It is doubtful that there are many lonely people living at White Lake, given that there are so many community activities for residents to enjoy. The newly renovated White Lake Community Hall is likely one of the busiest ones in the Shuswap, with Pilates classes twice a week, a weekly electric music jam, and Senior’s potluck dinners twice a month. In the basement, which has room for 85, there is a pool table, a shuffleboard, darts, air hockey and a lounge area. With room for 165, the main hall is often packed for dances, weddings, dinners and meetings.
In the past few years, several young families have moved to White Lake where they purchased acreages and are doing market gardening. No doubt they appreciate the nearby trails, the popular fishing lake, the bike park, the friendly neighbourhood, the many opportunities to observe wildlife, and the peaceful serenity.
White Lake residents truly care about their community. Every spring the call goes out for people to chip in and join others for a yearly clean-up day, when the refuse is picked up along the roads. Fire prevention and protection is also top of mind for residents, and many have contributed funds to purchase and operate five online cameras that keep watch during the summers for smoke in the hills on both sides of the lake. These live cameras transmit to a website that anyone can look at to watch for fires.
Approximately two thirds of the lake’s shoreline is protected in White Lake Provincial Park, as well as the riparian area surrounding Cedar Creek and wetland, which feeds the lake from the east. There is a small, run-down campground in the park that dates back to when this area was a forestry recreation site.
The Cedar Creek portion was added to the park after the land use planning was completed in the year 2000 to protect the trout spawning channels. However, siltation from logging has damaged the gravel beds in these channels and as a result, the lake is stocked yearly with trout fry to maintain the popular recreational fishery. Efforts have been made by the local fish and game club along with residents to restore the channel by adding gravel, however this is a challenging project given that much of the work must be done without using machines.
There is a desperate need for improvements to the Provincial Park and the BC government has a plan to re-route the logging road that is currently located close to the campground. Residents would like to see the lakeshore now used for camping where there is a decaying picnic shelter, and the adjacent boat launch become available for the community for day use and the camping spots moved to the hillside above the beach area. The Shuswap Trail Alliance also has plans for a four-kilometre-long loop trail above the spawning channels, but funding is needed for construction.
One of our favourite hikes is on the trail up to the White Lake lookout, which also goes higher and then loops back to the parking lot. Another trail, which is great to do with a bike, connects to the Blind Bay trails. There is also an “unofficial” local trail built by residents that goes up Pari Creek to a waterfall. Plus, it is possible to hike or bike from White Lake all the way to Herald Park in Sunnybrae. One day, White Lake may become one of the key trail hubs for the South Shuswap according to a recently completed recreation plan for the region.
On a recent visit to White Lake, it was great to experience the small local park across from the hall, where the goal is the protection and appreciation of nature, as half of this park is a wetland area. There is a wooden viewing platform at the lake where one can observe wildlife while sitting on a bench appreciating the peaceful tranquility. Attached to the platform is a display with photos of the birds and other wildlife in the area along with information about them. White Lake is clearly one of gems of the Shuswap, and well worth a visit for hiking, biking, paddling, fishing and nature viewing.
