Whistler Open Houses This Weekend

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What does your cool Dad enjoy doing?  Is he a sports nut or an avid golfer?  Does he enjoy fine dining and excellent wine?  Lets explore some of the countless ways Whistler has to “show the love” to the Dad in your life.

On Saturday there is the 22nd annual Valley Trail Run, with 2 courses.  Both races start at 9 AM from Spruce Grove Park.  There is a 10k and a 5k.   The cost is $25 for an individual or $45 for a family.   After the race, kids six & under can participate in the Teddy Bear Trot!  Kids, bring your favorite teddy bear to run the loop around the field.  The kid’s trot is free and all participants get a prize.

Saturday evening, Whistler Waldorf school is hosting a fund raiser, Swing into Summer.  The theme is a 1920′s tasting extravaganza, with live entertainment by Simon Stribling and the Whistler Swingtet.   Silent auction and wall of wine raffle.  Tickets are $80 and available now at whistlerwaldorf.com or call 604-932-1885.  7PM start, Cedarstone 1351 Alta Lake Rd.

I’ve noticed that lots of Dads eat pizza.  Some of them even love it.  Creekbread has great pizza AND they show Stanley Cup games.  There’s a game on Saturday starting at 5PM.  They currently are running a contest, on game nights, where you could win a pizza a week for a year.  Now, that’s worth coming back to Whistler for!

Sunday, June 16th is opening day at Whistler Farmers’ Market.  This is a huge deal!  Tell Dad it is a must do and that it’s not really shopping.  Emphasize that there are snacks and you will buy him some popcorn from featured vendor Sargent Poppers Kettle Corn, if he’s good.  Tell him there is live entertainment by Karen Fowlie, Gord Rutherford, Jon Shrier and Alice Russell.  Of course, there will be lots of fresh produce and artisan food and crafts too.  Everybody that is somebody, will be there.  Located in Upper Village, 11AM to 4PM.

You could, also, consider entering him in Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s, Father’s Day Golf Tournament (while you are at the Farmer’s Market).  This golf tournament is a fund raiser for the Whistler Animal Shelter and the Critical Care Fund.  Let Dad enjoy a round of golf, dinner and a silent auction.  9AM Fairmont Chateau Whistler.

Happy Father’s Day!

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North Face Whistler Half-Marathon. Mike Crane, Whistler Tourism

Last week, Whistler hosted a half marathon and almost 800 runners participated!  Congratulations to all runners & thank-you to all volunteers.

Walking is more my speed, and I make a point of using my lunch hour to do just that.  While walking, I see & meet lots of visitors who are interested in our history.  If you are too, check out Valley of Dreams Walking Tours, courtesy of Whistler Museum.  Get to know Whistler’s unique history with a 1 hour guided tour.  Led by knowledgeable and engaging Whistler Locals.  Tours are everyday in June, July & August, at 1 PM.  Offered by donation.  Meet at the Whistler Visitor Centre 604-932-2019.

Friday, June 7

• For live music, check out The Crystal Lounge Or the Dubh Linn Gate.
• Most popular clubs with DJ’s include, Tommy Africa’s, Maxx Fish & Moe Joe’s.
• Delta Whistler Village Suites is hosting Raise the Roof.  This is a fundraising event for Whistler Adaptive Sports Program and Habitat for Humanity.  Ruckus Deluxe is playing, and there is a silent auction.  5-9 PM, $15 donation.

Saturday, June 8

• Down to Earth.  Come celebrate the connection between a healthy community and a healthy environment.  Whistler’s enviro-fest will have games, activities & music.  Whistler Olympic Plaza, 11 AM-4 PM, by donation 604-698-7697.
• Giant Plant & Garden Fair!  Spring is here & flowers are lovely.  Fresh veggies are delicious. Come celebrate the growing season, share ideas, learn AND support the library all at once.  Bulbs donated by RMOW and potted plants provide by Whistler gardeners.  Kids welcome to participate in a free nature craft.  Whistler Public Library 10 AM – 1 PM.
• Walk This Way!  Osteoporosis Canada presents Nordic Walking in Whistler.  A fun and unique fundraising event to provide participants with the experience of Nordic pole walking.  Whistler Olympic Park.

Sunday, June 8

Weather is expected to stay beautiful, right to the bitter end of your stay.  If you are lucky enough to be staying Sunday night, consider some live music at Creekbread starting at 3:30 PM.  The Bedlams are playing.  Creekbread has delicious pizza too.

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Thomas the Train is back this weekend and next at the West Coast Railway Museum, there is a Children’s Health Fair happening at Brennan Park Recreation Centre from 10 am to 1 pm- complete with face painting and bouncy castle, the Squamish Farmer’s Market is taking place downtown from 10 am to 3 pm….and today marks the Season Opener of the Sea to Sky Eagles Rugby League at Don Ross Secondary at 2:30 pm! It’s also Community Clean up Day in Britannia Beach.

