For the past 50 years, the Okanagan Similkameen Parks Society has worked to preserve land and water in the region.
The society had its origins in 1965, when volunteers worked to provide a secure winter range for California bighorn sheep near Vaseaux Lake.
The purchase price of the range land was approximately $23,000.
Of the 12 members of the original executive, Four of them — Dave McMullen, Katy Madsen, Brenda Liebert and John Kitson — were from Summerland. Today the society has around 50 Summerland members.
The society later worked at Haynes Point near Osoyoos and was instrumental in bringing about the creation of Okanagan Mountain Park. “There were no provincial parks in the South Okanagan when we started,” said Sheila White, a member of the society.
Other parks include Cathedral Lakes in the Similkameen and Conkle Lake on the way to Rock Creek.
The society was an early proponent of the value of the railway bed. Members produced and distributed more than 20,00 brochures showing hiking and cycling routes along the railway bed from Midway to Penticton.
The society has also provided funding for the Summerland portion of the Trans Canada Trail, which extends along 61.5 kilometres of abandoned railway bed to Osprey Lake.
The society’s annual general meeting will be held at Centre Stage Theatre on Friday, April 17, beginning at 7 p.m.
