Why I live in Pemberton

I live in a place known as the Spud Valley, there’s a hitching post at the McDonalds, and the nightlife consists of a trip to the video store. My Whistler friends scratch their heads trying to figure out why I live in Pemberton.
I’ve heard every comment. The road is a death trap. That 25-minute commute must kill you. What do you do for fun in Pemberton? Isn’t that where people go to have babies? Are you pregnant?
I keep meaning to move to Whistler but it hasn’t happened yet. The Spud Valley seems to have a death grip on me. Unlike most Pemberton residents, I have never been a Whistlerite. I planned on six months and it’s been almost four years.
I don’t know why I stick around Pemberton. In my first couple of months, the bridge washed out during the biggest flood in memory. We were stuck in the village for over week. Perhaps it was a sign of my fate.
Pemberton has a way of weaseling into your heart. It’s a little bit Red Neck, Hippy, and Yuppie rolled into one community with 2,563 residents.
Mount Currie looms over Pemberton as nature’s overstatement. Skiers spend hours picking out heart-pumping lines, children draw pictures of its jagged peaks, and developers dream of a gondola. No matter where you stand in Pemberton, you can see Mount Currie. It always looks different.
During the winter, Pemberton residents tend to hibernate with the exception of pizza and beer night at the Pony Espresso. They make the best pizza on the planet. I recommend the “pizza yet to be named” I am salivating at the thought. Last time I attended pizza and beer night, I was greeted by a half naked child and a relaxed vibe.
You can’t beat the rent prices in Pemberton. It’s pretty cheap compared to Whistler’s closet for a “grand” rate. It’s also pretty easy to save money in the Spud Valley because there’s not much to spend it on. With the exception of dinners at the Wild Wood and extravagant trips to the grocery store.
Pemberton also brings out diversity. Whistler is great but do farmers and extreme skiers share a coffee every morning at the local coffee shop? It leads to some lively discussion. After all isn’t life about shared experiences?
The village has its issues, I am not going to lie. The Village of Pemberton budget is smaller than most businesses and infrastructure is weak. I don’t think I’ll be swimming laps at Pemberton’s pool anytime soon, unless someone discovers oil.
Still Pemberton is the only place where the council meetings are standing room only and residents get fired up about municipal issues. It’s encouraging. You also meet a lot of characters with the sparkle of someone who doesn’t watch a lot of television. It’s rare.
Pemberton’s not perfect but community is messy. It’s not about what we can get but what we can give. I see it everyday in the people who live here. Whether it’s starting a community garden or the Slow Food Cycle – residents dig deep and give back.
Others are thinking about Pemberton lately. In fact, the village is the topic of discussion at an upcoming Dialogue Café. Sheldon Tetrault and the Imagine BC Sea to Sky conversation partners will be discussing “Why I live in Pemberton – The Importance of Sense of Place” at the Local’s Living Room, Tues. March 27.
Eventually I will leave Pemberton because the world awaits discovery. But then again I might be writing the sequel to this column in 15 years. Scary thought.