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Kalamalka Lake (Image Credit: Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)
CARE Project

Local students working to protect Kalamalka Lake from illegal dumping, litter

Apr 30, 2026 | 2:18 PM

Local high schoolers are taking it upon themselves to protect Kalamalka Lake.

As part of the Climate Action ripple Effect (CARE) program, a group of Vernon Secondary Students have put forward an idea to replacing existing signage at key locations with new educational signs about the impacts illegal dumping and littering has on the local lake.

Along with proposing the new signage at the Kalamalka Beach parking lot, Kal Lake beach and pier, the boat launch, and the boat trailer parking lot on Kalavista Drive, the students, Desmond Wishart, Liam Burfitt, Kassidy Peterson, Saje Harrison and Kyle Jeronimo, launched a social media awareness campaign to educate people on the importance of the lake as a community water source and a shared resource that should be protected.

The students estimated it would cost $1,658.42 to purchase and install the signs, and they had already secured one sponsor but were looking for others and were running a fundraiser to support that purchase.

The students presented their project to Coldstream Council as a delegation at the meeting Monday, April 27, where it was accepted as information.

The matter will be brought before council again at a later date where it could be decided that Coldstream support the project and allow the signs to go up.

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