to the success of the early
orchards. Their experiences
in the Okanagan and the
beauty of the Lake Country
region convinced many to stay
and to build a life here.
Once established, many of
these young pioneers returned
to Japan to marry and to
bring their new wives back to
| the Okanagan. The story of
these early pioneers, and
their courage in meeting the
daily challenges of life in a
new land, is an important
part of our history.
The District of Lake
Country is located in the
Okanagan Valley, extending
between Vernon and Kelowna,
| with an area of 122 square
kilometers and a population
of approximately 11,000.
Inhabited by the Syilx people
for thousands of years,
settlers from other parts of
the world began to arrive in
the late 1800s, with a large
influx in the early 1900s
with the development of the
| orcharding industry. The
District has a significant
Japanese-Canadian population
of long-time residents, whose
parents or grandparents
arrived in the period 1907 to
1930.
The District of Lake
Country is made up of four
community wards: Oyama,
|