Whistler 'eco-friendly' ? Asphalt plant. Need help please

[jessef]

This is supposed to be a nice eco-friendly area and I found out that Whistler municipality has been keeping a nasty secret.

There has been an asphalt plant operating without the residents of Whistler's knowledge.




Someone went out of their way to film this (posted on youtube - safe content)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq-db9vl0yg




I would encourage anyone who is active regarding our planet/ecology to comment on the video clip.



Even better would be to comment/write to the Whistler Pique and Question local newspapers regarding this.


Write to the Editor (Whistler Pique newspaper) :

http://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/pique/ ... p?view=lte


Write to the Editor (Whistler Question newspaper) :

http://www.whistlerquestion.com/section ... ate=letter


Write to the Mayor of Whistler / Council :

*note : every email that is sent has to be attended by the major and council, so if you would like make your voice heard write here :

info@whistler.ca




Most recent article :

http://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/pique/ ... erson+1724


Quite funny that the people responsible to choosing the site location for the Whistler Olympic 2010 Athlete's village say that they 'did their homework' and somehow nobody knew of this asphalt plant's existence.

I find that hard to believe. It's a stone's throw between the olympic village and the asphalt plant.


I usually don't involve myself too much in these types of things, nor do I ask anyone else to do so, however this one is quite personal as my family will be living there very soon and knowing that most of the village will be families, this is not good news.

Hoping to create awareness regarding something that is obviously not out in the open.

Comments/posts in this thread would be appreciated. If there is enough posts, I can pass this thread along to the enviro organizations that are getting involved.

Thanks guys,

Jesse

[RichD]

Not sure if you are aware, but asphalt plants are usually temporary installations. If you take a closer look at the photos you posted, there are wheels on the machinery.

[mararmeisto]

It's not a 'plant' per se, it's a machine and considering all the new pavement that went in around Whistler for the Olympics, it's really no wonder there was an asphalt machine brought on site to produce material.

[jessef]

The asphalt plant is not mobile and it was not brought in for the Olympics.

The clip only shows a small portion of the plant itself.

Contrary to what people are thinking, it's been in whistler for over 20 years undetected and has been operating without a zoning permit.

Although the plant looks mobile, it's not. I wish it was along with a lot of other people.

It's been hiding within a mining zone which the mining company didn't want to get involved in so they pulled out completely. Now this asphalt plant still sits there pumping away every spring to fall.

They had estimators come in and value a move in the millions which the municipality would have to cover.

'Too expensive to move'

The thing that makes this interesting is that the plant is not there legally. The unfortunate thing for the municipality is that they have to foot the bill to move it which goes down to the city/taxpayers/residents.

It's quite nasty when it's blowing. Hiking along Cheakamus creek area the smell is bad. Just like a road crew laying hot asphalt down on a hot day.

Some people care. Some people don't.

I find it funny and horrible at the same time that this thing has been working away behind a hill in Whistler undetected for so long. Almost like a tree squatter living where they don't own the land.

You can see and smell the plume of smoke from the highway right when you pass the 'Welcome to Whistler' wooden sign.

Nice welcome in the summer time, don't you think ?

[RichD]

it's been in whistler for over 20 years undetected

Here is a satellite image of the area, I believe. Looks right but please confirm.

So, if I understand this correctly, the huge plant has been there for 20 years, just off highway 99. Nobody knew about it. They recently built a residential development right next to it. And now, after building the houses and moving in, people have suddenly noticed the plant and the trucks coming and going from same, and they want to shut it down?

I have one brow raised... Assuming the satellite image doesn't show another asphalt plant near Cheakamus Way, I don't see how anyone could miss the plant, even in winter.


That said, I can't see how this plant will be around for long. The land is too valuable.

[jessef]

You got it.

People knew about it. They one's that did just didn't tell anyone else.

My family have been in whistler since the early 80's and they didn't know about it until just before the Olympics.

