Zoning Amendment Bylaw (IAM1 Zone Amendments) No. 2031, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013, 6 p.m., Maurice Young Millennium Place
Resort Municipality of Whistler Launches Public Art Tour
June 15, 2012: Whistler, BC – Since 1997, Whistler’s Public Art Committee, a select committee of council, has overseen the installation of numerous public art projects displayed in Whistler Village, surrounding parks and neighbourhoods throughout town. The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is pleased to launch a new interactive Public Art Tour to showcase these unique cultural assets across Whistler.
Over 50 unique public art projects highlighted through an interactive tour
Whistler’s public art collection aims to celebrate its cultural and natural assets. A diverse collection displayed in a range of media, Whistler’s public art is exhibited in many unexpected locations. Several First Nations pieces in the collection, commissioned for the 2010 Winter Games, were donated by Vancouver Organizing Committee of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) to the municipality as community legacies. Whistler’s public art includes primarily murals, sculpture, landscape architecture, carvings, interpretive displays and street banners. Some pieces are interactive; others are introspective or created as a tribute.
The new tour combines different means to learn about each piece: through smart-phone enabled Quick Response (QR) codes linked to a descriptive web page highlighting the art; by calling the tour’s phone line to hear an audio description; or by using a printed brochure and map to follow a walking tour. For art aficionados, locals and visitors enjoying Whistler’s pedestrian stroll and area parks, the tour has wide appeal, including those who seek cultural tourism and those who have a serendipitously come across the art.
“We are thrilled to see Whistler’s wonderful public art collection being brought to the forefront for locals and visitors alike,” says Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, on behalf of Whistler council. “The Public Art Tour builds on our resort-wide strategy to develop place-based cultural tourism in Whistler.”
The cultural tourism development strategy, A Tapestry of Place, was developed as part of the resort-wide strategy to increase room occupancy levels in Whistler. It identified place-based cultural tourism as Whistler’s biggest unexplored economic opportunity. Place-based cultural tourism markets an immersive tourism experience, making the most of Whistler’s unique character and sense of place.
"We are delighted to showcase the public art collection in a format that will be easy for residents and visitors to enjoy,” says Public Art Committee member Laurie Vance. “Whether it is the self-guided walking tour brochure or the website and QR codes − these tools link to the artists, their stories and extra information about each piece − these are invaluable tools that will enhance the enjoyment of this unique collection."
Public Art Tour Launch
Community members and media are invited to learn more about the Public Art Tour on Tuesday, June 19 at the Committee of the Whole meeting.
- What: Brief presentation by the Public Art Committee on the new Public Art Tour followed by an interactive demonstration outdoors just outside of Municipal Hall.
- Where: Committee of the Whole Meeting − Flute Room, Municipal Hall, 4325 Blackcomb Way
- When: Tuesday, June 19 at 2:00 p.m.
Additional Resources:
There are five ways to learn about Whistler’s public art which are integrated into this tour:
- A printed brochure and map that highlights each piece on the tour (available at the Village Host Kiosks and Whistler’s information centre);
- Interpretive signage on site that briefly describes each piece;
- An audio application for users to call 604-935-8215, enter in a three digit ID number, and listen to a description about the piece;
- A QR application for users to scan from their smart phone, enter a three digit ID number to view a detailed written description and link to video and/or artist websites from their mobile device; and
- An online public art section at whistler.ca/tour so site visitors can do a virtual tour from their home computer.
About the Resort Municipality of Whistler
The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is Whistler’s local government led by an elected council and administered by an executive team and staff on behalf of 10,000 residents and two million annual visitors. The RMOW manages municipal planning and development, park and Village operations, sports facilities and recreation, public utilities and environmental services, bylaws and enforcement, fire rescue, fiscal planning and financial services, legislative services, human resources, communications and the administration of the Whistler2020 Comprehensive Sustainability Plan and Whistler’s Official Community Plan. The RMOW collaborates with in-resort and external partners to create visitor experiences and enrich community life.
Whistler’s vision is to be the premier mountain resort community as it moves toward sustainability. Whistler was the proud Host Mountain Resort for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
