxwhistler.com.

TEDxWhistler is an independently organized version of the TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) conference which takes place annually in California with the mandate “Ideas Worth Spreading”. TED has gained worldwide fame by placing its 18 minute talks by experts and celebrities online for everyone to view (see ted.com).

“We invited 100 Sea to Sky participants but everyone can share in the discussions and learning through a live webcast,” says Cheeying Ho, Executive Director of the Whistler Centre for Sustainability.

Four presenters, including former TED presenter and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis, will speak in order to spark provoking conversation about tourism’s place in a sustainable world.

These leaders will engage in a dialogue with participants and with webcast viewers through live blogging. You can follow TEDxWhistler on Twitter or become a fan on facebook.com/tedxwhistler.

Whistler is a community is committed to a sustainable future – and to tourism having a place within it.

“Tourism and travel connect us to people and places around the world. Done respectfully, it provides unique experiences, creates local community benefits, and treads lightly on the earth,” said Ho.

Make sure you join the discussion online (1-4 p.m., tedxwhistler.com).