Project Background

The Resort Municipality of Whistler is developing a neighbourhood plan for Whistler Creek West.

The plan will develop a vision for the neighbourhood's future over the next 25 years, supporting diverse housing options, employment space, transportation, and community amenities. The plan will be used as the basis for any proposed land-use and development changes.

The neighbourhood plan and future revitalization efforts will focus on improving interconnectivity and pedestrian access through quality urban design while also increasing housing density and diversity, aiming to preserve Whistler Creek's unique character while accommodating future growth and needs.

Neighbourhood plans guide future development for an area, including the development standards, locations of public spaces, and transportation solutions. Neighbourhood plans are linked to the higher-level planning of the Official Community Plan and the regulatory detail of a zoning bylaw.

Whistler's Official Community Plan prioritizes Whistler Creek for a neighbourhood plan due to its potential for increased housing diversity and higher residential density. This vibrant area, which began as the base for Whistler Mountain and the first gondola in 1966, has evolved into a mixed-use community with residential options, shops, restaurants, and recreational facilities. Its proximity to the Creekside Village commercial hub, Highway 99, the core transit network, and major assets like Nita and Alpha Lakes enhance its appeal.

An aerial image of Whistler Creek showing an outline of the proposed Plan Area boundary around the area west of Highway 99

Click on the image to make bigger

Spring 2025 Update

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Visioning phase of the project. We had over 1,700 interactions with community members in this phase of the project, including our online tools and community open houses. Your contributions are essential in shaping the future of our community.

On April 8, 2025, we presented our analysis of the Visioning engagement and the supporting Engagement Summary Report to Council. The Visioning Phase helped to define the Core Values, Big Ideas and confirm project objectives, including the types of housing, transportation and urban design strategies that should be considered for the plan area.

Core Values are our beliefs and priorities - they define what we care about most and will guide the overall direction of the Plan.

The Core Values are:

  1. Livable, Inclusive and Diverse
  2. Walkable and Well-Connected’
  3. Quality Streetscape and Shared Spaces
  4. Vibrant Community Identity
  5. Embrace the Natural Environment

The Big Ideas are high-level objectives to guide development of the Plan and are based on known challenges and opportunities in the Plan Area.

The Big Ideas are:

1. Diverse housing and increased density

Provide more residential housing types and options to meet the needs of a diverse population, particularly those who work in Whistler.

2. Repurpose and reimagine underused spaces

Develop vacant or underused lands to address gaps in the street and enhance neighbourhood vibrancy.

3. Improve connectivity of the area

Provide safe and efficient connections within the neighbourhood and to the surrounding area for preferred modes of travel.

4. Revitalize streetscape and public realm

Redesign the streetscape to be more pedestrian oriented, providing for year-round public activity and gathering space.

5. Maintain a distinct neighbourhood character

Maintain a unique sense of place that distinguishes Whistler Creek West from other areas through placemaking and design features.

6. Honour heritage and historical roots

Establishing a strong connection between the rich history of the neighbourhood to future development.

7. Support a thriving community

Fosters a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood with a strong local ethos that supports a variety of businesses and amenities serving residents and visitors.

8. Connection to nature

Nurture a strong neighbourhood relationship with the lakes and mountains surrounding Whistler Creek West.

Draft Land Use Concept

The draft land use concept has been developed using existing policy direction, input from the Visioning phase, and an infrastructure assessment. We have proposed four sub-areas in the Plan.

  • Prioritizing density along Lake Placid Road, between the gas station and Nita Lake Lodge, and on properties adjacent to Highway 99.
  • Allowing properties within the Plan Area greater density aligned with small-scale multi-unit housing.
  • Improving connections to and through the neighbourhood, including across Highway 99, pedestrian and bike connections through the neighhourhood, and linkages to the Valley Trail.
  • Considering building heights up to 5 or 6 storeys in key areas.
Add your voice logo

We want to hear your insights and ideas for Whistler Creek West!

Share your input via:

  • online questionnaire (open June 4)
  • the in-person events at Nita Lake Lodge:
    • Add Your Voice - June 4 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
    • Whistler Creek West Open House - June 7 from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM

We look forward to sharing the results of this round of engagement soon! Stay tuned to this page for updates.

Questionnaire

Share your thoughts about the draft land use concept and the draft implementation started.

Take the online questionnaire here.


Please do not provide any personal information in your submitted feedback. If any is provided, it will be deleted upon receipt. All information collected by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) for the purpose of providing comments on the Mapping Tool is authorized per s26(e) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and securely stored within Social PinPoint, on a Canadian-based server until project completion. If there are questions or concerns regarding the collection and/or use of personal information, please contact privacy@whistler.ca

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