Characters of Whistler

Whistler's got character. We know that, but does the world?

The questions locals often hear, the ones you might get on the chairlift when a visitor finds out that "You live here!?".

"What? There are houses in Whistler? Where do your children go to school?" Then, in as much time as anyone has on a chairlift, you go out of your way to say Whistler is a thriving, diverse community of just over 10,000 passionate, permanent residents who, gasp, live in houses, attend school, host dinner parties and sing in the community choir.

Whistler's own have been singing our songs and sharing our stories with Olympic guests, family and the worldwide media here for the first time walking around wondering where the igloos we live in are. Through a collaborative effort, Tourism Whistler, the Whistler Museum and the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) have partnered to enable our community tell our stories, in our words and in our town.

Tourism Whistler created the "Faces of Whistler" program to bring Whistler's voices to last summer's GoMedia Conference held here. With the addition of the Whistler Museum's and RMOW's "Whistler Characters" there are around 30 Whistler citizens spreading the character of this place during the Games.

From Whistler historians and Alta Lake residents like Don and Isobel Maclaurin and Florence and Andy Petersen, to our modern community-makers like author and bon vivant Stephen Vogler, ski patrollers Cathy Jewett and Tim Smith and local entrepreneurs who have built their Whistler dreams through the Whistler Housing Authority like Tanya Ewasiuk Goertzen and Sara Leach, the folks who make this town are spreading our stories.

Yes, there are houses here and they are filled with vital people sharing the past, present and future Whistler character. Sure, Whistler's got a story, listen up world.

Interested in meeting some Characters of Whistler to round out a story?  Contact the RMOW media team at [email protected] and we'll make some introductions.

Some of our Characters of Whistler include: 

Frank Salter

Frank Salter, a father of two, husband of one and collector of all things ski, is a man of Whistler who has acquired, through patience, perseverance and presence, one of the largest private collections of skis in North America. They all live in a secret, musty-scented bunker deep in the Whistler wilds.Want to see every one of the Olin Mark whatever line? Drop "Garage Sale" a line. Never seen another pair of the Blizzard Total Royals, complete with the diamond pattern and Salomon 333 bindings that were on your feet the first time you got kissed on a chairlift? Find Frank.

With well over 500 pairs of skis - not to mention a bunch of great stretch pants - Garage Sale Frank has amassed a collection like no other. Every make model and brand of ski is his target. Making sure the spirit of skiing never dies, his mantra. Being a fanatical collector of what many would call crap, his modus operandi.

Zack Lavoie

"I think Whistler is one of the best places in the world to grow up," says 18-year-old Zack Lavoie, 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, has spent his entire life in Whistler and is doing his best to have a great time in his home town during the Games. With an ebullient smile and effervescent attitude, Lavoie is not only a Whistler kid, he, and all the other Whistler kids, are our future.

"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," Lavoie says of growing up Whistler. "We learned about avalanches and safe backcountry travel in high school - if you missed a day of school because you went skiing it was expected you would make it up."

Interested in meeting some Characters of Whistler to round out a story? Contact the RMOW media team at 604-967-3030 and we'll make some introductions.