Chief Gondola

Everything and anything to do with climbing in Squamish.
virtual
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Post by virtual » Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:13 pm

Thought I'd un-hijack the thread.

The gondola proposal is picking up steam, but so is opposition to it. Around Squamish, it's hard to find anyone who supports the plan. A local resident and climber, Megan Olesky, has decided to mobilize the opposition to help kill the proposal, and has formed a group called 'Friends of the Chief'. Although the group is in its infancy, it has begun to tap the increasing anger about the proposal and is growing fast.

Megan has penned an open letter to opponents of the gondola plan. The letter can be found here. It reads in part:
Thank you for your support in our attempt to maintain and protect the Stawamus Chief
Provincial Park.
The Park Management Plan of the Chief was completed in 1997 after two years of
community consultation. It was an important and time-consuming process that determined
the Chief as a natural and unique landmark of cultural importance for British Columbians.
There has been a proposal put forward to the Ministry of Water, Land and Air
Protection to construct a gondola up to the second summit of the Chief. This proposal
includes 15 tram towers, and the capacity to carry 880 people per hour to the summit. Two
acres of usable land at the second summit will be fenced off to accommodate an
observation deck and restaurant facilities.
The current hiking trails are some of the most popular and heavily used trails in the
province, and the climbing at the Chief is some of the best in Canada. To the recreational
community, this proposal is akin to suggesting a gondola to the top of El Capitan in
Yosemite.
If you wish to contact Megan directly, you can do so at friendsofthechief@yahoo.ca.

Megan will be appearing on the Rafe Mair show on Monday, August 23rd at 9:15 on AM 600. If you wish to call to express your support, the studio number is (604) 280-0600.

I think Megan's El Cap comparison is apt. I would also compare it to putting a tram on Ayers Rock. Please pass the word.
Last edited by virtual on Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

virtual
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Post by virtual » Sat Aug 21, 2004 8:43 am

Megan has updated her letter. It is now in MS Word format and can be found here.

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jade
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Post by jade » Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:38 pm

gondola?...now I can make it to the top!

Neumann
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Post by Neumann » Mon Aug 23, 2004 10:07 pm

Jade. You jest, but fewer and fewer people are laughing. What we all thought was a joke has become a ludicrisly real proposition. So pick a side and fight for what you believe in.

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jade
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Post by jade » Tue Aug 24, 2004 7:55 pm

ice cream good...gondola bad (unless smothered in chocolate and whip cream)

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Pete L.
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Post by Pete L. » Fri Aug 27, 2004 3:43 pm

Might as well call me "Ethical Climbing Community Enemy Number One" although that's a bit of a mouth full.

I don't really see a problem here.

The proposed gondolla isn't going up the face of the Chief so it won't interfere with any of the climbing.

Everytime I've climbed to the top I've hated the hike down.

There are lots of routes up top and around the back that I've always wanted to do but have been too lazy to hike to. (this will, however, more than add to the support against the gondolla by most of you)

I like Starbucks.

I like nice bathrooms.

Has anyone suggested the idea of a shuttle from the gondolla base to the base of the grand wall?

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