Rental housing construction forging ahead in Cheakamus, July 2024. Photo: Province of B.C.
We are halfway through Season 3 of the Whistler Podcast. Before we take a short summer hiatus, we have two housing episodes to share with you. We had originally intended this to be one episode, but the guests and topic were so interesting, we’ve split it into two. For Part 1, Mayor Jack Crompton speaks with Dale Mikkelsen.
Dale is a long-time Whistlerite who joined the municipality in 2023 to head the Climate Action, Planning and Development Services division, bringing deep experience in housing and development. Prior to the RMOW, Mikkelsen was the Director of Development and Chief Operating Officer for Simon Fraser University’s sustainable community model, UniverCity, and sat on the Whistler Advisory Design Panel, Whistler Housing Authority board, and was the president of WORCA (a position he still holds today). He has also worked as the project planner at the City of Vancouver for Southeast False Creek, which ultimately became the 2010 Athlete’s Village, helped to create the City’s first Green Building Strategy, and worked on the planning of Vancouver’s River District and the Great Northern Way precinct. Suffice it to say, he brings a wealth of planning experience to his home in Whistler.
Listen as he and Mayor Crompton talk about innovative community development solutions, our current housing reality and the crisis in Whistler, community building, densification, the possibilities in Creekside, supply vs demand, provincial small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) legislation, infrastructure and amenities to support growth, etc.
Listen now:
Host: Mayor Crompton
Guest: Dale Mikkelsen
Links/More Information
Acknowledgements
The Resort Municipality of Whistler is grateful to be on the shared, unceded territory of the Lil’wat People, known in their language as L̓il̓wat7úl, and the Squamish People, known in their language as Sḵwx̱wú7mesh. We respect and commit to a deep consideration of their history, culture, stewardship and voice.
This podcast was recorded in the Sound Booth at the Whistler Public Library’s Wonder Lab.
Housing work pushing forward in Whistler. This photo is from the recent BC Builds provincial funding announcement at 1475 Mount Fee Rd. in Cheakamus Crossing, featuring Premier David Eby and Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon. Photo: Province of B.C.
Mikkelsen speaking at an event during his role as the Manager of Sustainability and SFU Community Trust developer. He later rose to the role of COO. Photo: Western Washington University News
His final project in his role at SFU: SFU Graduate Student Housing Project. 2022.
Pursuing passions and contributing to community in Whistler. Mikkelsen has been the President of the Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association since 2019.
In his backyard in Whistler. Decker Mountain, Blackcomb, 2023.
