Is the Garibaldi at Squamish development doomed, like all of its ill-fated Brohm Ridge predecessors? On paper the "Save Garibaldi" forces appear to have turned the tide.
Led by local environmental maven, Catherine Jackson, and spouting a new slogan, the "Gas Stinks" crowd made front page headlines in The Chief by holding court at muni hall during a recent council meeting.
Besides the obvious environmental impact issues voiced by the anti-GAS deputation, there are other concerns. Ford Frick, a consultant with BBC Research and Consulting, warns "that GAS could simply develop as 'Whistler-light,'- a lower cost lodging and retail option which benefits from Whistler's proximity but isn't required to contribute to Whistler's marketing and visitor support efforts."
According to local backcountry skier, Helen Habgood, "the project would be much more acceptable if it was limited to a ski resort with a concentrated village at the base. I object to the proposal as it stands with all the real estate sprawl it entails."
Recent council candidate, Deb McBride, believes that "Garibaldi at Squamish is a project that will forever change the face of the mountain with the same destructive mess as every other development on the planet."
For the most part councillors have kept their opinions close to the vest, with the exception of Bryan Raiser, whose newsletter refers to the GAS issue as "a spicy meatball".
He reveals that "supporters tend to fall into four groups: developers, real estate agents, construction workers and hotel workers tired of commuting to Whistler. Then the rest of the community has a huge list of concerns."
How this exclusive list of GAS supporters was established is anybody's guess. The implication is that beyond these four groups there is limited support because of insurmountable planning obstacles and the looming threat of environment degradation.
In excess of 1,700 residents signed the petition to put the kibosh on GAS. The question that has been asked, both in and outside of council, is what about the other 13,300 residents? Even if we eliminate the non-voting youth cohort, the number of people who have not signed the petition is five to six times greater than those who signed.
And last year the Squamish Chamber of Commerce sent out a strong endorsement with a clear emphasis on the positive economic impact GAS will have on the community, including a wide range of employment opportunities in a town in dire need of a job infusion and a new source of tax revenue.
Ultimately, there is a silent majority out there ready to be swayed in either direction. Some observers believe that the promoters need to do more to engage the community.
Once all the logistical obstacles have been hurdled, and the proponents have embarked on a more comprehensive information dissemination strategy, this proposal should be taken out of the hands of the politicians and submitted to a public referendum.
The conjecture here, for what it`s worth, is that Garibaldi at Squamish will be endorsed by a majority of the voters. To put it more bluntly: this GAS shall pass.
