Accessibility Map

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive resort community for all residents and visitors.

Accessible Whistler 

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive resort community for all residents and visitors. While the resort now offers accessible routes and improved access, it was not always the case. In the late 70s, Whistler Village was built to allow pedestrian easy access, ski-in and out accommodations, while simultaneously preparing for incidents of high water. 

With these design parameters were the major influences to the construction boom of the 80s, accessibility wasn't nearly the consideration that it is today. 

Becoming Barrier-Free

As the Host Mountain Resort for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler has recently improved its accessibility in all areas. The Paralympics brought athletes from all over the world to Whistler and it was crucial that they be able to have a barrier-free experience. Many of the major barriers within the village have since been addressed; however it can still be difficult to determine the best access into the village.

The solution was to create an Accessibility Map for users to locate ramps up to the concourse levels, entrances to shops, restaurants and hotels. the Accessibility Map facilitates the accessible movement of people through the village, through particular buildings, to the mountain and into the trail network system. It was developed with the premise of providing as much useful information to empower the best decision-making for people of all abilities.

Today, the resort offers activities to suit every taste and level of ability, and is accessible to all residents and visitors.

Download the Accessibility Map

Click here to download Accessible Route Maps of Whistler Village, Upper Village and Village North.

Whistler Parks - Accessibility Features 2011

The parks are listed in order beginning at the South end of the Valley and moving north to Green Lake; basically following the paved Valley trail from the Cheakamus Crossing neighbourhood all the way through to Emerald Estates at the north end of the valley. The Village Park is excluded in this table, but described separately below.

Park Features Details
Alpha Lake Park            
  • 1 Accessible parking stall
  • 2 Accessible washrooms
  • Accessible children's play area
  • Floating docks
  • Summer Programming            
  • Access to washroom facilities requires travel over approximately 18 m of grass from the Valley trail to the washroom building
  • Rubberized surfacing and ramp access into tree-house
  • Access is not hard surfaced from Valley trail to dock and step up onto dock
  • Private operators rent non-adaptive water sports equipment                                                               
Alta Lake Park/Wayside Park
  • 1 Accessible parking space
  • Accessible ramping down to the Valley trail and to lower grass.
  • 2 Accessible washrooms
  • 2 Floating docks
  • Wayside Park provides access to Valley trail, which leads to the Alta Lake Boathouse and the Art-House
  • 1 Accessible washroom provided in both houses
  • Accessible low dock at the Boathouse
  • Parking is in a gravel lot, which will require traveling approximately 3 m to the hard surfaced ramp
  • The hard surfaced ramp has short sections at 11% grade
  • Access is not hard surfaced from Valley trail to dock and step up onto dock
  • Valley trail has a 12 m section which has a maximum grade of 12% to reach the west side of Alta Lake where the two houses are located
  • Neither washroom facility have the 15mm turning radius within the washroom space
  • Approximately 15 m gravel path between hard surfacing from the Valley trail to the hard surfaced path leading to the dock
Alta Lake Boathouse

 
  • This boathouse is where the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program runs their summer water sports from
  • Approximately 30 m gravel path between hard surfacing from the Valley trail to the hard surfaced path leading to the dock
Alta Lake Art House
  • Accessible fishing dock at the Art House
  • The Art House is used by the Whistler arts Council for summer programming and classes
Lakeside
  • 2 Accessible parking stalls
  • 1 Accessible washroom
  • 2 Floating docks
  • Summer Programming
  • Parking is currently in a gravel lot and requires traveling 12 m to the hard surfaced Valley trail
  • There is an accessible washroom plus other washrooms in the same location
  • 1 dock is accessible and one doesn't have a hard surfaced trail to it and requires a step up
  • Private operators rent non-adaptive water sports equipment
Rainbow Park
  • 2 Accessible parking stalls
  • 1 Accessible washroom
  • 1 Accessible floating dock
  • Summer Programming
  • There is an accessible washroom plus other washrooms in the same location
  • Private operators rent non-adaptive water sports equipment
Lost Lake Park
  • 2 Accessible parking stalls
  • 1 Accessible washroom
  • 1 Floating raft
  • There is an accessible washroom plus other washrooms in the same location
  • Requires swimming to raft and climbing swimming ladder to get on to raft

Spruce Grove             

                                                       

  
Spruce Grove Field House
  • 2 Accessible parking stalls
  • 1 Accessible washroom
  • Accessible wheelchair lift
  • Must enter the Field House to access the washroom facility
Spruce Grove Baseball Diamonds
  • 2 Accessible parking stalls
  • 1 Accessible washroom
  • Accessible viewing area
  • Children's play area
  • Children's play area is not accessible
  • The lift services the third floor of the Field House, however a key is needed to operate the lift
Meadow Park Sports Centre
  • 2 Accessible parking stalls
  • 2 Accessible washrooms

 
  • Must enter into the Sports Center to access the washroom facility
Meadow Park Children's Water park
  • 1 Accessible parking stall
  • 1 Accessible washroom
  • This accessible washroom services the water park, baseball diamonds, & tennis courts. There is an accessible washroom plus other washrooms in the same location
Meadow Park Diamonds/Tennis Court
  • 1 Accessible parking stall
  • 1 Accessible washroom
  • This accessible washroom services the water park, baseball diamonds, & tennis courts. There is an accessible washroom plus other washrooms in the same location

 Village Park Accessibility Features 

Village Park is made up of three parts (East, Centre and West), and stretches from Blackcomb Way to Highway 99. Each of the parks is connected by the amenity stream that flows through Village North. Village Park East, between Blackcomb Way and Main Street is an urban type park, featuring the stream, water features and the Sitelines public art bridge. Village Park Centre is the forest remnant park just north of the Library and Museum. It has ponds at Main Street and Northlands Boulevard. The ponds are manmade features with adjacent boardwalk viewing areas. In this park the stream was developed to flow in a pipe from pond to pond, rather than in a channel, allowing us to preserve the existing stand of mature trees. Village Park West is the ornamental park between Northlands Boulevard and Highway 99. In this park the water is pumped to ponds that flow to a cascade. The water that flows through the park is from Fitzsimmons Creek, the glacier fed river that runs between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. The water flows through Village Park, along the channel by Northlands Boulevard, through the Montebello property and then returns to Fitzsimmons Creek via the wetland by Blackcomb Way.

 

Related
Files: 
application/pdf iconrmow-accessibility_map_2013_revision.pdf
Links: 
2010 Legacies Now Measuring Up
Contacts: 

Sarah Tipler, RMOW Accessibility Coordinator

Phone: 604-935-8153

Email: stipler@whistler.ca

 

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