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Repairs needed for Oak Lake Beach Provincial Park

Although dike work has been completed both east and west around Oak Lake Provincial Park, in the R.M. of Sifton, the dam still needs to be reconstructed, explains Reeve of Sifton Rick Plaisier.
Oak Lake Provincial Park
The main beach at Oak Lake Provincial Park, located near the playground and camp store, is in need of attention after several years of high water and floods in the Westman area. Photo/Anne Davison

Although dike work has been completed both east and west around Oak Lake Provincial Park, in the R.M. of Sifton, the dam still needs to be reconstructed, explains Reeve of Sifton
Rick Plaisier. Not only that, the beach itself has been badly eroded with flooding, high water and waves.

He says the beach needs to be repaired, extended along the lake and permanently stabilized. “We have to reclaim what has been taken away,” says Plaisier, who is also a resident of Oak
Lake Beach.

The sandy main beach needs to be enlarged and Plaisier would like to see more permanent protection installed.

“Doing nothing is unacceptable,” he states. The lake itself seems to extend for miles, but it is a shallow prairie lake. Some years ago aeration was installed.

Oak Lake Water and Fish Enhancement Committee (volunteers) are still aerating, being advocates for water quatity. “We have applied for a fed grant to increase the area of the project,” says
Plaisier. They have yet to hear if they will receive funding.

The lake is also stocked. One million pickerel fry were released into Oak Lake on May 15. Plaisier explains that the survival rate only one percent - there are too many other predator fish.
“People are catching fish left and right. It’s good for tourism,” remarks the Reeve, who notes that Oak Lake is a Provincial Park. “It’s their responsibility to maintain it. They don’t get any revenue because it’s so small.” He says, for that reason Oak Lake tends to be overlooked, adding, “But they need to address and treat Oak Lake as equal to any other park in the province.”

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