The Pique editorial on the importance of weatherproofing Whistler (Pique, Oct. 20, “Why is it so hard to weatherproof Whistler?”) has a significant omission. The article featured comments from Barrett Fisher, CEO of Tourism Whistler. Fisher listed several current weather-independent activities on offer in Whistler, such as visiting the Audain Art Museum or the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, but there was no mention of the Whistler Racket Club (WRC). The club has indoor tennis and pickleball courts that are often used for other activities, a large lounge/bar/restaurant, a children’s play room, and a court viewing lounge.
WRC management now reports more than 60,000 annual visits, more than 5,000 per month. It has become the recreation and social gathering spot, not only for the growing tennis and pickleball community, but also for Whistler businesses, non-profits, local families, second homeowners, and international visitors.
The list of groups that use the club regularly or book special events is long: Whistler Mountain Ski Club; Combo Kids Camps; WSA Leadership Camps; Momentum Ski Camps; Whistler Skating Club; public school groups and the Waldorf School; Whistler Kids; arts, dance, and theatre programs; Vail Resorts; the Resort Municipality of Whistler; Four Seasons; the Fairmont; Nesters Market; Lululemon; Back in Action; Rotary Club; and the Mature Action Community, to mention a few!
The club, located at 4500 Northlands Blvd., has served the community for more than 30 years. The owners of the property, the WRC’s landlords, have applied for a rezoning for townhouses and condos. The future of the facility is not guaranteed. It will be determined during the public engagement process and the ongoing negotiations between the developer and the municipality.
This indoor/outdoor recreation and social hub will become even more important to the community as Whistler’s population continues to grow and the effects of climate change take hold. Weather-independent activities will help us become more resilient in the face of warmer, wetter winters and hotter, smoky summers.
If you want to save the Whistler Racket Club, please get involved in the public rezoning process, contact Whistler’s mayor and council, and support the WRC, the Whistler Tennis Association, and the Sea to Sky Pickleball Club.
