Master Wayfinding and Guest Arrival Experience Strategy Project

The goals of this project are to improve wayfinding infrastructure for all users and contribute to the overall enjoyment of the resort.

Latest Status

Fabrication of sign elements took place this spring, and installation of new municipal parking and Village pedestrian wayfinding signage is in progress. Design and programming for Village vehicular, Valley Trail and Park destination signs is underway with installation currently anticipated for summer of 2017.

Overview

The purpose of the Whistler Master Wayfinding and Guest Arrival Experience Strategy Project is to enhance and improve the Whistler Village guest experience and support ongoing business success throughout the community.

Not only will new visitors arriving find Whistler easy and friendly to navigate, but also all users will benefit from improved digital and physical infrastructure and signage.

Key objectives of the project are to:

1. Help visitors easily navigate the local road network to reach their destination (primarily parking and accommodation)
2. Upgrade the pedestrian wayfinding experience, specifically in and around Whistler Village
3. Reinforce a sense of place through creative wayfinding tools and consistent RMOW branding and identity
4. Coordinate with current RMOW planning projects, future initiatives and the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) to create a seamless wayfinding journey
5. Build consensus through stakeholder engagement
6. Consider all modes of travel, e.g. vehicles, pedestrian, bike, public transit
7. Understand the needs of international travellers
8. Develop a criteria for destination inclusion
9. Outline recommendations, priorities and a strategy for implementation
10. Provide guidelines for design and planning phases, as well as sustainability, management and maintenance

Timeline

Phase I: Request For Proposals (RFP) was posted on August 17, 2015 and closed on September 11, 2015.

Phase II: Council authorized the execution a contract with Architectural Graphics Incorporated (AGI) on October 20, 2015 for the amount of $1,094,168.

Phase III: The fabrication of the signs began in January and installation took place throughout the summer. It is expected that this phase of the project will be complete by fall.