WHISTLER BLACKCOMB MASTER PLAN UPDATE 2013 WHISTLER BLACKCOMB MASTER PLAN UPDATE 2013 Prepared for: Mr. Doug Forseth Senior VP Operations Intrawest Corporation 4545 Blackcomb Way Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 Tel: 604 932-3141 Fax: 604 938-7527 email:
[email protected] Prepared By: Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd. 8073 Timber Lane P.O. Box 63 Whistler, B.C. Canada V0N 1B0 Tel: 604 932 5976 Fax: 604 932 1897 email:
[email protected] December 2013 Mountain Resort Planners Ltd. FOREWORD Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd., has prepared ski area master plans in British Columbia since 1975. We prepared the first Ski Area Master Plan for Whistler Mountain in 1978 and we also prepared a conceptual Master Plan for Blackcomb Mountain in 1978 for the Blackcomb Skiing Corporation. Updates to the Master Plans for both mountains have been prepared periodically over the past 30 years. As the primary author of the Master Plans,it is important for the public, government officials and First Nations to understand that while we have worked diligently with the highly skilled and respected management team at Whistler Blackcomb, visions of the future are by their very nature imperfect. We have specifically found over the years that changes in the preferences of Whistler Blackcomb’s clientele, population demographics and new types of winter sports mean that there will need to be flexibility in the Master Plan in the future. I give just two examples: The first two master plans for each of Whistler and Blackcomb had no mention whatsoever of snowboarding and yet snowboarders now comprise about one-third of all visitors on average throughout the winter season.