We wish to address this letter to all responsible health, municipal, community and business leaders in Whistler and British Columbia in response to the recently distributed Winter Operating Plan for the 2021-22 Season by Vail Resorts for Whistler Blackcomb.
Overall, the plan looks very solid; however, there is one glaring problem.
There must be a requirement that in addition to staff, all visitors and guests going up the mountain show proof of double vaccination as a pre-condition, much like the waiver requirement in place now.
We all know how cozy the gondola cars are when running "at normal capacity,” as planned by Whistler Blackcomb for this season.
We all welcome normal capacity service, but the notion that an unvaccinated person could ride in such a closed-in, crowded environment makes a mockery of all the efforts we have all made to stay safe in the face of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus.
Please, it is a simple matter of public safety.
Furthermore, such a vaccine mandate would eliminate the need for constant vaccine verification throughout the various mountain facilities as currently contemplated.
I call on all responsible leaders to do everything possible to keep us all safe, and to ensure we do not have another ski season marred by this health crisis.
Richard Kinar and Kenneth Murphy // Whistler