The council wanted to keep it quiet and promote Whistler Olympics 2010 being eco-friendly and green. Especially since it's the 'Athletes Village'. So they put in writing that they will discuss to have it moved by June 1st, 2010. This happen before the Olympics this year. After June 1st rolled around, they held a closed door meeting and voted to not only keep the plant but also to re-zone the area to make the plant legally operative and future industrial plants will be able to operate from that new re-zoned area.

It's all politics and money.

It's just funny that no one knew about it for a long time. Once people found out, especially the residents moving into the athlete's village, they raised a stink and the municipality of whistler promised them they'd do something about moving the plant by June 1st.

It's all in writing and public record.

Scandal would be the more appropriate wording to use in this.

Just sucks that such a beautiful place has a plant like that right inside a residential area.

[jessef]

Farm market today in the village. Beautiful day outside.

Two weeks ago there was an Eco-festival here and these buttons were being passed around.

Most of the people, locals and visitors alike, were surprised this factory even existed.

Made quite an impression on the speakers at the ecological festival considering the municipality of whistler is promoting the city as a green and ecologically aware city.

Yet the plant exists and operates within city limits.

[konadog]

Ahh, another dark side to our love of driving... How's the new highway?

[jessef]

Horrible !

[Slimdog]

Whistler is a pretty small place to hide some thing like that. I am sure lots of people knew about it.

[mararmeisto]

I guess if people don't like the smooth driveability of asphalt, they probably wouldn't mind being out there help to place the cobblestones instead...

Sounds like another case of NIMBY.

And yes, to some extent I'm playing devil's advocate. People want the fruits and products of the 21st technology, they just want the process or manufacturing to be somewhere else.

[patty]

Most locals (at least 10 years, year round) know about it, and considering the shit pump plant is right on the highway too, asphalt stink is the least of the stinky welcomes.

[BCDelica]

Sadly if the plant is moved further away more heavy, exhaust belching trucks will be just have to drive longer distance to provide the materials to pave the way for Whistlers growth. In the big picture, the whole shared earth ideal, that is less eco-friendly.

Since Whistler isn't going to stop using asphalt for it's new development the focus should be on greening up the existing location if possible. For example; are air scrubber installed and working at maximum efficiency, are the fuels used set up as efficiently and chosen for the least carbon requirement. Though not really working to reduce the carbon footprint of the installation but given the costs related to the investment such insulations represent steps can be taken to reduce the visual, smell and noise pollution that bothers people. Mature trees planted in a good buffer line strategically around the plant can add that 'out of site, out of mind' aspect that big biz likes so much.

It's been 15 years since I last works in the oil industry, and haven't research anything concerning asphalt (yet), but there is many different options available that may encompass nice middle ground for the community, municipality and business sides.

Sure options like this are being considered by 'the other side' right now anyways...

Best Regards,
Kev

[jessef]

I agree Kevin.

I think the smell is the last thing on people's minds. It's the toxin that's getting on people's minds.

There are many places where they can move this plant.

Why does it have to be right beside a huge residential area ? Especially one that is touting a green/eco-style living. That's a catch-22 right there.

Whistler is a pretty small place to hide some thing like that. I am sure lots of people knew about it.

Obviously, all the people that were involved with creating, planning and developing the olympic athlete's village didn't know about it otherwise it would have been built at one of the other four proposed locations.

Or so that is what 'they' are telling the media right now. "I did my homework, but I never knew this asphalt plant existed." What a crock.

[squamishdelica]

This wouldn't be an issue if the new homeowners did some actual due diligence. The fact that the Asphalt plant was included in the disclosure documents shows that people did know about it. Blame yourself for keeping your head down and pretending to be living in a perfect little town that cares about the environment. You live in a municipality that has and requires infrastructure, this includes asphalt and the shit smelling sewage treatment center.
And to suggest that the muni was hiding it for the Olympics? Its right next to the athletes village, how is that hiding it?
Your and the other NIMBY's arrogance is as discussing as the bad air you claim exists.