On shared unceded L̓il̓wat7úl and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory

Mayor Jack Crompton with Civic Service Awards recipients in 2024
Mayor Jack Crompton with Civic Service Awards recipients in 2024. Oisin McHugh photo

Civic service awards and Freedom of the Municipality

Council recognizes community contributions through its annual Civic Service Awards. In cases of citizens making outstanding and lasting contributions to Whistler, Council may also present citizens with the Freedom of the Municipality of Whistler. 

Civic Service Awards

The award recipients are announced and presented with a Civic Service Award during the annual Council recognition event held in early December.

Committees

Committees assist Council and provide opportunities for public involvement in municipal matters. Each year, the RMOW engages with a number of community organizations and has more than 100 individuals volunteering on the committees and boards.

Learn more about Committees and Boards.

Eligibility requirements

  • Must be an active member of a RMOW Select Committee of Council, Municipal Corporation or Council-Appointed Board,
  • Must be a volunteer or unpaid role,
  • RMOW employees are not eligible and cannot receive a Civic Service Award,
  • Self-nominations are not accepted.

2023 Civic Service Awards recipients

The Civic Service Awards are held annually to recognize individuals that bring distinction to themselves and to the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) in volunteer roles through Committees and Boards of Council. This year’s awards were announced and presented at a Council Recognition Event held on December 12, 2023. 

Jim Charters was recognized for his long-standing service and leadership within the Board of Variance Committee. 

Claire Ruddy was nominated for her unwavering commitment to the Forest and Wildland Advisory Committee, the Whistler Bear Advisory Committee, and Zero Waste.  

Ivana Minic-Lukac was recognized for her commitment to recruitment and education within the community for the Whistler Bear Advisory Committee.   

Freedom of the Municipality

The Freedom of the Resort Municipality of Whistler honours citizens for their outstanding contributions to the community, and in practical terms gives the recipient the right to vote in Whistler elections regardless of property ownership or residency in Whistler.

Past recipients

  • Sue Adams: for more than 25 years, Sue Adams has been an advocate for arts, women in business and small business in Whistler. She is currently the chair of the RMOW Festival Events and Animation Oversight Committee and sits on the board of directors of the Whistler Chamber, Audain Art Museum and Whistler Arts Council.
  • Eric Martin: is the volunteer president and chair of the Whistler 2020 Development Corporation and was instrumental in bringing the vision of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Athletes’ Village, now Cheakamus Crossing, to life. Over the years, he has been involved in many major projects in the resort community contributing significantly to the growth of the municipality.
  • Jim Moodie: has been involved in the development of Whistler since the design of the Village 40 years ago and was a key member of the Whistler 2020 Development Corporate board of directors. He played an integral role in bringing the Audain Art Museum to Whistler and currently serves as the vice chair of the Audain Art Museum board of directors.
  • Joan Richoz: had a vision for the development of the Whistler Public Library, where she was the first librarian.
  • Drew Meredith: former Whistler mayor.
  • Jim Godfrey: former RMOW chief administrative officer, who served on the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) board of directors and helped secure Whistler’s pivotal role in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
  • Garry Watson: one of Whistler’s original council members.
  • Al Raine: one of Whistler’s original council members.
  • Florence Petersen: founded the Whistler Museum and Archives and has authored several books about Whistler’s past.
  • Myrtle Philip: early settler who established the iconic Rainbow Lodge and the Alta Lake School Board.
  • Pat Carleton: one of Whistler’s original council members.
  • Franz Wilhelmsen: helped to bring the ski industry to Whistler and was the president of the Garibaldi Lifts Ltd. and Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation.
  • Trevor Roote: guided the first phase of the Valley Trail and parks construction.
  • Chester Johnson: contributed significantly towards the development of Whistler as Whistler Land Corporation Chairman​.
  • Nancy Wilhelm-Morden: Wilhelm-Morden has contributed to Whistler for over 50 years through her law practice, volunteerism and as Whistler’s mayor, 2011 to 2018. Prior to that, she served on Council four times. Among her accomplishments, she is credited with helping found the Community Foundation of Whistler, which provides grants to non-profit organizations throughout Sea to Sky. In 2022, she was also presented a YWCA Women of Distinction Award. 
  • Hugh Smythe: Smythe worked at Whistler Mountain and eventually became Hill Manager. He subsequently led the group developing Blackcomb Mountain in 1978, opening the new ski area on schedule in 1980. He was one of many involved in helping guide the fledgling Whistler Resort in an uncertain economy. He later joined Intrawest and took part in their expansion to other ski areas, the 1996 union of Whistler and Blackcomb, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games bid and Peak 2 Peak Gondola development.