Community Profile
The District of Lake Country, located in the heart of the Okanagan Valley between Kelowna and Vernon, is a
beautiful and unique area rich in cultural history. Lake Country has a population of approximately 14,035 according
to BC Statistics, and is made up of four distinct communities: Carr’s Landing, Okanagan Centre, Oyama and Winfield.
Lake Country is surrounded by lakes, as its name suggests. Okanagan Lake acts as the western boundary while Wood
Lake and the southern-most portion of Kalamalka Lake are encompassed by the municipality. Comprising a
geographic area of 122.16 square kilometers, Lake Country is home to world-renowned wineries and is only minutes
away from the Kelowna International Airport, UBC Okanagan, world-class golf courses and beautiful ski hills. The
area offers a balance of rural and urban experiences with major income sources being agriculture and tourism.
Forty percent of the District is within the Agricultural Land Reserve and major crops include apples, peaches, pears
and cherries. A large portion of apples grown in Canada are from Lake Country’s orchards. Since its incorporation
on May 2, 1995, the District of Lake Country has continued to grow and thrive.
Carr’s Landing
Carr’s Landing was once called Cus-in-so-nook, meaning Place of Fickle Women. The early pioneers called it
Sunnywold. By 1901 Andrew Carr, a Civil War veteran from Illinois, and his wife Agnes had built their home just
north of where the Geen’s fruit packing house stands today. The Carr’s Landing wharf was built below the house at
R. S. Marshall Park where sailing lessons are now held each summer. Settlers such as the Carrs, Thorlaksons and
Gibsons farmed close to the lake and ranchers like Joseph Cools ran cattle into the Charolais area.
Okanagan Centre
At the height of its success, Okanagan Centre was a thriving community with services that included two packing
houses, a hotel, a cannery, a general store and a butcher shop. The settlement of Okanagan Centre began around
1900 when Northcote Caeser and T. F. Valentine purchased Rainbow Ranch. In 1903, Caeser and Valentine sold most
of Rainbow Ranch but kept 18 acres of the south-west corner and continued ranching. By 1910, there were two
hotels, a general store, a butcher shop with a packing house and cannery under construction. By 1913, orchardists
were packing their own fruit and the community was at the height of its development.
Oyama
Oyama was named after Field Marshall Iwao Oyama who fought in the Japanese-Russian War from 1900 to 1905.
Oyama was also the name given to the first post office in the area which was established between 1906 and 1908.
As early as 1867 (Canada’s Confederation), Tom Wood and Cornelius O’Keefe drove cattle from Washington State,
USA to the north end of Okanagan Lake. In 1893 the first white settlers began arriving with ranching and the
planting of orchards commencing in the early 1900s. Oyama Lake, located in the mountains to the east, provided
irrigation to the fruit growers. After World War I another influx of settlers arrived and many descendants of these
first settlers reside in Oyama today. Local stores began opening in 1908 through 1910 decreasing the need for
residents to travel to Vernon.
Winfield
The first land bought by a European settler in Winfield was 160 acres purchased by Ford Brent in 1867. He then sold
the land in 1871. Also in 1871, Thomas Alva Wood, the man responsible for the current names of Wood Lake and
Winfield, bought 160 acres and started up Winfield ranch. In 1875, Thomas Wood was named Justice of the Peace.
In 1872 the Postill family purchased a 300-acre plot to the south of Mr. Wood and within a few years a sawmill
started up at the Postill ranch and was running at full capacity. The 1890’s were a decade in which Winfield showed
many signs of community development. Winfield had its first telephone installed in the 1890's, the first fruit trees
were planted, the first church services were held at Winfield Lodge (Thomas Wood's lodge) and more families began
settling in Winfield during these years.
2015 Annual Report
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