Whistle Bend was first identified for residential development in the 1994 Official Community Plan; however, the Planning Process to make this development a reality began in 2006. City Council voted to officially approve the name “Whistle Bend” at the regular Council meeting on June 23, 2008. The name Whistle Bend was developed through the 2006 charrette process and refers to the historical nature of the area. During the gold rush, steamships navigating the Yukon River used to blow their whistles at this point to alert other ships of their presence.
Whistle Bend Land Lottery
All public land sales in Whistle Bend are done through the Government of Yukon Lands Branch. To get the latest information on upcoming land lotteries or over the counter sales, visit their YG Land Sales webpage.
Planning and Development
Whistle Bend is envisioned as a complete neighbourhood with transit service, a town square, retail shops, three schools, parks, greenspaces, and kilometres of paved and unpaved trails. The design builds on a Charrette Concept (2006) and Master Plan (2008) developed through public consultation, and incorporates smart growth, new urbanism, and sustainable design principles.
The Whistle Bend Master Plan concept for Phases 1 – 7 is based on the Charrette Concept and all public consultation to date and was approved by City Council on February 23rd, 2009. The Master Plan serves as a basis for the next level of planning – Phasing, Subdivision Design, and Zoning.
Revisions to the original Master Plan, including lot and road layout was necessary to ensure sustainability goals and issues identified in Phases 1 and 2 were fully addressed. In response, work was initiated in May 2011 to further refine the original concept plan and prepare designs for remaining phases of Whistle Bend area, along with the corresponding YESAB Submission for development, which can be downloaded here.
Whistle Bend Subdivision Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Report (2009)
Whistle Bend Geotechnical Report (2009)
Whistle Bend Transportation Network Impact Study (2009)
Environment and Special Places
Socio-Economic Background Report (2006)
Infrastructure and Transportation Background Report (2006)
Heritage Resources Background Report (2006)
Whistle Bend Traffic Analysis Update (2012)
Zoning Bylaw Amendments have been passes for Phases 10 – 13 have recently passed, refer to the Current Amendments page for more details.
Whistle Bend Green Streets
In 2022, the City engaged with Whistle Bend residents in Phases 4 and 5 regarding the final design and implementation of Whistle Bend’s Green Streets. Below is a summary of what the City heard.
Phases 1 – 5 lots have been disposed. Phases 4 – 7 are in various stages of detailed engineering and construction. Government of Yukon is responsible for detailed engineering, construction and lot disposal whereas the City of Whitehorse is responsible for land use planning. A variety of land parcels are available for sale through Yukon Government.
