Showing love for the lake

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Residents and area dignitaries gathered under cloudy skies at Gyro Park in Osoyoos, Saturday, to celebrate the lake many of them live next to.

The festivities were for Osoyoos Lake Appreciation Day, held for the first time by the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society.

"The purpose of the event is to bring attention to the lake," said Birgit Arnstein, president of the society. "We are interested in public education and concerned about protecting the lake from phosphates and nitrates and about invasive species such as Quagga and Zebra mussels."

The afternoon included short speeches by Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff, Oroville Planning Commissioner Arnie Marchand and others.

McKortoff thanked people for coming and welcomed visitors from Oroville and Tonasket.

While Marchand stressed the importance of the lake to people living on both sides of the border.

The Osoyoos Lake information stand was unveiled by McKortoff, and there was a kids zone with face painting and a bouncy castle.

Entertainment was provided by Route 33 from Trail, who were asked to perform a couple of water-based songs, and a cake recognizing the society's 25th anniversary was served.

Visitors were also invited to board the society's boat, used weekly throughout the summer months to test five regions of the lake for temperature, dissolved oxygen, clarity, pH and conductivity.

Denis Potter, a society board member, said they go out once a week on Wednesday mornings to test the water. Information is then sent to the BC Ministry of Environment.