The Whistler Neighbourhood Showdown
By – Magee Walker — I have recently been perusing the housing section of Craigslist in search of a potential new place to live. Whistler is fantastic no matter where you live, but every neighbourhood has its own personality and with that, its own pros and cons. I present to you the following observations on the neighbourhoods of Whistler.
Cheakamus/Function Junction
Pros: If you’re living in Cheakamus, you’re probably living in a pretty new house. You’re close to the goods and services of Function Junction, not limited to some tasty cafes, a stellar yoga studio and a million car-related shops. Your distance from the village might encourage you to have some sensible nights in as you watch movies and sip tea in your isolated cocoon.
Cons: Aside from Home Hardware, you’re far from everything. Sorry to say, but nobody is ever going to want to come visit you. Also, you will probably get sick of watching movies and sipping tea every night, and it’s an expensive cab ride home.
Spring Creek
Pros: You’re close-ish to Function! You’re close-ish to Creekside! You can see the primary school and the fire hall from your window!
Cons: Close-ish is code for not actually close to anything. Bus service is sketchy. Spring Creek is a lonely place.
Bayshores/Creekside/Nordic
Pros: You’re close enough to walk to the amenities of Creekside, including the base of Whistler. The lake is easy to get to, transportation options are a-plenty, and you can plausibly get Dusty’s potato wedges whenever you want.
Cons: There aren’t too many cons to living by Creekside, other than you’ll probably be too lazy to get over to Blackcomb as often as you otherwise might. And while Creekside has pretty well everything you’ll need, you’re still a good ways from the village.
Alta Vista/Blueberry/Brio
Pros: The best of both worlds—you’re close to both Creekside and the village without actually being right in either. The world is your oyster. Trails and lakes are everywhere you look. Plus, if you live in Blueberry, people assume you’re a baller.
Cons: Walking distance leaves much to be interpreted. Walking distance can be a long, long way if you realize you’ve forgotten your gloves while you’re getting your pass scanned.
Whistler Cay/Whistler Cay Heights
Pros: Both of these communities are ridiculously close to the village. You, too, get to enjoy the trails and lake in your backyard.
Cons: Even though you’re not right in the village, you might have to pay a little more than some of the other farther-out communities.
The Village
Pros: You live in the village, bro! Both mountains are at your fingertips, and you’ll never find yourself paying for a cab as you stumble out of the bars at closing every night, because the bars are RIGHT THERE and it’s impossible to say no.
Cons: The money you save in cab fare is negated by the rent that you pay and by the money you spend by succumbing to the temptation of going out so often. Plus, you might find yourself never actually leaving the village.
The Benchlands
Pros: Four words: ski in, ski out. Blackcomb is your best friend, and your commute to the village involves a gondola.
Cons: Once the gondola shuts down, transportation around the Benchlands gets spotty. Walking up the mountain every night loses its charm pretty quickly. Also, it’s possible you live in staff housing, the ski-bum equivalent to first year university dorms with questionable stains on the carpets.
White Gold/Nesters
Pros: As far as neighbourhoods go, White Gold is pretty great. Aside from having the best name of any of the Whistler neighbourhoods, it is also walking distance from the village, close to trails and lakes, and provides some lovely commercial amenities.
Cons: I can’t really think of any! White Golders, I have neighbourhood envy.
Nicklaus North/Spruce Grove/Alpine
Pros: This area has a nice community feel. You’ve got a café and general store, but they’re small enough to keep it local. The village is accessible but far enough to feel removed. Meadow Park is right there and offers a triple threat of swimming pool, ice rink and gym. Boom! Oh yes, and there’s a lovely golf course right there, too.
Cons: To say any of these neighbourhoods is walking distance from the village would certainly be stretching it. Learn to love waiting for the bus. Going to Creekside for gas might start to feel like an epic road trip.
Rainbow/Emerald
Pros: You’re on your own up here—tourists don’t usually make it this far! Not only is there that lovely lake in your backyard, but you also you probably pay a reasonable rent. If you have things to do around the house, you might actually get stuff done. I have a friend who specifically chose to live in Emerald because he had to write his thesis and wanted to be far away from any distractions.
Cons: See Spring Creek. You’re far, dude, and busses here require advanced planning (which is typically useless given the transit system’s schedule reliability).
The Unofficial Whistler House is in Emerald. Here’s where we live: