Real Estate
Whistler
By Pat Richardson and Darcy Smith published Jan 1, 2010
Peel back Whistler's winter wonderland façade to discover its many layers
Behind the curtain, Whistler has never been the innocent snow globe fantasia it so stubbornly mimics. When its infrastructure was first realized in the ’60s, it was thanks to a group of businessmen with their eyes set on a bid for the 1968 Winter Olympics. In the intervening decades, an aren’t-we-pleased patina has certainly developed—one grows used to the ubiquitous fluorescent ski gear and venti Starbucks cups. (Somehow they’re always venti-sized in Whistler.) But the Village remains a sort of cobblestone Disneyland—the sheltering of tourists from the annoyances of urban life is the place’s raison d’être. Yes, an underclass of ski instructors and servers does make the town run and many would call that shadow Whistler the truer version, but the 2.1 million guests each year comprise a more powerful, though abstracted, citizenry. Indeed, whether a golden ticket brings you there for the 2010 Games or a family château provides year-round lodgings, the best way to tap into a “local vibe” might be a fireside cocktail at the Four Seasons. -Pat Richardson
THE BUYER | JINDRA CASPERSON Casperson, 48, works hard in Vancouver and plays harder in Whistler, but the northern retreat she shared with her mom, sister’s family, and two dogs was getting crowded. Add fiancé Laurent, 60, to the mix and it was time for the couple to find their own weekend getawayTHE HOME | 67-2400 Cavendish Way $380,000
THE REALTOR | Susie Frank of Whistler Real Estate Company
THE SEARCH
One weekend, 10 condos. They considered buying in the Village proper but were dissuaded by what they call "the hotel feel" of Whistler's economic hub. A place in Creekside's Whiski Jack (a seven minute drive from the Village) was the easy winner: a fixer-upper with a decidedly un-Whistler price tag.
THE PLACE
This two-bedroom split-level townhouse "has that cabin feeling-like a home." Together with her daughters and their boyfriends, they've gutted the 1,000-square-foot corner unit. Laurent's a flooring importer/exporter, so the place is getting the finest hardwood.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
With shops and restaurants on one side and the Valley trail on the other, life feels walkable. The patio at nearby Dusty's constantly beckons. Breakfast at the Southside Diner is steps away. The best part: "We don't have to deal with tourists from the Village." -Darcy Smith
Commemorative plush toys, magnets, backpacks, hockey pucks, luggage tags, dog tags, hoodies, scarves, ties, mittens, Wii video games, pewter spoons, playing cards, salad servers, coasters, pins, pens, noisemakers, hologram coins, bear bells, and cow bells. 4253 Village Stroll or online at Vancouver2010.com/store
