A newly refurbished interpretive panel that celebrates the life of Wladyslaw (Walter) Zebrowski (1913-1996) and his many contributions to Whistler will be unveiled at a public ceremony on May 26.
The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at Eva Lake Park located in the Nordic neighbourhood and is accessed from Castle Drive. The Mayor and members of Whistler Council will be attending. Everyone is welcome.
“Walter Zebrowski’s vision, hard work and dedication were key factors that enabled Whistler to develop into one of the world’s great mountain resort communities,” said Mayor Jack Crompton. “This panel celebrates his legacy in the park he donated to the community.”
Walter Zebrowski was born in Skierniewice, Poland, and immigrated to Canada in 1948 after serving in the Polish Army under British Command during World War II. He moved to Whistler in the mid-1960s, where he lived until his death. For over 30 years, Walter Zebrowski was involved in a wide range of initiatives in Whistler. He invested in land, including the property surrounding Eva Lake Park, he helped establish Whistler’s first water supply system in 1965, and he brought television reception to the community in 1970.
Walter Zebrowski was also a founding member of the Whistler Volunteer Fire Department, the Whistler Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Whistler. In 1971, Zebrowski was named Whistler’s Citizen of the Year.
Eva Lake was created by Zebrowski in 1973 and named after his daughter. Zebrowski stocked the lake with rainbow trout and took pride in teaching young anglers. In 1991 he donated Eva Lake Park to the community and today it is home to abundant wildlife, including ducks, fish, dragonflies and salamanders.
Walter Zebrowski’s commitment to the community continues through the Walter Zebrowski Memorial Rotary Scholarship which was established by Ewa Zebrowski in 1997. It awards two scholarships to graduating Whistler Secondary School students who exemplify academic achievement, good citizenship, community involvement, and leadership. “The scholarship emphasizes community service because my Dad was passionately dedicated to the Whistler community,” Ewa Zebrowski said.
The Walter Zebrowski panel is one of approximately 130 outdoor interpretive panels throughout Whistler that are designed to create awareness and understanding of the area’s natural history and human heritage.
