Whistler’s expansive network of parks and natural green spaces is undoubtedly one of the community’s biggest draws, whether a long-term local, seasonal resident, or weekend warrior.  

There’s plenty of work that goes into preparing Whistler’s 14 major parks, 22 natural area parks, and 22 neighbourhood parks for the spring — an area roughly double the size of New York City’s Central Park.  

First up is clearing debris, broken branches and other blowdown left over from winter, which can be complicated by weather and trail conditions. At Lost Lake Park, for instance, snow and ice clearing can take longer than other parks due to the layer of hard-packed ice created on its cross-country ski trails by specialized grooming equipment. Landscape crews also keep busy in April clearing debris from the Village. On average, landscapers will remove a whopping 110 metric tonnes of gravel from lawns and garden beds in the Village alone, the rough equivalent of an adult blue whale.  

At Olympic Plaza, crews work quickly to have The Great Lawn ready for the May long weekend, spending about two weeks removing snow, erecting fencing and repairing the grass so it’s lush and ready for the kickoff to summer. Horticulturists also get to work as early as possible to ensure an ample growing season.  

Park facilities such as benches, washrooms, picnic tables, bike racks and garbage receptables all need to be pressure-washed and, if necessary, repaired. Tennis and volleyball nets are put up as the weather allows and the summer nears. Sports fields are also prepared for play so user groups can access them as of May 15, an opening date that has crept earlier into the season over the years due to increasing climate impacts. Artificial turf, like at the Andrée Vajda Janyk Sports Field in Cheakamus Crossing, also requires specialized grooming equipment that has to be inspected and repaired before it’s ready for use in the spring.  

Parks staff begin their prep work with the Village every year, before moving onto destination parks, such as Lost Lake, Rainbow and Lakeside, then onto the remaining parks.  

Along with the weather, another major factor in the timing of reopening park facilities is staff availability. We are a small resort town. Like many of you, the majority of our parks staff are seasonal and work other part-time jobs, so availability is limited earlier in the season and we ramp up through April. Combine that with shorter, warmer winters and longer, hotter springs and the timeline for reopening Whistler’s parks has become shorter than ever.   

Learn more about Whistler’s parks and outdoor facilities here.