And, of course, we’ve got some STUNNING open houses for you to check out:

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Ziptrek Upside Down - Photo Credit: Mike Crane

Photo Credit: Mike Crane/Tourism Whistler

Friday, May 31st The NHL is taking a break today, so  you should do the same.  Of course your options are near endless, but I recommend getting out in nature in honour of the David Suzuki Foundation 30 x 30 Nature Challenge.  Here are a few ideas:

• Super Fly at Cougar Mountain.  Ziplines & treetop adventure course 604-932-0647
• 01 Canadian Wilderness Adventures.  ATV adventures Blackcomb & Callaghan. 604-938-1616
• Peak 2 Peak Alpine Experience.  Daily access via the Whistler Village Gondola from 10am-5pm.  Dress for snow!
• Scandinave Spa.  Yes, a spa!  Outdoors.  Fabulous.  604-935-2424
• Hiking.  Biking. Walking. Golfing.

Saturday, June 1st After all the fresh air you got yesterday, maybe find something to do indoors?

• Eat.  Many of Whistler’s best restaurants are offering great deals.  Mongolie Grill 50% off.  Bearfoot Bistro 5-course menu $48.  Rimrock Cafe 4 courses $41.  Fifty Two 80 all you can eat steak $35.  Nagomi Sushi all you can eat $35.  Teppan Village 3 couse NY steak & teriyaki chicken $25.  Elements 3 tapas for the price of 2.  Araxi Four Courses $39.  Just to name a few!
• Roller Derby!  One Night Stand-Off.  Whistler’s Black Diamond Betties agains the Haney Hooligans.  Meadow Park Sports Centre.  $15, kids 6 & under are free.  Doors open at 6:30pm, bout starts at 7pm.
• Down to Earth, Whistler’s Enviro-Fest.  Celebrate a healthy community and a healthy environment at this festival.  Family friendly and interactive.  By donation.  All proceeds go towards Whistler non-profit groups.   Whistler Olympic Plaza 11am-4pm 604-698-7697.
• The North Face Whistler Half Marathon.  Ok, so this is outdoors.  Wanted to make sure you knew about it.  7am

Sunday, June 2nd

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Open Houses in Squamish, BC

And don’t forget to check out the Britannia Classic longboarding races in Britannia Beach!!!

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5 Ways to Stick with Your Renovation Budget

by Shannon Lorenz

It’s a known fact that Canadians love their homes! According to RenoMark, renovations make up a $66 billion dollar industry in Canada. Whether you’re adding more space for your family, or creating your home to better suit your lifestyle, a renovation can improve your everyday life for you and your family.

So if you are currently considering a renovation and your starting the planning process we have some suggestions on how to best stick to your budget.

1. Determine Needs + Wants

Begin with a clear vision of what you want to achieve. We suggest compiling a list of the tasks you want done for your renovation. Once this is done, determine if you want to match up some of the “new” products with the rest of the house, and if so, what do you want to match up. Is it matching all of the interior doors? Baseboards? Flooring? All of these factors need to be determined for creating the most accurate budget.

2. Invest In Design

Many clients ask for a quote before a design is in place, which makes it harder to estimate. A clear design allows the contractor to understand the scope and design of the project and if the contractor has clear instructions when it starts it will reduce errors.

3. Communication

Keep lines of communication at all times. Make sure your contractor is providing you with regular invoices so that a significant amount of time doesn’t go by and you are surprised by the outcome or timeline of the project being extended.

4. Contingency Plan

As part of any budgeting process it is important to think about contingency planning. Generally, the older the property the greater the possibilities of additional work being required. The contractor should suggest a reasonable allowance based on their past experience, but a good rule of thumb is to put aside an additional 10 percent of your budget to accommodate costs that will inevitably pop up.

5. Resist the urge to get carried away

Finally, and most importantly, stick to the plan. In our experience this is the most common additional expense on a project. The homeowner will decide since they are in the process they might as well add on side projects along the way, which results in a higher priced renovation. Overall, sticking with your plan will best allow you to stick to budget.

Renovating is a very exciting and rewarding process, and we hope these steps will provide you with some valuable insight on how you can stick to your budget and plan as much as you possibly can.

Shannon Lorenz is a founding partner in Lorenz Developments Ltd.  She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from UVic and is currently studying Real Estate Property Valuation at UBC. She is passionate about the construction industry, community involvement and delivering quality project management.

Website:  www.lorenzdevelopments.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lorenzdevelopments

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lorenzdevelop

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