Osoyoos offers Canada’s Warmest Welcome

The proper etiquette in Osoyoos (pronounced Oh-soo-yoos) is to offer your visitor a bottle of ice cold spring water and well it should be since Osoyoos is Canada’s only true desert. The name Osoyoos comes from the native word for "narrowing of the waters" because of its location at a narrowing of Osoyoos Lake. Situated in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mts. to the west and protected form the worst of winter storms by the Columbia Mts. to the east, Osoyoos is a British Columbia town right on the American border. The big “O” is one of B.C.’s 13 official “resort Municipalities” which means it gets extra funding to help its growing tourism industry and support a greener, healthier environment for its residents and visitors.   Jo Knight, Osoyoos Director of tourism and Visitor Experience and our host during this visit told us some of the funding will go towards building a network of multi-use trails connecting Osoyoos’ downtown, lakefront and outlying natural areas as well as creating an annual ”Art in the Park” festival in the waterfront area. Osoyoos has also purchased a “green technology” beach-cleaning machine to regularly clean Osoyoos’ beaches.       My husband Jim has a problem with condo/resorts building on lakeshores, in fact, on any waterway. In other parts of B.C. and in all of Australia the beaches are public space. There were many assurances that this would be so in Osoyoos as well. They seem pretty keen on being green. The first stop on our tour was the Desert Centre, a 100 hectare extension of the American Great Basin Desert that extends from Mexico. It is not the Sonora Desert as most people assume. I would have liked to have taken the full moon night tour that takes place August 16 from 6 pm to midnight, but the timing was wrong. Our guide was the Centre’s Executive Director Denise Eastlick and her enthusiasm and knowledge just carried us along the boardwalk (with the gift of ice water of course). We learned that there is less than 40% of our desert habitat remaining. This climate supports several rare plants and animals like burrowing owls, turkey vultures, pacific rattlesnake, bats, antelope bush, sage, rabbit brush and prickly pear cactus. This small area hosts one of the largest concentrations of species at risk (100 rare plants and 300 rare invertebrates) in Canada and is of international importance. In the 1800’s cattle roamed this area and ranchers planted feed which invaded the natural landscape. You can still see many cows roaming up free in the hills. During the hot summer days, all appears quiet in this desert habitat, but signs of the abundant wildlife become evident when one kneels down for a closer look. Pocket Gopher burrows and mouse trails, a quail's nest secretly hidden in the shadows of a bunchgrass and coyote tracks in the sand are clues to their movements. My favourite was the spadefoot toad that flourishes during the spring rains and then remains dry and dormant under the dried out ponds until water comes again. I like the symbolism of this particular desert creature which, like the Desert Centre itself, is holding its own. From the desert we went to the Desert Oasis B&B where David Clare, our host, gave us a tour of the gardens with 100 variety of roses, arbours and hide-aways but best of all he invited us to swim in the deep salt water pool before he served a chilled glass of local wine. Our room was furnished in fine linen and antiques along with a luxurious spa with a Jacuzzi tub and fireplace. Jim liked the black out curtains that gave a complete night’s sleep. Our day wasn’t over though because we were to meet Sonya Cuthbert, the Director of Visitor Experience for a tour of Walnut Beach Resort, resplendent on the shores of Canada’s warmest lake. Sonya left us to dine while she put the finishing touches on one of the many weddings hosted here. We had a dinner prepared on the outdoor BBQ by Chef Jeff, formerly of Chateau Lake Louise, who came to chat with his guests when his duties were complete. My mouth was so full of the most delicious garlic shrimp I have ever tasted that I could only smile and nod a thank you.     After dessert that was promised to be minuscule and wasn’t, Jim and I decided we need a walk. To me this is the best way to judge a place…what do the residents do after sunset. In Osoyoos everyone and their granny goes out for a walk. People smile and chat and one little girl had even set up a little sidewalk table to sell cherries to the passers-by … granted she was asking $10 a quart but still it was the effort that counted. Next issue: Day Two in the city that offers Canada’s Warmest Welcome. Sidebar: There was to be an Observatory build at the top of Mt. Kobau, but it didn’t happen. Every year night sky gazers come to camp here and watch the full moon and stars. This year it is being held from August 2nd to 10th .  You have to bring camping gear and water. For information and to register go to the Star Party website- mksp.ca

 

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