ABNC’s Grassland Blog Series

A history of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park

By Roseanne Van Ee

We’re so lucky to have Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park! A sentiment so often echoed by locals. But how were we so fortunate to get this? Dedicated residents and local naturalists fought hard to preserve and protect one of the last remaining native bunchgrass ecosystems in the Okanagan for its natural beauty, wildlife and future generations to experience and enjoy. Park visitors enter a rare landscape preserved as a living museum of the low elevation Okanagan region. One steps back over a hundred years in time.

For thousands of years this area was part of the Okanagan First Nations territory. They called Kalamalka Lake Chelootsoos meaning long lake cut in the middle (the middle, Oyama’s isthmus, was formed from an ancient beaver dam that separated Kalamalka and Wood Lakes). Eventually, between the 1870’s to ‘90’s a few British settlers pre-empted and developed this land with residences, grain, a grist mill, small orchard, livestock, corrals and farm buildings. They called the lake Long Lake. In 1891 Lord and Lady Aberdeen bought 13,261 acres on the lake’s northeast corner to develop the Coldstream Ranch with eventually 2,000 head of cattle, 70 horses and a mostly apple orchard. In 1923 Long Lake was renamed Kalamalka Lake. It’s unsure if the lake was named after an Okanagan chief or is Hawaiian. The western far reaches of Coldstream Ranch were used as a WW2 commando training area. Occasionally unexploded ordnances (UXO) are still found in the park.

By the early 1970’s Marathon Realty, a subsidiary of CPR, proposed buying 1,500 acres in the Cosen’s Bay area from the Coldstream Ranch for development of a posh resort and golf course. This was almost approved, but lifelong resident, Coldstream councilor and North Okanagan Naturalist Club (NONC) member Dennis Seymour knew the value of preserving this precious natural habitat. He alerted NONC.

Consequently NONC advocated for the Kalamalka Lake end of Coldstream Ranch to be maintained as a park. They spearheaded a petition to declare it as a park with publicly accessible land. Support was overwhelming and there was no significant opposition. So Dennis Seymour and MLA Pat Jordan went to Victoria with the petition to lobby the government to have the land protected. Joan Heriot adamantly spoke up for this park. She told me that she’d stop bulldozers if she had to.

In 1975, the BC government, with strong financial support from the Nature Conservancy Fund and others, purchased 2,459 acres. A local public advisory committee helped plan the Park’s development in 1980s with the Jade and Juniper Beach parking lot, trails and beach to safely allow access with minimal impact on this rare grassland wilderness. A further 5,493 acres of protected area was added in 2008.

It’s believed that Cosen’s Bay, Twin Bays and Juniper Beach, with its cliffs, beaches and attractive bays, together comprise some of the most beautiful freshwater shoreline in BC. This is a favourite bird watching area with at least 130 species. Meadowlarks, Western and Mountain Bluebirds and other endangered wildlife inhabit the park.

Walkers and joggers on the trails don’t really disturb the natural ecology. A few hiking trails and the existing gravel roadway should be enough to let people experience and enjoy this special park without wrecking it. Why over develop this precious wilderness? It’s a wonderful place to visit! But, dogs off leash spread havoc! They can spread destructive, noxious weed seeds, frighten and sometimes kill wildlife. Thank goodness many local volunteers are actively involved in invasive weed pull parties there.

Make sure you read the interpretive signs at the parking lots and at Juniper Beach; they’re very interesting. When you’re at a viewpoint, stop and look towards Vernon, then look around and think about how lucky we are to have this park to remind us how this whole valley bottom once looked and functioned.

Some great resources:
🌻 A Guide to the Natural History of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park – 1986 by past members Joan Heriot, James Grant and Malcolm Martin (all in the Book of Honor) can be purchased from nonc.ca – choose membership. It lists the park’s wildflowers and their bloom times and has drawings and information on its wildlife. Our library has it too.
🌻 Friends of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park have a wonderful brochure, Facebook site and kalamalkapark.ca
🌻 BCParks.ca

Roseanne is a long-time professional naturalist and eco-tour guide who delights in sharing and celebrating our amazing natural environment. Her desire is that you get out to enjoy and understand our fascinating natural world. Roseanne is locally renowned from her many years as a BC Parks naturalist, newspaper columnist, Allan Brooks Nature Centre founder, and environmental & outdoor ed trainer for teachers and leaders and as an ecotour guide. With an extensive background combining Environmental Sciences and Recreation and Education, she shares her wealth of knowledge and skills in helping others to discover our natural world in a fun and informative way